Wrapping Up

I’m down to the last 3 weeks of my 5-month stint in India.  Can’t believe it!

I’m simultaneously creating and trying to complete a list of things I want to do and see.  More than that, there’s the emotional prep for returning home and transitioning back to life in the States.  I imagine it will be quite an intense period of reverse culture shock. 

India, as overwhelming and difficult as it can be, is a fascinating country… and I’ve only seen a small fraction of it!   There are things, people, places, and elements of daily life and culture that I’ll truly miss.  Though I’ve traveled in the developing world before, it’s this trip that’s really opened my eyes to the realities of the developing world.   There’s no doubt it will take quite some time (weeks?  months?  years?) to fully evaluate the impact of my time here.

I have to confess that I’m starting to get a little excited to return home:  the food (5 months without sushi, bagels, and good Mexican!), cooler temperatures (my peeps in the Northeast are saying “cry me a river” right about now…), less constant/intense sensory overload, and of course seeing my family and friends.  Webcams, Skype, and the Internet are all wonderful ways to stay connected, but there’s nothing like spending face-to-face time with the important people in your life.  (100 bucks says my mom will start crying right about now )

What’s next for me?  Hmm, that’s a good question!   I confirmed what I knew before I came—that I want to transition from academic medical centers to community/international health or social services.  With a background in health administration, those will likely be project management and/or operations roles and I may need some supplemental coursework along the way.  I’m drawn to organizations serving women and children and hope there will be more travel in the developing world.  I’ve kicked off my job search and am keeping my fingers crossed.  Who knows what the future will hold…

A side note for fellow books lovers:  I’m reading a terrific novel about modern-day India that I can’t put down.  The White Tiger (pretend that’s underlined; I can’t figure out how) by Aravind Adiga.