Sunrise over New York City

In New York now…it’s 8:18am here and 6:45pm in India (still have my watch set). I have about 2 ½ hours until I board my last flight. I feel numb. I’m in no rush. The stress of immigration and the officers intimidating stare…have had no impact on me. I’ve gone through each check point with a straight face…just saying, “yup, sure, yea…thanks”. I’m wearing very, very loose fitting jeans, tennis shoes and a sweater cardigan. I look confusing…but somehow content…and that’s the response I’ve been getting from some. Maybe I’m just tired. But I just feel like its all a big joke…this country. Every store you walk by has a shrine set up for Obama.

Obama Shrine

I’m constantly controlling my head bobs, haan’s and nai nai’s. I’ve only been in the US for a couple of hours and I’ve already heard the terms, “the war on terror, security, economic slow down"...over and over again. Can’t wait to get home…and sleep and hopefully wake up from this bad dream. Also, no one is here. One of the first things that I noticed or felt was strange, was the absence of the density of people. Initially when I was coming down the stairs, I felt strangely alone…but it wasn’t like I felt lonely…just different and that’s when I realized that there were no people around me. There is an average crowd. But I’m used to having thousands of people all around…with all kinds of noises and bumps along the way. And I like that.

Leaving New York

Flying over North Carolina

I’m in North Carolina now…it’s 7:23pm. I’ve almost unpacked… done 2 loads of laundry, showed my suits and sari’s to Grandma, had 2 cups of green tea, heard about the imminent end of the world (rapture), Obama as “gravely naive” and watched 15 mins. of FOX news. I don’t know what to think…