It helps to be sat on the aisle of a fantastic Indigo flight, next to the prettiest girl in the airport on the last day of your holiday to prompt a close-of-holiday blog. I should have known this was coming - Kaberi's call woke me up this morning. Its a great good luck charm - I rarely have a bad day the day she calls in the morning!
Public professions of love for women sitting a few continent's away apart its been an exciting and fortuitous summer. I had a wonderful summer with 3.2.1. doing great work, learning a lot and knowing myself better. Access to great food, superb hospitality, squash courts, table tennis, beaches and running helped immensely. God looked out for his little boy! I stole two quick weekends in the middle with family and continued my affair with Mumbai. I've spent just the right amount of time in the city and this time I discovered great places to eat and met old friends.
The last ten days saw me return to Pune and Goa.
It was super to be in Pune. I am beginning to warm my relationship with the city. I met smiling auto-wallah's, professional shopkeepers eager to help, Pune bus services, crusty waiters that warmed to my smile and old friends who brought back great memories. Stepping into FLAME to meet 150+ bright eyed Teach for India Fellows reminded me I love what I do and that I work with some of the best people I know. The 2012 opening ceremony had me both laughing and tearing up and added fire to my dream to be a great teacher. I know its going to be a standout year.
3 days in Goa preceded this flight. Time with Amit, Chandini and Nipun. Drives across town and a significant bump in the beer count. While a JD and coke with Nandeeta is one of the best drinks I know, a Jim Beam and coke with the gang comes pretty close to alcohol that I cannot say no to. Brunch at the Marriot meant coming a circle from our 2009 Goa party. Amit stuck to his love for large feni's and us to the love for superb food and lots of dessert.
The early morning runs with Anna and Nicky in Pune and the workouts with Amit (he sat in the steam room) in Goa were great to reflect on whats been a fabulous summer. In many ways its made me think about what ticks the boxes for me and its made me look inward. I love charting the path that I am. Conditioning has taught me to look over the shoulder to see if I am following a path. However, I am beginning to realize my journey is new and not so well marked. It shakes me sometimes because I find it hardest to explain this to people I love the most. And the people I love and those who Iove me back matter the most to me. Constant personal evolution and great relationships go hand in hand. I can only connect the dots looking back - a few understand this and I wish sometimes I could explain myself better. But as I become surer of myself, realize the futility of anger (an emotion I fall back on) and have better conversations with similar people I see hope for myself to be a better man!
Its a good pit stop to mark out on my travel blog. Going back to Teach for India institute also meant reliving these powerful lines:
"I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance...
I hope you dance
I hope you dance"
Here is to dancing...
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