I’m back in India! After I developed a gnarly throat fungus (refer to previous blog post), I flew home. I saw two doctors while I was in India, and they recommended multiple steps towards a full recovery; the most important one being REST. So I packed up and headed home to the US for about three weeks.
Decorating the Christmas tree at home in Michigan!
Those weeks f l e w by, but I knew that if I stayed at home any longer, leaving would become more difficult. Being home felt so comfortable, and all the things that I missed while being away were now at my fingertips. I drove to Trader Joes and Target more times than I’d like to admit. I also ate a few dozen servings of my mom’s chicken tortilla soup and spent hours constructing christmas puzzles with my dad.
After Christmas, I celebrated the New Year with my dear boyfriend, crafted a list of mostly achievable resolutions, and spent one more afternoon at my favorite coffee shop. By the end of the week, my giant suitcase was full of Trader Joe’s peanut butter cups, Lush shampoo, and any other essentials for my remaining time abroad. Within 30 (ish) hours, I was back in India.
The 16 hour flight never gets easier...but the movie options continue to impress me.
Those moments at home now feel like months ago. I arrived early last week, and in a way it feels as if I’d never left. The daily routines my roommates and I had built before we left for Christmas now feel so recognizable: our weekly call to the man who brings us water, picking up bananas from the street vendors, walking home after work with the regular rush hour crowd…
Emma (roommate from London) carrying our fruit home. The building behind her was repainted over Christmas break! Vibrant is always in style here.
Work routines feel just the same as well. My desk feels familiar, and my tiny white board is already full of tasks. I’m back to logging the Indian news each morning, as well as, organizing our overflowing hard drives. This week we are beginning the core work for our 2019 annual report, with hopes to have it published by the end of the month. (I understand it’s already 2020, but with the goal of getting every detail, event, report, etc of 2019 cataloged, we wait until the beginning of the following year to send out the previous annual report).
In the next month, there’s about to be a fairly huge transition at work. I’ve known about it for about two months, but in the last few days I’ve had more conversations and meetings about the specifics. I’ll share more details once the transition is in action, but for now, please be praying for our team as the change takes place.
Sorry to be so vague – I promise it’s nothing crazy dramatic. I just can’t say much until everything is in motion.
A shop right across from the office. They have THE best poha samosas.
In other news — there are two IJM interns/fellows joining us at the end of March! Our crew is expanding from 4 to 6, and I’m so excited. I love new friends. The office hit the ground running after Christmas break, so I think the extra hands will be extremely helpful for this year. We already have a few events marked on the calendar, including one for this Friday! Just yesterday my team designed a 6 foot banner for it! It’s exciting to create things taller than yourself. I’m realizing how insanely huge the design world is, and how incredibly small I am compared to it. I’m still watching youtube tutorials on how to use the design software installed on my computer….It keeps me humble.
A few days after we returned to the office, I got to share my journey as to how I ended up working with IJM! #noshoes #coffeeinhand
It’s odd to think that in a year, I won’t be a part of this team anymore. I’m not even half way through the year yet so I won’t dwell on this thought too much, but I’m not looking forward to the day when I’m going to have to say goodbye to the ones who I work, eat, live, and play with here.
I’ve been brainstorming and daydreaming about what’s next, but as of right now, my canvas is pretty blank. It’s hard to imagine myself anywhere besides India right now, because for so long, this was my “what’s next.” I do hope to be taking photos and videos somewhere down the road, and I’ve always adored the chaos of working with a non-profit, so who knows… maybe those things will collide in the near future.
As for today, I am here.
I’m recovering from fungus/mono, I’m eating lots of bananas, and I’m typing away on my little desktop.
-kate