After preparing for a couple days before all the students arrived, the South Asian students presented on their cultures for the international students. You can read more here, and see a few student interviews here, beginning with Olga!
Monica
Mohammad
Rohini
Kultwisiso
Shilpi
On this trip there was a lot of information and traditions going on in India that is very similar to Native Americans. Learning about the denotified tribes gave me inspiration of wanting to change my Native community for the better, through various clever ways, such as acting. Also I became pretty close to everyone in someone way, or at least I hope. But it will be hard to say goodbye to everyone I got to know for three whole weeks. However, I can full heartedly say I have had my fill of India and am ready to go home. This trip was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. I will be a grandma telling my grandkids about how I went to India, because I’m not too sure if I will travel a lot when I get older but it doesn’t seem likely. But, no matter what happens I will have this experience and the 360+ family in my heart.
We are at the end of this amazing experience. 22 days of workshops, food, ice cream, hotels, travelling and good company.
India is one overly informative country. Despite religious and cultural diversity, I am leaving with an abundance of knowledge and understanding of the past and present India.
Looking back at pre-said challenges, I’ve really grown content with the humidity and rain here. I might even miss it when I get back home. Speaking of home, I am proud of how much I’ve handled my home-sickness. It has been incredibly tough at first as I felt isolated and misunderstood. I can’t say it got easier, but I was able to find positive ways to cope with it, like journaling my feelings and emotions daily, calling home regularly and just experiencing everything that took place around me.
As I’ve said in the beginning that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I believe I have made the most of it. I have no feelings of disappointment or regret at this point. I can’t say that I’ve found my place amongst all these students, but that’s not the point. We are all completely different individuals and I have really enjoyed these 3 weeks with them.
The level of confidence I had when I stepped into India has doubled since. I now have confidence in what I am able to achieve. I am as optimistic about my next chapter as I was about this one, maybe even more. I am truly thankful to myself for doing this.
Wow…it is crazy how time goes by so fast. I remember looking at our notebook schedule 22 days ago thinking about going to the Taj Mahal. That is where we went just yesterday. Today we went to Dilli Haat, which is a market that you can bargain in and you get nice things for good prices. I bought some things myself. Now we have written letters back to ourselves, as we wrote one to ourselves 3 weeks ago. Tonight we go to our last dinner together and I am excited, yet sad.
On a more positive note, I have gained so much knowledge and understanding of things I never knew anything about. I see myself as a better and stronger person, & someone who can better my community. Through the site seeing, sessions, boring meetings, & most importantly, the people, I have made it to the end of my experience. We all stayed strong and helped each other through whatever we encountered. Although there were difficulties & times we all felt like we could not make it, here we are. I am so proud of everyone in this program because none of us could have done this without one another.
We have learned. I think learning is the most important thing someone can take part in. I am excited to go home to my family, but I am sad I am leaving my other family very soon. I would not trade this experience for the world, and I am so glad I was able to do what I did with these people. I have so many things I wish to say, however it would take hours to write. I wish everyone a blessed life with much positivity. I love each & every person in my 360Plus family, & I hope I get the pleasure of seeing them all again. I want to thank this Leadership Collective for giving me the unique opportunity I was given, as well as supporting me through the whole thing. I also want to thank the students and staff for becoming my new friends. I will never ever forget this experience. Much love & prayers of success to you all<3
