My "Holiday in Goa"

A street vendor in Bolangir

Gangtok, Sikkim

View of The Himalayas, Pelling, Sikkim

fellow Filipino volunteers in India

fellow volunteers in India

India is indeed full of surprises. I have not been here long enough to understand the many different things I see and hear around me in this small city called Bhubaneswar, City of a Thousand Temples. I have heard stories. I have seen stories. One thing is for sure, India has surprised me in more ways than I could ever imagine while I prepared for my place of assignment while in Manila, Philippines.

I had such a whirlwind relationship with my old self back home and somehow amidst all that, India called me. I packed my suitcase with all the things that could provide me comfort during my placement. Yes, including a Winnie-the-Pooh winning I have managed to win at a game place called "Timezone".

Personally, my plan was to "take time" for myself, and what better way to do it than share skills and change lives?

Professionally, this has always been my passion.

I arrived in Delhi and went through the process. Three weeks later, I took that 24 hour train ride to Bhubaneswar, and for the first time, I saw India. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I knew then, I have arrived.

About a week ago, four months after settling in, my roommate suggested that I watch this film entitled, "Outsourced". I did not ask why anymore because we always exchange good movies anyway. I reckoned it was good. So I copied it from her external hard drive. I then prepared myself for yet again another one of those movie marathons I always do before going to bed.

I ended up laughing out loud while watching it. The movie hit home big time. It is about this American guy named Todd or Mr. Todd (pronounced Mister Toad) who lost his job because it was being outsourced to India. In order for him to get all his employment benefits, he was tasked to go to India to train his replacement. His adventures started upon arrival at the airport. It evolved around this small town and this small call center, and of course, like any other movies, there is the romance part, where he met this Indian girl named Asha, a call center agent. Both their lives changed after that.

Asha: "I am engaged to be married."
Todd: "so what am I to you?"
Asha: "you are my holiday in Goa"
Todd: "I am just your holiday in Goa"(sounding really sad and disappointed)
Asha: "no no...you are my only...holiday in goa"

The movie told me 2 things; 1. do not resist India, and 2. "Holiday in Goa".

When you want to have a time off for yourself or otherwise, think not of resistance. Just let go. Just go with the flow. Try not to over analyze and just let things be. Slowly, everything will unfold and before you knew it, you are already having a good time.

"Holiday in Goa" was a romantic metaphor, yet Goa is a real place to escape here in India. There you can be yourself, maybe bask in the sun, read a book, swim, be yourself, have a drink, take a sip, have meaningful conversations with strangers, and just enjoying it and living for the moment.

I have not been to Goa yet but I sure hope to be able to see it before my placement is over. I have heard stories about it, and the movie clearly gave me the picture of what metaphorical Goa is about.

Goa can be a person, can be an experience, can be a friend. It can be what you want to think of it. It is your metaphor afterall.

I have found my "holiday in Goa" and it so happened to be India.

Isn't that the mother of all metaphors?