Leaving on the jet plane today. (Scotland for Xmas then India Dec 28th) Hahahaha!  Yahoooo!   Apartment is bare, just my trusty back pack, this computer, oh and I have to clean out the fridge before  the new tenant arrives at noon. It has been a whirlwind getting organized and of course the inevitable last minute stuff I forget about took up all the time which I should have be spending with friends. A huge thank you to Ashley, Kat and Susan this week for helping me get ready to leave but more so for their friendship, encouragement and just for being the great women they are; i'll mis yi ladies.

Finding myself in mid-life with no family obligations, well educated but unemployed and unable to find work in Washington DC, I could not help but ask myself, how did I get here?  There were so many job, even unpaid internship rejection letters! Recovering from 8 years of academic institutions, I was not ready or able to conform and squeeze myself into an institutional job or sell my soul for minimum wage as a secretary in a well meaning but financially strapped NGO. Changing careers is tough, even more so these days especially at this age. I was determined not to let this get me down and re-thought the situation, hey this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity and there is a lot if life and fire in me yet.  So I decided to go back to India, my spiritual home and volunteer.  First I want to re-connect with my heart, become content and peaceful again as well as focused and clear so that I can be productive instead of stressed out and scattered as I have been for most of this year.

 I plan to volunteer with various organizations that work to end human trafficking, slavery and gender violence. I will also go to Kashmir and work alongside the women who are working to bring about social justice and build peace in the region. This blog will be about this inner and outer journey, about places and issue but most importantly it is not about me but about the people in India and their work. I hope to listen, let them tell their stories and connect you to them. Lets all see what happens.

December 4th 2011: A new blog is born!