my first impressions of india

I visited numerous parts of India in from June-July in 2015. I can honestly say its an experience that I will never forget, its changed my view on life and allowed me to have a broader perspective on the world  we live in. Therefore, I made the decision to write a bit of an insight into my journey, something that can help fellow travelers with aspirations to experience India understand and know what to expect. Here is a small but insightful (perhaps even comedic) short story of my first day in India. Enjoy! 
 

There I sat in silence, staring wide eyed to the new world I had just arrived in. Pressing my ear against the cool window, I listened to the blowing dust and relentless blaring honks from the chaotic traffic muffled by the double-paned glass of my outwardly westernized hotel. I felt trapped within the familiar comfort of my hotel room, unable to face what waited for me outside.

After hearing magical like stories from people who had traveled to India, and doing my  fair share of investigation through blogs, books, and documentaries, I expected very highly of our journey. I ignorantly believed that India would not be any different than traveling to Europe, where I normally frolicked around in my toasty coat while sipping on a cup of exquisite hot chocolate, observing timeless works of art in a clean and heated museum. Unfortunately, I was more than woefully unprepared for what I was about to see. As soon as I set foot outside onto the streets of Bangalore from the solace of my hotel, the culture shock hit me. The heat magnetized towards my cool skin as the calantrophy of honks, yells and broadcasted prayer flooded my ears. Similar to an indoor cat that had just left the safe haven of their home to venture into the outside world, I felt engulfed in unfamiliarity.  I desperately looked over at my mother, surveying her expressionless face for even the smallest look of assurance as to what we had gotten ourselves into. My mother offered no sympathy, for she too had her eyes wide open in shock. She turned to me and with a soft exhale she whispered to herself “Oh my… what have we gotten ourselves into?” My face went completely slack “You tell me! I thought you knew what we had gotten ourselves into!”  After a couple deep breathes, we mustered every ounce of our courage, held our breaths, and dove into the completely chaotic disarray called Commercial Street.  As we aimlessly wandered through the overpopulated, loud and humid avenue, I became overwhelmed by the extreme and unfamiliar cacophony of colors, noises, and people. Everywhere you went, people would openly stare, point you out to their friends and take photos of you. I would often receive requests for my autograph. I kept repeating to myself, I am tough, I can do this, I can stick through this and I most definitely cannot go back after 14 hours’ worth of flight time. Absolute panic the only thing I could feel in that moment, I felt like I had just arrived in an entirely different universe where my only security drowned itself in the unfamiliarity around me. Such extremes of poverty and riches twisted and intermingled themselves in ways I could have never imagined possible. One block you would pass by a magnificent temple, its edges plated with the finest gold and its walls garnished with vivid illustrations and statues of Hindu Gods, all shaded and kept cool by a striking banyan tree. The next block you would face the gut punching, harsh reality of a barefoot, grubby, and barely clothed child no more than three years of age wretchedly pleading for food on the dusty ground. The wealthy, the poor, and everyone in between lived in such close proximity that the contrasts seemed glaring. As we continued on ambling down the street, my fair skinned, six-foot two, American father became bombarded with offers from street vendors. He towered above everyone making him an easy target for peddlers and soon he had falling victim to a mob. Frantically looking around for a way out of our hectic situation, my family and I darted over to the closest most familiar looking building around us. Sipping on our Frappuccino’s and lattes and munching on a warm loaf of marble bread, my mother, father and I, looked outside through the shiny window onto to the busy streets like one does looking into an snow globe. My dad turned and sheepishly looked at me and with a secretive tone he said   “Don't tell anybody about us being around here, okay?” I nodded as I took another sip of my drink. We were in Starbucks! We traveled eight thousand six hundred and ninety three miles around the world to India, an exotic, vibrant, and diverse country only to spend half of our planned outing hiding in Starbucks? We could find Starbucks anywhere in the United States! When I think about it now, it sounds absurd, but at the time it provided a sentiment of comfort.  I will always remember that day, it taught me that no matter how far away one may be away from home, one will always magnetize towards the familiar. 

My first impressions of India were tainted by unfamiliarity, disorganization, and disappointing moments. However each time I had a bout of pessimism or a wave of pure shock, a redeeming moment right after that made up for it and enlightened me to realize there was way more depth and significance to our journey to India. When I sailed down the gorgeous Ganga river in Varanasi, when I rode up to a castle on an elephant and made friends with a camel in Jaipur, and when I finally came face to face with the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, just to name a few.  Slowly but surely I felt the heartbeat of India charm me and take me in. India is certainly a disparate world, or better said, a gallimaufry of many worlds all wrapped into one. It enlightened me in many ways, showed me how to slow down, remain patient, and see the deeper significance in life. Once I had dismissed my first impression and prejudice against India, I discovered the bittersweet side that made it all worth staying for. I would gladly do it all again in a heartbeat.