R&R

After being in Europe and the US for seven weeks I experienced culture shock once again during my re-entry into India. Everyday aspects of living in India (such as no hot water for a morning shower) frustrated me like when I 1st arrived here almost a year ago. After being back in the swing of things in India for a month I was in need of some serious R&R.

My pal Seth could relate…The past eight months he has been making his way around the world. During the last few weeks he has been exploring the diverse states of India. He arrived this Wednesday from Mumbai for a brief stay with me in Hyderabad. Then on Friday we caught a flight to Goa. This Portuguese colonized region of India is well known around the world as an enjoyable holiday destination. Regardless of your tastes and budget you can find what you’re looking for along this coastal area. The north provides a more crowded and party atmosphere and the south is more laid back and peaceful. We did not hesitate to head south.

We arrived in Palolem, one of the southern most towns in Goa after an hour taxi ride from the airport. As we set foot on the coast, one of our 1st sights was a crew of cows sunbathing on the beach...

Upon arrival at our humble abode for the next three days, we were pleasantly surprised. Our beach front hut was situated no more than 30 feet from the ocean. The next few days were spent soaking up RA’s rays, swimming, reading, enjoying live music, eating fresh seafood, watching the sun rise and set and enjoying good company. I left Goa revitalized and grateful for the opportunity to decompress.

The Living Dead...

Sitting at a coffee shop in DC recently a picture on the wall seized my attention. The image was of a dazed and confused person and the caption below read: “God Save The Living Dead”.
I stayed at that coffee shop a few hours and every so often I found my attention gravitate to this picture on the wall. That curious experience birthed a thought process on the topic of: What makes me feel most alive?
After some reflection, I realized that one of the ways I feel most alive is when I am doing things that give me a natural high. For me this often manifests when doing things I am afraid of or have not been exposed to…
So embracing this concept, I recently purchased a 1973 Enfield Bullet Motorcycle(http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/bzz_history.html). Having never rode a “real chopper” this experience has been invigorating and frightening. I am taking it real slow and sticking to the back rodes until I have a fair amount of muscle memory built up... As navigating the main rodes in India are like playing the old school video game frogger.

I definitely feel alive when I saddle up and go for ride.

What makes you feel most alive?

Confirmation (Indian Style)

Today I had the privilege of attending the confirmation ceremony of Christopher and John (the two sons of my driver Steven). The church was packed with over 500 attendees, 99.6% Indian (There were 3 Americans, including me). All of the children were dressed in white and excited to go through this rite of passage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage).

The two and a half hour ceremony was primarily conducted in English with brief sprinklings of Hindi. At the alter, the cross was wrapped in neon lighting and Christmas tree lights adorned the surrounding area. The sound system would rival any night clubs and the hymns were sung with dance music background beats. It was fascinating to see the similarities and differences of a Christian church service in the east vs the west. The experience also triggered flashbacks to my own confirmation 16 years ago...

The after party was at a gathering hall in Stevens neighborhood. Both Steven and his wife come from gigantic families (Steven noted that he has 70 cousins!). There was great food, music and family bonding to celebrate the two boys confirmation. John and Christopher were treated like kings with thrones they sat in and friends feeding them by hand.

I also got the opportunity to see Stevens home, meet his parents, seven siblings and many of the 70 cousins....I left the party around 4pm however the next morning Steven gave me the recap and noted they partied until 3am. These types of celebrations in India are like a meal after fasting. You savor it...

Sri Maheshwari School Visit

Last week members of the School of Leadership volunteered at a local school. We were invited to teach lessons for grades K-6 on reading and writing, help the kids think and plan for their futures, talk about what it is like to work in an corporation and have some fun.

We all walked away energized and humbled as the students were eager to learn and thankful for our contribution. I look forward to returning and continuing to interact with the children.