The India Chronicles: Wrap Up

So, It's been over six months since I got back from India, but I wanted to add some last minute thoughts, and categorize some random journal entries:

• People are beautiful. No matter where you go, there's something enchanting about humanity. Universally, it's also messy, awkward, difficult, and awful. But there's something magical about the very fact that you can connect with someone in a completely different world, on a level that is not really understandable or describable.  
• Women are Incredible. Overall, the women that I met in India have sacrificed so much. For their families, for their communities, for their guests. We were near perfect strangers, and every woman we met went out of their way for us. An excerpt from my journal: Indian women are awesome. They're sharp, curt. not a lot of warm fluffy validation. they're sassy and quick,  hardworking and nurturing. It's a different kind o nurture than in the states--it's very official. almost business-like. constantly making sure everyone is alright. Always cooking, offering, worrying about food and whether we all have enough of it. They're so genuine and sincere, without the sweet frosting fluff of an appearance of caring. I like that approach. 
• Life is hard; and oh my goodness I am blessed. Naturally the living conditions I experienced and saw, or the extreme struggle of poverty. The rest of my blog posts all basically point out the many reasons I feel so blessed, but I found one more little story I wanted to share to illustrate that point: sitting on a rocky train, vendors coming up and down the isles every few seconds shouting the same one or two muddled syllables of the name of what they're selling. Their shouts are loud and nasal, stinging and abrasive. 'ignore them, averill. don't make eye contact. otherwise they'll stop and try to make you buy whatever their selling'. Then I made the mistake of looking down, curious what aroma I was experiencing. It was a masala chickpea concoction with fresh onions and lime. The vendor caught my glance and held out her basket. "No" I quickly shook my head, carefully trying not to buy into this system which I found so annoying. and looked away trying to get her to pass by. But she held up a small spoonful of a sample. it was delicious. I finally nodded and she smiled. She pointed to various items in her basket. saying with her eyes, "would you like freshly cut onions?" I nodded, "how about lime juice sprinkled?" Yes. "and two spoons?  so you can share?" Thank you. Only 10 rupees. about 12 cents. She smiled. a warm, genuine smile as if to say, "I glad you enjoy these! have a good trip!" I was suddenly struck by how rude I'd been to her. She and all the other vendors were just trying to make a living. an honest, hard working job, trekking train cart to train cart hoping to get 10 rupees at a time. Who am I to be annoyed at their methods that are just culturally different? I truly admire their bravery. I will never have to fight for a living that way. 
• Down further on that same page of my journal I wrote this: I wonder if when I'm back in the states, I'll miss the noise. I wonder if the quite I once missed will feel empty. (When I first came back, it really did. Everything was too quiet; eerily quiet. and too clean; sterile. inhuman. I had more of a culture shock returning to the states than I did arriving in India.)
• I don't like traveling, I like living. 
• I like roots, even if they're short ones. I wouldn't have liked India if I'd just traveled here. But I like it; I like having lived here, having ridden their buses, been in their hospitals. I like india. I don't like being a white, blonde foreigner in India, but I like India. 
• I want to go into my world travels not with the mindset, 'what experience does this place have to offer me?' but 'what can I learn here?' or 'how can I serve?' I'd rather have a life that is small and deep than one that is wide, large, expansive, but shallow. 

• International development is difficult. The beauty in the system of HELP international is that we tried to work with Local NGOs: people who know their own people and know how to help them. Because we frankly didn't know. When people talk about "voluntourism" or "humanitarian aid as a hobby" it makes me a little bit upset. At least the people that are going around the world are trying. They're putting in effort to change the world, even if we don't totally know how. yet. 
• My frustration with going abroad and trying to help, was that I really didn't know exactly how to do so. I didn't know the language or the culture. I didn't fully understand the problems I was trying to solve. 

So here's my big take away:

Lift where you stand (listen to this talk if you haven't)

Serve in a place where you know how to serve; the people whose culture, language, communication style, and problems you understand. Not everyone gets the chance to fly across the world and work in the slums of India. But you don't need to to make a difference. There are so many things that we can do here; so many things that everyone can do right where they are. Right where YOU are.