India Trip

Into my first week in India and still recovering from the cultural shock!

I was warned about the crowds and noise but nothing can prepare you for the experience.

To consider Delhi has about the same population as all of Australia just blows my mind. The level of poverty is staggering and it is hard to get your mind around how people survive day to day. It is heart breaking to witness how people have to live and knowing that you can’t do anything about it.

A complete contrast to this is the utter magnificence of the Taj Mahal which simply takes your breath away. Whatever happens on this trip the morning I spent at this wonder is totally satisfying.

We are located in a camp just outside a small village called Latsol which is down the road from Dhusra which is about an hour from Jaipur. It is so barren with very few trees and plenty of sand/dirt.

Our team is working in a local school beautifying classrooms. The children are just beautiful with the curiosity and beaming smiles. Every one of them asks, ‘what’s your name, where are you from.’

We went to the local market and could hardly move as we were the centre of attention with crowds surrounding us all the time we were there. The women in the group really attract a lot of attention and I feel sorry for them.

This trip has made me appreciate everything I have in my life and be grateful for even the smallest of gifts that I have. From the beggars living on the side of roads to the children sitting on bare floors in the schools every image I have of India makes me realize life cant be taken for granted.

When I leave at the end of next week my life will not be the same.

My personal journey

Tomorrow I leave for India to spend just over 2 weeks working with a volunteer organisation in a village somewhere in Rajasthan.
This is going to take me so far out of my normal lifestyle which is making me very excited.
Hopefully I can contribute to the villages lives in some way but most importantly it will give me the opportunity to see first hand what their needs are. From there I can make a difference by spreading the word to educate others.
My belief is we must always seek to grow as individuals and one way of doing that is to move out of your comfort zone.
I will keep this post going with words and images.

माय पर्सनल जौर्नी