Mid-dinner with G and the gang at the airport, I got the notification.  ‘Your flight has been cancelled.’  Instant panic.  I had no idea what to do.  Like the trek, I was in new territory, and I had a hard time finding my place.  Also, our hero G was with us and really put in the work to keep us together and us on new flights.  When the sense of urgency didn’t kick in for some of the group and the second flight also fell through, he got us into the nicest hotel I’ve ever been in.  If I had to be stranded in India with an expired visa, I’d want it to be at this hotel.  In situations of panic like that, I think I’m more inclined to trust others who have the experience, and if I need to be a decision maker I can be, but not without difficulty.  When I feel emotional, it’s hard for me to be a voice of reason, but Owen, the guy who had never flown before this trip, was extremely calm, and I really appreciated that.  I think I’m learning more self-awareness because there are things facets of myself that I had never thought about before this trip.  In terms of leadership, I learned how important it is to have cultural awareness and respect.  I feel like there were different levels of respect for the culture that we were guests in, and I could see how that affected different leadership styles.  Throughout the trip, I was keeping in mind the cultural differences we discussed in class beforehand as well as the things mentioned in the Culture Smart book, and I think that helped me have a different perspective on my leadership while in India.

On the bright side, I loved the Taj Mahal, but I wish those memories hadn’t been overshadowed by the events in the latter part of the day.  I had no idea the marble was completely inlaid with stones because Google pictures are from such a distance that the whole thing appears white.  I knew I would be stunned, but I had no idea to what capacity.  Seeing the architecture and craftsmanship of the Agra Fort and learning the history of Shah Jahan before seeing the Taj Mahal made the Taj even more impressive.  Being in Delhi the second time around was more rewarding than the first because we got to leave the premises of the YWCA.  Given that the markets were overwhelming after such a long van ride, I loved the energy going on around me while I was shopping.  Even better was the four-story mall in Delhi.  That place could put you into a shopping coma.  All in all, I loved my time in Delhi and Agra, and I will definitely be making it back to India again in my lifetime.  However, I have never felt as patriotic as I did finally landing in Newark after the debacle that was getting back to the states.  I came off the plane singing “Born in the U.S.A.” and I was imaging bald eagles and fireworks over my head.