I spent about 10 months in Bangalore, India alone and without immediate family or friends in close proximity. They were about 10,000 miles away and 12.5 hours behind local time. What that does to a person emotionally is not immediately noticeable while you are going through intense feelings of being alone or loneliness. This is especially hard when the culture around you is so deeply family oriented and when spirituality is literally floating around you. I had friends but I did not genuinely connect with all of them, just a couple. You know who you are! You are my true friends for life and I appreciate everything you have done for me when I was in Bangalore.
I went to India because I wanted to get the full time job with Intel and to also get the international experience at the same time. When I was offered the position back then it was the ideal situation for me. I was not married, had no children, no mortgage, debt free, and I was young and motivated. After all, I only had to give up at least one year of my life in the US. I felt the positives of experiencing a life and starting my career in India outweighed the unknown negatives that may arise during the year. Living in different countries has always been a large part of my life. I was born to a commercial pilot, who was the captain of the Malaysian Airlines, travel and emigrating was the norm. I was born in the Philippines, spent 6 years of my childhood in Malaysia, and the next 25 years was spent growing up in the cultural melting pot of suburban Los Angeles. I was not afraid to go to India. It was a natural thing for me to consider, even without visiting the country.
Now 10 months later, I am back in Portland, OR. I am close to being settled. It's close because I will consider myself settled once I finally buy a condo or a house, which will happen after my lease is up at the end of December. So for now I am happily researching and getting myself acquainted with the real estate world. I also have a kick ass car, found a puppy soul mate named Mochi for Kylie, and just enjoying every aspect of my life in Portland. My career is also taking off and I truly love bonding with my lovely Portland friends and also making new life long friends.
The connection I've made with many of my friends has helped bring me back to life. This is what life is all about for me. My perspective and outlook on life is more positive than ever before and that reflects on my every day emotion and interactions with everyone around me. The pulse is beating away happily. I felt so dead in the last 3 years and I was just so wrapped up in my own turmoil that I didn't feel much for everything that happened around me. My experiences of being alone in India has certainly enriched my life - in personal, professional and spiritual aspects. It's amazing to be feeling this way, to be in one of the most highest and happiest times of my life.
What was reinforced from this unique situation and experience in India is that everything that happens does have a meaning to it. Everything does happen for a reason - the true reason will always be positive. It may not be immediately evident and it may take months to years before you can ever realize why it ever happened. But just believe that what ever happens, it happens for a reason and no matter how good or bad the experience is the flip side to it will always be positive - the true and real reason will be positive. India will always have a special place in my heart and my life. I know that years and years from now I will continue to uncover many more life lessons from that experience that will shape my life and I will share to those close to me.
