Today we awoke at the crack of dawn, looking forward to seeing our families and friends but sad that we would be leaving such a vibrant country and beautiful people. We learnt so many things during the CC India Service Trip 2014. We learnt that squat toilets flush; that sometimes in India (well, all the time) our tour group will be more of an attraction than the attraction itself; and that Doxy is the cause of all odd occurrences. But most importantly, we gained incredible insight, perspective, knowledge and understanding about the needs of developing nations and impoverished people, and how to better serve others. We learnt that the most impoverished and under-privileged people can be the most happy, loving, caring, selfless and generous people. And we learnt that there is no experience more rewarding than volunteering, or donation more powerful than time. The trip was made even more amazing by the incredible group that went on it, and we no doubt will all treasure the life-long friendships that were formed. We will forever cherish the memories and experiences we had, on one of the most inspiring enriching, motivating and rewarding journey of our lives.
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We awoke with mixed emotions to the last day of the Clayfield College India Service Trip 2014, excited to see more of Dehli but sad that an amazing two-week adventure was coming to an end. Our first stop of the day was at the final Indian landmark we would see - the India gate. An Indian 'Arc de Triumph,' the monument was built as a World War I memorial. We then burnt holes in our pockets shopping up a storm in the markets of Dehli. We enjoyed touring some of the most renowned bazaars, markets and malls in the city, picking up some traditional Indian goods and further refining our barting skills. It's safe to say that we are now experts at the art of haggling for a better price.
After hours of shopping, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our final group dinner. After much anticipation, we were able to wear the beautiful saris we bought in Jaipur. It was incredible and exciting to dress in traditional Indian clothing, to celebrate what was an incredible two week tour. Our final day of sightseeing began with a drive through New Delhi to see the Houses of Parliament, the President's Palace (Rashtrapati Bhawan) and Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Ghandi. This name was new to some members of the tour, although Modern History students quickly filled the others in and impressed our tour guide Poonam with their extensive knowledge of the movie 'Ghandi.' Rickshaw racing was next on the agenda. Absolutely thrilling and incredible fun, we spent 40 minutes whizzing through the 200 year old markets of Old Delhi - spice, wedding, vegetable and clothing (just to name a few). The manoeuvrability of the rickshaws was incredible, although there were requests for improved suspension. Being able to connect on a human level with the true inhabitants of the city - outside of the confines of the tour bus- was an awe inspiring experience. The sights and smells assaulted our senses, and despite some unfounded fears of featuring in the next 'Taken' movie, we all made it through together, firm friends with our rickshaw riders. Our final tourist stop was at Qutab Minar, the oldest and largest minaret in India. 75.2 metres tall, this 800 year old monument is an incredibly beautiful architectural feat. The surrounding mosque was in fact made from remnants of 27 Hindu and Jain temples, another example of imaginative construction. Despite these beautiful sites, excitement still skyrocketed as we entered our first mall. Damage was done to money banks accounts as we embraced the joys of international brands. More is sure to follow as we enjoy our final day in India, exploring markets and malls.
Today was a big travel day, as we settled into the bus for the 7 hour drive from Jaipur to Delhi. 250 km on the bumpy Indian roads and our extended encounter with Delhi traffic was made bearable with bus games, laughter and sleeping. Arriving at the hotel, we refreshed ourselves before heading out the dinner, finally experiencing butter chicken and naan. This was followed by a sound and light show at the Red Fort. The incredible history of the Fort and the dynasties that built it were explained to us with beautiful illuminations and sometimes entertaining narration.
Our second day in Jaipur was jam-packed with incredible sight-seeing and experiences. We began the day with a scenic bus trip to Amber Fort, where we rode elephants up a steep mountain to reach the palace. After skilfully navigating hoards of street merchants (with assistance from our surrogate parents Ms and Mr Mohan, who end all begging for money with their protective blockading and yelling in Hindi), we were taken aback by the impressive size of buildings and detail in their architecture. A room with mirror-covered walls and ceilings was particularly enchanting, and views of the 'Great Wall of India' embedded into the mountainside were breathtaking. We then enjoyed a thrill-ride in Jeeps down the mountain. Our ride back to Jaipur involved a stop at a palace that stands idle in the middle of a lake. We then went to a handicraft centre, where we were intrigued to see how the fabrics we have enjoyed purchasing are made. We then spent hours shopping for handmade materials, in the forms of bedspreads, ties, pillows, scarves and, most importantly, saris. Much to the dismay of shopping-adverse Riddhima, numerous purchases were made. (Although, much to our shock, Riddhima later succumbed to the temptation of a bread basket.) We then went to local bazaars for more shopping, and were impressed by the purchases of our resident shopaholics - Ms Mohan and Lauren T. It's an understatement to say that we appreciate the Mohan's haggling skills during these trips - Ms Mohan, for example, got 11 pairs of 500-Rupee-each earrings (which should have cost 5500-Rupee all up) for an incredible 1800.
Exhausted after a long day, we retired to the hotel for a rest and dinner. We departed Agra on Monday with a five hour bus trip to Jaipur ahead of us. Though seemingly long, this journey was not without a few intriguing stops along the way. Our first stop was Fatehpur Sikri, an anandoned ancient city featuring beautiful gardens and incredible architecture that transported us back to the 16th century. We were captivated by the interesting history accompanying the mysterious structures that were inhabited for a mere 14 years. Following another few hours on the bus, we arrived at the Chand Baoli stepwell. We learnt that it was built in the 9th century and has an impressive depth of 30 metres. We also learnt that, sometimes, our tour group is more of an attraction than the attraction itself... We then had the interesting and exciting experience of riding camels, with the shrill screams of some (Lauren T and Madeleine) echoing over the village and fields that we were escorted through. After a scenic trip, we arrived at a serene, quaint and charming restaurant for lunch. We soon arrived in Jaipur, where we had our first taste of Indian bazaar shopping. Many of the girls were very eager to test their haggling skills.
After arrived at the impressive ITC Hotel, we enjoyed an extensive buffet for dinner and quickly fell into our beds. Last Saturday we awoke to a long day of travelling. After 4 hours in a bus, 2 hours waiting in Madurai Airport, 1.5 hours on a plane, 4 hours in Chennai Airport (which may or may not have involved 2.5 hours of spa treatment and $60 worth of hot chips), another 3 hour flight, 1 hour clearing customs, and 1 hour of travelling to our hotel - we finally arrived in Delhi and went straight to bed (not before reuniting ourselves with Wifi and Western showers)! The next day we departed on a three hour bus ride to Agra. A stop at McDonalds taught us that Indian Macca's is vastly different from that in Australia, and ended with our first encounter of beggars on the street. We then had a fanTAJtic, once-in-a-lifetime experience, ticking the Taj Mahal off our bucket list. It was magically breathtaking to see such a famous landmark in the flesh and to explore the inside of the building (albeit the claustrophobic crowds). We later visited the Agra Fort, where we admired the architecture and the grandeur of the palace building. After dinner at the hotel, we departed once again to the Taj Mahal for the coveted opportunity to view the monument under the full moon. The sparkling building was awe inspiring and seeing it in the moonlight was an incredible spiritual experience.
Our final day at the Sangam consisted of lots of painting, eating and goodbyes. The number of early morning runners has dwindled to none as the effects of a week full of hard work has taken its toll on our energy levels. After a slightly later start we eagerly dove into our last ever gardening session, where we were once again accompanied by many frogs, caterpillars, snails and spiders. Upon our return to the guest house, we were visited by one of the spinal cord injury patients who told us how wonderful his time was with the girls who helped him yesterday. Following a quick breakfast we set off to complete our painting in the early intervention physiotherapy centre. After the finishing touches, we stood back and admired our fantastic hard work and took more than enough photos. A hearty lunch fuelled us for another lot of painting in the main physiotherapy centre, which was completed within a mere four hours, with colourful results once again. Stay tuned for photos of our completed painting tomorrow. Emotional final goodbyes were paid to the wonderful ladies at handicraft, Mahesh and Mala, as well as many others who have made our stay so unforgettable.
We are all very sad to be leaving Amar Seva Sangam early tomorrow morning. We have a long day of travel ahead of us, as we are arriving in Delhi tomorrow night. Yay for Wifi! Lack of sleep caught up with the majority, with Laura the only participant in the regular morning run. Skipping our cooked breakfast, we opted for muesli and fruit as a lighter option after our gardening session. The day’s activities then began, after a quick visit to our friends in Handicrafts. Belle, Chloe, Meg and Madeleine did their best to communicate with the year one cohort, running games of Duck Duck Goose and Fruit Salad. The results were chaotic, but extremely enjoyable for all. The physiotherapy group were split. Marcella and Lauren T assisted with stretches and exercises for the stroke patients, whilst Fiona and Alex were based in the Spinal Injury Centre. Unfortunately, requests by spinal injury patients for Shakira and Michael Jackson could be met only with Taylor Swift, but she did not disappoint, as one of the older physiotherapists began dancing. Chelsea, Laura, Lauren, Kate and Riddhima experienced the full power of Kali Raj’s charm as they ventured into the wonderful world Handicrafts. The lovely ladies were just as charismatic, delighted by the help and opportunity to see photos of life in Australia. Painting continued after lunch. The mural in the Early Intervention Centre is nearly completed, whilst plans are underway for the physiotherapy walls. The staff are already excited to see the brightening effects of the new explosions of colour that grace the walls, and requests have even been made for more vegetables drawings. The afternoon saw us pay a visit to a nearby Temple. After another thrilling bus ride we reached the beautiful location in time to watch the sun set over the mountains. Many “Instagram worthy” photos were taken as we posed throughout the grounds. The carvings within the 900 year old temple compound amazed us, as we were blessed for a long life by the priest. Returning to the Sangam, the fight for the kitchen lady’s love (and extra servings) was taken to new heights, as Lauren T, Marcella, Fiona and Alex presented them with Woolworth’s finest array of lollies. We’re waiting for lunch to see how successful this strategic move was.
After another delicious dinner we called it a night, eager to see what new adventures the next day would bring. The sun finally came out for our third day at the Sangam. Our morning run was momentarily interrupted after Chelsea turned her ankle. After ice pack treatment, physiotherapy and rest, she will be back in action in no time. We started the morning back in the garden. The girls once again pulled out weeds to the sweet sounds of Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. Such progress in the garden must be accredited to this musical encouragement. We then immersed ourselves in the day's activities. One of the groups started in the grade two classroom and were greeted by a sea of ecstatic faces. The children were thoroughly entertained with Duck Duck Goose, running games and dance parties. Some of the other girls visited the Spinal Chord Injury Facility and assisted with the patient's stretches and muscle strengthening exercises. They enjoyed listening to the inspiring stories of the people who couldn't help but put a smile on their faces. The final group of girls visited the Handicraft and Sewing centre. They helped with packing uniforms, but not without making a few friends and taking many photographs. You are all invited to the wedding of Fiona, Madeleine, Alex, Lauren T and Marcella to Kali Raj, the ascot-wearing sewing manager (third from the right, below). After lunch, the girls got stuck into the mural in the Early Intervention Centre, using M&Ms as an effective fuel source. The room is already looking infinitely brighter and will only get better as we inch closer to the finished product. Last night's homework help session with the residential children involved more of them teaching us, and we were delighted to learn traditional Indian dancing. Tonight's session reverted to the usual program, as we regained the role of English teachers.
Another fantastic day is on the horizon. Day two at Amar Seva Sangam began bright and early as we ripped up weeds whilst being serenaded by Frozen and our favourite couple from High School Musical. We sure let those weeds go as we dug through snails, ladybugs, toads and cockroaches, and found shoes and Nokia phone chargers in the soil. This strenuous gardening built up an appetite, which allowed us to have guilt-free second and third helpings of breakfast. We then moved onto our first activities of the day. These included teaching an English class and Australian songs (think "Home Among the Gum Trees"), assisting in physiotherapy sessions for people with spinal injuries and other disabilities, and cleaning and organising closets in the Sangam's clothing factory. We were then offered an exciting opportunity; to paint some walls in the Physiotherapy and Early Intervention Centres for the disabled. Trains, fruit and vegetables, rainbows and animals appeared on the walls as we threw ourselves into this new activity. Every night we assist in the kitchen chopping novelty vegetables for the next day's meals, to the delight and amusement of the kitchen ladies. We also help the residential children with their home work. We must give a shoutout to the delicious food that we enjoy each day, especially the 'butter chickpeas' and the cauliflower korma. We must also thank the ladies who so lovingly insist on refiling our plates, even when our bellies are about to burst from consuming so much delicious and flavourful food. The arrival of fresh fruit in the guesthouse also caused a stir, as we devoured two of the sweetest pineapples to grace this Earth. Paw paw, mandarin, sweet lime and bananas were also favoured, although Tim Tams and M&Ms also featured heavily in these snack sessions. After a two hour plane ride to Madurai from Chennai and a scenic four hour bus trip through various Indian cities, the Clayfield College India Service Trip has arrived at Amar Seva Sangam. After quickly adjusting to the idea of having a shower out of a bucket and squat toilets, the girls enthusiastically delved into life at the Sangram and embraced the traditional Indian lifestyle. We were welcomed with an assembly with students of the Sangam, where we presented numerous gifts to students and a cheque for $5000 to help with the operation of the centre. The students then formed a guard of honour for us. After a tour of the Sangam, we completed various activities. These included gardening, data entry, playing with and reading to children, and assisting with physical therapy and rehabilitation. Following this, Amar Seva Sangam conducted an opening ceremony for the balcony Clayfield's financial donations from last year funded. We received traditional Indian bindis and were presented with thank you gifts. We've also been treated to some delicious food - we have all enjoyed tasting traditional Indian cuisine.
Overall, our first day at Amar Seva Sangam has been a whirlwind of amazing experiences and we look forward to what the rest of our week will bring. The Clayfield College India Service Trip 2014 is about to take off! We wish them all the best for this exciting endeavour. With less than 24 hours to go until our departure for India, final preparations are ongoing. Today we are packing donations and gifts for Amar Seva Sangam including stationery collected by a Year 8 student and craft items from a Clayfield College parent.
Clayfield College's inaugural India Service Trip received a mention in the Perth Now newspaper, for providing an altruistic schoolies alternative. Check out the article by clicking on this link! We would greatly appreciate donations to Amar Seva Sangam, the care facility our students will volunteer at, which can be made by following this link: http://tinyurl.com/msjgbwq. Thank you for your support.
The countdown is on for students participating in the inaugural Clayfield College India Service Trip 2014! In the lead up to departure, our altruistic alternative to Schoolies Week was featured in this weeks City North News. Check out the article:
Clayfield College's Bollywood Day, in support of the India Service Trip 2014, was a huge success! A significant amount of money was raised for Amar Seva Sangam, to help fund the centre’s work and development. Thank you to all who participated and donated to this worthy cause. If you would like to make a contribution to Amar Seva Sangam, please follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/msjgbwq and the instructions found in this infographic. Your support is appreciated.
Our Year 12 students participating in Clayfield College's India Service Trip 2014 will be volunteering at Amar Seva Sangam. As part of the fundraising for this centre for disabled people, CC is holding a Bollywood Accessories Day! Staff and students will dress up Bollywood-style for a gold coin donation, and henna painting will be available. This will provide vital funds for Amar Seva Sangam.
As well as volunteering at Amar Seva Sangam, a rehabilitation and development centre for disabled people, Clayfield College India Service Trip participants will present a donation to help fund the centre’s work and development. We would greatly appreciate donations from the community to support this, which can be made on the Clayfield College website by following the steps in the picture below. Thank you for your support and generosity.
Participants in the Clayfield College India Service Trip 2014 will volunteer at Amar Seva Sangam, a rehabilitation and development centre for disabled people. The students will help teach children at the centre and assist with administrative tasks, whilst also sharing Indian and Australian cultural traditions and fostering connections with residents. Check out the video below about Amar Seva Sangam, to learn more about the care facility, what their mission is and how they educate and empower disabled people. As an altruistic alternative to Schoolies Week, Clayfield College is conducting a service trip to India. Year 12 students will volunteer at Amar Seva Sangam, a rehabilitation and development centre for disabled people, located near Madurai in southern India. The College is proud to have a continuing relationship with Amar Seva Sangam and looks forward to developing this further.
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