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
If there is one place which is most famous for its true beauty it is the Taj Mahal, known globally as one of the 7 wonders of the world, but the story behind it is amazing. As Sridar and the Taj tour narrated the story behind the Taj, they both narrated that The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess who died on 17 June that year, giving birth to their 14th child. Construction started in 1632 and the mausoleum was completed in 1643, while the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. The imperial court documenting Shah Jahan’s grief after the death of Mumtaz Mahal illustrates the love story held as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal and how both the princess and the king are buried there, what even amazed me was the beauty of the Taj and the way it was constructed it truly showed that it was a gift of love which was well thought and well planned, but truth be told this was not the best or amazing thing I’ve seen today, the most amazing thing I saw was not the building, the beautiful calligraphy, the tombs, the pools, the beautiful sandstone gates.
What truly amazed me was the happenings outside the Taj Mahal, well you might say Phila how can you not be amazed by such beauty? What could have amazed you so much that you say that the Taj Mahal is the second best thing you saw today? Well here’s the story, as I was walking out of the Taj Mahal east gate, still amazed and at awe of the beauty of the Taj, I saw at the corner of my eye children selling water globes with a mini replica of the Taj Mahal inside of it, now the sight of these two children was not what amazed me, it was the interaction between these two children and one 360plus student/participant Tahani( Malak), What amazed me was the way Malak answered to the girl who was trying to get her to buy the item that she was selling in a passive-aggressive manner. Malak did not just look up and walk past as if the children were not there like most of us did, instead she took a moment and she went down and with a big smile on her face started explaining why she could not buy the item in a low calm voice and as she did this you could see that there was mutual understanding between her and the young girl. What happened next warmed my heart, that young girl Malak was talking to, skipped away happily and came back with her sister and they both decided to gift Malak with a small key chain of the replica of the water globe as a way to show their appreciation because of what Malak did, so it is safe to say that it was a gift of love. This amazed me and I actually learned a huge lesson from that moment, that moment showed me that a smile and a simple act of kindness towards someone else regardless of who they are, Is the most important factor to building good, healthy relationships and is a important factor in being a true citizen of your community because a true citizen is a emphatic, sympathetic and caring citizen just like Malak.
Today I decided to go morning walk at 7 am. I felt that we will be just walking but I didn’t expect that Sridar will take us to the President palace and parliament. When I saw I became too excited because I had never seen such huge president palace and the parliament in my life. It was too big that I couldn’t walk around to see all. It was quite and peaceful environment. I used to see those parliament in T.V but when I saw real today I felt too proud. I used to hope that I can be there one day. See my one day finally arrived today. We spent more than 1 hour there. Today I felt that the environment is stopping me there. I felt happy ,excited a lot.
Another most unforgettable moment for me is travelling in Auto Rikshaw. It was first experience in Auto Rikshaw because in Nepal we can’t find it. This was my second hope I used to have dream to travel in it. See finally my this dream also comes true. When I was travelling it I was enjoying with nature and can see clear view of around.
Thank you so much Eli and Sridar for taking us morning walk and this morning walk will always. remain in my heart and mind.
THIS IS EXACTLY DREAMS COME TRUE.
I am excited to see the Taj Mahal since I was in school. On 21 July we started at our hostel and we travelled through the bus to Agra where Taj Mahal is situated. The journey takes many hours to reach the destination. While travelling I could feel the green environment throughout the capital city. As a person addicted to nature its good to see the environment built in the Delhi. We had a songs and dance in the bus while travelling and good sleep too. We had a sweets and snacks by Sridar. When we entered in the gate of the Taj Mahal we divided into two groups and we had a useful information about Taj Mahal through the tourist guide. It always makes me surprised that the sculptures and the constructions of many monuments in India made by hand with a perfect finishing,now a days even machines can do mistakes in it. The construction is wonderful and the royal gate of Taj Mahal is very good way to enter into the Taj Mahal,but the story of the Shahjahan who built Taj Mahal showing love towards her lovable wife, and the thing he was imprisoned by his own crazy son makes me feels sad.
Then after visiting the Taj Mahal we had a great lunch at pizza Hut near Agra. the people who work there did a wonderful dance for us and we too joined them. I have learnt the lot of things by this trip.the one thing that I want share is opportunity makes us to learn a lot. As a young citizen of our community we have to create the opportunities for the other young minds around us. there is one slogan on SAUHARD people T-SHIRT that LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND. If we really understood the meaning of this there will be a good change in the community.