I returned to the States last Saturday Feb 7 - exhausted (after the 28 hour trip and five intense weeks of work/play in India) but very happy to be back home. My body and mind suffered the effects of jet lag for about 5 days (time in India is 10 1/2 hours ahead of EST) but I'm fully back on east coast time now (and wishing the weather here in Syracuse was more like Raleigh or Bangalore). :)
On one level it was emotionally difficult to leave India - even though after 5 weeks of being away I was surely looking forward returning to my family and my 'real' life. As a whole, the Indian people are not emotionally demonstrative, or even warm, to people they don't know but if they're inclined to get to know you, then their kindness, openness and generosity of spirit will blow you away. I was there to work but getting to know the people I worked with, well, that was an unexpected and treasured gift. The trust and respect that was offered, and I daresay earned, between both the US team and the Indian team was a bridge that easily spanned our cultural differences. The people I met and built relationships with in India deeply touched my heart.
Here are some closing pictures as they always speak much more than words can convey ...
The Indian team broke out their ethic wear for picture day!
Genesha - a Hindu god of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. Almost every store, maybe every store, I went into had a Hindu shrine right inside the entrance. The shrine was usually to Ganesha; a fresh flower necklace would adorn the statue and the smell of incense often lingered in the air. Yes, this statue was really that big. :)
Shiva is a major Hindu god and Ganesha's father. The Ganesha statue was big but the Shiva statue was enormous!
Jan 26 - Republic Day
The hotel security and some of the staff (former military) assemble d fo r a discreet ceremony out on the front lawn. I just happened to look outside and see this taking place.
Malls, malls everywhere ... yes, you can go mall (s)hopping in Bangalore. Me? I prefer the managed chaos and energy of the small stalls on Commerical Street!
Hotel entrance - Ganesha. As we'd leave the hotel at 7:30 AM each day, there was fresh incense burning by this statue.
Room Tour - Taj
When we went to the Botanical Gardens one Saturday, scores of children were there on field trips. School is not publicly funded there and the children go to school 5 1/2 days a week. The kids were intrigued by our cameras and wanted their pictures taken. We disrupted many an orderly group of children just by being there. :) Once the kids ran to us, they jockeyed for position to have their pics taken.
Of coures, after you took the pictures, the kids had to see them! Their excitement was contagious. :)
