Oct 2017 – Mar 2018 : Recap of past 6 months

After working as a Software Developer for 3 years in MindCraft Software, I decided to take a break from full time working. I decided to explore some other activities which I was not able to in those three years. So here’s a quick recap of things I’ve done so far:

Donated Hair

Duration: 2.5 hours

Around 5 years ago, I had cut my hair short. I decided to do the same again. But this time I went a bit further and donated my hair. It was a big change filled with a lot of mixed reactions. It has been a learning experience on its own to feel comfortable. And I can proudly say that I’m not attached to my hair.

Attended Film Festival

Duration: 1 week

Last year, I attended MAMI Film Festival while working full time. Though it was a successful experiment, I wanted to attend it at full stretch. I watched around 25 films this year. It’s overwhelming at moments to watch films back to back. But you get to learn so much. These films make you think. They open a whole new world in front of you. They show you stories and cultures from around the world.

I try to keep log of films I watch on letterboxd.com. If you ever run out of movie recommendation, here’s my profile link:

https://letterboxd.com/saatman/

Attended Music Festival

Duration: 3 days

Listening to live music is like experiencing magic. You get to soak into the vibe of grooving hearts. This year, along with my sister, I attended NH7 Weekender in Meghalaya. Because of this music festival, I went to Northeast of India for the first time and explored Meghalaya. We got to listen to some of our favorite artists and also discovered some local talent. There’s so much talent in Northeast India and music festivals like these give them exposure.

Volunteered in Nepal

Duration: 1 month

After traveling in Meghalaya and Assam for two weeks, I went to Nepal to volunteer with an NGO named All Hands and Hearts. We were building schools in rural part of Nepal which were destroyed during 2015 earthquake. I worked there for a month and it’s by far the most fulfilling job I’ve ever done. I learned some new skills, got to engage with the community, stayed in a tent for a month and made friends from all around the world. My heart is filled with so many memories and so much love. Nothing can match that experience.

To donate and volunteer: https://www.hands.org/

More pictures from Nepal:

https://m.facebook.com/satam.manali/albums/10208176850017824/

Traveled to Bali and Vietnam

Duration: 6 weeks

After 5 weeks in Nepal, I flew to Bali. It was complete different landscape going from mountains to beaches. After roaming around for 2 weeks and full of Vitamin Sea, I made my way to Vietnam. I traveled in Vietnam for a month. Vietnam is such a big country with so many places to explore.

For more pictures:

Bali: https://m.facebook.com/satam.manali/albums/10208212785876198/

Vietnam: https://m.facebook.com/satam.manali/albums/10208302351875292/

Stayed on a Budget

Duration: 1 month

When you plan to travel long term, one of the most important thing to follow is a budget. In Vietnam, my ATM card did not work. And I was rather forced to stay on a strict budget. I legit maintained an excel sheet updating every small details. Staying on a budget can be restricting at times, but it forces you to think about different possibilities in which a day can be spent. It makes you take decisions rather than just following the easy way out.

Completed a Vipassana Course

Duration: 10 days

Vipassana is an ancient meditation technique which was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha. This was my second Vipassana course. My first one was 7 years ago. It’s an intense experience as you are required to meditate whole day for 10 days straight. During these 10 days, you observe noble silence. You have no communication with the outside world and you don’t indulge in any reading or writing. My purpose of attending this course again was to understand the technique better and start practising everyday. I still have to work on latter.

These 10 days leave you in a more happier, peaceful and compassionate state of mind.

Read more about Vipassana:

https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index

Traveling in India

Duration: 8 weeks and counting…

I’ve an endless list of places in India. The more and more I travel, I get to know about more and more places. I traveled in Assam and Meghalaya for about 10 days and then again started traveling in India starting from Kerala. I traveled with my friends for more than a month and now I’m back to solo and I’ve UNESCO World Heritage Sites on my list.

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I’m writing this post sitting at Puri Railway Station waiting for my train to Bodhgaya. I plan to write elaborate posts about each of the points above. I wish to share more details of all of these experiences.

While I was working for three years, I had two goals in mind. A to gain technical skills and B to save money to travel. So past 6 months has been the most meaningful and fulfilling experience. I’m getting richer day by day with my experiences.

I’m grateful to all the people I’ve crossed paths with in the past 6 months. You all have made it worth and have helped me grow. I hope to see you all someday somewhere.

Be happy!

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” -Gustav Flaubert