I’ve been up since 1am in anticipation of the students’ arrival. Their plane was on time and shortly after we arrived to pick them up, they appeared in the crowd, perhaps relieved to see us waving in the sea of people. They seemed weary, excited, wide-eyed and ready for adventure! All fifteen packed into the van, luggage in another and drove off into the pre-dawn dark.

Many of us welcomed the dawn on the rooftop terrace, where it was cool and breezy, and the morning sounds gently wafted over the rooftops. The students had a million questions, and we were happily able to answer most of them. We accomplished many things in a short time—breakfast, orientation to place and the class, grocery shopping, banking and lunch, but judging from how we were on our first day in here, we’ll see how much sinks in. ~Lisa

“I can’t believe I’m in India! I don’t think it has sunk in yet!” one of our students exclaimed . . . a common feeling that comes over me often. I can’t believe I’m in India—what on earth am I doing in India . . . but it has also felt so very right. The energy of another country is quite potent and as I donned my salwar khameez (tunic and baggy pants) this morning to go and meet the students, I could feel India slide over me and envelope me. Not home, but comfortable, energizing, ancient, alive . . . even through the students’ exhaustion and sense of being overwhelmed, I can see India working her magic. The wonderment in their eyes, the excitement of what is ahead in the next three weeks, the potential for learning and growth . . . this will be a life-changing experience as long as each of them allows India to envelope them and work her magic.
~Heidi