So I've been home for about a week and a half, and my belly is back to normal. Although Indiawater was probably the best diet I accidently found in my life, I'm happy to be back to eating normal stuff. Like tilapia. And anything other than plain yogurt. ...I think that the next time I go to India, I'll bring back bottles of tap water and sell it as Miracle Diet Liquid. Recommended dosage: one teaspoon...ever.
Usually when I come home, I discover the foods I missed the most. Winners are: bagels, and Mixed Fruit Mentos.
Eating mall food with my hands. Totally normal.
Foods I miss the most now: 1) tandoori chicken - something in the way they rub that chicken with spices makes it just fall off the bone, especially when you're holding it with ...2) parathas - a hand-rolled, occasionally stuffed with cheese, potato, etc. version of the Mexican tortilla.
And I get to take a good, outsider's look at India itself. I only saw a small portion of it, so I might not be the best judge. But you know the expression "concrete jungle"? I think people use it in reference to New York, or maybe other big crazy cities. But that's the only phrase I can really think of to describe places like Mumbai and Delhi. People walk barefoot between cement buildings, cows, fruit and vegetable stands, naked children, stores with sales advertised in windows, sometimes grass and flowers...... and, you know what, it's the closest thing I've ever seen to a jungle. From what I've heard, they're crazy. And like I said in one of my first blogs, buildings are always either half-up or half-down. Concrete is the tall trees. The Call to Prayer for mosques and the constant hooting of the horns are the calls of the birds and tigers. Brightly colored trash are the flowers in puddles.
But mostly, a lot of people run through barefoot.
And I miss it. Instead of worshiping STUFF - like a huge (cable) package, halfcafnotfatricemilkflavoredcoffeebusiness, and Lindsay Lohan jail sentence T-Shirts - the people worship some other kind of something. Of course, there are the Hindu idols and whatnot, but "getting stuff" doesn't seem to be as big of a deal as it is here. It was nice.
And mostly, Karma. What you do affects what happens to you later. Even if later is in a next life. And everyone kind of seems content with their position in life. This could be a really general statement, but everyone takes their job really seriously. Even if they're just bringing chai in the morning. Even if they're painting walls on a movie set. Everyone has a very specific job, and they do it as best as they can! It's their job! And don't YOU do it, because it's THEIR job.
Yes.. or No?
So I have a job with ABC in New York, and I'll miss the bright yellows, pinks, blues, that the women wear in India. It seems like most business professionals are dressed to their favorite shades of gray. Maybe some corporate light blue.
I'll miss the color. The karma. The people with their upside down sense of humor. Being called "Madam." Bananas on the street for about one penny. Karan. Cows on the way to work. Leaving my shoes at the door in the office. Chai at my desk every morning. People actually enjoying the rain. Arguments in Hindi. Streetside shrines to Shiva. "Om" everywhere. People eating lunch on the street next to a guy with a bunsen burner and a pot of food. "Yes" and "No" are both meant in one sideways head bobble.
Actually no... I won't miss that last one. A head nod means "yes" here in the states and a head shake means "no." End of conversation.
It's good to be sure of that again.