Today is the last day. Everywhere I go, I think, “Is this the last time I’ll see this or do this?” I’m sad to think that I can’t smell the flowers as I walk to the Canteen or listen to Gujarati as I work on my computer in the OPD. I will miss random people coming up to me, wondering what I’m doing, and trying to converse with me in the little English they know. Now, I must move on from this serene place to the bustling city of Bombay.
I definitely am sad to leave. Even though there are certain times that have been really challenging throughout this trip – such as stuffing 12 people in one car and showering with water that’s been sitting in a bucket for two days – none of these challenges were ever so severe that I felt like quitting. I’ve learned how to deal with imperfection and have become more patient, two things that I hope will last with me forever. I will miss the simplicity of the people and the constant reminders of what is really important in life – health, happiness and gratitude for every second you are lucky enough to have heath and happiness. This sounds corny but it’s really true. When you are surrounded by people in so much suffering who have so little , you can’t help but thank the lord for the life he’s given you. I could have been born in one of these villages, where convincing my parents to let me go to school instead of helping on the farm would have been a huge feat. But instead, I was lucky enough to have been born into a family that can afford to think about the long term benefits of education and so many other investments that make me a healthier individual. So much of what these people face really is structural, a product of the lives they were born into and the barriers to a better life which have become part of their ways of life.
I also will kind of miss Indian Standard Time. Even though it can be frustrating at times when things never start on time or people don’t follow through on plans, it’s also kind of nice to just go with the flow. Being at the Ashram has forced me to be more accepting of any situation and try harder to make the best of it. I know more than ever before not to get frustrated about the things I can’t change and instead just work with what I’ve got. When you live in a country with so many people and without great infrastructure, you have to think like this. You have to accept that you are living with millions of other human beings, all trying to live their lives simultaneously- there is no way this can happen without a little bit of chaos!
At the same time, I’m really excited to go to Bombay. The faster lifestyle of the city will be a great change of pace. I can’t wait to be by the ocean, try some new restaurants and just learn more about the culture of this great city. I also am more than excited to stay at the Hyatt – a little different than the Ashram. And they will have REAL coffee that doesn’t just taste like milk, and maybe even salad. Wow I just got really excited.
In the evening, we went over to Vimal and Bhavika’s house for dinner and to look at their wedding videos. By now, we have all become really good friends, so it was great to be able to spend our last night at the Ashram together. Between Vimal coordinating our activities and accompanying us on our trips and Bhavika helping me tremendously with my research and teaching me how to put on a saree, I don’t know what we would have done without this newly wed couple. We ate fried potatoes and onions, which we dipped in yogurt mixed with spices. This is definitely something I will bring back to the US – a dish that we have been served at practically every home we visit! These little fried foods are really a Gujarati tradition and so delicious because the batter is made from dal flour and spices, and fried in cotton or coconut oil.
We sat around their living room, eating and laughing at Vimal dancing in his wedding video. We knew that goodbyes were coming, but no one wanted them to start. Because Bahvika is pregnant, we gave them a camera so that we could see pictures of her baby! She is going to be the best mother ever and I honestly would come all the way back to India just to see this baby. Eventually, it was time to go. We all stood up and gave long hugs and said that we would be back, which I do believe is true. Perhaps the next time we’ll see them will be in New York if Bhavika start’s working there – how cool would that be? But honestly, I don’t ever see them leaving the Ashram. They have grown up around this place and are so content here – I don’t blame them!
Bombay, here I come!
Sidenote: my flight to Bombay was at 7:20am, which meant we were supposed to leave the Ashram at 5am. The car didn’t arrive until 5:45am. I honestly thought that I just wasn’t going to go to the airport; but how bad would that be? Things could be much worse. No big deal. I did cartwheels in the big front lawn while the sun rose.
