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India
INDIA
It was June and everything was changing. The fact that everyone was moving away for college was a bit scary but in most ways: exciting. I didn’t apply to college like the rest of my friends did, but got a job instead.
The next chapter would take place in India. I was leaving in a week to go find different fabrics for the clothes manufacturer I recently got a job at. There was going to be a lot of work involved but it was a project I was very passionate about.
The first thing I did when I heard I was leaving for India was to Google everything about it. I couldn’t wait for it to begin but still I couldn’t shake the scary feeling that I was leaving for a totally different world. I haven’t even been anywhere out of the country before this.
Finally, the day came. I said all my goodbyes at the house since I hate the dramatic scenes everyone has at airports. My sister cried like it was the last day she would ever lay eyes on me, which made me laugh…a lot, which in consequence made her laugh too. She knew I always reacted to sad situations this way, so she didn’t take offence by it. We just hugged and agreed we would Skype anytime we could.
Finally, I boarded the plane and as I was landing on New Delhi the strangest thing happened: I felt at ease. I knew the possibilities in this place were endless and I was about to find out my place in all of this.
The first day was the most tiring one. I hadn’t talked to anyone except the people at the hotel I was set up in, when an old woman approached me in the lobby as I was doing some sketches of dresses. She said something and pointed at my sketch.
¨Thank you¨ I said with a smile.
It´s amazing how flattery works, even though I only know about 3 Indian words I knew she was admiring my drawing.
¨You don’t speak Indian? ¨ she asked.
¨I don’t, sorry. I just got here a few days ago.¨
¨How wonderful, you should come to my house and have dinner with my family and me. We would love to show you around and have you try our traditional food. Would you come? ¨
I was a bit hesitant, but I followed by gut and said:
¨Of course I´ll go, that´s so nice of you. Just let me know what should I bring and the time and place.¨
¨Just bring your appetite.¨ she said.
I laughed and nodded. The next day I woke up very early to visit another local market, which was near my hotel. When I got back, I had a note at the front desk with the time and address of the old woman, Alisha´s house. The note said to be there at 7 pm so I went straight upstairs to get changed and grabbed a taxi.
When I arrived Alisha placed a ¨bindi¨ in the middle of my eyebrows. I was greeted with smiles and waves by all of the people surrounding the dinner table.
I was introduced to everyone there. I met her husband and their 4 kids. The kids helped serve the table and Alisha explained every dish to me. I found everything had such strong taste but I quite liked everything I tried.
They asked me to talk about home, so I proceeded to tell them stories about my sister and I, since that´s the only real family I ever knew. We were being cared for by some of my parent´s childhood friends so blood relatives was something that I didn’t have. I had always felt like my sister and me were alone, no one really connected to us. This actually made them sad, which I figured it’s because of the closeness they share in their family but I couldn’t help but smile when Alisha said:
¨ Welcome to our family. ¨
The evening carried out and they shared some of their family pictures and stories with me. And there, in the middle of the smiles and laughter of my newfound friends, I finally got it. Family doesn’t have to be the people you are related to, rather than where you feel at home. I surely just met this people but the openness they had towards me, was nothing like I had ever seen.
