India

 In the last two years, ever since I got a full-time job in London, I have returned to India for a month-long holiday. I always find it a fascinating, albeit slightly excruciating process, excruciating because it involves arduous discussions with yourself on what to take and what not to take, making sure the baggage weighs not more than the maximum amount allowed on the aircraft, arranging the house to make it appear as if no human life has existed within its four walls (but failing), setting up the alarm, waking up on time, booking a taxi as the early morning chill threatens to creep up on you and never let go, hauling the baggage in the taxi, reaching the airport, checking the announcements, checking in your baggage, going through immigration, security checks, making sure you collect all your devices (a painful reminder that you rely on too many), finding the correct gate, boarding the flight, finding ways to pass time in the flight, arriving, going through immigration, collecting your luggage from the carousel which seems to always have your bags at the very end, witnessing a fight in the airport which you have no other option but to stay and watch, and finally emerging out into the cold polluted Delhi air, which is different from the cold London air, for it feels like the Delhi atmosphere holds a toothpick in its hand which it uses to stab you nonchalantly; death by a thousand cuts.

Fascinating because of the realization that you are now a visitor and not the host in the country where you grew up in. Fascinating because you are a stranger in your own land. In the last two years, my one-month trips to India have been fascinating because while there is a lot of physical baggage to carry (3 bags in total), there is little to no mental baggage. India, surprisingly, has become a place to rest and rejuvenate, to plan and process and eat and sleep. Fascinating because from becoming a place of immense stress and strain, it has become a place of serenity (or as serene Delhi can be). Here I don’t have to worry about budgeting, or rent, or food, or travel. I don’t have to worry about making sure I have enough groceries to last the week, I don’t have to get up and cook for myself three times a day, I don’t have to worry about work or deadlines or projects or end products.

I got up to absolutely nothing during my recent trip. I woke up late, I slept late. I watched 24(!) films, I played a lot of video games, I ate good food, I spent time with family, I met friends. I did not go anywhere worthwhile; in fact, I barely stepped out of my house. I did not do anything that would benefit me professionally, I did not use the time to be “productive”. And dare I say, I enjoyed it.

For anyone interested, the movies that I watched: