New Friends

I think today for the first time I am starting to feel really adjusted and like myself which partly has to do with the fact that I have made some really good friends who I am comfortable with and who I can just laugh and have fun with.

Honestly, since Tuesday the days have flown by and I feel like every minute of my day is filled which is really nice. The feeling of loneliness has definitely subsided and actually I rarely have time to be alone. Right now the guest house I am staying in is filled with visitors, mostly students and researchers from around India who I have become good friends with. Although initially many of the people I meet, especially Indians and locals, seem standoffish and intimidating but I have realized that once they get to know you they are the most warm, loving and really FUN people ! They love to crack jokes and gently tease you and I am often the one being teased.

Although in other contexts this has really bothered me, for some reason here I really don’t mind and have learned to laugh at myself as well. Today, I got lost AGAIN and a group of people I work with basically watched me walk around in a big circle totally confused and although I felt embarrassed, I just made a joke and laughed about it which I think they also find endearing. The things they find the most funny are things that are common sense to them that I just don’t get. They all try to help me out but I think they find it quite amusing at the same time. Overall, this experience has really helped me to not take myself so seriously and be more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I don’t know if this is openness when you are traveling, living together or the culture of India but I am amazed at how close I feel to people after just a few days of knowing them. Although for the most part I still very much feel like an outsider the few people I have connected with I feel really close to. I am also constantly impressed by people’s intelligence. Everyone from the people in the village to professors to students are so smart, hardworking and innovative. For example I became good friends with a girl who is staying in my guest house who is 26, completed her MSW and is now finishing her PhD in Disaster Preparedness while working full time (BTW here full time is Mon-Sat so 48 hours a week). The amazing thing about her is she is not only extremely intelligent, a humanitarian and passionate about social justice, but she is also fun, witty and humble which I really appreciate.

Today I went back to the village with the whole research team and met with the group of woman again. I have attached a few pictures but let me know if you are interested in seeing more and I can e-mail you the link. Once again, I was totally blown away by the woman’s strength and motivation to improve their current circumstances and rise out of poverty as well as their openness, warmth and hospitality. The feeling and aura of being in a village is truly indescribable and one I hope I will get to experience many times on this trip!