I got back from India last week. The trip was very enjoyable and I’m very thankful for being able to go. It was my Ajjamma’s 80th birthday and not only was I able to celebrate her birthday with her, I was also able to spend an entire week with her. It is a blessing I am truly grateful for. Spending that time with her was so priceless and precious to me. I may never get the chance to do that again and I made sure I took this opportunity to let her know how much I loved her. She told me how happy she was that my sister and I fit in so well since she was worried that her grandchildren who grew up abroad would be distant and alienated (my words, not hers). After seeing how some of my other cousins are I can understand her concern. I’m just glad that she enjoyed our time together as much as I did.
The trip also left me a little jaded. Poverty is not hidden like it is for the most part in Southern Ontario. I had begging children come up to me asking for money and food. It completely broke my heart that this is still a reality and I felt so helpless because the problem is so much bigger than me giving them some money for food. Also, hiring young girls for housework is so common there, but it bothered me so much. I know that this is one of the only opportunities these girls and young women have to sustain themselves and their families, but I just cannot ignore the structures of exploitation that are so blatant. I did not know how to react to this and I had to often leave the room to gather my thoughts and try to think through my emotions. I’m still unsure how to approach the issue.
Overall the trip was really good. Lots of family time and I had many questions answered. There are many things that I didn’t understand about my parents until I saw where their opinions, perceptions and rational originated from. It gave me a better perspective as to where my parents are coming from (pun intended =P). This trip was so valuable to me and I’m very glad that I was able to go on it.
