Meet Amith

This is my new indian friend Amith. He is a student at the University of Florida. I was SO thankful to meet him! 

When I was waiting at the airport in the middle of the night I had to get on a dark, rickety bus to transfer terminals. I walked to the back and most people didn’t offer me a seat next to them. It was really smelly and dark and tight. I asked someone at the back if I could sit next to him. He said yes and I found out he lives in Orlando. 

When I got to the terminal I would have never made it on the plane and to my destination without him! I couldn’t understand the announcements or figure out that everyone was loitering around the security entrance until it was opened just an hour before the flight took off or that women have to go through a separate security line! 

My initial anxiety at having to sit in a totally foreign environment for 6 hours lessened as we spent the time talking about life in the US vs life in India. I was expecting everyone I met to be in utter poverty but I was pretty impressed with his lavish life in Florida and the “driver” kept on hand for him here in India just for when he returns home once a year. 

Meeting a friend was so unexpected but I was so thankful to meet someonne nice who I could trust enough to interpret announcements and explain oddities of the culture around me!

I left Amith at the aireport when I was finally greeted in Hyderabad with a sign bearing my name and a bouquet of roses!