Back in Incredible India!

As I looked at the Immigration form, which the stewardess had somehow tucked between my body and my seat while I was sleeping, I turned it over and read, "Welcome to Incredible India!" I sighed, folded the form, tucked it into the back pocket of the seat in front of me and went back to sleep.

After a great couple of days in Chang Mai I had mixed feelings about coming back. I felt glad to be on the last leg of this trip and grateful to be meeting up with my new group of BYU Field Studies students, looking forward to going back to the village. I was feeling sad to leave Thailand after making some great backpacking friends. I was also dreading all the physical hardships that come with "Incredible India", and frankly I was ready to go home. After spending a full day on a bus and a restless night in the Bangkok airport I was grateful I had the whole emergency row to myself. I sprawled across the seats and slept through most of the flight--sitting up occasionally wiping the drool off my face, gingerly touching my hair wondering how bad it looked, checking my watch and then laying back down to sleep.

We landed, a half hour later than scheduled. I figured that if I was able to get stamped through immigration, pick up my large bag from the conveyer belt, and breeze through customs by 10:00am I'd grab some rupees from an ATM and take a prepaid taxi to the branch building in Chennai and try and catch at least the last two hours of church. It was 9:30 when we deplaned, but I was determined to make it, elbowing my way to the front of the line and booking it through the terminal.

I was out of the airport terminal just as my watch read 10:00! Even the taxi ride worked out great--he only had to stop and ask directions once, well twice actually. I made it just in time to hear the closing hymn--I was ecstatic. I dropped my large bag in the corner of the room, tried to smooth my hair, and asked around to find out which classroom I should be in for Sunday school. After missing two weeks of church in Thailand it felt great to be with members again. I talked with the American wives of embassy workers, some members I remembered from May, and a even made a new friend.

I walked hesitantly out of the air conditioned building to into India, wondering if I'd find it to be so incredible today. I hailed a rickshaw driver bargained a little with a laugh and rode to the Egmore railway station. I felt good to be back. It felt a little like coming home again--especially when we pulled up to Egmore station and I knew right where we were. I told the driver where the hotel was and found myself back in Hotel Regent, that place with the crazy night man from 4 months ago. It felt like I was here yesterday and it didn't hurt that the afternoon hotel manager knew my face and welcomed me with an air of family. I asked about the crazy night guy--we laughed as he said he's still working here, rolled his eyes, and talked about what a pain he is.

Dropping my bag on the stained mattress and peaking into the bathroom I remembered that I had been quite spoiled in Thailand. But now I was back in India roughing it again. There is something about the challenge of this place and yet the familiarity that has made my homesickness pass. Maybe I'm just back into that old "honeymoon phase" we talk about when discussing phases of culture shock, but I like it. I'm back in India for another 3 whole months, incredible!