Thursday, May 11, 2006

The new chapter

In 10 days, the Berkeley chapter of my life is coming to a close and each of us are moving onto our own paths. Even as we venture out into the world, our paths will forever be connected from our years here at Cal. While most of my friends head to New York and the East Coast, predominently for med school, I'm again hopping on a plane and leaving to live in another country. For the next year or two, I'll be living working in India in water and sanitation. Where? I don't know. With who? No idea. Doing what exactly? Time will tell.

The first little bit is fairly "planned" out.

Leave Berkeley May 25 for Toronto
Vipassana in Toronto May 31-June 10
London with my sister June 14-June 25
India June 25 - ???

The first 2 weeks, I'll be doing a pilgrimage in the Himalayas to the char dhams (4 holy places), then heading back to Ahmedabad (however you spell it now) for 3-4 weeks at the Environmental Sanitation Institute/ Manav Sadhna/ Gandhi Ashram. Then travelling India for 3-4 weeks visiting different projects/ orgs relating to watsan before choosing one that I want to work with for min 7 months. I'll apply to grad school at some point before December and then see where the universe takes me.

I am now placing myself in the hands of the universe. Leaving the place that I've called home to become a wandering citizen of the world. As an A type personality, its been hard to get to this point, but I'm actually completely comfortable with the idea. The wise man trusts the process, he does not seek to control it. The worlds of wisdom passed onto to me by my grade 9 drama teacher come resounding back at me.

Hopefully, I'll be good at keeping this up. But of course, you're more than welcome to email me!