Well, I’ll be brutally honest: I’ve opened my laptop 3 or 4 times to start writing this and couldn’t bring myself to do it. So many thoughts, so many things I didn’t want to word-vomit. So many thoughts, but my fingers wouldn’t move.
So I’ll give this a try. Hold on to whatever you’re reading this with, and I hope you can follow along!
The word “wow” is still very relevant. Now the jet lag is gone, the vacation-feeling phase has passed, and life is in full swing here in the south of India. actually my time here is half over.
Two and half weeks it has been since I arrived here in Kerala, feels like a life time ago.
It was dark and rainy after a long day of travel. The 45 minute cab ride from the airport seemed like a lot… though I thought I might be able to catch some Z’s on the way. I was wrong.
The honking of horns followed me, and the roads were very windy. I did try to sleep for a little while, but eventually gave up and simply enjoyed looking out the window.
Things felt a lot slower than New Delhi, but still very much bustling.
I was the first student to arrive at the villa. I was greeted by the caretaker, who spoke very little English and didn’t know who else would be staying there. I was shown to my private room, thankfully with its own bathroom! When I asked about the other students, all I was told was, “Tomorrow.”
Typically, I’d like to unpack and settle in, but this time I dropped my bags and fully clothed crumbled into bed. I remember thinking, Thank God it’s comfortable, because it was going to be a long three weeks if it wasn’t. Sometime in the middle of the night, I found my way to the bathroom, relieved myself, and finally stripped away my clothes.
The next morning, I woke after only a few hours of sleep, unpacked, and started to settle in. Then I thought, Okay, no one else is here yet. I need the basics. So, to the market I go.
I typed “market” into Google Maps and off I went.
I walked about 2 kilometers down back roads and dirt paths before finding a tiny roadside shack, maybe 8 by 12 feet. Small yet mighty. It had everything I could possibly need: fresh vegetables, basic necessities, and everyday groceries. Cabbage, okra, carrots, potatoes, beans, peppers, and plantains, along with eggs, bread, milk, tea, noodles, spices, and a few basic toiletries and laundry soap.
As I placed everything on the counter, the shopkeeper scratched the prices down from memory on a little piece of paper. My one reusable shopping bag quickly overflowed. I paid the man what amounted to a very small sum of rupees and started the walk back to the villa.
And as I walked, I just took it all in.
Holy shit. I’m actually here.
I was walking back from the market in India, groceries in hand.
Am I dreaming?
I arrived back at the villa just as the caretaker was welcoming another student. Our eyes locked, and later we found out we had both had the exact same thought: Another person! Glad to know there’s life here!
Over the next 24 hours, four more students would arrive. By the end of it, there were six of us staying at the villa, all from different countries.
And just like that, this place that had felt so quiet and empty when I arrived was beginning to feel a lot more alive, a little more like home. Cooking and sharing meals together became part of the rhythm of daily life, laundry hung out in the sun, conversations drifted through the house, and there was someone around to share a laugh, a story, or a cup of chai with. What had started as six strangers from different corners of the world was slowly becoming something that felt a lot like family. Of course, like any family, there were disagreements too, but even those only made the bond feel more real.
I promise I’m not going to give a play by play of every day, but this was just so surreal!
Thirteen people from around the world, all gathered here in Kannur, Kerala, India, for the same reason: to learn from the source of one of the world’s oldest holistic healing traditions, Ayurveda.
Romania, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Colombia, Germany, Australia, Spain, Canada, Punjab, India; California, USA; Gujarat, India; Chhattisgarh, India; and, of course, Key West, USA.
So many different languages are circling around the classroom. I’m very grateful that the courses are taught in my native tongue!
The program is a mix of practical and theoretical learning, and at times, it feels like I’m drinking from a fire hydrant.
Some students, like myself, will be here for one month, while most are here for three months, and some even six! As one of the doctors said, we’re really only scratching the surface. It took us about a week just to go through the definition of Ayurveda.
Even though we have long days in the classroom, it all starts with the serene sounds of the Arabian Sea and birds outside my bedroom window.
No, this isn’t a bad dating ad, but I really do enjoy long walks on the beach with a cup of chai. LOL
Even though I did months of planning, there was still so much I never could have anticipated. And honestly, I’ve welcomed it all with open arms.
Doing laundry has always daunted me, but doing it the “old-fashioned way,” especially when curry is involves, has taken it to a whole new level. Eating with my hands and without utensils certainly doesn’t help the laundry situation either.
We do have a small, basic washing machine with cold water only cycles, but I still use the washboard and bucket to work out the tougher stains before sending everything through the machine.
I’m actually doing pretty well without utensils, although I still hear my mom in the back of my head saying, “Stop playing with your food!” Well, Mom, it’s culturally acceptable now!
One of my elective courses is Ayurvedic Nutrition and Cooking. One of the topics we covered was eating with your five senses (sense organs) and why eating with your hands is considered an important part. In Ayurveda, eating with your hands is believed to help create a deeper connection with your food, engaging the senses and encouraging you to be more present and mindful while eating.
South India takes great pride in its food, and there is certainly a friendly debate about why it’s “better” than North Indian cuisine. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed dining out and cooking my way through the nutrition course, exploring dosa, idli, puttu, sambar, countless curries, and the spices that transform simple, raw ingredients into incredible dishes. These are just a few of the many foods I’ve discovered, and so many of them are things I’ll be incorporating into my daily life.
As I mentioned earlier, grocery shopping here has been mind-blowing. Kerala is famous for its dozens of traditional banana varieties(who knew!!), along with coconuts galore. I’ve mostly been eating a vegetarian diet, although I’ve also enjoyed some fresh fish and chicken.
The seafood here is incredibly fresh. On my morning beach walks, I’ve watched local fishermen head out before sunrise, casting their nets from the shore and bringing in the day’s catch.
The school provides a driver and transportation for our daily needs, but you know me, I’m a little extra, so I rented a “Bullet,” as the locals refer to their motorcycles.
One of my instructors said, “If you can drive in India, you can drive anywhere in the world!” And yes, I’ve definitely found the horn. I feel like I’ve earned a rite of passage by learning to drive like a local.
When I told the driver I would get myself to and from school, he asked, “Oh, you got yourself a Scooty?” I said, “No.” His eyes got big, he smiled, and showed me a picture of his Royal Enfield.
I have enjoyed my morning rides to school, alot of heads turn say hi and ask where are you from, i had half of of the school bus fully of maybe second or third graders smiling , waving !
One Saturday, I woke up early, picked a point on the map about an hour north, put on my Meta glasses, turned on my tunes, threw my phone in the mount, and hit the open road.
About 45 minutes in, I’m feeling great, cruising at about 70 kilometers per hour on a wide, open main road. Not quite a highway, but definitely more than a little country road. All of a sudden, my music fades out and stops. I’m like, “What?!”
I look down and my phone is no longer in the holder.
Well, I pull over, say “fuck” once, stay calm, and head back into traffic going the wrong way. About 500 feet back, there it is, lying face down in the middle of the road. I stop, hop off, grab it, and keep moving, this time with traffic.
Miraculously, it was mostly unscathed. Just one minor crack. I made sure it was securely fastened this time and continued on my way.
Could I have made it home without my phone or GPS? Yes. But still, I was pretty damn happy to find it and in working condition, surprised no one ran it over!
I stopped in the little town of Kavvayi, took a short walk, and then enjoyed a chai and biscuit with the locals.
Sharing chai, the simple act of sharing tea, has really opened my eyes. Chai simply means tea, but everyone’s chai is different depending on the region or the individual. But sometimes, stopping, stepping back, and letting tradition guide the moment is where you truly get to experience a place.
I could type and babble on, but my Celine Dion playlist has already looped, and you know that means I’ve been at this for a while. We’ve covered some ground!
I’ll try to post more often, but no promises. Thanks for coming along for the ride. If there’s anything you want to hear more about, just let me know.
P.S. I know I’m bad at math, so you might be thinking, “Wait, didn’t he say three weeks? He’s been there for 2½ weeks already!” Well… I was originally supposed to be here for three weeks, but on day two, I was enjoying it so much that I canceled the next part of my trip and decided to stay for four weeks instead. So yes, I’ll be here a little longer!
Leave a Reply