By: Zerry

It’s been almost a week since I came back from India and the thing I really miss the most are the constant noises and big group of people there. Back in the U.S, it feels different here at CCS. I look out on the streets, at houses and at all of the surroundings and I don’t see a single thing like India. Back in India, I was surprised by the lifestyle of the people there but at the same time I was excited to hear and see how their economy is growing. I noticed that their cost living is lower than the United States. One good example of this is when I visited the city of New Delhi and had a chance to buy some stuff at some different stores – this helps me to see how a lot of people in India allow companies to set their prices much more lower than the United States. This applies not only to the food field but also clothing, transportation, and more. Overall, I could confidently say that my friends and I really enjoyed the low prices on our trip there.

Almost everybody that has asked me about the trip immediately jumps to the food questions. Did you like it? How was it? Did you get sick? Then I always reply, “It was amazing. I loved it and no I didn’t get sick!” Also there are some people who have asked me about the “studying” there. Like how was the school in Agora. Well, here we go! Back to Agora, I see a huge difference of studying between Agora and CCS. There, they have only 2 schools and limited materials and less students. Also the school seems to be located far away from the children’s home, only have one small classroom and one board. However, the kids usually take their chairs out and study together outside the classroom. When I visited this school in Agora, I was surprised because it was the last day for the kids to study before exam. They were sitting outside together and seemed like they were studying how to write alphabets. In general, many children in Agora don’t go to school all day and they might prefer to work in the fields helping their families. And going back to America here at CCS, I think we like to confine or limit the learning to the classroom, such as something to be achieved through grades. However, we all are learners. All experiences teach us invaluable lessons if we take the time to reflect, appreciate, and learn from them.

The trip has taught me how to appreciate what I have right now. The smog in some cities in India is truly terrible and I am so thankful for the great air quality here in United States. Also I feel weird and strange not having to get away from cars or motorcycles or people when crossing or walking around the streets here. On this trip, I became more confident to push myself when I went to a crowded public place. So overall, the CCS India Trip was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. Not only that I had the opportunity to learn about India’s food, school and culture, but also I was able to learn and experience the deep culture of Agora and New Delhi.