March 17th (Last day in India)

Are you a history lover? Well then, today is going to be your favorite blog to read. We were able to reach 5 big, well-known landmarks in a single day today! Let’s back up a bit. Today we began with a simple breakfast containing boiled eggs, cereal, toast, and a tasty mango juice box. We all chatted about how weird it feels that today is our last official day in India. It still felt so unreal, but it gave us a mindset of “let’s make the most of today”. We hit the road and started our last adventure together. Our first stop was at the largest mosque in Delhi. It’s a Muslim mosque, and it's beautifully made. It sits on top of a series of stairs, making it overlook the city a bit. The place wasn’t as populated compared to other places we visited, but the silence gave it a feeling of importance. It held hundreds of marble tiles with black lettering representing important people in the Muslim community.

Next up on this adventure, we visited Gandhi’s burial site. Upon arrival, there were hundreds of students chattering. As we walked into the site, the chattering faded into complete silence. I mean, like dead silence. After weeks of constant honking, machinery rumbling, and people chattering, this sudden silence felt unsettling. The sun shone warmly as we approached a rectangular black box above ground that had Gandhi’s name engraved. On top of the box, there were flowers, set perfectly in different colors, forming an artistic piece. Next to Gandhi’s engraving, there was a metal column with a small fire. This fire is meant to represent an everlasting flame. The place’s cleanliness also really showed how important Gandhi was and still is. His impact on India and the world still matters to this day. I slowly started to appreciate this unusual silence, but we had to continue our adventure to the next landmark.

Our third landmark of the day was the Lotus temple. As we arrived, the property was full of green grass and trees. The perfect white lotus building in the distance really stood out, making it very beautiful. I really appreciated the simple yet thoughtful design of this temple. The temple is meant to welcome all religions. Inside, the roof contains a circle with 9 symbols engraved, representing the 9 most popular religions in India.

Appreciating the beauty, we moved on to our fourth landmark, Qutub Minar. It’s the world’s tallest brick tower. Qutub Minar was built after Muslims captured and destroyed what used to be a Hindu area. Muslims then built their own city and founded the tower to emphasize that the area is now theirs. I could tell the tower took a long time to build because of the amount of art and design on it. We didn’t stay long since our stomachs were growling with hunger.

We went to a nearby restaurant for lunch. We all ordered our last Indian meal and ate very well. I left feeling like I ate a horse. Feeling stuffed and energized, we went to our 5th and last landmark of the day, the Akshardham temple. Going into this temple, I didn’t expect much, since I was convinced I’d already seen the best temples, but boy, was I wrong. This temple was HUGE and VERY beautiful. It’s also entirely hand-carved, which I still struggle to fully grasp. The artwork, the sculptures, just the entire place was purely amazing to see. We were informed that the place was dedicated to a man named Bhagwan Swaminarayan. This man dedicated his life to traveling across India to teach and spread Hinduism. Because of this man’s dedication, Hinduism is a very popular religion in India. The temple has a huge golden statue of him, which shows how important he is to Hindus. Many people inside prayed and spoke to him in gratitude. Some even got down on their knees and heads. We got to experience an immersive experience within the temple that showed Akshardham’s story with human-like sculptures that move and talk. We also went on a 15-minute boat ride past sculptures depicting the history and growth of Hinduism. The overall experience of this temple was amazing and so unexpected. It was the perfect landmark to mark the end of the educational part of this trip.

Feeling satisfied, we used our last free hour to do some final shopping for our friends and family. After this long yet amazing day, we headed back to our hotel and said our goodbyes to our guide. We were also given a gift by Jennifer, which we earned through a fun trivia game of Indian questions. We laughed and got competitive, being proud of what we learned throughout the trip. We got to return the favor by giving our three staff a gift too. Each staff member received a matching hand-carved coconut monkey and a personalized gift (watch the vlog to find out!).

We packed up, showered, and got in our van for the last time. Looking out the window on the way to the airport gave me such mixed feelings. As tuk-tuks drove by and saree shops blurred past, I began to remember the memories this trip had created. From painting elephants, throwing colors at Holi, getting dressed with the girls at the Indore school, and seeing a world wonder. This trip has been nothing but life-changing. I’ll never be able to find an experience so different yet so perspective-changing. We all grew as individuals from this trip, and that’s something we all will forever appreciate. The memories flooded left and right, and soon enough, we arrived at the airport. As we got on the plane, it really hit me that the trip was over. Although it’s over, the lessons India has taught us will stick with us forever.

Interview with the crew

Q: Describe India in one word and explain why you chose that word?

Huey: “Culture shock. I was exposed to so many unique and different cultural experiences. In other countries I’ve visited, I’ve never seen or experienced the amount of culture as I did in India. It was truly a different and shocking experience.”

Ciara: “Beautiful. People have always seen India as a dirty country, but it’s actually so beautiful. The way people care for their country, their families, and their religion is so beautiful. The places we visited and the environment have been nothing but beautiful.”

Melanie: “Religious. I’ve never seen a country be able to accept that many religions and respect thousands of temples, mosques, and more. Seeing cows walk around because of Hindu beliefs and having other religions respect that is amazing. The amount of hand-carved gods, brass-made religious sculptures, and religious clothing that are openly sold or shown is fascinating.”

Q: What was your most unexpected moment throughout the trip?

Madison: “Kali Temple. I was expecting the temple to be like it was on the first day, but it was so different. It was so unexpected when the workers pushed everyone out of the way for us to see Kali.”

Amelie: “The wedding was so unexpected for me. After a regular dinner, I would never have thought we would be invited to a wedding. Getting invited by the groom himself, dancing with the crowd, getting Indian treats and money, and being able to see the actual venue on the rooftop was such a cool yet unexpected moment. Sometimes, seeing things outside the classroom makes the experience more unforgettable.”

Lani: “When that little girl helped wipe off the Holi powder from my face. I wasn’t even expecting her to come up to me; she just wanted to sit next to me. When I started wiping off the powder myself, she grabbed the tissue and then sat on my lap to help. It was so cute but so unexpected.”

Q: What experience was most perspective-changing for you and why?

Malinda: “The IDBA (Indore deaf school) was most perspective-changing for me. They have so many beds stuffed into one room, limited showers, and yet they are so happy. I feel like TSD students should appreciate their dorms more. We have private bathrooms, private bedrooms, while they don’t yet, they are much happier and feel privileged to have access to dorms.”

Antonio: “When we were on the way to the Muslim Mosque, I saw two little girls just lying on the side of the road with flies all over their bodies. At first, I thought they were dead, but gladly, they weren’t. It was heartbreaking to see, and it really changed my perspective on India. Although India is so unique and beautiful, that sight told me that India has a long way to go to match the standard of living it needs.”

Kaelyn: “Eating at Amol’s house. I wasn’t expecting his home to be so small and to be seated on the floor. I was also expecting silverware, but that was nonexistent, so we ate with our hands instead. It reminded me how I should be more appreciative of what I have at home.”