Adventures in Asia: To Ft. Kochin with Love,

You are an amazing city. I adore your narrow cobblestone streets and friendly vendors. Your accessibility and culture make me want to wake up with you day after day. You have shown me a glimpse of how amazing city life in India can be. The way you open yourself up to all races, nationalities, and genders impress me. Everyday in your streets made me fall more and more deeply in love with you. Each new day brought out a different part of your personality. One day you showed me the Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, the next day you introduced me to a delicious new thali and made my taste buds long for more. There was the day you gave me a great honor and allowed me to take part in the Onam festivities. That day I was able to explore your culture through music, food, dance, and multiple beautifully created flower floor murals. The next morning you opened my eyes to the street vendors and their delicious produce. The taste of brinjol, goas, plantains, lady's fingers and coconut ignited my senses and moisten my taste buds. In the evening you took me on an amazing date to witness Kerala's own Kathakali. It began in ancient Hindu rituals and has now evolved into a unique style of performance art that you have to see to understand. You even introduced me to your family. I met hundreds of your children at Prathysha Bhavan and Don Bosco. Each and everyone of your children brightened my day and made me thankful to be alive and well. You showed me what it is like to stay with a loving family. Living at Costa Gamma Homestay for those two weeks was like being home again. It made me feel safe and loved. You ended our time together with an amazing farewell evening. It was perfect! I was able to play basketball with your children at Don Bosco, watch and participate in a special goodbye program, and drive home to Costa Gama only to be welcomed once more by Benson Gama and his family. I left you in the morning and I don't know if we will ever see each other again. But know the two weeks spent with you was magically and I would not trade it for anything in the world.

Love Always,
Molly