Across the World - India

Two weeks I will never forget. I went to India with IVHQ this summer in June. My time there was a beautiful experience. As my first trip abroad and as a relatively new traveler, I was a bit hesitant to fly across the world alone to a country in which I knew no one. My family and friends thought I was crazy to want to go there on my own, but I did not care. I had no idea what to expect when I landed in Delhi, but I had been planning this volunteer trip for over a year by that point, so I was more than ready to go. I had dreamed of seeing the world for as long as I could remember. Dreamed of experiencing different cultures and meeting the diverse people across the world. India's culture intrigued me, so I chose to go there. Once I landed in India and met the other volunteers at the airport, I felt so relieved. I was finally there. After all of the anticipation.

Talking with volunteers from all over the world was so exciting. After orientation, we were taken to our host families and projects. Staying with a host family was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It is a great way to be submerged into a country's culture/lifestyle. Plus, I gained a new family!

Our orphanage on the Childcare project was a small Christian one; there were about 12-15 kids ranging from 8 to 18 years old. The first day the other volunteers and I went to the orphanage, we met the kids and we drew pictures with them, learning their names and where they were from. Over the short span of two weeks, I had grown close to them and I did not want to leave them. I had struggled with the idea of having people come into your life and then parting ways with them too soon. But I will always carry them with me, and hope to see them again some day. Throughout my time in India, I met various people who shaped my soul through their words and actions. I learned a lot from the people I was surrounded by. From my host families to the local staff to the children at the orphanage and in the slums to the people we met in passing, I always felt welcome in their country.

The other volunteers and I got to travel on weekdays after the orphanage and weekends. We had a lot of time to explore, which was so cool! My time in India was an incredible experience overall. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity. India is a complex and intriguing place. The only thing I would change is the duration of my stay - I wish I had stayed longer than 2 weeks! I will definitely be back one day to continue exploring! Thank you, IVHQ, for helping me see the world and showing me all the places I want to go next.