easy child/difficult child 2 is back from India!

[jbrain]

Hi All,
I don't know if anyone remembers, but M, my easy child/difficult child 2, went to India in Sept. for a 3 months as part of a gap year program. She made it through despite being sick much of the time and homesick, etc. and now she is back in the U.S.

She landed in San Francisco this afternoon and will be coming back to NY tomorrow. She sounded so good (she called from the airport) and I'm so excited to have her back home. Just from the conversation I had with her I could tell that the experience has changed her in the ways I hoped it would (more confidence, etc.). My husband and I both felt that if she could make it through the 3 months it would be well worth the cost and she would learn that she is much stronger than she realized. We thought if she had to come home without completing the program it would probably be quite devastating to her.

She could have picked an easier country than India but I think she wanted to challenge herself--she had something to prove to herself as well as others who didn't think she could do it.

Anyway, just wanted to share because I'm so excited and happy!

Jane

 

[Star*]

I'm delighted to hear she is back from India, safe, sound and on American soil....I will feel a LOT better once she is back in YOUR hugging arms.

Give her my love and hugs - Auntie Star....Hope she has some pictures too.

 

[DDD]

How proud you must be. Have a wonderful reunion. DDD

 

[Suz]

That's terrific, Jane. I can't wait to hear about her experiences!

Suz

 

[jal]

Great news Jane. I too, look forward to hearing about some of her adventures.

 

[Nancy]

That's great Jane. I too can't wait to hear about her experience. What an interesting country. I can imagine how excited you are to see her. I'm sure you are very proud of her, and she has a lot of board aunties who are proud of her too.

My easy child is getting ready to go to North Caroline for four months to student teach. I am so sad to see her go but am hoping this experience will be good for her. I just hope she comes home, but she may end up staying on if they offer her a teaching job at the end.

Nancy

 

[Fran]

What a wonderful experience. I am impressed with her initiative and self confidence.
I'm sure you are relieved that she completed the 3 months and that she is safe at home.

 

[jbrain]

Thanks, Everyone!
She arrived in our town Friday night and looked good. I was so happy to see her! I think the trip accomplished what I had hoped--that she would gain self confidence and self reliance.

She is having stomach problems--had some stool samples sent to the Lab, the Dr. thinks it may be Giardia. So, she doesn't feel real well but other than that seems good. She is happy to be home but misses her friends and India. She said every day there was an adventure so I think our town seems a little lackluster to her. Also, she is not going to be staying here--has a solo internship coming up--so she sort of feels she doesn't fit in here anymore.

I think all her emotions are "normal" and I'm just glad she's talking about them instead of keeping them to herself. She doesn't want to hurt my feelings or for me to think she is ungrateful to be here. I don't take it that way, I know it has to be hard to reintegrate after 3 months in a totally different culture.

She's starting to tell of her experiences--one that I am glad I did not know about is that they had a 7 hr bus ride from one town to another in the Himalayas and they were on the afternoon bus. That morning a bus going the same route went over a cliff and everyone was killed. She said the buses are always all filled with people and are topheavy. I am sure glad I didn't know about that til she was home.

Thanks for your interest, it means a lot to me!

Oh, one amusing story was that she had bought a bunch of bananas and went back to her hotel. She was standing on the roof by a railing and felt something tugging at the bananas in her hand. She turned around and a monkey was running off with her bananas.

Thanks,
Jane