Katie Revell\’s India Blog

Hello!

 Many, many apologies for the silence from this end; I haven’t been able to get into the blog for the last month or so - reason is still unclear. I’m now in Hyderabad.

We go home tomorrow.

We go home tomorrow..!

 I can’t describe how odd it feels to say that - a kind of distanced feeling, though: I can’t really get my head around the fact that the year is over. All the times at the start when I thought about “being finished” and how momentous it would feel, and now…I just feel a bit mushy-minded.

It’s also surreal seeing all the girls together for the first time since November. We’ve all had such disparate experiences - the two Hyerabad girls have been clubbing, would you believe. All very, very odd.

 Our farewell at the college was nice, if sad. In the last week or two I realised how attached the students actually were to me (and I to them), which induced much fuzzy warmness inside. I left with many very sweet (very cheesey, but nonetheless genuine) messages, several plastic keyrings and a wristful of friendship bands. All I could say to everyone is “I’ll see you again!” - perhaps a vain message but the thought of just disappearing into oblivion is rather depressing. I really feel like I have a responsibility to the girls, having realised recently quite how much they look up to me. I wish I had time to say more now, but, well, I don’t - however don’t go, because I will do a/some update(s) after my return..!

Aaah…So much to say, frustratingly little time. I can’t believe it’s suddenly started working the day before I leave. I did email an update home but it’s not up; as they say here (all the time) “No problem” - perhaps it can be post-posted, as it were…

 As with many of our Vijayawada goodbyes, this is ending up frustratingly rushed. It’s been fun. I think it’ll be weird not informing everyone of my life’s events; perhaps I’ll have to carry on…:P Thank you (I’ve said those words so many times over the last week) to everyone back home and over here who’s been reading and posting comments; I really appreciate it. I hope it’s been a little glimpse into the country and my year, although inevitably incomplete. All that’s left is some last-minute shopping, a meal together as the group, sleep, and then dragging my bag to the airport and balancing it on my toe when they weigh it at the check-in desk. I will be bearing bindhis and bangles.

 Again, I want to say so much more, and I will, but it’ll have to wait ’til I’m home. All the best to everyone (or rather, weesyooalldebess)  and, again, thank you. I will now be available for after-dinner speeches; fees available on request.

x