India is not for the Weak

India is a strange, overcrowded, and noisy country to the outside world. If you asked a resident of my town, Grande Prairie, they'd say they'd never want to go there, how the people stink and how dirty it is. That's a pretty strong view from people who don't leave the province. I decided to go to India not only to see the Taj Mahal but also to learn yoga in its birthplace, Rishikesh, located on the Ganga and near the Himalayas.

The trip began with an overnight flight from Bangkok. Entry with an e-visa was straightforward. I booked three nights in a hostel in New Delhi, the second most populous city in the world after Tokyo, Japan. 34 million people in one city seems incomprehensible, considering Canada has only 7 million more and is the second largest country in the world. To put that in perspective, Alberta, Canada (my province), has an area of ​​661,848 square kilometers. New Delhi is 1,483 kilometers squared. Alberta has a population of 5 million and is approximately 446.3 times larger with a 6.8 times less the population.  

I got off the plane in New Delhi and took an Uber to the hostel I'd booked for three nights. While searching for an Uber, I was immediately surrounded by people shouting at me to get into their taxi. Uber didn't exist, and there were a lot of things I didn't understand. It was certainly overwhelming, but I'd had a similar experience in Jakarta, Indonesia, and managed to survive. After fighting my way through the crowds, I found my Uber, got in, and breathed a sigh of relief. The Uber ride took about an hour. I arrived at a market where prostitutes were knocking on the window, cows couldn't move, and monkeys roamed the streets. I felt completely paralyzed. I checked into the hostel and paid for three nights in full. When I saw my room, I felt like crying. First, I saw a random desk with a man sitting in front of it. It was incredibly strange, everything smelled awful, and I could hear rats scurrying around in the walls.

I sensed there was another backpacker there because I'd seen things there, but I'd never met them. I spent the next hour pondering what to do. Ultimately, I decided to take another Uber, this time all the way to Rishikesh, India. It was around 5:00 PM, and I had a five-hour drive ahead of me. Always trust your instincts. I grabbed my bag and went looking for an Uber. Meanwhile, I saw a man pooping himself on the road.

Getting into a car with a random man for any length of time is very dangerous, let alone a five-hour drive through the middle of nowhere. Nevertheless, I continued on, carrying all my belongings. I found my Uber, and he seemed nice. After an hour, I lay down to rest. At one point, he stopped to buy me some fruit, which was nice. After he finished eating, he threw the plastic bag out the window to clear up the trash.

The five-hour journey took us six. It was 11 p.m. and pitch black. I went to my new hostel, where I'd booked a private room. It was lovely. I spent three days lying in bed. I did absolutely nothing but eat. Part of me was afraid to leave, and another was exhausted. After the three days I was one of the first to check into the yoga teacher training program. I chose the best room, and it was private (some shared there room with another person). I deleted social media and immediately immersed myself in the program. For a week, I met new people, but I didn't really connect with anyone in particular. It wasn't until the second week that I became close with an incredible group of people.We even had our own codename: The Holy Six. I'll introduce everyone by sharing what I wrote about them after the program ended.

Frida is the most stylish, cool girl vibes, real person I’ve ever met. You are kind and somehow you always know what to say. You’re corky yet graceful you deserve the world. I hope you will one day see in yourself, how we all are seeing you. 

Gabriele you are a Spitfire, you are a shit disturber, you are a wild child. You have an amazing outlook on life. I hope you never let that happy go lucky flame die out. You will make someone very happy later in life. 

Jamie, you are cool. You’re unapologetically yourself, you’re humble but you know your value. You are unreal at yoga and will make an amazing teacher. You give everything 100% which is hard. You’re a great listener and an even better storyteller. Thank you for always making me feel included. 

Kieran, where do I even start? You don’t give a shit yet you care so deeply. You’re a comedian and you have been through so much good and bad but you always look at the positive. Always a rainbow after the storm with you. You’re an amazing person and I hope you know that.  Please write a book one day. 

Rotem my soul sister you’re one of a kind. You do everything with a deep sense of the world. You allow yourself to feel everything. You are so smart in so many ways and you have amazing energy. I’m convinced if anyone doesn’t like you that they are missing out. Plus you have the most gorgeous hair. 

Have you ever been in a friend group where everyone perfectly fulfilled their role, supported each other, and shared a strong bond? Sunrise to sunset, under one roof, 29 days without alcohol or drugs. Including therapy, massage, meditation, breathwork, yoga, we all vomited as a group. I don’t even know how to begin to describe how close we were on an emotional level. 

The classes finished, and people left one after another. Returning to Germany, Italy, Israel, Nepal and Sweden. I stayed a week longer, and regret not going home sooner. India was loud, dirty, and crowded, yet I’d go again.

In India, they have a clear dislike for Canadians. After they got to know me, they were alright.