Delhi-icious

** I wrote this post last sunday in an internet cafe. The connection went down before I could get it posted. So here it is...just a little late. Thank you to everyone who kept up with the blog! I will post pictures at some point. So if you want to see some, check back in like a week when I get back from boating with the parents. :)

My days in India are dwindling quickly. The past two months have been a wonderful and unexpectedly peaceful chapter of my life. I think India has helped me to grow up a bit and take life a little less serious. You never know what tomorrow will bring I guess...

After about a week in India, my parents asked me if I thought India would change me. My gut reaction was yes. Now, in the final days of my trip, I want to retract my statement. India has not fundamentally changed me, but rather helped shape my world-view. For instance, I never knew that I could live in relative happiness with random power-outraged leaving me Air Conditioning-less, a faulty water supply, and constant sweat & dirt. (PS: my water was out all day on the day of my departure from India. It turned back on around 7pm...it would have been a smelly trip without a shower!) I've always said that there is nothing more irritating than getting mad or angry at things that are outside of your control. I can't control that my little undocumented/illegal flat has faulty power and water. Such is life. After a while, you get used to it and don't notice that it's over 90 degrees indoors. whatev.

Things that India will never change about me: cheerful, optimistic, stubborn, independent, self-assured, confident, happy, loud.

India put life in perspective for me. I think I spent the better part of last semester being unhappy for no good reason. And the more I worried about my waistline, the more I became unhappy. Unhappiness led to more eating...and more worrying..etc. Instead of worrying and complaining, all I needed was to do something about it. Put down the beer and nachos :)

It's funny, I think most Indian food isn't that good for you, but this has really proven to me that it's more about portion control than anything. This trip has just really made me re-evaluate some things and get to the root of what used to make me happy. Last semester was exhausting. It feels good to be back to myself! Cocky? ....sure :)

The more I think about going home, the more I am ready to leave.

Things I'm looking forward to:

My family & Cooper

going boating in the san juans

Sun Cove and all that it implies

Cashmere
Aplets & Cotlets
The Cashmere people: Pete, Steph, Skyler, Brett, Ryan, Jared, Aaron, Megan, etc.
The lawschool people: Nat, Jenn, Sean (& David), Pat, Juanessa, Kristin, Jenny, BJ, Jill, Tammy, etc etc
A real shower
A real bed
fluffy pillows
mexican food
BEEF
being clean
driving myself around

Things that I will miss:

Katie, Lisa, Sarah, & Iram
The colors
The smell of Saffron & other spices
cheap trinkets
Bindis and Mendi
Hindi
The weekend trips
V & Varun
eating with my hands
Paneer
the food in general

Things I will not miss:

being stared at
the auto rickshaw drivers
Indian male chauvinism
"Indian men know best" syndrome
bargaining for prices