{ Overwhelmed. Emotional. }

Tonight, I found myself sobbing. To the point where I couldn't breathe. 

Let's be real.

I have pretty thick skin.
I've hiked mountains,
climbed large trees,
paddled through raging rivers,
really though, I've conquered a lot in life.

I never would have thought that I would be so overwhelmed coming to India.
never, ever, ever.
I've read lots of stories, watched movies, read the paper, seen photos,
I've been involved with combatting sex trafficking.
But nothing compares to real life.
And I've been in a third world country before.


Today was the most overwhelming, and the most incredible, day!
And the most emotional.
Walking the streets of Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk,
wandering into paper shops in the back streets,
trying on Sarees with a-little-too-friendly Indians,
shoes in Janpath market.
All with some of my greatest friends Sarah and Anita-ji :)

It's hard to even accurately describe everything I saw -
from the day laborers carrying heavy loads down the street,
to the nasty, splattering floors of the public restroom,
and learning to pee indian style.
to the begging children by the metro and naked babies in the middle of the walkway.
to the older men laying around along the side of the road,
to the heaps and heaps of trash in the niche of a building right by the road,
to the old tangled cables that hang from one building to another,
to the men spitting
to....everything.


It's all so overwhelming.


And as much as I feel overwhelmed, cynical, and emotional right now,
It was worth it.
I wouldn't change today for anything.
I'm more humbled, more grateful,
and more understanding.


I don't know who's right or wrong anymore.
Are we just lazy, entitled Americans? Should we be living more like the Indians?
I have so many thoughts that I could share but I will wait for another time.

Regardless, my life has already been changed forever.

Now, hang tight and soon I'll share with you some fun photos from our beautiful adventure today!