My Indian Family

There is no better thing than a peaceful evening with people you feel connected with. Many people may find it incomprehensible, but there are places and people who await your arrival as much as you await meeting them. We met Yasir in Manali, when we celebrated a festival we don't understand – Holi – and we were besprinkled with colorful dust. We look like insane to say the least! Fortunately, it didn't scare Yasir off. A month later he's picking us up at a train station in a completely different part of India and taking us home. He introduces us to his mum, friend, leaves us with his sister on Skype. People say there is nothing for free, but I'm now eating prawns made just for me (I mentioned it in a casual talk in Himalayas). Because of that I think someone must have got mistaken about that. When a half an hour later I am sitting with the aunt and cousin, who is passionately making me a dreamed-of henna, I'm thinking someone must have got mistaken again.

Because there are things, you can't buy. Again, I feel gifted. Sitting freely in an armchair in an Indian house with a woman wearing her heart on her sleeve and talking to 3:30 am I can ask whatever I want. About cooking, spices, recipes, meaning of the dot on the forehead and the role of a woman in family. We're talking about the daughter, yearning, about flowers, cats. And sometimes I'm silent because you sometimes think it may be too much.

Have I mentioned mango? From the garden? Directly from a tree? Heh, oh yes, I picked them and ate them like you eat early apples at your granny's garden.

My dreams are coming true, one by one. I'm afraid of thinking of them and pronouncing them, because they can really hear it. Everything is for free, no money, no trade-off. Sunset by the sea, hair blown by the wind, sand under the feet. During all that conversations it hits me, that we have so much to tell each other. Curiosity eats us out, how ithings look among them, and eats them out how things look among us. Talking for hours about the simplest things. Some would say, that culture, religion, customs are different, that it is difficult for it to go on a dialogue. But when a human being is brought to the foreground, the dialogue is long and rich in content. Full of curiosity, understanding and mutual love. Mommy said that this meeting is special for her, that she feels an unique connection to me and the boys. She said that before I managed to say it! Maybe it's for the best. Sometimes you don't need words to feel understood and in the right place – such meetings are the best.

Today morning, when dad came back home, we all went fishing together, to waterfalls, mountains and oceans. And mum made sure I had bracelets and an adornment on my neck. Heh, seriously, you can feel noticed and like in your own place. If there hadn't been cococnuts palms and heat pouring from the sky reminding you about the out of the ordinary circumstances... To the list of my little fulfilled dreams I must add a night bath in a very salty ocean in the company of parents' warnings not to sink and not to swim too far:) I think that view must have been incomprehensible to them – a girl in clothes going to water – but you know... I can't understand many things either:) A dream mentioned by the way, caught by one clever person becames true – thus I need to be cautious, what I am thinking of and most definitely about what I am talking about. Today's morning I was grabbed for shopping and I will reveal its effect to those who want to know soon. I'll only say, that mum, son, chicken seller and seamstress living at the verge of the village were engaged in the process.

Take care!