Home At Last

So week 1, I landed in Chicago airport where it was pouring outside! Apparently when it rains, baggage isn't brought inside... Okay, I am a vistarak so I shouldn't be attached to worldly things and such, right? YEAH NO. At the end of the day I am 17 and at that time I was very nervous to meet new people too! Imagine going to an unknown area, at 11 pm, with unfamiliar faces around you without having any personal belongings. I WAS TERRIFIED. But, I stayed cool, calm, and composed since I didn't want to come off as a typical teenage girl that would basically die without her favorite pair yoga pants and straightener...
From the airport I was picked up by Tejus uncle. OH wait sorry, I forgot, people here (since they are in their late 20s and 30s) don't like being called "uncle" or "aunty". So, Tejus Ji picked me up and he, well, scared me a bit. (ha ha ha...) He explained all the changes that he feels should be made and all the expectations he has of me. At this point, I started to think that maybe I wasn't ready or even supposed to be here, I think I may have made a mistake! While Tejus Ji talked to me, all I could do was go over the list of "rules" my mom, Digant Ji, and Anjali Ji had made.
1. Mind your language.
2. BE PATIENT
3. No is never an answer
4. No matter what happens, I will stay in control of my emotions in front of others
5. I am not here on vacation, so focus on the work on the "fun" (this one was really made by my mom)
Number 4 on that list I've got to say was probably one of the hardest rules to follow. To give you a better understanding of the situation, just picture me smiling and agreeing with Tejus Ji in the car, when actually I was screaming and crying like a little girl from the inside!!
The one thing that helped me was the thought of going to Anuradha Ji's and Shriram Ji's house and going to sleep!. I don't know why, but I imagined them as a bit older couple. Like around my parents age (I love you mom and dad! I promise I am not calling y'all old..but comparatively..). The moment they opened the door, I swear I thought, "okay, where are the cameras. Ha Ha Ha this is hilarious...really, like seriously, can anything go the way I imagined it would." One thing I soon learned as a vistarak was that you cant expect things to always go your way. Life brings with it the unexpected, and living under my parents shelter would have never given me the chance to realize this! However this couple was young and fun! During the week they did whatever they could to make me feel at home and took me out (we actually went to the Harley Davidson museum which was like a dream come true!) since I was worried about my luggage and still a bit home sick. (By the way, the airlines told me that they had lost my baggage...). Hands down though I don't know what I would do without their kids, they are hilarious! The morning after I had come, I went to say hi to Gargi (6 year old daughter) and Parth (1 year old son). Gargi didn't say a word to me, and Parth thought he was a dinosaur and kept roaring at me.
"Hi Parth! How are you baby?"
"ROOOAAAARRRRRR"
"hey Par-"
"RRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!!"
Yeah so you could say that at first I was a bit confused. (That's really an understatement). Before long though, I was finally able to roar and laugh along with them. Gargi, the so called quite little girl, always has something to say, there is never a boring/lifeless moment with her!
During this time I was able to attend 1 shakha in Milwaukee, meet some new people, and help plan for a family camp that would happen over the weekend. Throughout this process I learned many things about myself. First and foremost, I AM LAAAZZZYYYY! and my host family, yeah not so much..playing outside, helping around the house, and not watching Netflix all day long..you could say I was struggling. But now, I cant believe that I ever missed out on helping my mom in the kitchen/around the house, going out with my sister, and wasted my time on "Grey's Anatomy" and other such shows when I could have been making memories. Also, at camp I was able to see a WHOLE new side of shakha activities. Yes, I already knew the importance of shakha, but I didn't know the effects of it! During the camp, I noticed that even when we weren't conducting planned activities, parents and kids cared for one another even if they hadn't met before. Its hard to explain. The closest thing I can relate the atmosphere to is India. My family and I try to go to India about every year. The one aspect that I haven't seen anywhere but there would have to the neighborly aroma. For example, you don't have to call before coming over to someone's house, everyone (without physical communication) knows to meet in the morning and in  the evening at the nearest park, and no matter what age there is unconditional respect between everyone. These small actions are what make me feel like I am home. This is what I felt during activities I conducted , people I talk to, and interactions I observed.  I felt now I was home.