When I left you last, we had just attended my sister-in-law's wedding and managed to survive another adventure with extended family. That trip was particularly 'easy' in terms of my experiences in India because we stayed in hotels and I had the luxury of lots of personal space, which always aids in my maintenance of sanity.
Shortly after leaving India, I made the difficult and life-changing decision to stop a 25-year career in Health Insurance and purchase my own business. I was finally able to realize my lifelong dream of entrepreneurship when I fell into the perfect opportunity to purchase a well-established coffee shop and bagel restaurant at a great price. I took the leap of faith in September of 2019 and after just 6 months of ownership, COVID hit and everything changed. I pulled from every problem-solving gene I possess and we somehow figured out how to keep going and I came out on the other side, a much smarter and changed person.
After 3.5 years of ownership, I felt I had accomplished everything I set out to do and was ready to sell. For the first time in perhaps 35 years, I was without a job and it took time to settle into 'doing nothing'. Since then, 'nothing' has become a privilege and I've found my groove of getting things in order around the house and tackling several areas of my health that were a bit neglected. I also snuck in 2 big trips and for the first time I can recall in my adult life, I went away without a worry about how things were going at a job. Before long, Roy was suggesting a family trip to India to celebrate one of the many holidays that go on during the later part of the year, something we had not been able to do ever due to the high volume of work insurance companies faced at that time.
Without any proper excuses, I agreed to what might be our biggest adventure yet. Stop 1: several days in Bangalore to meet my 2 baby nieces born during COVID and catch up with my lovely sister-in-laws. Stop 2: several days in my husband's hometown of Gaya in Northern India, which I have never seen or have been able to grasp exactly how rustic it is. Stop 3: A visit to Patna where numerous family members live (including the one we will be staying with😑) to celebrate a festival she hosts in her home, as well as other various activities. We then will return to Bangalore to catch a flight home on Thanksgiving.
The years haven't made me any more adaptable, if anything they have only shinned a light on how regulated I like to be when it comes to my comforts and habits at home. For this reason, as well as the gillions of others I have pointed out in all my posts, I'm not exactly EXCITED to go, but I am looking forward to seeing the family and allowing Roy to introduce me to his childhood the same way I have done here.
As always, I'm planning on using you all as my outlet for sharing the journey, the frustration, and the fun. Make sure to follow along!
