I've got my World Prespective Glasses on

I remember when I first got my glasses. They made me feel awkward and they were uncomfortable to have on my face. But, when I put them on, everything became more clear. I could see things farther away and the world wasn't such a blur. That's how I feel in India. Going out more has really put me outside of my comfort zone. I feel lost, a little frightened, uncomfortable, and often times quite dumb. Yet at the same time, it feels good once I've conquered a new task (like crossing the street) and even when I fail at something, I still feel good afterwards because I tried it.

As of right now, I'm halfway done with my courses and internship, and I can guarantee you that 95% of what I've learned thus far has absolutely nothing to do with anything on the syllabus. Half of the things I've learned don't even have anything to do with India. Mostly, I've discovered things about myself and life in general. Here are four insights I've had these past two weeks:

1. A smile is a universal language
   If you would have asked me a few weeks ago what a smile means, I would have said "Happiness". That doesn't even begin to describe a smile though. It's the simple gesture that can break any language barrier and can say a million things with just a look. A smile does convey happiness, but it also means "I accept you. I'm pleased to meet you. You're welcome here. You interest me. All is well." and so much more!
2. "That was so five minutes ago"
   Things don't go smoothly all the time. But when you're crunched for time, you have to embrace every moment you have. There's no use on dwelling on something small, or even medium, it was five minutes ago and it's in the past. You can't change it, you can't fix it, so look at what's in front of you now and enjoy what you have.
3. I don't know everything When we're talking about the several billion people in this world, my education has made me more knowledgeable than a lot of them... but there are also a lot of people who know more than me. Every opportunity is a learning opportunity, whether you want it to be or not. It's very easy to get frustrated with yourself. If you can accept the fact that you're wrong or don't know something, you can learn so much more than what you didn't know in the first place.
4. The things I have aren't appreciated the the fullest potential
   There will always be someone who has more than you and someone who has less. If you're reading this post, I guarantee that you have a lot more than you think. Don't want what you don't have, and instead take advantage of what you do have... and what you're allowed to have. For example, I have dozens upon dozens of clothes and I always want more. Yet 9 times out of 10, I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Why? There are women (and people in general) who may only be allowed to wear one type of clothing in different colors (if that). I'm lucky to have choice and should utilize it.

The life of an intern... Very excited about ice cream in India!