Idlis for breakfast

It's starting to get real. I have less than two weeks in San Francisco before I head east for a few weeks... and then India! I picked up the book, Poor Economics by Banerjee and Duflo to give myself a little insight into the differing philosophies around global economics for the poor. This may have little to do with my actual project, but it got some great reviews and seems like a good primer for understanding today's economic and global aid landscape.

My friend, Charlie also sent me a cookbook called Mangoes & Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent to help me get inspired for my trip. I flipped through and found a beautiful travelogue that documents the food history of the Indian region along with beautiful, full spread photography of different regional dishes and the people who live off of these dishes. It is perfect for me. The photos are captivating, a nice balance between the visual and the written word. I found myself paying more attention to my thoughts than the actual content. It is way more storybook than cookbook for me. There are recipes you can follow, but I kept wanting to read between the lines. I am imagining more than what is told, I am imaging the potential on each page. And I think that is the point that my friend was making.

Traveling is a release of control. Even with the structure of a job or the responsibility of work, I will be traveling. And to do it right, you have to let go. It is so easy to fall into a routine and to demand a certain amount of command over your life. There is too much going on, and out of necessity we create order from the chaos. My job demands that I master this skill, and I may have mastered it a little too much. The moments of inspiration and serendipity still happen, but I tend to recognize them less when I have been following a routine for too long.

I am also going to India, a place where I have little background and a lot to learn. There is no way I will be able to control life there the way I do here. Creating a foundation? Yea, I can probably do that, but having people follow it, no way. Flexibility and agility are key, as is building relationships with people who can help guide me through the confusion when I need it. Because I will definitely get lost a few times. And that's what I love about traveling, it can be both beautiful and messy at the same time. A true balance of extremes that when done well, will leave you a little scratched up, a little weathered, but also with a completely new perspective on life.

Idlis for breakfast? I can't wait.