On Friday, we returned to Kenchanahalli for a visit and I didn't realize before how anticipatory I was for that moment until it was happening. As we drove away from Mysore, I was surprised how much I recognized. The spectacular rolling hills covered with lush greenery, rice paddies, cotton fields, rows of sugar cane and several herds of cows passed slowly by my window as we wound our way through the red dirt roads towards Kenchanahalli. My favourite landmark is a tiny roadside temple that is surrounded by a pond bursting with white and yellow lotus flowers. That lotus flowers, one of the most beautiful blooms, grow and flourish only in dirty water always strikes me as a powerful metaphor - of looking for the silver lining, the positive, in each occasion. The lotus perfectly represents everything that SVYM and my time in India has taught me. As we drove past that temple, I felt my heart beating faster. We were getting close. We had just entered my little corner of India.
When we arrived at the campus, I paused for a moment before jumping out of the bus and onto the hospital campus that I have dreamed and talked about returning to for two years. I suddenly felt panicked - what if I had idealized it in my memories so greatly that reality didn't match with my memories? I took a deep breath, stepped out of the bus and was immediately greeted by my former coworkers. We hugged, shook hands, laughed and talked about all that has happened in our lives since we last spoke in person (thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I've been able to remain in contact with my coworkers since my first visit). It was seamless. Perfect. Even better than I imagined. Kenchanahalli - the people, the surroundings, and the organization - owns a special place in my heart. And it feels wonderful to be welcomed back to my Indian home away from home.
When we arrived at the campus, I paused for a moment before jumping out of the bus and onto the hospital campus that I have dreamed and talked about returning to for two years. I suddenly felt panicked - what if I had idealized it in my memories so greatly that reality didn't match with my memories? I took a deep breath, stepped out of the bus and was immediately greeted by my former coworkers. We hugged, shook hands, laughed and talked about all that has happened in our lives since we last spoke in person (thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I've been able to remain in contact with my coworkers since my first visit). It was seamless. Perfect. Even better than I imagined. Kenchanahalli - the people, the surroundings, and the organization - owns a special place in my heart. And it feels wonderful to be welcomed back to my Indian home away from home.
We stopped for lunch at Hosahalli, where SVYM's semi-residential school for tribal children is located. These were some of the schoolgirls who wanted their picture taken. They had such big, beautiful smiles - but they quickly disappeared when the picture was being taken!
At the Kabini River backwater. In non-Monsoon months, herds of elephants live in the forest surrounding the backwater. Too bad we weren't here 2 months earlier!
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