Love Hate

Before the trip to India, I was haunted by words that came flooding back to me from my high school days. My teacher for World Literature- while introducing a book on India- explained that India is a place you either love or hate. When you step off the plane, the decision will be made. There is no in between and no opportunity to change your mind once it’s fallen in or out of love with India. I’m happy to report that I’m NOT a hater! (And that I must have come to the right city at the right time- all of the warnings of the heat & smells of sewer have not inundated me)*grin*

Things I love about New Delhi/ Agra (home to the Taj Mahal):
- that an ox & cart can cause a traffic jam on a major motorway
- that cows wander everywhere (including rush hour traffic in Agra) in search of something to graze. And if they find something on the ground that smells nice, they will stop regardless of what chaos surrounds them
- the shopping (& I am not a shopper)!














- the cacophony of the streets (except when I have a headache)- cars ever honking, cyclists and motorbikes taking over what one could consider a ‘sidewalk’, rickshaws tugging along passengers, and the alleyways that lead to more shops that lead to more fresh chapatti & masala tea
- that an elephant can be found being driven on the busy by-ways of Delhi. I thought nothing would beat that sight…but en route to Agra we found proper camel caravans. I attempted several photos in my excitement, but never captured one. Truly an amazing sight!
- Perfectly rounded, packed, and stacked cow dung patties- ready for trade
- Child beggars will paint their faces & perform acrobatics & bang a drum to attract attention & Rupees (I know, this is not something I can really count as a ‘plus’ for India…but I’d never seen such creative kids during my travels in Africa)
- The diversity of India- the people, the religions, the regions. One could take years to truly get a feel for Indian culture

Despite my excitement as a ‘medical tourist’, my heart couldn’t let me gloss over all of the wonder of India. The poverty is overwhelming. The slums, the public taps open on the side of the highways for public bathing, the mangled bodies asking for handouts, the mothers who maim (or fake injuries) on their children to increase alms. I hate that in the evening when I get back to the hotel room, my throat is irritated from pollution, and when I blow my nose I toss away a black tissue (reminiscent of my days of horseback riding & long days at the stable). Each day at the hotel, something doesn’t work: no electricity, then no Internet, then the toilet doesn’t flush, then there’s a problem with the lights. I’ve had exactly one bath with hot water since I’ve been here (oh, & it’s two weeks worth of bucket bathing here- no luxurious showers or bubble baths)*giggling*. There is also an underlying tension here, as much as I can appreciate the diversity of Indian culture, there is a long messy history of oppression and pain here. It’s sad that I can feel it from the outside.

All of this adds up to one heck of a great experience, though I would certainly never sign-up to live here*smile*. Already, I would love to come back & explore more of India…but it would be best to have a local friend to help understand all that is lost in language etc.
I’m so fortunate to have had a wonderful India experience, but I’m also looking forward to heading back to my second home on Sunday!