Learning to Like Discomfort

In class on Wednesday we discussed some of the many changes we'll be experiencing as a result of living in another country with a completely different set of norms and cultures.  In doing an exercise of drawing my living situation when I grew up, I felt happy and comfortable, and even reminisced about some of the pleasant times I had as a result of how my parents decided to run our home.  I first drew my family construct, and all the qualities we share and differ in.  Then I drew my childhood home setup, along with the activities and norms of the home.  It was so pleasant and actually sent a feeling of gratitude through my body.

But then I looked up from my pretty picture at the board.  Rachel had drawn the living situation of the Tibetans, which excited me and sparked interest, but also left me asking a thousand questions silently (and then verbally :)).  The biggest question swimming in my head can be summed up in one capitalized word, "BEDS."  As Rachel mentioned, privacy has been given quite high regard, and is almost required in the United States.  The beds in this visual of Rachel's were not only in the same room, but they were lined up against the wall, some of them touching one another! At that moment, I realized as I saw the word "BEDS" blinking in my mind in red capital letters in Courier font, that my life was going to change drastically in so many ways, in particular, ways that would cause discomfort in the initial weeks.  India to many of us is just such a thrilling idea--it just seems like a definite road to adventure and excitement.  However, it's critical to consider and plan for discomfort, and thereafter learn to like it and even appreciate it.  I'm quite grateful for this class I'm currently taking, in that it will really help me consider the discomfort instead of just the excitement and logistics of my thesis and research.  It's good to confront my impending reality of living in another "world," really.

After this exercise I thought of a million menial details that I hadn't even considered the past month:

1. How will I run 15 miles a week?  I haven't missed a run for almost 3 years!
2. How will I do laundry?
3. How will I get food to my mouth?
4. No cell phone....?
5. How can I talk to people without giving the impression that I'm interested in kissing them?
6. Where will I be able to study and analyze data in such a living situation?
7. What's the internet like?
8. Will I ever have solitude, or time alone to think and study?

These questions are frightening to confront all at once, but one by one I intend to seek out answers and guidance in order to make the discomfort less frightening.  I'm hoping to learn to like discomfort because the alternative would destroy any magic that there once was in visiting another world.