Just when you get complacent with everything you have learnt, life makes you realise you haven’t really begun.

This is what Pondicherry has been to me in the past two weeks.

Peace and Conflict in Pondy is something I had been eyeing for the past five years. I yearned, and I schemed. I must add that I missed the deadline too once. But eventually things fall in place and here I am!

Anyway, that’s not the learning I was talking about. I meant that things I have learnt from the people I go to school with. I’ve met a million people from across seas and lands, and all of them have brought stories to tell.

I know now what to do if you are a bartender and an irritant customer refuses to leave. And heard stories about when you have to play dead when in a military drill. I learnt of the handball super league and how love for Arsenal transcends borders. I marvelled at how if you mention someone in your thesis paper, you may end up going to school with their daughter! I was amazed how you can sit between two people you have never met and they too like BioShock.

I learnt of temple towns and their secrets.

And I learnt that when you make the longest journeys with friends it’s doable, even if you’re the last to arrive and most definitely assumed lost. I learnt sometimes you’ll be called Leonardo DiCaprio, you’ll just have to live with it and probably respond to “Leo” once in a while.

I learnt that the crazy cat lady isn’t crazy at all!

I was taken in by that you can ride a bus sitting on the footboard and recommend it to be tried too. I learnt that hammocks are not always sturdy. (No, no, it’s not you, it’s the hammock!)

I have learnt of the Swedish democrats and of their policies (I don’t know where are they getting their support from, because I don’t see any here!).

I learnt when taught to say – “Can I have another fork, this one is dirty?” – it didn’t mean fork! No sir, it didn’t.

I learnt I can now swear in a couple of more languages. (I knew I had it in me!)

I learnt how long it takes to tie your dreadlocks and the different ways to wear a lungi. A lungi tied short is only too short if “you think too highly of yourself,” I imbibed.

I learnt that if you sleep with your door unlocked you’ll probably be frightened out of sleep by silhouettes in the dark. They laugh, you hug, it’s all good.

I learnt that I will probably never stop learning, but this time I’m prepared!

Shakeel

Sebastian learns how to wear the dhoti.

 

The boys wear their fancy new clothes.

Catharina does her Indian moves

Catharina does her Indian moves