“Kya chahin hain?” » asked the man behind the cash register. “Mujhey you coffee chaaheeye,” I replied. Without any confusion, he made my drink and handed it to me. I quietly congratulated myself on my improved conversational skills in Hindi. When I came to India, I would either mix up Gujarati words by mistake or mispronounce Hindi words. I never really noticed my “American” accent until I moved abroad. More surprising than my improvement in Hindi is the fact that I chose to come to this cafe despite my past reluctance. I walked around the bustling crowd and found an empty table to sit. I admit that I was initially surprised by a crowd almost as dense as a market, but now I find the café quite lively. I looked around at the entrance to see if any of my friends were coming. “I'm a little early but at least I can never get bored waiting,” I said to myself as I took a sip of coffee. I used to think there was something wrong with coffee in India. It's not the large Starbucks mocha coffee with whisk that I was used to in the States. The aroma was familiar, but the cardamom flavor was that unexpected hint of spice that you only find in India. Regardless, I couldn't give up going to the cafe just because of some minor differences. It was my sanctuary from the outside world, a place where I could collect my thoughts and find inspiration. Remembering the past, I pulled out an old sketchbook. I thought back to how I first discussed my sudden decision to study abroad with my best friends in Maryland. They patiently listened to me explain how I received an acceptance letter from an international school in India. They were surprised at first, but they understood...... middle of paper...... ren. They had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and did not hesitate to take it from anyone willing to share it. I realized that I was learning much more than I was teaching. I had little to give in return for the life lessons I learned from them. I downed the last bit of coffee when I heard, “Hey Aru!” I looked up and saw my friends hovering over my sketchbook. I developed strong friendships with my classmates. Not only do we share interests, but we find endearing qualities in our differences. Through my friendships, I solidified my beliefs and my individuality. I learned more about India and developed a new global perspective. A friend looked at my empty cup, confused. “I thought you didn’t like the coffee here.” “What gave you this idea,” I replied, looking at all my friends, “I'm really going to miss this. It's not Starbucks, but it's perfect.”