Itchy feet, itchy mind

I'm desperate to shake off this worn-out British culture that I'm wearing like an old cardigan. Sure, it is comfortable, but it isn't very adventurous. I sometimes wonder whether it was a misjudgement to take a gap year and see beyond my dull British horizons. I've been left feeling displaced, like a jigsaw piece that has changed shape and no longer fits the puzzle it was made for. Back in my home town, I feel suffocated by the general ignorance of my townsfolk to the wider world, to global significance and universal truths. I yearn for new experiences, interesting people and an amalgamation of cultures that transcends the given principles that govern our society. I want people to question more, to ask why we should live like we do, and whether a change would be beneficial. I welcome the plasmolysis of boundaries with open arms...

I am planning to travel this summer, probably to India. Yet I mention 'travel' with caution. I don't mean that I want to just see the sights mentioned in Lonely Planet, take some pictures and come home with a full camera. I want to live the culture, integrate into a community and experience a different way of thinking and doing. Coming home with a full imagination is my goal. That is my idea of travel.

Yes, I am young and idealistic. So be it.

Community work in India, Summer 2010?