New India

Kolkata, 12/23.

And, I return...

The trip since Tricia's departure and Drew's arrival has been full of exciting events and new experiences in this big and vast country. I still love India, but I will say that I am ready for Vietnam, Vicky, Cambodia and "other Asia." I know they will also be tumultous, but I think I need a different kind of noise, smell and tastes. I need change. Funny to say that, but we humans are odd in this way, aren't we?

At this point I can only do this in excerpts since I cannot even begin to remember the details all that has happened to me in the last 2-3 weeks.

OSHO:
As some of you may recall I went to OSHO again for 5 days between Tricia and Drew. It was to be a time for me to breathe on my own, meditate, dance, go crazy, and have some chocolate croissants. I did all of these things, and more. For one, I met Arya, an amazingly intelligent, fun and beautiful woman and we hung out for a lot of the time. At the same time I had a lot of time by myself. I almost purposely did not want to meet any more people. I wanted to be in my own space.

The OSHO experience had many peaks and valleys. Well, for me (since I think valleys are always an opportunity to learn about myself) there were a lot of peaks which consisted of a great deal of sobbing, a lot of laughing and a lot of just letting emotions circulate. I knew going into that experience that it was the time in my travel to let go of a lot of past caca that had been following me around for years. Mainly, it was time to get rid of the tons of caca I gathered from a certain job I had, and A LOT OF CACA I gathered from a certain relationship I had. I knew that this needed to happen in this trip and I think the OSHO time was a great launching pad for it. I felt ligther after it, as I do now, more able to move in my own body, heart, and soul about the world so readily available for me to discover and in which I should always participate fully. I felt more myself than I had felt in a long time. Mindy, I felt then and do today, more like the Julio you have been searching for in the last few years.

Is the work over, am I cured of these evils? No, of course not. The kind of life experiences I had such as walking in on my boyfriend "doing it" with someone else, being told I did not "have the degree" to participate in a conversation at work are not the ones that disappear in one breakthrough. But, these moments of clarity awaken us to what is important and valuable in life. And, focusing on these events is neither of these things. So, as I so often say, candidly, JULIO, MOVEON.ORG! (Credit goes to all of you - Mindy, Nicole, Tricia, Sarita, Ana, Drew, My mother, Father, and so many of you who love me - and who told me all throughout these ideals - MOVEON.ORG) Thanks for being there and letting me run my own course. Also, thanks for not being there sometimes too. I especially remember Mindy saying, "I love you, and, therefore, I will not longer have this conversation with you." Thank you. Thank you for not feeding the monster.

DREW
Oh, it is so wonderful to have Drewzie here. We have been having such a great time. I feel he has really gotten tastes of the many experiences I have had here - the pollution, the amazing kindness of India, the madness of the streets, the peace of the small towns, the yumminess of the spices in the foods, the constant scare of the water. This was very important to me since as "the boyfriend" I really wanted him to know first hand what I have been experiencing. I think he has really enjoyed it. Oh, he has also been a total badass and outdone me on the health side. Yes, Reny (mom), Drew is taking on India like a champ while I have had a cold for the entire time he has been here. Note that now that we are in Calcutta and the sun is out and I have a t-shirt on the cold is going away quickly. I am my mother's son, a tropical flower.

INDIA as a COUPLE
Being in India as a couple has also meant I have gotten to see a different India, which has been wonderful. When you are in a 1.5 year trip every day with your beau is critical time so we have decided to stay a nicer places instead of spending much of "our" trip dealing with the madness of India. Don't take me wrong, we have had our share of cultural dirt, bugs and etc, but we have been staying a nicer hotels with HOT WATER, yes, HOT WATER, lots of it, lots and lots, and clean sheets and room service, and buffets, and cable TV, and white towels, yes, one that are actually white, not just by name, and we have a bathtub, and toiletries, and newspaper in the morning. WOW, I had no idea this India existed. Well, I knew it existed, but wow, wow. I truly feel I have ran the gamut of places to stay - from very little and very dirty, minus three star places to the Taj Hotel's 5-star with a view of the Taj Mahal. Also, from sleeper train with the "people" of India to a 1st AC train ride with constant meal service and electricity.

Ooops, internet time has ran out...........promise I will be back soon to continue this with "experiences"!

"Into the Woods to Find the Giant..."
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