Trip of a Lifetime Part 4

Recently, an eager group of Girl Scouts joined San Diego council staff and experienced the excitement of Indian life in the global atmosphere of Sangam: Indian food, outdoor markets, sari shopping, famous sites and Indian art with 11 of their Girl Scout sisters.

This is the last post from Karina, one of the Girl Scouts who just returned from the trip of a lifetime! Enjoy -- and let is know what you think!

I am lucky and blessed and grateful for what I have. And I admire the deep spirit that Indian people have. I look up to their simple, austere and peaceful lives.

I am sixteen, and I know I wouldn’t have seen this experience the same way if I’d had nine or ten. It’s really nice when you’re a little camping girl scout. But as you grow older and mature you acquire the responsibility to open your eyes, and your heart, to others. If it wasn’t for Girl Scouts, maybe I would’ve never been to India. Maybe I would not even care for anyone who’s not me. Maybe I would only be dedicating interest and commitment to me and not those who need it.

But we have been talking about differences, and I’m different. I’m different because I care, I don’t like being just what I am right now. I need more than that. I need new experiences, new adventures; to be there for whoever needs me, and I know there will always be something that I can do. I believe those differences become similarities between leaders. Right now, I’m looking for that. Or maybe even more.

The Trip of a Lifetime--to INDIA!!

Girl Scout destinations transport Girl Scouts to the far corners of the world. Girls meet remarkable friends, develop leadership skills, gain confidence, and enjoy valuable learning opportunities.

Recently, an eager group of Girl Scouts joined San Diego council staff and experienced the excitement of Indian life in the global atmosphere of Sangam: Indian food, outdoor markets, sari shopping, famous sites and Indian art with 11 of their Girl Scout sisters.

Enjoy this series of posts from Karina, one of the Girl Scouts who just returned from the trip of a lifetime! We'll publish these in four installments. Enjoy -- and let is know what you think!

Holy Cow!

Maybe that’s not the first thing that pops in your head when you hear “India”. Although, you should know cows are sacred there, which means that you will find McVeggie hamburgers and absolutely no beef at McDonald’s.

Well Holy Cow, after the green ink on my passport, it was official.

But the madness had started even before.

In the midst of excitement, yellow fever shots, pre-travel shopping ( bug repellent, anti-itch cream, tons of stuff and that annoying waist wallet to carry around things I shouldn’t lose); I got back my passport with my 6 month Indian tourist Visa. For some reason, said Visa was signed with not blue or black ink, but green. That was the first of many differences I would find between everything I’m used to…and India.

If I could define my whole trip in one word it would be “different”. But I like to write so here it goes…

The first step was applying to the “Essence of India” Destination and being accepted. Then the next step was doing the paperwork, getting vaccines, and a long list of things to do before June 13: the day I flew from San Diego to Newark, NJ to meet the coolest girls ever so we could all fly together to Mumbai and bond on the 18 hour plane ride. When we landed on the moon Mumbai it felt like being out of this world. The air was moist, there was no toilet paper in the restroom (people eat only with their right hand, and it has to do with the purpose of the left/toilet paper hand), people speaking in other languages, women wearing saris, nothing like I would’ve imagined. And I loved it.

A little shuttle took our group through insane traffic, rain and breathtaking landscapes so that after four hours, we got to our final destination: Sangam.

Next: having a blast in Pune, with its 98 million people.

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