I am waiting. I am just counting down the days till we zip up that last suitcase filled with gifts, clothes, and more gifts. I am waiting, restlessly, just to leave America for a whole summer and indulge in great food, shopping and of course my family. I can’t wait to play with my cousins and have the all night talking sessions with my grandparents. I am going to leave it all behind and have a summer of a lifetime. This summer I am going to India!

It’s been four years since I have gone back to my birthplace, and I miss it terribly. I miss the aromas of street food colliding with the fresh, wet dirt. I miss seeing the cows strolling gallantly in the middle of the crowded roads with their tails whipping menacingly at anyone in their way. I miss the loud sounds of street vendors yodeling their cheap prices while competing with the honks of the cars beeping back and forth. I miss the taste of the spices in the street food and the scrumptious taste of the juicy mangoes. I miss it all, from bargaining with the merchants to the vibrant culture, and I promise to soak it all in while I can. Now, it feels so close to me, that the excitement is even tangible!