Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The journey begins...

"Though I've crossed one hundred thousand miles, I'm feeling very still."
                                                                                                                      - Bowie

                 Time is very strange, and even stranger is the interdependence of time and space. Nothing brings out this funky perception more than international travel. Flying into tomorrow, yet sleeping within yesterday can leave you feeling frazzle-dazzled and somewhat loopy. Through my thirty something hour journey to Hyderabad India from Chattanooga Tennessee in the U.S, I met so many extremely kind souls. Some helped me to make connections to music and art scenes in India, and others helped me to make connections to flights within foreign airports.

                 There have been bits of culture shock here and there, but what I find more interesting is what I like to call reverse culture shock. This is when you are surprised by similarities instead of differences. After only one day of observing I have a strong feeling that the peoples of India wish to be as westernized as the people of the Americas. Music, clothes, food and social graces of the west seem to be fully embraced by the Indian people. Whereas the mystic guru approach that westerners often identify with India appears to have very little popularity in today's modern culture.

     Granted I have only just arrived, so all of my observations so far have been mere first impressions and lack any great depth. I plan to explore this culture exchange in great detail in a later blog entry. For now, I would like to assure my friends and family that I have arrived safely, and that I am settling into my dorm nicely. Oh my Goddess, I am actually in India!!

Love and Light,
Nathan King (Granola Bear)


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