Search for the seed of good in every adversity.
Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must travel. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from a mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without.
There is always a seed of good. Find it and prosper.
-Og Mandino
Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must travel. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from a mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without.
There is always a seed of good. Find it and prosper.
-Og Mandino
The holidays came and went quickly, and being home was such a blessing after being away for 4 months during my stay in Antwerp, for the first trimester of my program. The 2 weeks in New York certainly flew by, but they were exactly what I needed in order to prepare for the next leg of my journey. I had a holiday season filled with new faces and so much love, memories that I will keep with me a cherish for a lifetime. On Saturday, my boyfriend drove me to the airport and sent me on my way with the confidence and support to know that I can survive anything... including a 15 hour non-stop plane ride from JFK to New Dehli and a following connection to Bhubaneswar. The flight was rough to say the least, but I had the chance to read some books and catch up on some overdue thinking: its amazing what you can accomplish during such captivity. During the first few hours of the flight, I read the Alchemist (which has to be one of my favorite stocking stuffers to date!), and I actually found myself feeling excited for the challenge that faced me. I was on my way to spend 3 months in Bhubaneswar, India, a place very far from my home, not only in miles but in so many more ways.
I arrived on campus late Sunday evening, and even during the fifteen minute drive from the airport to my residence hall, I was struck by so many things. The way the air hit me when I exited the airport was stunning, but not in a negative way; And its actually something I have become quite fond of since: the heavy, warm air that carries the smells of the morning and spices all around you. The traffic and honking is initially incredibly overwhelming, but there is nothing quite as thrilling as the first TukTuk ride (basically a motorbike with a cart attached = an Indian Taxi) and I began to appreciate what I was seeing around me... a mother and father riding on a motor bike with their children, faces plastered with wide grins, knowing full well how fortunate they are to have such transportation... even if they have 5 people on a 2 person seat and no helmets... shocking, humbling, the constant stream of emotions I am feeling thus far is difficult to list. However, I always find myself ending in a state of awe, recognizing how I am so incredibly unaware of the world that exists outside of my own but extremely excited to attempt to divulge some sort of understanding.
I believe that there are good and bad perceptions of everything you see, and I hope to learn how to see the silver lining of the things that initially frighten, shock or scare me because I know that this reaction does not mean that things are bad, just different. India is different, but it is beautiful in its own unique and incredibly special way.
I arrived on campus late Sunday evening, and even during the fifteen minute drive from the airport to my residence hall, I was struck by so many things. The way the air hit me when I exited the airport was stunning, but not in a negative way; And its actually something I have become quite fond of since: the heavy, warm air that carries the smells of the morning and spices all around you. The traffic and honking is initially incredibly overwhelming, but there is nothing quite as thrilling as the first TukTuk ride (basically a motorbike with a cart attached = an Indian Taxi) and I began to appreciate what I was seeing around me... a mother and father riding on a motor bike with their children, faces plastered with wide grins, knowing full well how fortunate they are to have such transportation... even if they have 5 people on a 2 person seat and no helmets... shocking, humbling, the constant stream of emotions I am feeling thus far is difficult to list. However, I always find myself ending in a state of awe, recognizing how I am so incredibly unaware of the world that exists outside of my own but extremely excited to attempt to divulge some sort of understanding.
I believe that there are good and bad perceptions of everything you see, and I hope to learn how to see the silver lining of the things that initially frighten, shock or scare me because I know that this reaction does not mean that things are bad, just different. India is different, but it is beautiful in its own unique and incredibly special way.