The reverse culture shock was real. After spending over twenty-four hours in the air and only twelve hours having gone by on my watch, I was finally walking back onto American soil. The smells, sights, and sounds were all familiar to me. It was hard to look back on my experiences right away. It was almost like I needed time for them to soak in before I could honestly reflect on my experiences and expeditions. India is truly a special place. Yet, as I mentioned before, it took some time to adjust once I was back.
For the most part, it was the pure amount of energy that India required me to use. I was honestly exhausted upon my return. With 1.3 billion people, each day drained me emotionally and physically. It was not just the energy to operate on a daily basis, but it was also the energy to comprehend and attempt to understand what I was seeing or experiencing. With a country full of people who believe that this is one of their many lives, the word complex doesn’t even begin to describe the Indian lifestyle. Every day of the three weeks I spent in India, I attempted to wrap my head around their culture. The complicated history of India has led to the situation they find themselves in today. With the constant turmoil of ruling parties, the Indian people have lost faith in their leaders. The leaders can and have brought about positive changes, but, as seen by the Indian population, the leaders ultimately also bring about their own demise.
I am interested to see where India will go in my lifetime. The various forces and factors that are present in India will all search for their way to expose themselves. Yet, if the Indian people can find commonality, then the possibilities are endless for the Indian people.
