The India I've come to love

by Natalia Atkins (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

A leap into the unknown India

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The hardest thing when making the big decision to go off and travel... is booking the ticket. All I knew was I had to leave London. I had enough of the city, the politics, people and the weather! My one-way ticket was to India. I didn't really know much about the place and before leaving, I had a million people advise me to not go – it was too dangerous. In the eastern part of the world, everything is different in comparison to the west. In order to blend in, you have to re-programme your taste buds, manners, toilet duties, interactions and negotiation strategies. Which is why, understandably, it took me a little while to fully acclimatise, and perhaps why I ended up staying the full term of my one-year visa. Having survived my year, experiencing a range of different situations; from western tourist destinations like Goa and Dharamshala, to living with Indian families in Kanpur and Ladakh to working alongside charities in Varanasi and Rajasthan. I’ve been fortunate enough to cover a lot of ground in India. But the main thing I saw and learnt from the people, is India is the land of the heart. By heart, I mean love. By love, I mean a pure, selfless, forgiving, unconditional,soulful and liberating love. Don't get me wrong, that doesn’t mean when you enter the country, you will be treated like an angel. These are still normal people and being a foreigner, someone who stands out amongst the crowd, you will get ripped off, scammed or maybe even shouted at. But this is where the magic steps in. Mother India will cast her wand over you to guide, show and teach you (if you let her). When you get to the roots of this country, really understand how people think, feel and breathe, if you have a big, kind heart, it doesn’t matter what land, religion or language you speak, you will be king in these lands. My last day in India is a prime example. I had an overnight bus from Jodphur, Rajasthan to Delhi, to then catch a flight from Delhi to Kathmandu, Nepal. All on the same day. Once arriving in Delhi, I was a bit tired from my 20-hour bus ride and grabbed the first man with a rickshaw I could see. I wasn't really sure where I was and told him where I needed to go; I had learnt from my experiences to never accept the first price, and of course to be bold and confident in my answer. Yet I could tell he was still taking me for a ride, not accepting my price, but not letting me go on my way either, “Mam it’s too far, you must take rickshaw....” By this time a little crowd had formed around us, interested in what the fuss was about between foreigner and local. Eventually I settled, gave in, and accepted; we fixed a price. I quickly discovered that the place I needed to go was a mere two minutes from where we had been. Angry and annoyed I started yelling at him, saying I won’t pay him, he’s tricked me. As I’m getting out my bags, all infuriated, he suddenly starts laughing, finding my humiliation a good practical joke in his eyes. He then says, “I like you..you have good humour..India will miss you dearly..please come again, my friend, and call me when you need rickshaw.” A big cheesy smile appears across his face as he hands me his card. It was then both, me and him, burst into laughter; how could you not? From enemy to best friend, that was and that is India; ‘no hard feelings, my friend.’ I would recommend India to anyone; it’s been a country of healing, discovery and adventure. Of course, it wouldn’t be fair to say it all ran smoothly. There’s been challenges along the way. India isn’t an easy country for all; for some it will drive them mad and push them away. For others it will be similar to my own experiences, of finding an attachment and a place forever in your heart. It’s a bit like Marmite; you either love it or hate it.