by Sarah McVey

Sarah McVey, originally from Indiana, has moved to Bangalore to teach Special Education at Christel House India. She recently sent us an e-mail update about her time there thus far. Here are some highlights from that letter:

I've had a great month and have settled into some routines here. My life here is so different than I could have imagined and only now am I realizing just how profoundly this experience is going to change my life. Yes, I'm aware that is a fairly cliché thing to say, but it’s beyond the truth. The connections I've made here, plus the awareness of myself, the culture I come from, and the culture I'm immersed in have all come together for me in the past four weeks and it’s quite unbelievable, actually.

Being invited into the home of an Indian colleague or friend is one of the most blessed and enjoyable experiences I've had and it's the same for nearly every household. Rich or poor; Hindu, Christian, or Muslim…you WILL be warmly welcomed and EXTREMELY well fed. The things I enjoy are the things that can only be considered acceptable in India: eating on the floor with a large banana leaf for a plate and not a single utensil except your HAND, or having an open political/religious conversation which is rarely linked to emotions but rather can be discussed openly without feeling the other party is making a personal attack…

I'm feeling more and more (as "I Feel Home" by O.A.R. comes onto my iPod) at home in India. Not that I'll want to stay forever but that my life won't be the same if I get back stateside and never return to my darling India…

If you want to read more about Sarah’s experiences in India and at CHI, please visit her blog at: http://transplantind.wordpress.com/.