Today, I’ve decided to get back into writing and sharing on this blog. I’ve been back in Minnesota for a little over a month now and I’m continuing to process and grasps concepts, ideas and perspectives. It’s always good for me to keep in mind that I will be continuing to do these things throughout life, over time better understanding and unpacking the experiences and stories from my four months in India amidst life here in the U.S. It has been quite a whirlwind of emotions coming home, especially during the hustle + bustle of the holiday season. I’ve been thinking about a lot since I stepped off the plane on December 20th. Where to begin?
We’ll start with the infamous (and valid) question: “How was India?” First of all, it’s not possible to fully talk about India and ‘how it was’ in passing (but that doesn’t mean I can’t share something or talk about some part of my time abroad). The question is asked with good intention, but usually catches me off guard in a positive way. This very questions has allowed me to reflect on how it (my time abroad) actually was. Learning how to share those experiences has been a valuable part of my reentry process, which I will talk more about that in posts to come. So, how was India?
1) Incredible. Crazy, beautiful all at once, but it’s good to be home because this is the community I’m a part of and the community where I can mobilize to create the most change.
2) Valuable. The classroom was everywhere I went, through everything I did. Walks to the market. Dinner conversations. Tea breaks. Documentary discussions. Interactions with community leaders + social activists. Engaging with locals. Journaling. Skyping with people from home. Reading. The whole works. The kind of learning I experienced was valuable, uncomfortable (in beneficial ways), transformative, reaffirming and experiential.
3) Different. But different is good. Different doesn’t mean any better or worse.
Those are some of my reactions to this question. I will continue to be sharing the thoughts + reactions I’ve had upon my arrival. I want to be clear that I don’t mind the question. This questions continues to guide reentry process as I find ways to integrate what I valued during my time in India into my life here in the U.S.
Love + light,
Nicole
Shine On + Be Well 