Kevin Scott Banks

Heading into my India trip, I knew that I knew nothing about India. It’s fair to say that most people probably spend a good amount of time researching a third world country before they attempt to travel there. Well, not me. I didn’t buy any books about India. I didn’t google it or wikipedia it. I didn’t even look at a map of the country. I just went.

Not surprisingly, I was surprised by much of what I saw and experienced. Having no frame of reference for most of those experiences has forced me to spend some time seriously reflecting on how they have affected me. One major motif that really stands out from my trip was the recognition of and interaction with the distinctly different Indian culture. Different, of course, from my own “American” culture.

Wikipedia offers this definition of the word culture:

“The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization, or group.” (Don’t you love that I used Wikipedia to find a word definition but not to learn about India?)

My understanding from my very brief time in India is that the religion of Hinduism shapes much of the Indian culture. Many, if not most of the “shared attitudes, values, goals, etc…” in India stem from the learned principles and practices of the Hindu religion. The intriguing thing to me is that the core of Hinduism is self-progression. Basically, Hindus believe that what they DO in this life will determine what the next life is like. The result: a country full (and with 1.2 billion people I do literally mean brimming full) of people looking out for number one. I should have been more prepared for this effect when I witnessed an India woman cut in front of four white people to steal the airplane lavatory on the ride over. It left me wondering, “How could she possibly do that? I don’t care what culture you’re from, that’s just not cool!” But apparently in India, that sort of self-pleasing, others-provoking action is totally acceptable. In Hinduism, you’re not worried about anyone else, especially strangers (and I would add, white people). You’re mainly concerned about yourself.

Chew on this for a while: that kind of thinking utterly destroys my “American” concept of “common courtesy.”

Since the day I was born, I’ve been taught to hold the door open for strangers, say “thank you” when the bagger bags my groceries, and let other cars pass in front of me while on the road. I’ve also been taught to smile and say “hello” when I pass by other people on the street. Up until this point, I would have argued until I was blue in the face that this is how people all over the world ought to conduct themselves. But after immersing myself for three weeks in a culture that is very near the opposite of my own, I’ve taken a giant step back. I’m still struggling to understand how a culture can be so self-absorbed. It’s still not making much sense in my American brain. But as crazy as it seems, and as different as it is, I now have a much deeper respect for India culture, and every other culture for that matter. One of the many things I learned in India is that my way of living life isn’t the only acceptable way. There’s a whole lotta people out there living life a lot differently than me, and that’s OK. I’m learning to really appreciate the differences between us that make us such a diverse race.

I will say, though, that when I went back to work the day after I returned from India, it sure was nice when someone actually stopped to let me pull out of my neighborhood in front of them

What a trip it’s been so far.

If I had to describe my experience in India up to this point in two words, it would be “Mutual Fascination.” I have been absolutely fascinated with the people, the culture and the polar opposite nature of India. And the Indian people, especially the children, have been equally fascinated by me as an American. In fact, I’ve felt more or less like a celebrity everywhere I’ve gone.

I’m absolutely floored by the photos I’ve taken. There’s no doubt about it, my happy place is behind my camera. The color of this country is absolutely amazing. Everywhere I turn, dozens of distinct colors jump out at me screaming “take my picture!” As a photographer I’ve always shyed away from having human subjects in my photos. As such, Ive been pleasently surprised at how immensly enjoyable it’s been to photograph the Indian people. Perhaps it’s because they look completely different than me, or because the activities they engage in seem foreign to me. Whatever the reason, my camera has been drawn to them like a magnet.

It blows me away to travel to the other side of the world and interact with people where our only commonality is that we’re both human beings. I’ve struggled greatly at times to communicate with the Indians. Many of them do speak some English, but many of them don’t speak any at all. I confess that the only time I studied Hindi, the local language, was for about 3 minutes on the plane ride over. Now I find myself wishing I’d put in the hard work of learning the language. Nonetheless, my interactions thus far have been intriguing. Most of the people I’ve met have had a genuine interest in learning more about me, which of course I’ve reciprocated. They ask questions like, “From what country are you?” and “Do you have a Facebook account?” Not surprisngly, I’ve taken a special liking to a few of the children I’ve met. Little Vinita has been my favorite so far!

The Ashraya Mission team has had quite the adventure since arriving here. From a travel standpoint, we’ve been all over the place, literally. In 5 days, we’ve been on 3 flights, 3 road trips, and visited 5 different cities already. Speaking of travel, driving in India feels every bit like playing that Crazy Taxi videogame. It’s utter insanity. I love it!

From a spiritual standpoint, our team has definitely felt the presence of the spiritual warfare that’s to be expected on a trip like this. We’ve come with a specific mission and purpose as a team, but it feels as though there are forces beyond our control trying to sabotage that mission. Personally, it’s forced me to be vulnerable and to spend some time seriously examining my own heart and my motivations for coming on this trip. That’s been difficult, yet very good. Sometimes the hardest parts of the trip are the sweetest moments in disguise.

For all of my life, I will never forget the first moment our team spent on the roof of Ashraya Mission. Founder Katie Beth Gill has been in India for nearly two months of her five month stay. However, unforseen circumstances have kept her from seeing the first Ashraya refuge home until our team arrived this week. After a quick tour of the home, we ascended to the rooftop where the girls immediately fell before the Lord in prayer. I witnessed tears of joy and cries of thanksgiving. I saw the start of a new chapter in the story of the redemption that runs deep in the heart of Ashraya Mission. Almost as if on cue, the sun pierced through the clouds for the first time on this glorious day. Amidst the chaos and the darkness of this place, God chose to shine down his light on the inception of Ashraya Mission. What a special, special moment.

I am looking forward with eager anticipation to the remainder of our time here. I can feel the Lord enlarging my heart as I witness his hand at work and build relationships with fellow believers here. I can’t wait to share the rest of this experience with all of you. May God continue to be glorified by the work of our hands.

A new day brings a new country and a new adventure. I couldn’t come to this end of the world without a visit to Australia. It’s not exactly on the way home from New Zealand like I thought it was. In fact, I’m further from home right now than I’ve ever been!

I left Wellington very early Monday morning and crossed the Tasman Sea to Brisbane, Queensland. I think I brought the sunny weather with me. It’s been absolutely gorgeous all week. Joy Argow, one of my best friends from Nashville, has recently moved back to Australia. I have the pleasure of spending the next few weeks hanging out with her. She’s an awesome Aussie, and she runs the marketing for a huge Christian music festival called Easterfest. Somehow I let her talk me into volunteering at the festival from now until Easter!

Actually, it’s been heaps of fun so far. Aside from having to wear the fluorescent “Crew” vest, I’ve really enjoyed getting to help with all the behind-the-scenes projects.

Working with a team of volunteers, I’ve installed a ton of flooring…

Set up a bunch of partition walls(one almost collapsed and crushed me today)…

And my favorite so far, I got to help install the “Mainstage” sign with Dave, a classic Aussie “bloke.”

It’s a bustling scene here so far and it only figures to get more intense each day. This year’s festival probably has the best lineup I’ve ever seen. You can bet I’ll be front row for the likes of Sean McDonald, The Classic Crime, and some band called Switchfoot.

Looking ahead, Joy and I are planning a weekend vacation to the beautiful Gold Coast…if we can survive the festival! I also plan on spending a few days exploring Sydney before heading back to California.

My second night here, Australia welcomed me with an absolutely stunning sunset.

In 6 months, I might have seen one or two like that in New Zealand. More please

Question: if you had to choose between taking a California road trip or a visiting the Grand Canyon, which would you choose?

Analogies are wonderful, because they help me make sense of what’s going on in my life. For the past few weeks, I’ve been living out the adventure trip of a lifetime. Earthquake relief, train trips through the Southern Alps, glacier hikes, mountain biking, hitchhiking, tramping, and jet boat rides…it has been awesome! But while I’ve had some of the most fun doing some of the craziest things in my entire life, I’ve noticed something: I’m lonely.

No matter where I go, which activities I do, or which hostel I stay at, I see the same thing. I see people traveling together. Couples on their honeymoon, or their anniversary. Groups of 2 or 3 young friends traveling together. Retired couples enjoying their retirement together. Boyfriends and girlfriends. Or the worst case scenario: huge tour groups! And then there’s me, all by myself. Now, lest you mistake this as an attempt to earn sympathy, let me remind you: I’m having the time of my life and I’m loving it!

But at the same time, I am sad. I’m sad because I have no one to share my experiences with.

Flying down the mountain bike path and stopping to catch a view of the lake…

Watching the sunset at the harbour in Greymouth…

Taking a scenic boat tour of the majestic Milford Sound…

So many thoughts bouncing around my brain. So much to express, and yet no one is there to listen.

This is nothing new. It’s the age-old dilemma of traveling alone. To be fair, I have met quite a few other people along the way who are traveling alone just like me. That’s been a major blessing, as I’ve had the delight of sharing some of my experiences with them. But all things considered, I’ve struggled to travel without a companion.

To make sense of what I was feeling, I’ve come up with an analogy. It’s like I’ve been eating a donut that’s full to the brim with Adventure, but sprinkled on the top with Loneliness. With every bite I’ve taken, I’ve tasted the awesomeness of adventure, but I simply cannot ignore the loneliness. I believe that life was meant to be lived together. I find there is considerably less joy in experiencing alone even the best of what life has to offer.

So I have made a decision: I will never eat a donut sprinkled with loneliness again. That is to say, I don’t intend to travel by myself anymore. But I fully intend to keep traveling in the future. And that means one of you, my friends, will be coming with me!

Question: when it comes to traveling, are you a lone ranger, or do you prefer to have a companion or two?

In less than two weeks, if the Lord wills, I’ll be back on the road. Back home. On the road. I’ll fly to Christchurch to begin an exciting 5 week adventure traveling around New Zealand’s South Island. I’ve booked the TranzAlpine train that runs across the Southern Alps to a town called Greymouth. I don’t know what I’ll do there and I don’t know where I’ll stay. Then I’ll head south to Fox Glacier, where I’ve booked an all-day hike on the glacier. It’s supposed to be spectacular. I don’t know where I’ll stay in Fox Glacier. I’d rather not pay $30/night to stay in a hostel, so I’m hoping to surf a stranger’s couch. Then I’ll move on to Wanaka, Queenstown, and Te Anau. I still don’t know where I’ll be staying in any of those towns…isn’t that exciting?! I know I’ll go hang-gliding in Queenstown (you would too), and maybe white water rafting while I’m at it. Milford Sound is next, I’ve heard it’s the most beautiful place in the country. I broke down and booked one night in a lodge. I really don’t feel like sleeping outside there! The next week, I’m supposed to meet a buddy in Abel Tasman for some sea-kayaking. I can’t tell you how many people have told me that I have to go sea-kayaking in Abel Tasman. I don’t know where we’re going to stay or what else we’re going to do, but I bet it will be awesome.

Sea Kayaking in Abel Tasman

After my South Island adventure, I’ll be flying over to Brisbane, Australia to spend a few weeks with my good friend Joy. We’ll be serving together for Easterfest 2011, a huge Christian music festival that’s held there every year. I still don’t know where I’m going to stay or what else I’ll do while I’m in Australia. But I already bought my plane ticket, so I’m going!

In May, I’ll be heading back to California. One of my best friends from college is getting married and wants me to stand by him(that’s 5 weddings in about a year for me). I figure I’ll fly back early and squeeze in a little California road trip before the wedding. I’m thinking San Diego to Sacramento, with a detour to Yosemite to climb Half Dome with a friend. I don’t know where I’ll get a car for the road trip, but I’ll figure that out later.

Half Dome, Yosemite

So what’s next? What am I going to do after the wedding in June? Many people have asked me that lately. Will I go back to New Zealand, or maybe back to Nashville? Any guesses on what my answer is?

I don’t know!

Do you know exactly where you’re going to sleep tonight, and exactly which rode you’re going to drive to get to work tomorrow? Do you have the income to pay your mortgage or your rent this month? Do you know exactly what you’ll do this weekend, next month, or next year? A part of me envies you. I get more than a little exasperated sometimes when I think about all the unknowns in my life. It’s a daily test of my faith. Do I really believe that God will provide for me? But I have to admit, there’s also an exhilaration that accompanies the unknown. I don’t know what’s next, but I know that whatever it is, I’m going to embrace it.

If what’s next were a wave, I’d paddle as hard as I could, and I’d catch that wave, and I’d stand up, and I’d ride it, and I’d love every minute of it.

I’m soaking up the summer sun here in Tauranga and loving every minute of it. It’s been a great place to hang for the summer months and catch a breath after my tour of the North Island last November. However, I’m excited to say that I’ve just purchased my plane ticket for Christchurch, and I’m headed to the spectacular South Island in March! Ask anyone in New Zealand, and they’ll tell you that the North and South Islands are like completely different countries. The North Island is nice, they’ll say, but the South Island is where it’s at.”Don’t leave New Zealand until you’ve seen the South Island.” If I’ve heard that once, I’ve heard it a thousand times.

Quite frankly, I’m tired of hearing everyone talk about the South Island and all of its majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery. I’m ready to go and see it for myself!

I get the feeling that all the amazing sights I’ve seen so far will pale in comparison to what awaits me down there. Make no mistake, moving on is going to be bittersweet. I’ve been blessed with a great place to live here in Tauranga, an awesome church home, and a few amazing friends. I haven’t had nearly enough time here.

But the South Island is calling my name, and I’ve got to get down there before it starts to get too cold. This traveler prefers warm weather all the way! If you live in New Zealand and know anyone down South, I’d love to connect with them when I’m down there.

What’s that you say? Don’t I know they’re having earthquakes in Christchurch? Of course I do, bring on the adventure!

One of the main reasons I chose to travel to New Zealand was to photograph all of its majestic beauty. It truly is a photographer’s paradise, and I’ve been blown away at some of the images I’ve captured over the last couple of months. Before I left, I debated for months over which bag to bring my camera in. To some of you, that may seem like a trivial decision. But it was actually one of the most important decisions I had to make. I needed a bag that could hold my Nikon digital SLR camera and two interchangeable lenses. However, the only bags I had were a full-sized backpack and a small hand-held bag. Neither of these were going to work.

Thankfully, I stumbled across the Lowepro Slingshot bag at Wolf Camera a few weeks before I left. I knew right away that this was the right bag for me. The design crew at Lowepro are clearly all geniuses. This bag has been the perfect travel companion. The beauty of the Slingshot bag is that you can wear it on your back, then sling it around to change lenses or put the camera away, without having to take the bag off. BRILLIANT! So many times, I’ve found myself outside trying to take pictures, but frustrated that I had to stop, take my bag off and set it down on the ground every time I wanted to change lenses or put the camera away. But when I’m climbing up a steep hillside trying to get a photo like this:

I can’t stop and mess with the hassles of a normal bag. I’m so glad I found the Slingshot bag, because it’s helped me capture some amazing photos that I never would have been able to otherwise.

The other major perk of the Slingshot is that it’s very portable. When I used to keep my camera in huge backpack, I wasn’t very motivated to bring it with me anywhere. But now I bring my camera with me almost everywhere I go. As a photographer, I just never know when a priceless photo-op is going to surprise me, and I’d rather play it safe and have my camera ready. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my photographs from New Zealand. I owe them in part to the Lowepro Slingshot bag. I won’t travel without it ever again.

Do you have a favorite bag or piece of luggage that you wouldn’t be caught traveling without?