A New Life
So I started a new part of my life. I quit my job on the 27th of December. That alone is pretty significant. Everyone started there thinking to themselves, "I'll be out of there within 2 years" and yet somehow we all end up there *just* long enough to get raises that makes other jobs pay 'less'. Then soon we find ourselves there far longer than intended. (ya know, if they treat you better and promote you by merit instead of sucking up, people might care to stay) I ended up with a little over five years. Sometimes you get a job where you hate to leave. I had one go bankrupt. It was a shame, I loved that job. Then sometimes you get one where you are given the ability to leave. Exhilarating. My last few days at work were great because I knew I was nearly done with that chapter of my life. Of course, in order to end one chapter of your life and to start fresh with a new one... that means there is a lot more going on that simply ending a job. I was busy packing. I was busy sorting. I was busy moving a lot of things around. And I'll admit, I was spending a fair bit of time hiding away in video games. You see, my new chapter involves going to India. I had to sort what was to go with me and what was to stay. I had to pack up all of my belongings and send them into storage. And afterwards is the ever so fun moving. I was worried that my move was going be a real pain, but somehow things worked out wonderfully. Six people came to help move. With everything boxed up and ready to be hauled off, it went like a breeze... and it was an amazingly warm day. I'm not sure anyone in the midwest can remember that it was 50+ degrees Fahrenheit midday on January first in Southern Illinois! Tending to everything I needed to get out of town, and then out of country went pretty well in the end. It was stressful to think of and prepare for, but it all went smoothly.
I made my way back to Northern Indiana to visit family. It was a great week for rest. Right after we got in that whole polar vortex happened. It was freezing cold with a massive blizzard. First I got snowed in with a Snow Emergency, then when that lifted, my car froze. While the week was relaxing, I had to scramble to get things done before I left. And sadly I couldn't meet with everyone I wanted due to time constraints. Ah well, whenever I get back, right?
Traveling
I made a lot of Firsts. First time in India. First Time out of the Country.... First time on an Airplane! I had a lot of fun getting anxious over nothing. Xray your stuff, xray yourself, sit in a chair for a few hours waiting for your plane to board. That was hardly anything. I found out (Happily) that I'm not afraid of airplanes. It was very weird leaving the ground, but I was fine. Yay! 'Cause a ten hour flight would suck if I were to freak out! O'Hare was pretty easy, I entered near where I needed to be. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) was a different matter. Everyone. Everywhere. But everything went well enough, got on the plane and made my way here.Oh and I would like to note. Having a MASSIVE list of TV Shows and Movies to watch for long international flights is only awesome when it actually WORKS. Second flight of about 5 hours? Yeah it worked, it was cool. First flight of 10 hours? NO. Just No. Everything was randomly something else, and usually without sound. Even the music was jumbled. If I wanted to listen/watch it... it didn't exist. If it did, I either had no idea what it was and/or there was no sound. Talk about being bored of your skull. In retrospect it's okay, I eventually got so bored I fell asleep. I'm sure that helped with the jet-lag.
India
India is pretty cool. For some reason I had this ignorant view that anything not USA or Canada wasn't as modern. (Maybe Europe was in there as well.) It's dumb and I'm not proud of having it... and I think a lot of Americans that haven't traveled abroad might have a similar notion. In any case, India is right along with everybody else. It's just busier. A Lot Busier. Everywhere I have lived thus far feels like a ghost town in comparison to Thane. Tomorrow I'm going to Mumbai which will be magnified. People are always going somewhere. Walking, Driving, Riding... Unless you're from/in a big city.. (ie chicago) then you're in what I now consider a ghost town. It's really easy to get lost out here because everything is everywhere. Residential, shops, offices... all together, everywhere. It's completely different than anything in America where you leave your house and travel to your shopping areas, to your entertainment spots, and work in a building near a bunch of others doing business in ways nothing like your own office. Separation this is not.
Driving is awesome. I don't know if I'll be able because the style of driving that is expected here, triggers my aggressive style back home. Also they drive on the left here, so I'm bound to go the wrong way on a run-a-bout. It doesn't scare me though, it's actually really fun to watch and ride in. There are spots that are gridlock, but most of the time it's everyone... just going. Swerve around others, never stay in your lane, and force your way across traffic. Your horn is your most important piece in your car. Without it, passing would be impossible, as would telling people to get out of your way. As I was told after I got in, "Everyone has their right of way, but *I* have Right Of Way." It perfectly describes Organized Chaos. It looks like a mess, but unlike America, I still haven't seen a car/motorcycle accident... and the way Americans drive? I should have seen a dozen by now, easily. Not to mention as a pedestrian, you have to make your way even if it means telling the oncoming car to WAIT by shoving your hand out. It's a trip and a half, but I love it. It's kinda fun. But then again, I'm crazy. I'm the guy that got nicknamed "Frogger" once before. If you've played the game, you can probably guess how I got that nickname.
America is also very very clean. It's not that India is necessarily dirty, it's just not overly sanitized. My stomach is going through a roller coaster with everything I eat. Though in my stomach's defense, I've eaten a fair bit of street food. Everyone seems impressed, so I guess I'm doing pretty well. I had been trying to eat with my hands back in America and it was too much a hassle. I was having issues with it... but then I get to India? Instantly no trouble. I have no idea how nor why, but it works so I fit in at the dinner table and anywhere I go. (Aside from being a tall white guy that makes me stand out everywhere.) And.. somehow through all of this, all of my anxiety has gone away. I'd try to figure out why, but honestly... I'm a better person without it, so I'll just let it be a mystery so that it can stay this way.
I'll try to write a little bit, more often. This is a bigger post and it doesn't get as detailed when I have to think back about things I've done. I'm having a good time though. I hope I'm internalizing Marathi and Hindi so that some time down the road it starts making a little bit of sense. Life will be even more interesting when I have an inkling what people are talking about.
That's all for now!
.... One Last Thing. My sister told me that Mosquitoes LOVE my family's blood. Let me tell you! India has CERTAINLY not proven her wrong. Yowch!
