Akira Gonzales

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Hare Krsna! I first visited the Boston temple sometime back in 1998. I went there because a friend of mine had been on a business trip and bought the book The Science of Self-Realization. He came back from the trip and gave it to me saying "I have no idea why I bought this but I feel like you would enjoy it." I read a little bit from time to time, a chapter here or there, but eventually the message started making a lot of sense to me. I have always been a musician, so at this time I was playing in a lot of punk rock bands in New Hampshire and I had heard about Shelter and the band 108. I went to the Boston temple several times, stayed there for Janmashtami and some other festivals, I helped cook in the kitchen and with some other duties. I can't remember the names of all the devotees I met there, but I do remember Gita Govinda who was a middle aged Japanese woman who was very nice, also a guy with a Russian accent who was also a musician, he was really nice too and gave me some japa beads, a bag, a necklace containing stones from Vrindavan and also KRSNA book! I am now living in Taiwan with my wife and son and will be going to the Janmashtami celebration in Taipei on the 13th of September. I will never forget the Boston temple, the devotees I met there and especially, the radiant forms of Sri Sri Radha Gopivallabha, Gaura-Nitai and the Prabhupada deity that always made me feel like I just returned home after a long, treacherous journey out in the world. I hope to make my way back to the Boston temple someday. Hare Krsna!

P.S. The prasadam I ate there was the greatest food I have ever tasted in my entire life!