SO THIS IS INDIA…

The world I've always yearned to see because the Bollywood industry made India seem so glamorous. India really is a glamorous, colorful, and brilliant country; it just takes some time to see that beauty within India. But in all honesty, I did not fall in 'love at first sight' with India.

There were (are) many times when I felt like I wasn't in India because this was not the world I expected to see. I didn't expect to see a 3 lane highway fit 6 different transportation modes (i.e. cars, trucks, bikes, cycles, mini-taxis (autos), pedestrians and more). I definitely didn't expect all the HONKING. I didn't expect the pollution to be so thick that the sun can't shine through (Delhi in particular). I didn't expect a mega-mall in the center of all the trash that sleeps around India. I didn’t expect the nightclubs that played Akon and Ke$ha’s music. I didn’t expect to see young boys and girls break dance. I didn’t expect to see armless and homeless people laying everywhere in the streets bagging for money. I especially didn’t expect to see huge fancy malls like South City Mall.

INDIA's RIGHT HERE IN MY FACE and every time I blink and open my eyes, it's still right here in front of me. This dream has become a reality. I keep biting my finger to check if I’m asleep or awake. Everything is unbelievable.

SO this is the real India; the India that brought "Slumdog Millionaire" to a whole new level for me; the India that my cousins and friends warned me about; the overpopulated, polluted, poor, and dirty India. People often asked me “Why India?” before I came here and I simply replied “Why not?” Now I have a better answer.

India has forced me to think differently about the world around me. I mean, who are they (people who’ve never come to India) to say all sorts of junk about India when they've never seen it? I don't think they have any right to bash India when they are just observers from afar making thoughtless judgments on India. I’m not saying having bad judgment about things is a bad thing (because we all do it).

You see, India's a HUGE country and for someone to say something about India and conclude that it's the absolute truth is wrong. The only truth about India is that there is no truth. India's definitely provided me an opportunity for growth. I cannot have asked for more. :)