A friend of mine I met at Sadhana forest from Latvia told me that in his country when people are asked, "why are you going to India?" a common response is, "I left something there." He told me this my first week in India and I did not understand it. But after about a month into my trip, especially after my experience with the Blossom Trust, I began to comprehend. When people ask me which country was my favorite, I wouldn't necessarily say that it was India. But, when people ask which country impacted me the most, India is the immediate answer. I would't recommend India for everyone (especially if you are there for less than a month). The country is SO different and if I had to describe it in one word it would be intense. The smells, colors, sounds and people are intense. In India you see the good, the bad and the ugly. But, if you stay long enough and have an open mind, you begin to love the good even more, realize the bad isn't really that bad-- just different, and while the ugly is always ugly, you start to learn from it. The intensity that was once overwhelming in a bad way just makes you feel alive.
I am 100% certain that I will be returning to this amazing country. I left something there. I can't really tell you what I left, but unlike most of the other countries I visited I feel like my visit was incomplete. I don't think I will ever see enough of India. There is too much to see-- too many people, cultures, cities and states. There are 1.3 billion people with 28 states and 22 official languages (hundreds of unofficial). Traveling in India is often extremely frustrating but it is these challenges that are often the most rewarding. India opens your mind. India opens you heart.
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| As you can see, I was literally only in the southern tip of India Much more to see! |
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