Laughter & Tears (Last Post)

And so... I have come to my last full day in India, after four months of immersion in this beautiful and vibrant culture. This will likely be my final blog post, and -- yes -- I find myself feeling the bittersweet poignancy of knowing I am leaving one place I love with all my heart, in order to return to another place I love with all my heart. How India grew to be so much a part of my spirit, not the least of which was being given a common Indian name, is a reflection for another day. However, I would like to share my parting thoughts and last moments/events with you all.

First, I would like to start with a bit of LAUGHTER. You recall that my friend Ell visited Mumbai & Pune with me. In Mumbai, we went to the Museum of Indian Cinema, a building jam-packed with history, photos, and recordings, all in relation to the development of cinema in India. One room happened to be an interactive space -- including an area where visitors could interact in front of a green screen by choosing a "scene" from a computer menu. I chose a "snowy day" and did a little silly improv that Ell recorded. (Note -- this was actually on a day that hovered near 100°F.) If you want a quick laugh, check out this video.

Following Ell's departure, my days turned toward saying my goodbyes to everyone I have come to love here in Pune. I have had lunches, walks, and even a sleepover in the past week. And yes, I have cried. And laughed. And cried. Here are just some of the people I've said goodbye to: my neighbors (loads of tears!), my friend Triveni (the first person I met in Pune and a previous Fulbrighter herself), my Fergusson College colleagues, wonderful new friends from Pune University (where I gave a talk a few weeks ago), the ASHA girls and teachers, the local grocer (hole-in-the-wall shop where I bought much of my food), the housing society guards (love these guys), my housemaid Sunanda, Nini's vets... and more.

Here are photos from an overnight social gathering at my friend Shivani's house... Drinks on the rooftop terrace, a huge meal, a loss of electricity as we sat down to eat (at 11:00 pm!), and the next morning having "Iranian tea" with a date (the fruit, not a person 😊 ) at a nearby restaurant.

And here's another meet-up at a restaurant called "Dhaba" (meaning "roadside food stall), with my friend Poonam and her two boys, with an exchange of small gifts. The food item is "chaat" (a savory and sweet "street" food that the restaurant served on a fried spinach leaf).

What will I miss about India? Far too many things to list, but here are a few: rickshaws (seeing them, riding in them); the colors of life, women in sarees; the food (pretty much all of it); the streets filled with people carrying on with their lives at the edges of hutments along the roadside or scurrying down busy streets; the visits to rural villages, where people live lives of simplicity and hardship, with a slower pace of life than the bustling cities. I will miss the cacophony of sounds at all times of day and night; the fireworks exploding outside my windows on a regular basis (I don't know why, but there they are); the ever-present background noise of cars honking, birds, calls to prayer, and men & women singing in the temple outside my flat. I will miss seeing the children from the "housing society" play together every evening for 2 hours -- detached from technology, making up games of chase, finding fun together, growing up in community. I will miss the banyan trees, the mangoes, the street markets. But most of all I will miss the people -- friends who have embraced me like a family member; children, youth, and college students who are bright and eager to grow and learn; strangers who have helped me find my way, or given me a bargain, or greeted me with "namaste," or asked for a photo with me (an oddly common phenomenon). I will miss the genuine sincerity of the Pune people, their warmth and smiles and pride of place. And I will miss so much more that can't be captured in a paragraph or in photographs.

My biggest surprise on this 4-month adventure has been the adoption of that scrawny, scruffy, street kitten. I know the US has plenty of cats needing homes, but somehow Nini made her way into my life, and neither of us are letting go! She's got vaccinations, microchip, health certificate, a collar with her info on it, a soft in-cabin-ready carrier... and me by her side. Fingers crossed that all goes smoothly for her international travel. 🤞🤞🤞

In past visits, I used to believe I might never return to India. It was always "if" I return. Now, I confidently say to my friends, "when" I return... Because I will. Because half of my spirit is Indian. 🙏