It is always difficult to say goodbye, but the experience becomes particularly significant when a farewell carries with it the knowledge that you will probably never set eyes on a person again. Today I wished 'Bon Voyage' to two of my favorite people in Kolkata. Julien and Youssef left for a month of traveling through India before returning to France and Morocco, as their internships are now complete. My time in this city has been marked by countless nights of cooking dinners at Youssef's apartment in Jadavpur, going to listen to Latin music at our favorite Kolkata pub, and dancing until the early morning hours with my French speaking friends. Julien is the garbage disposal of our group. His 21-year old male metabolism allows him to consume not only his own absurdly large meal, but also every morsel left on the five or six other plates at the table and still remain unfairly thin. Youssef always provides the perfect combination of utter hilarity and intense philosophical musings, and I will miss our numerous evenings of genuine laughter and meaningful conversations. The city will not be the same for me in their absence, and it makes more poignant the point that this Kolkata life of mine is only temporary.
I am thinking even more about my own departure from this city in a week and a half. While I am very sad to contemplate leaving, somehow it seems less depressing as I have another few weeks of research and exciting adventures waiting for me (not to mention the triumphant return to my family, friends, and Diet Dr. Pepper... yes, I am seriously addicted to the sweet sweet American carbonated nectar). I long for the 25 hours of airline travel that will carry me across the Atlantic to my home, but I am beginning to really mourn the loss of the life I have created in this place. Youssef and Julien leaving today brings a realness to that prospect. It is our hope to meet again in a few weeks in Amritsar; but if India has taught me anything, it is to never hold too closely to your expectations.
As I sprinted out of the taxi into a sudden downpour and the quickly forming puddles in front of Bishop's College, I took a short glance at my two dear friends. In that split second, I held the full knowledge that it just may be the last time that I would take in their faces from anything but a photograph. The rain felt eerily appropriate, as in that moment an overwhelming sadness flooded my heart.
I am thinking even more about my own departure from this city in a week and a half. While I am very sad to contemplate leaving, somehow it seems less depressing as I have another few weeks of research and exciting adventures waiting for me (not to mention the triumphant return to my family, friends, and Diet Dr. Pepper... yes, I am seriously addicted to the sweet sweet American carbonated nectar). I long for the 25 hours of airline travel that will carry me across the Atlantic to my home, but I am beginning to really mourn the loss of the life I have created in this place. Youssef and Julien leaving today brings a realness to that prospect. It is our hope to meet again in a few weeks in Amritsar; but if India has taught me anything, it is to never hold too closely to your expectations.
As I sprinted out of the taxi into a sudden downpour and the quickly forming puddles in front of Bishop's College, I took a short glance at my two dear friends. In that split second, I held the full knowledge that it just may be the last time that I would take in their faces from anything but a photograph. The rain felt eerily appropriate, as in that moment an overwhelming sadness flooded my heart.
1 comment:
Hi Bethany,
Just wanted to let you know that it's been fun stopping by your blog from time to time to see what you're up to (a deadline is approaching now, so I'm procrastinating on writing news and instead, catching up on blog reading). It sounds like you've had a wonderful adventure there.
Rebecca Woods
(DisciplesWorld)
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