February 27, 2025
Why did I come to India?
As I’m sure other blogs have described, groups are currently in the heavy midst’s of their GCIL projects. It is solidly hectic – with a constant rush of people running in and out of the hostel for interviews, recordings, construction, everything. To be completely honest, this is not the most exciting thing to write a blog about: especially trying to find something that hasn’t been said. Instead, to bookend my set of blogs, I want to talk about something that’s been constant throughout my time in India. I want to talk about my reason for coming and my best friend: Rudra Manian: aka Rudy.
In case the name isn’t a giveaway, Rudy was born in 2002 in basically the dead center of India. To anybody asking where exactly, I am so sorry I cannot remember the exact name. The only thing I remember is their father describing it as “the most free-spirited village in India”. Rudy came to the US the same year I met them, 2014. We hit it off the best middle schoolers could and against all odds it stuck for a decade. When Julian first appeared before my class back in fall quarter of junior year wanting to whisk us away to the opposite side of the world; Rudy was obviously the first person I told it about and asked for thoughts. Funnily enough, they were DEAD set on me not going. I can’t even remember the exact reasons why they were so against it, but it was enough to convince me against it for a solid few months. It was only when they went to India at the start of 2024 that somehow flipped a switch. Suddenly I was REQUIRED to go and had no choice. Among other reasons, I ended up here one way or another.
A defining consistent event of my time in India has been my interactions with Rudy’s family here. I’ve only seen them in person a couple times, but man, they sure do text and call a lot and have been consistent the entire time I have been here. I don’t mind it at all, but describing it as intense would be an understatement. “Oh my gosh you text just like them”. “Wow you’re the exact same height as them”. “You’re basically the same person with the same hobbies”. While not wrong, you try spending the better part of 10 years around someone and see how much you don’t merge with them. It’s been a lot, but I think I’ve gotten even more out of it.
I can’t say I blame the family for how they’re acting, considering the circumstances. This now goes to a more solemn note. The day I’m anticipating to read this out (February 28th), is one week out from the first anniversary of Rudy’s death. I would like to not turn this into mourning or an obituary or anything like that. To tell a little secret: Rudy was quite possibly the least culturally connected person I have ever met to their heritage. I don’t know if I came here to try to understand that miniscule part of them more, or try to make some sort of familial peace, or even just to fulfill a last request. After a couple months of thinking: my main conclusion is that it truly does not matter. Whatever I’m doing here, from seeing postcard worthy landmarks like the Taj, bashing my head against a wall for project work with my team, yelling through the wall windows to my neighbors about something definitely worthwhile, or just enjoying some fine company as we argue about who owes who how much money: one way or another it is all India. This is what I came for. This is what they wanted me to see and do. All I can say: a couple days ago I had a last meeting with Rudy’s mother while she was in the country before going back to the US. She told me that “you two have the exact same [stupid] sense of humor”. If the last few months are what Rudy wanted me to experience, then yeah, I think she hit it dead on.
By,
Simon