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I’m still not sure how we managed to do so much on our trip! Of course we worked on the school project, but we also managed to visit palaces and temples, shop in the markets, even ride camels!

As you can see our trip to India was filled with so many incredible experiences, but I remember the small things the best. The way the CDs always skipped on our rides to the work site. The dryness that took over my hands after a long afternoon of working with cement. The way my breath was stolen every morning by the mountains that surrounded us. Those were the fleeting, some might say trivial, moments that made my trip unforgettable.

And obviously we met so many children on our trip! We met kids who were attending the Free the Children school, kids working in the market, and we even had the the rare opportunity to meet several child labourers. Some were shy, some were rambunctious, and some were serious, but each one of them had a fire burning in their eyes. They are so ready to take on life, and I am certain they will. These kids have more passion for life and learning than all of my classmates combined. I’m honoured to be able to say I met these incredible children and I know it’s only a matter of time before they are running the world.

I felt so alive in India. Every moment there was something new to take in, a new sight, a new sound; every sense was overwhelmed. When it was finally time to leave I realized how much the country had given me. It exposed me to a new culture, reminded me of how fortunate I am, and it strengthened relationships between all of the cast. Most importantly, it gave me new friendships with all of those kids. And no matter how short lived those friendships may have been in person, they will never leave my heart. I can only hope that I’ve changed their lives a fraction of the amount they’ve changed mine.