My Pre-India Thoughts

            It amazes me at how easily my thoughts flow through my fingers when I don't have midterms breathing down my neck.  The past week and a half, I've had some major writers block, believe it or not.  I re-read my South Africa blog and wasn't impressed with my writing.  I thought it was very elementary and I noticed grammatical errors and spelling errors.  That is how I know I didn't put enough effort into my writing.  I know, I know, I'm being self-critical.  But sometimes you have to be to improve yourself.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll turn writing into a career.  Until then, I might as well hone my skills.

            I have reached the point of exhaustion where being awake right now isn't really phasing me.  I just sat through a one and a half hour long cultural pre-port for India right into an hour long talent show.  That was the longest amount of time I've sat and done nothing since boarding the ship in Cape Town.  It was nice not having to think for once.  I can't believe I'll be in Chennai in approximately thirty-six hours.  Seven weeks ago, I was sitting on my bed writing a blog entry about leaving for Semester at Sea.  Now, seven weeks later, I am approaching the mid-way point of our voyage (October 21st).  Time has flown by faster than I've realized.  Before I know it, India will have come and gone and I'll be attending another cultural pre-port for Malaysia, and then Viet Nam, and then China, Japan, Hawaii, and finally Costa Rica.  I am starting to feel slight apprehension as to what the future holds for me.

            I believe I wrote a few months ago about how I thought Semester at Sea was going to change me.  I honestly haven't a clue what I wrote anymore, nor will I have a clue as to what I wrote until I get home and have free internet access to read every single one of my blog entries over again and again and again.  So, since I don't remember what I wrote, I'm going to write what I am feeling at this very moment...

            For one, I'm exhausted.  I basically pulled an (almost) all-nighter last night trying to get some last minute studying done for my Religion, Politics and Society core course along with my Introduction to Anthropology course.  Mixed in with studying, I somehow managed to write the majority of an 8 page paper for my Race and Ethnicity class that was due at 5pm today.  As I read over my paper this morning after typing about five pages last night, I realized that I couldn't even remember writing what I was reading.  It all seemed foreign to me.  I must have been in some semi-subconscious mindset as I was writing.  Who knows.  All I know is that I finished the paper after my first exam and then crammed some more before my last exam.  My version of cramming is probably equivalent to everyone else's normal studying.  My whole view on the studying this is that I've paid attention in class, I've done the readings, I've watched the documentaries, and I took some good notes.  Why stress out over something that I know is already in my brain even if it's hidden deep under 6 weeks of information.  I guess my brain works differently than most peoples.

            I got my grade back already for my core course and lets just say that there was a 9 point curve and it helped me immensely.  I don't feel like expressing to the whole world what I got, but I was happy with the grade I received.  Overall, the test was pretty straight-forward and I felt prepared, but there was tons of people saying that it was "unfairly hard" and that they "don't understand how he could expect us to retain all that information."  Well, my thought on their complaints is that they shouldn't have waited until the 11th hour to start reading and caring.  Has it really taken them upwards of a dozen years of schooling to realize this?

            I'll know tomorrow whether I did as well as I think I did on my Psychology of Food and Culture exam.  I'm expecting an A, but I don't want to get my hopes up.  As for my Intro to Anthro exam, I'm going with a B mentality, but hoping to pull that A somehow.  I won't be disappointed though if my actual grades fall short of my expected grade.  If you shoot high enough and fall slightly short of your goal, at least you can be satisfied knowing that you were aiming higher. 

            Alright, I don't feel like talking about school anymore.  I want to talk about more serious things...I truly believe India will be the first country on my voyage that will change me.  So far, I've partaken in activities and trips that have fueled my love of adventure and the outdoors.  Every second I've spent doing these adrenaline-packed activities I have been beyond elation.  Who wouldn't want to jump off of 40 foot cliffs into a river in Brazil or ride quad bikes on the sand dunes of Namibia?  The more important question though is who would want to experience a country like India, not for the adrenaline-packed adventure, but for the life-altering, culturally enriching journey?  After living on this ship for almost two months, I see a clear dichotomy between people who are looking for the same things I am and those who are still looking to get blacked-out drunk and act like spoiled, obnoxious, over-indulged Americans.  To each his (or her) own.

            We arrive in Chennai around 6am on Tuesday morning.  We should be off the ship around 10am and I will most likely walk around Chennai for a few hours.  I have to be back at the ship by 1pm, passport and backpack in hand, ready to leave for the airport for our flight to Delhi.  I am one of 47 independent travelers who are embarking on a 5 day indy India trip.  My itinerary is as follows:

 

Day 1- 6pm flight from Chennai to Delhi.  Ground transport to hotel in Agra.

Day 2- Explore Agra and the Taj Mahal.  Take an overnight sleeper train to Varanasi (the holiest city in India).

Day 3- Explore Varanasi.  Take an overnight sleeper train to Delhi.

Day 4- Explore Delhi.

Day 5- 6am flight from Delhi to Chennai.  Hopefully we arrive back to Chennai on time and encounter no flight delays.  Please keep your fingers crossed!

 

            It hasn't actually hit me yet that I'll be in India in less than two days.  I'm sure the minute I step foot on Indian ground, a wave of emotion and excitement will wash over me.  If I thought Africa was going to be completely new territory, then India is foreign to me in all respects of the word.  Unlike South Africa, I haven't a clue as to what I am getting myself into or what I can expect.  I've decided to take Asia by the horns and hold on tight for one wild ride of exploration and self-discovery.

            I can tell you now that I am one hundred percent sure that when India has had her way with me, I will never be the same.  I can't pinpoint yet exactly how I will be changed, but I will surely try to explain it when it occurs.  I can't promise that I'll know the day I get back to the ship how it is that I've changed or that I'll even know how to explain it.  Give me time, and I'm sure it will surface on its own.  I'm taking my journal with me to write in over the course of my 5 day trip so my next blog entry will be what's written in my journal.  It will probably be more insightful, personal, and on a deeper level than I have written in quite some time.  It will be nice to tune into my emotions again...