Back again

Wow, almost two months since my last entry... that's LONG even for me. I cannot begin to fill you all in. But, since I mentioned my upcoming (at the time of the last entry) rural sojourn the last time I wrote, i feel I should write a little about it. And soon, I will post an essay (still being written) from another trip (a holiday this time) that I made to Bombay over a long weekend in Feb.

So, the rural trip. Let me take a shortcut and post (parts of) a diary entry from one of those days. Maybe I'll add in more stories and interesting tidbits another time, this one serves as an overall update!


Thursday, February 5
8:20 PM

Dear Diary,

Sorry I disappeared after that last rushed entry. I have had a very FULL two days, much enjoyment, and much EXHAUSTION! In fact, as we speak, there some music and dance happening outside that i would ordinarily have loved to be a part of. But, right now, I am too tired. In fact, I went to the door, then got overwhelmed by the sound of 70 people singing, and came back to my room!

So, i visited 6-7 villages today. i don't know how to sum up my day, really-- talked to many kids and schoolteachers (super inspiring people, most of them!), explored several BEAUTIFUL natural spots, drank too many cups of tea, didn't eat nearly enough but ate too many sweets (but then, i did have 5 full meals yesterday), travelled in a jeep over land- won't call it a road- that should NEVER have seen a jeep, interacted with villagers in 2-3 places, took lots of photos, tasted absolutely fresh honey, expereinced killer exhaustion and dehydratoion... yes, that's just today. Yesterday, I spent 4-5 hours on a motorcylce (the major chunk of them with 3 of us on the bike), met and talked to girls in two schools where S works, talked to their teachers and hostel wardens, sang and danced (yes, even danced) with the girls at the camp here in Bhavangadh, ate five meals, spent a few minutes at a riverside, also took lots of photos... I probably did lots of other stuff too! So yeah, my days here have been very full-- I feel I have lived a week in the last 2 days. On the whole, I have enjoyed myself thoroughly, but I'll admit I am looking forward to being home and sleeping in day-after tomorrow!

Questions that this trip has raised? Most important, do I belong in the village or the city? Or, rather, where do i WANT to belong? Both, I guess. I feel calmer, happier, more myself here than I have felt in a while. But I also miss the... umm... connectedness of city life. Actualy no, I don't miss it yer- it's been good to take a break from phone calls and the internet and all that. But if you ask if I'd be happy like that for months or years, I don't think so. Haha, once again, I belong somewhere in between! (At least, the advantage of being on the border is that both sides give you the benefit of doubt ;)).

Dinner time now, more later,

Love

Aditi