Sometimes in life, you have to “shake things up” to refresh your mind, body, and soul. One year ago, several of my Indian classmates and I decided to do just that – a road trip across the United States. It would be our unofficial capstone event as we complete our Executive MBA degree from Washington University and Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay. It was also a way for me to repay them for looking out for me in India.
On September 20, this dream became a reality. We started our 9 day, 7 states, and 2500 mile road trip from San Francisco to St. Louis. On the way, we drove through California, Nevada (Reno, Tonopah, Goldfield, and Las Vegas), Arizona (Grand Canyon), Utah (Moab), Colorado (Denver), Kansas (Hayes, Kansas City), and Missouri (St. Louis). Of course we had to visit Las Vegas, but the beauty of the trip was stopping at the national parks (Grand Canyon, Arches, and Rocky Mountain) and most importantly, meeting the people along the way. We met:
- My cousin, Shelley, in San Francisco who taught us about leadership and the courage to be the one to make the change
- Bob and Harold, at the Hawthorne Munitions Museum in Hawthorne, Nevada who exuded pride and patriotism (as a fellow vet, I salute your commitment)
- Sharon in Goldfield, NV who epitomizes self-reliance and free thinking
- Sumi in Las Vegas who is a high school classmate that I cherish with her honesty (even if it’s brutal)
- Bill in Boulder, CO who shared his love of space by giving us a tour of his satellite operations
- Ron, the owner of my son’s previous childcare facility, in Broomfield, CO who was gracious to share his insights so one of my classmates can open a daycare facility in India
- Cindy, a family friend in Kansas City who hosted and endured us for an overnight stay and also provided a glimpse of US hospitality
While we will have formally completed our graduate degree on Oct 14, the life-long lessons we experienced have shaped our perspectives to listen, understand, and enjoy the company of others. We have much to learn if we are willing. I still can’t believe our journey has ended, but what a way to end it. I couldn’t have been any happier with the way it turned out and look forward to the next. My right foot, on the other hand, is happy to earn a rest from the gas pedal.
