July 5, 2012 - Dallas Departure

Hello Odyssey Followers!

My first visit to India in 2009 was a bit rough. There were several contributing factors.

First, culture shock had violently accosted me starting on Day 1 and reverberated with each new India experience. It had been my first time traveling internationally – so even the jet lag contributed to my distress!

Second, I was ill the first 7-10 days. If you followed my blog, you might recall the pictures of me looking like a cat who had just been forced to take a bath.

Third, my stomach decided it didn’t like most of the Indian food. My mouth most certainly did, but apparently the Indian spices and oil wreaked havoc with my digestive system.  I lost 6 lbs during that trip and my daily sustenance ended up consisting of chai and ice cream.

Finally, Vinay and I had not yet wed, but the Indians in Chandrapur were treating us as though we were (it would not have been acceptable for a woman, especially a white woman, to travel alone with the opposite sex unless they were married). This created multiple awkward situations for me, especially since I did not know Vinay was planning to propose soon. (For example, remember when I was handed my first wedding gift by one of Vinay’s cousins?)

This time I am more prepared for the culture shock and have proper expectations.

I am traveling to India with a new perspective and a greater appreciation for the country. This is partly due to my own research on India; and partly due to a greater awareness and understanding of my husband and I’s cultural differences. Before my last trip I, unfortunately, did not read enough regarding the Indian culture before flying there.  I’m not sure why. Those that know me well are probably aware that I feel compelled to read everything before engaging in it, buying it, using it, or forming an opinion on it. My doctor prescribes me to take more Vitamin D – I’m at the library checking out a book on Vitamin D. I tend to question everything. What is that saying – “Trust but Verify?”

This brings me back to my original unspoken question - Why did I not research properly for the first trip in 2009? I think I had assumed Vinay would explain everything I needed to know or perhaps I was just too nervously in love and just forgot. Of course, Vinay did explain some to me, but as I realize now, there were many things that weren’t mentioned that I failed to understand. However, I think it is a common phenomenon to have a difficult time explaining our culture to someone else, especially when we haven’t experienced other cultures to know what our differences are that need to be explained.

If you are interested in understanding some basics regarding the culture of the India, I highly recommend a book by J.D. Viharini – Enjoying India: The Essential Handbook. It is Vinay-approved! Many common stereotypes are jettisoned by the author and it is clear she has a great respect for the Indian culture despite, perhaps, disagreeing with many of the customs. She fairly points out the flaws and problems Westerns run into when traveling, but also eagerly points out the positive aspects many might overlook or misunderstand. I wish I had read the book before my initial trip.

We started this trip with an uneventful car ride to Dallas – Jessica, Jackie, Vinay and I. Our plane tickets were cheaper this way – even accounting for a tank of gas – than flying from Oklahoma City. Our original flight was scheduled to take off at 4:50pm from the Dallas International airport. Because we had so many people traveling with us, and one of the passengers was leaving earlier than the rest, Vinay and I went through a travel agent for the first time. If you ever need a good travel agent – I can recommend one to you. I am forever grateful to my coworker, Brenda, for giving us her name. She was wonderful and found us much cheaper tickets than we could. My generous and kind aunt, who lives in Addison (right outside of Dallas,) allowed us to park our cars at her house and drove us to the airport.

With plenty of time to spare, we arrived at the airport. Our flight was not taking off until 4:50pm and we passed through customs just after 1:30pm. Our first stop was lunch at the Blue Mesa where we indulged in delicious street tacos and frozen blue margaritas.

Then we all fell asleep outside our gate  (D33) after filling our tummies with deliciousness.

As yesterday was the 4^th of July, all four of us were exhausted already from staying up late after watching fireworks and packing the last minute items. We were called to board our aircraft around 4:20pm. We walked aboard the aircraft with anticipation coursing through us.

Unfortunately, three hours later we were still sitting on the runway.

Why? Well, first, apparently, the plane had a technical issue with its communication system, and second, the engine wasn’t working. The captain of the aircraft announced over the intercom, “An engine electrical device has malfunctioned and the crew will have to go and purchase the necessary part. Your patience is appreciated; hopefully we will be in the air soon. ” I dozed in and out of sleep during the mechanical troubleshooting waiting period.

It was a little after 8:00 pm when we finally flew off into the night sky, well aware we were about to miss our flight from London to Mumbai. We weren’t sure how that was going to be resolved.