Strangers become brothers

Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Location: Spring Valley Hotel, Mannarkkad, Kerala State, India
Accomplishments: We cycled 80 miles from Gudalur to Mannarkkad, India

It has been a long day. We finally thrust the last drop of energy over one final hill-- the last two kilometers and suddenly the green painted hills give way to a congested artery of a town. It is 4:35 p.m. I let me bicycle come to a stop at the first hotel that I see. A large clean building with a sign that advertises, "Spring Valley, Rooms A.C. and Non A.C." My legs are tight and my butt hurts badly from the seat. It looks as though somebody spray painted my back with mud. I lean into my bicycle while Steve goes inside to inquire about the price. The hotel looks like a really fancy hotel from the outside. I hold my breathe until Steve returns with good news. "Only 500 rupees a night!" he announces (ten dollars).

In minutes, we are tossing buckets of water onto ourselves, removing the spray-paint of mud. I lay on the bed. After a long day, and so many other days with no other tourists in sight, I feel lonely. I begin to miss home and friendship. "Why are we here, so far away?" I feel for a moment that everyone here is so different from me. At 7:30 p.m, we walk downstairs to the hotel restaurant. We sit in a booth against the wall and order vegetable curry, roti, and rice. I notice a group of three teenage boys that enter the restaurant. As usual, they stare at us and then converse in their mother tongue. I am surprised when they approach us.
"Do you mind if we sit to talk with you? We love to learn about foreigners and their places. I am Sonu. He is Shahul, and he is Muhsin." Sonu shakes our hands warmly.

I compliment Sonu on his English.
"It is because I am an English teacher. Maybe you would like to come and see my school tomorrow where I teach," Sonu offers,
Sonu's friend, Shahul is his student. Their friend Muhsin shares his exciting news that he will be on the Indian version of American Idol on July 2nd at 8:30 p.m.
We show them our India maps and explain to them our travel plans.
I ask if they are married of have girlfriends. They giggle and reply that it is badly perceived to have a girlfriend. here they don't see the girl until it is arranged by their family.
"When I want to marry, I tell my family and they maybe will have an agency find a girl for me. It is arranged and both families prepare for the big celebration. It will be a special day for the two families to unite."
Sonu, Shahul, and Muhsin are very curious about our lives at home and our marriage life. When we tell them that we met in highschool, they are surpised that our marriage was not arranged. They ask if we dishonored our family by being girlfriend and boyfriend and marrying each other. We explain that in our culture, dating and having girlfriends and boyfriends is acceptable.
"You want to meet our families?" Sonu offers, "Maybe you can stay in Mannarkadd, visit my school, meet our families. you can see and learn about our culture. We have Saturday and Sunday free. We can take you to see many places."
Steve's eyes meet mine. Originally, we had planned to get in a lot of miles tomorrow to Palakadd and South bound to the more touristy areas in hopes of connecting with more tourists.

Through our eyes, we connect. In silent agreement, we agree that it is important to really know the culture rather than to make miles.
"Yeah," Steve says.
"Yeah," I add, "It sounds like a good idea."
"We would love to meet your family,"Steve adds.
"And meet your students. It would be a pleasure."
A town that we thought we would just stay in for a night and pass through becomes a destination.
Sonu, Shahul, and Muhsin, It is a pleasure meeting you. We look forward to meeting your families and making you a part of our journey in India, in life!

And so destiny has it that my loneliness is dissolved. Strangers become acquaintances. Acquaintances become friends. Friends become brothers.