I arrived in India on the 4th of January 2014, the journey here was a long one.. And I'm not just referring to the plane rides. Since the beginning of 2013, I knew I wouldn't be in Texas for much longer. I was finally getting over the living in France melancholy hangover. I had been at my "grown-up" job for almost a year and I established from the start that Media Sales was not going to be the path for me. But how could I just walk away from this BIG GIRL job? My parents were proud, I finally had benefits, health insurance! Salary! Paid holidays, this is everyone's dream, right? This is why my Dad came to the United States, right? For his family to have a better life than he did, for us to never be hungry, for us to not drink well water or develop spots and freckles from working in the sun since the age of 5. How could I be like every other Generation Y-er now? How cliche! To be fair, there was actually a time in my life when I thought those were all the things I wanted in life. Then, in 2009, I did a study abroad summer session in Paris.
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| La Tour Eiffel & Carrousel in Paris 2009 |
Fields of Normandy, 2009
I met the people that influenced me the most back then and the most now. I realized how big the world was and how hungry I was for foreign cultures. Not just the language, but other people's actual way of life. As a 21 year old, roaming the streets of France with my friends, mastering the metro and how to order pain-au-chocolats at the boulangerie - I felt utterly satisfied with life! How was I going to go back home? Back to working two jobs, plus school , oh and a boyfriend! The boyfriend was no longer in the loop anymore. He wasn't going to understand all the amazing things I saw and did! Of course, I was right. The relationship didn't last long after I returned, and it really was because I came back as a different person.
With Jen at the Arc de Triomph-
Check out her highly entertaining blog about living life in the French Island
This is Ben ,we met in Paris but our friendship thrived back in Texas. This hombre is now living in New York, he is creative, passionate and has a song or GIF for whatever the occasion.
He has a full-time job, plus school - oh and the editor of this zine ! :
So, that was the start of the new Grecia. As soon as I came to Texas, I started looking for a way to get out. I completed my 4th year of university like a champ, had another really short, but eye-opening relationship. Realized how much fun you can actually have with a partner and learned about myself. I found improved balance in trusting and loving myself and my ideas. Half way through 2010, I was accepted to teach English and placed in a tiny town, smack dab in the middle of France called Aurillac. I was away from the states for a total of 10 months, I made the best of friends: my English flatmate, Amelia, and two Welshies that might as well have lived with us- Loren and Grace.
Loren, Amelia, me and Grace- enjoying the view of Aurillac from the Puy. It was one of the best birthdays ever, a surprise picnic @ the best spot in all of town.
Aurillac- centre-ville. The bright shutters and blue sky will never get old
The green hills and brown cows for which the Cantal Department is known
During my time in France I hopped all around the country, couchsurfed in Spain for 2 weeks and road-tripped around the UK for a month. It's pretty obvious to see how difficult it was going to be for me to come back to Texas. I had spent all my money wandering around, I no longer had a car waiting for me at home, not even a mobile phone plan! No more apartment or any furniture, I was going to live at my parents' house. The house I lived in until I was 18 was now sold, they were in a new home, in a total new neighborhood and in the suburbs! It was so hard for me to grasp the concept of going back to my parents' place. For the past 5 years, I only visited home for a maximum of 2 days. The fear of moving into the house was not because I didn't love them. Frankly, it was just going to be a new style of life. I just spent a year having the most freedom I had ever experienced in my life...I felt the culture shock of coming back home creeping up on me slowly. The flight back home was in May of 2011. As I crossed the Atlantic, the decision was made to stay in Texas for 1 year; save some money and be on my way elsewhere.
Benefits of being home: reunited with mi familia and best friends! and the British girls coming to Texas for the first time ever!
my cute, tiny family
nenas trip to Miami
The girls in Colorado
Lads visit me in Texas for the Summer
1 year became almost 3! By Autumn 2013 , I knew I would be going to India to attend yoga teacher training. I completed a 4 week long course in Kovalam, India. Kovalam is a cozy beach town that I quickly grew fond of.
Kovalam Light House Beach, where we practiced yoga and ate delicious food
The region of Kerala is known as God's Own Country & Coconut Grove Land
Typical lunch, curry plus some salads, rice, bread, pappadam..as many servings as we could eat!
Developing the self discipline after the training has not come so easily. During yoga school, our days were packed with thought-provoking theory classes, sweaty asana practices, happy kirtan singing and eating food! Lots of tasty, mouth-watering curries, veggies and rice! I thought this rigorous schedule would surely set me up to keep the practice going on my very own at the end of it. I believe staying in the same town led me to be a bit stagnant. I convinced myself that I needed to rest after the tough 4 weeks. My body was sore and I was finally getting to know the people in the town. I spent my days at the beach and didn't do much yoga...the feelings of self-critism and disappointment were definitely present in my mind.
Graduation Ceremony with Trupta, Steph and Arvind.. Rakesh was there in spirit!
I'm official!!
Coming to Thailand for this short time has already had a positive impact on me. I knew before that I loved India, but being here has made me really look forward to getting back there very soon. Seeing my old friend, Amanda , pouring my heart out, laughing, getting sweaty and bouncing around between Thailand and Cambodia was exactly what I needed. We have been busy, but have had the best encounters ever! I feel honored by the hospitality in these two countries, I feel refreshed and hopeful. I am staying mindful, in the present moment, aware of my heart beat, my breath, my gratitude. Everything, and I am patiently waiting to be back in India and do what I have intended to do all along- Karma Yoga.
Therefore, be "unattached", let things work; let brain centres work; work incessantly, but let not a ripple conquer the mind. Work as if you were a stranger in this land, a sojourner; work incessantly, but do not bind yourselves; bondage is terrible.
-Swami Vivekananda from his lectures on Karma Yoga- The Yoga of Action
Karma Yoga is one of the 4 paths of yoga, it can be understood as the yoga of service without expectation, this requires selflessness. I am not calling myself selfless, but I know I have a lot of energy that I would like to put into something good. For someone other than myself and in a place where I am already doing a lot of learning. It seems perfect, it's a great reason to extend my time here and to also help me with the conflicting thoughts of selfishness that at times arise. I constantly feel grateful for being here and I know that volunteering with an organization that is actually in need of help will make me feel even more of that gratitude.. for the things my eyes are seeing and my heart is feeling.
Thank you India
-GIA
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