500-1000 words on life, please.

Apparently I see fit to procrastinate writing a reflective article by writing a reflective blog post.

Last week I voluntarily signed up to write a 500-1000 word article on my "experiences in Pune" for some South Asian publication that I think gets distributed from our campus. They were looking for someone to write something, sent an email to everyone in the program, and I--being all idealistically go-get-'em on the topic of journalism--responded. The return email includes the words "any angle" and requests a description of the program and any long-term impact it had on me.

I now see that I am in a bind, given that:

(a) I don't know whether what I want to say will be acceptable--not that I feel negatively about my experience with India, but what I would have to say would be much more realistic and less of the "such pretty temples!" variety. The guy with whom I have exchanged emails is clearly Indian and has "South Asia Outreach" as part of his contact information in his signature; something tells me this is supposed to be a positive and heartwarming piece about how India is such a warm and spiritual place, I have now learned life lessons, etc.
(b) Only 500-1000 words on my "experience in Pune"? That's enough to talk in-depth about maybe one thing, and even that would have to be semi-superficial.

Should I tell the story of the guy who fixed my shoes, and thereafter explore the dangers of objectifying just as you are objectified? Should I talk about the guys, and the way they provided a personal scope into the culture and politics? Should I talk about all the different kinds of foreigners and how obnoxious tourists are?

There is literally so much I could talk about, and it would be hard to cut it down. I think I'm leaning toward the second option now, as it's something I can relate back to the program most easily--but this just opens more doors.

Onward.