How crazy was I?

I Lay in bed this morning chatting to my beloved and was reflecting on our first arrival In India. I was recalling when we first arrive at our new apartment. It had been exciting to be picked up from the airport by friends and driven to a home that we thought we would be in for 3 months (that didn't work out but never mind)

I remember standing on the side of the road in the darkness of the night. The ground was a little wet and muddy, not from rain but from a leaking pipe. The street was quiet apart from a few stray dogs roaming around. We were waiting for the other car to arrive with our bags, some kids and the key to get in. I was so excited to be here after waiting for so many years.

Then came the first walk up the stairs, the missing windows that would not meet OSH regulations in NZ. The marble steps that were caked in dust and then our front door. We walked in and I remember thinking, I can't wait to give this place a good scrub. It had already been cleaned but there is nothing like cleaning yourself.

The table had some goodies on it for us all and we plonked down our bags and made our first cup of tea in India. The funny thing was that as I began to open kitchen cupboards and pull things out, I wanted to wash everything. I suddenly felt like everything was covered in Indian bugs that were somehow going to jump from everywhere and make us all sick. Even when washing the cups I didn't feel like they were clean because of the water I had just washed them in. I felt like everything was contaminated. This is why I titled this post 'How crazy was I?' It was as if anything I touched was covered in germs and I needed to wash my hands all the time. It was complete and utter stupidity looking back now. It was a wrong perception of India. This is how the west thinks of India and I was living it out I am embarrassed to say.

So we lay in bed and laughed at ourselves, well at me actually, and reminisced about changed mindsets. How crazy was I?