A Surprise for Some

For some of you this is old news; for others it may be a surprise.

As the school winter/Christmas break drew near, I began questioning my stay in India. It started to feel like I was just killing time until my departure on January 14. I had signed up for a 5-day yoga course and I had planned to visit the Gandhi memorial in Ahmedabad, but as Christmas approached it became more clear to me that what I really wanted was to be home with my family. 

Prior to my trip I was clear in my intent. This excursion was about volunteering and experiencing the Indian culture, not sight seeing. Many people, some prior to my departure and some when I was in India, said "You HAVE to go see the Taj Mahal!". I thought, "no, I don't". I'm sure it is impressive and I'm sure some take away more than photos from their visit, but it just wasn't something that I needed to do. 

The last day at school was difficult. When someone leaves, all the teachers gather together to express their feelings and the person leaving has an opportunity to share in return. I cried when I apologized for the times I wasn't patient, for the times when I challenged their way of doing things. What made it even more difficult was that the teacher I felt the deepest connection with was very sick that day. Although she worked at the other school (where I spent little time) and although she spoke very, very little English, we seemed to have a deep connection that did not require words. This is the teacher that made the paper rose for me, which now sits in a place of honor in my office. I will continue to work with One! International on the Canada side with my focus being medical supplies.

Leaving India itself was not so difficult. It seemed that there were a few signs telling me it was time to head back: 1) I lost a filling in one of my teeth, 2) my attempts to get a new pair of glasses were met with roadblocks and 3) I dropped my reading glasses in the Indian-style, no-flush toilet! For those curious readers, yes, I did fish them out, wash them off and use them.

On the flight home, I tried to capture in my journal the lessons I learned during my time away. I'd like to share some of those with you:

1) I'm not perfect; I am human and I will make mistakes.

2) I need to continue to work on my non-judgment.

3) It takes a lot to shock me.

4) I sometimes place unnecessary limitations on myself and others.

5) How much (money, things, etc.) do I really need?

6) I value cleanliness and orderliness.

7) "Should" is a word I want to eliminate completely from my vocabulary!

I've enjoyed keeping this blog, perhaps because it had a purpose, perhaps because it would eventually have an end. Thank you for your comments, both on and off the blog site. Thank you to my friends and family for supporting me in this adventure and for their prayers; to Curt for his ability to trust and for not creating emotional roadblocks; to my boss, Peter, for his patience and concern; and especially Natalie whose enthusiasm and encouragement helped bring this idea to fruition.

Thanks for stopping by!

The End :)