If I'm being honest, I haven't blogged as much because the first few days in India were difficult. Really difficult. I struggled. Like I said before, I didn't want to have any expectations for the trip, because I knew there really wasn't anyway to prepare for what I was going to experience. It was a huge culture shock.
Landing in the airport was overwhelming. All I heard was Tamil and nothing about a single word I heard or a sign I saw was recognizable or the least bit familiar.
My blonde hair and light skin covered in my western clothes stood out in the sea of colorful saris as I tried to deflect the curious stares that I couldn't handle at 4 in the morning.
Nothing was familiar and I was scared. I wanted to go home.
Did I make a huge mistake? Why did I say that I didn't "need" to study in Europe. What made me think I could handle myself here? Why in the heck did the wasp-y college girl from the U.S. think she could do it? What in the world (pun intended) was I trying to prove?
Luckily, despite the whole British-airways-trying-to-screw-me-over-oh-my-gosh-I'm-having-a-life-crisis-in-a-period-of-five-seconds-I'm-scared-how-do-I-properly-communicate-without-getting-arrested debacle, I was able to find the other students on my flight, get through customs and get our bags (with only one missing, that later arrived) fairly easily.
Once I caught up on sleep and adjusted to the culture shock though, I began to see India for what it really is.
There's no way to truly describe India that could really do it justice. I'm sure over the next four weeks I'll be seeing and doing things I would have never expected.
There's nothing familiar about it, but occasionally, I find little glimpses of comfort that I recognize and hold on to throughout the entire day. It's beautiful and heart-breaking, ancient, dirty, and happy. It's so much more complex than I could ever explain. It would probably take way too long to really explain everything I've experienced and am experiencing. I'm still processing and trying to understand. So allow me some grace in using this blog to figure out what India is to me.
I'm still not sure what my purpose here is, but everyday I'm seeing a glimpse of the eternal kingdom and a reminder that I'm right where I'm supposed to be for the time being.
I'm learning and really loving it here. It's changing my perspective to see so much of the world through the eternal perspective of mercy, compassion and grace.
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:12-13
With Love,
Kaitlyn
Landing in the airport was overwhelming. All I heard was Tamil and nothing about a single word I heard or a sign I saw was recognizable or the least bit familiar.
My blonde hair and light skin covered in my western clothes stood out in the sea of colorful saris as I tried to deflect the curious stares that I couldn't handle at 4 in the morning.
Nothing was familiar and I was scared. I wanted to go home.
Did I make a huge mistake? Why did I say that I didn't "need" to study in Europe. What made me think I could handle myself here? Why in the heck did the wasp-y college girl from the U.S. think she could do it? What in the world (pun intended) was I trying to prove?
Luckily, despite the whole British-airways-trying-to-screw-me-over-oh-my-gosh-I'm-having-a-life-crisis-in-a-period-of-five-seconds-I'm-scared-how-do-I-properly-communicate-without-getting-arrested debacle, I was able to find the other students on my flight, get through customs and get our bags (with only one missing, that later arrived) fairly easily.
Once I caught up on sleep and adjusted to the culture shock though, I began to see India for what it really is.
There's no way to truly describe India that could really do it justice. I'm sure over the next four weeks I'll be seeing and doing things I would have never expected.
There's nothing familiar about it, but occasionally, I find little glimpses of comfort that I recognize and hold on to throughout the entire day. It's beautiful and heart-breaking, ancient, dirty, and happy. It's so much more complex than I could ever explain. It would probably take way too long to really explain everything I've experienced and am experiencing. I'm still processing and trying to understand. So allow me some grace in using this blog to figure out what India is to me.
I'm still not sure what my purpose here is, but everyday I'm seeing a glimpse of the eternal kingdom and a reminder that I'm right where I'm supposed to be for the time being.
I'm learning and really loving it here. It's changing my perspective to see so much of the world through the eternal perspective of mercy, compassion and grace.
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:12-13
With Love,
Kaitlyn
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