So Why India?

A lot of people have been asking me why I’m going to India. I guess this really is a fair question all things considered and I kinda had it coming by telling a million people that I was going... So here it is, the Top 10 reasons why I’m going to India (in no particular order)...

1. Curry. I’ve had a secret addiction for several years now (surprise!). Actually, it’s gonna be pretty interesting for this Minnesota farm boy to spend two months not eating cows. In light of rising food costs and the high cost of resources and time that it takes to keep meat on our plates, I am really curious as to how something as simple as diet can minimize our impact on what is becoming very limited resources.



2. Price. After working for peanuts the last two years, I found a group that I can still afford to go with and not have to use my change to make it work. Volunteering India is a native, Indian non-profit organization that seeks to better their native land by making it affordable for individuals to come and make a difference throughout India. They are cheap on purpose and I’m definitely a fan.



3. Multi-Cultural. India can trace its history well into the year 2,000 BC. New Delhi, the capital city which I will be living and working in and around, is built on the site of 7 historical cities. Couple all those rich traditions with a predominantly Hindu population that is far more open and inclusive to outside influences and you have, not the melting pot that America claims to desire, but a real stew of histories, ideas, and religions.



4. English. Finally Colonialism pays off for the West. Oh, Err, wait... As part of what used to be the empire of Great Britain, English and many other little intricacies are decisively British. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that India was set free from British rule, yet a small part of the vast history of that region. While most would not agree that British influence was a high point in the region, we do have them to thank for some modern day realities such as the separate nations of India and Pakistan, the vast railroad system connecting the major Indian cities...



5. Eastern. I live in the West. We like to think that we have the best understanding of what this world is all about and how we should function, but the vast majority of the human population and the origins of most of the major world religions today lie in the East. I know very little about what life in the East is like and what exactly sets the East apart from the West. Time to take on some ignorance hands on style.



6. Desire to Travel. I like to be on the move discovering and embracing new places and new things. My time on the coast was the longest I’ve spent in one place since graduating from high school. And my time there was spent at 9 different volunteer hosting facilities. I like to think of India as scratching an itch in that department. Really, I think its gonna be great to dive into the big, wide world for a bit and use that as yet another lens with which to view life as it could be in the years to come.



7. Iran wouldn’t take me. Something about being an American. Actually, I literally had a million possibilities of places to go and things to do. I guess when you start with the premise that you have 8 weeks to burn, a little bit of money to spend on the trip and a desire to go somewhere, it really doesn’t disqualify too many opportunities out there. I looked into several other opportunities (Ethiopia, Philippines to name a few), but this one just seemed to be the best fit, and the way things have come together, I can’t really object.



8. Why not India? For all the posh and glitz of Bollywood, the massive skyscrapers rising all over the country and being one of the few nations advanced enough to manufacture nuclear bombs, the truth is that the vast majority of Indian people live in situations that are far from glamourous and comfortable. The majority of my time will be spent working with boys who have been orphaned and abandoned by their parents for many different reasons and my role will simply be to show up and help out and hang out with them. Who wouldn’t wanna do that?



9. I have Obsessive - Compulsive Volunteering Disorder (OCVD). I think I may have a problem. The places and work keeps on changing, but the lifestyle seems eerily the same. Some days I feel like I’m ignoring the real world and others I guess I feel like I better enjoy the ability to be mobile and travel while I can. Unfortunately, this means leaving my cats behind to enjoy farm life for a bit, but I guess I shall have to deal...



10. Good Question! Honestly, I feel like I can plot and plan and try and anticipate everything that is to come and I do believe that I have a few valid reasons for taking this trip, but I really have no clue what is in store for the next few weeks. I do know that the way things have fallen together means that this trip is meant to be, but I really have nothing more to hold fast to at this point than hope that my luggage show up when I do and my time and energy can leave things better than I found them...