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Monday, August 27, 2007
Traveling is one thing. But to travel with 30 people and manage to not kill each other by the end of 30 days…That my friends, is a miracle. It started all on a whim - a need to fulfill an international credit… a desire to travel. After 8 months of preparation, it ultimately concluded… with 29 new friends, 3 passport stamps, 2 suitcases full of thanks (and gifts of course), and a once in a lifetime experience.
Will I do it again?
The answer will be a definite yes. I will do it, in fact, a thousand times over. But for now, I am done with the packing and unpacking. Phew.
India is a place full of rich history, colorful sarees, and nice people. It is the birthplace of Ghandi’s where his motto - ‘My Life is a Message’- still rings far and wide. It is where the majestic Taj Mahal lies, and its where the cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore poise themselves to be the next big thing.
In India, I saw the mega rich, and the destitute beyond words. That hit me the most, and until today, I still cannot forget the faces of the beggar children, asking for money and food. It is alarming how in India, there are those who have wealth to rival Donald Trump and there are those living in the slumps. All that, only a gate away. One moment we were at the Oberoi where we saw the rich enjoy high tea, the next moment we are being hounded by the homeless.
What's surprising is that this country with so many living in poverty, can be so rich at the same time. If you give them a chance,
if you will just give them a chance, they will surprise you and touch you with their warmth and generosity.
India, like how a guest speaker puts it, is a place where you search for self discovery. Today in the 21st century when travel is becoming increasingly common for those with high disposable income, people are going to India for a different purpose. Gone are the days when they only want to visit New York, Paris, Tokyo, their travels have now brought them to the great sub continent… to the place which introduced Yoga, to the place to find themselves.
As city folk like you and I get lost in our vast world of finance, economics, and an insatiable appetite for monetary success, they are seeking a retreat…a retreat to the gateway to self discovery because hey, guess what? Suddenly, its no longer all about you. You grow more aware of whats around you, and you learn to appreciate what you have. By the end of the trip, I think that was how I emerged – Knowing more about myself – how I adapt, how I accommodate others, how fortunate I am to be in my circumstances; my surroundings; and about this World I live in.
Travel is not travel if you don’t open your eyes. Opening your eyes is not necessarily the same as seeing. Seeing is believing. And now I believe.
I have done what I wanted to accomplish on this study abroad.
I have seen Incredible India, Thailand, and Dubai…and I only hope that you will get a chance to see it too.
© 2004/2007 qian. all rights reserved.
