Category: arrival

It was the day to say Goodbye to Delhi and Hi to Ahmedabad.
We left early morning from Vishwa Yuvak Kendhra to the Airport. It was actually surprising for me that we will be travelling again through plane to Ahmedabad, I actually expected to travel by bus or train as the distance between Delhi and Ahmedabad are less than 12-14 hours by road. Instead we travelled through a 1 hour 40 minutes flight to Ahmedabad. The flight took off smooth and while the Pilot was announcing he welcomed our 360 plus team on speaker.
After reaching Ahmedabad the people off Ahmedabad welcomed us with Music and dance with their cultural drink & Snack. 
At the orientation of Ahmedabad we had group circle, games and fun activities. Later the lunch was provided and we had to rest.
In the evening we visited Sabarmati River front ending the day with a sunset view and the flowing river.

Thank you

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Today we have been in the mountain. We take the bus for like 3 hours. Because it was not in Ahmedabad and it was far. When we have arrived the environment was so beautiful and amazing I love it. There was to many trees and mountains and it was very very big place. And before going to the mountain we visited an old temple in around forest house mountain. They say they before 500 years here was not a forest. People start to move from this place so the nature take place and create this forest. After that we arrived we start to climb the mountain. There was so cool and was to much dangerous walking.  I imagine that if you come here in the morning for running it’s will be very amazing. We take like 1h30 to arrived in the center of the mountain. It’s was very high but we see they there were most mountain that was more high than this one. I really want to grimp a other mountain high more than this one. We take some pictures and it looks good for me. We cry to make an eco together. It’ really work the song was an eco. After having  a good time we start to come down the mountain. And after we go to eat in a restaurant that’s was so good. They say that we were gonna to swim in a pool but we didn’t because nobody want. And we take the bus to Ahmedabad. I really like this day it’s was so cool and the place, environment was amazing. Today we were approaching the mountain and the nature.

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6th July: Indian students were arriving that day. I arrived at VYK, to be honest I was nervous but everyone started talking and started introducing themselves.  I got comfortable with them within hours. Then I saw Imran, he started discussing about the skit that we would be presenting 2 days later. After practicing at the park outside we called it a day with an awesome dinner.

7th July: we wake up early after having an wonderful sleep. We had breakfast and went to practice just after, we were practicing the whole day. We had funny breaks in between still we practiced with full fun and devotion. And after we ended the day with dinner.

8th July: It was the D-day, orientation. We woke up early to practice it before the main event. Orientation started with some fun game like the b’day game. And we played rock, paper, scissors and had some insightful talks which let us engage pretty well with each other. Then the Indian students presented their skit performance.  We ended the day with engaging and a beautiful dinner.

9th July: we started our day with going out to the gurudwara (Bangla Sahib), then we went to  the president house we learned many things about our history there. Then we went to the Agrasen ki baoli, it was awesome to know about how structured it was to keep the water cool. Then we went to India gate to look at our own heritage and to understand how structured it was made… the day ended so wellllllll.

10th July:  we had many workshops, first we went to Noida(Up) we had workshops there that how the company makes paper with cigarette buds. Then we did tote bag art and we came back. The we had a ceramic session and colored it well..

11th July: this day everyone was wearing the same t-shirts and we started with Redford. We had a deep insight of it then we went to the spice market and got to know it’s history and we had lunch at Kareem’s then we went to Jama masjid and was amazed to know the structure barely had any renovations.

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Visiting New Delhi will forever be an unforgettable experience that blended adventure, culture, and personal growth. From visiting places like temples Indian gate, everyday offered something new and exciting. Through the experience, I was able to learn more about India, myself, and also connect with others. I loved being exposed to Indian history, religions, and culture. Although I struggled to adjust to the high temperatures and humidity, I wouldn’t change anything about the experience. It was empowering to experience such a dynamic city at a young age, and it left me with lifelong memories and a deeper appreciation for the world beyond my own.

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when getting into New Delhi it really didn’t hit me that I travelled across the world and was in India. The feeling that followed me in up coming days in New Delhi was over excitement, scary, joy, nervousness, and curiosity. The first couple of days everyone made me feel comfortable and really excited to see where these new experiences will lead us. The bond everyone has made within the first week is so lovely and pure. And only getting stronger by each day. When we visited places whether that was a traditional or cultural activity. I got a new point of view of different cultures. Or when we did an art craft we all got to build up our team work and see each other personalities shine through. The food is very different from where I lived so it took some time to get used to it, but as time goes by I’m enjoying the food. The different sites were all so pretty and I got to know more history on the places and the events we did in the first week. Some of my favorite places we went to was the temple. We learned what it was and how important it is. We also got to see different painting on buildings walls and learned the meaning behind each painting. During this week I learned new ways to help climate change, like how we should be helping out even when the job is small, anything helps. I’m excited to see where this trip leads me to and it will help me in the future.

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Our first day in Delhi, we participated in team-building activities and orientation meetings. It was nice to get to know everyone and learn about their different cultures and identities. I especially enjoyed the performance put on by people from neighboring states. I thought it was very special and thoughtful. The games we played helped us form and build strong connections.

I want to focus on the temple visit we did in New Delhi, because it was honestly a very different experience, nothing like anything I’ve done or even seen before where I’m from. When we first arrived, we were asked to cover our hair and take off our shoes out of respect for the space. As we walked around the temple, we observed how the community functioned and how volunteers prepared food for those inside. It was incredible to see how much effort went into making the meals. We sat in a straight line and ate the food that was given to us.

Overall, what surprised me the most was walking barefoot outside,  it’s not something I’m used to or have ever done before, but I’m really glad I got to experience it.

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I had my first flight on July 6th. It was the most exciting experience for me. It was like a dream come true for me and this was possible through leadership collective program 360°. I am so thankful for 360° program for giving this opportunity to me and letting me explore the historical places.

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India has surprised me in many ways, but even after a few days, it reminded me of “home”. One of the most memorable things about New Delhi is how incredibly loud and colorful it is. Street art, vehicle art, colorful clothing, bustling streets, and spicy aromas make New Delhi, India most notable. Even though it’s differs greatly from my home life in the States, observing the simple lives and traditions help blend my personal definitions of home. To me, home is where you feel more comfortable, be more expressive, and become more analytical—it’s a place where you can be yourself, create extensions of yourself, and develop yourself. All these things to me are synonymous with my experience in New Delhi. It’s a wonderful place of history and culture, and seeing the life in the littlest things and connecting it to larger pieces of life are what makes learning here so enjoyable.

As someone who will be pursuing a degree in environmental science in the fall, this experience has nurtured my drive for climate education and action. Understanding how other nations address climate change is a step we must take to better understand climate action globally, because no to places are the same. Sharing ideas and educating others on ways to address these issues gives rises to new innovations, perspectives, and conversations.

The day begun early, with dropping us off at the airport, Swayan and I togethe had a Following check-in, we waited patiently before boarding the plane at 9 am. The three-hour flight was a thrilling experience, especially since it was my first time on a plane. Although I felt a bit apprehensive initially, I thoroughly enjoyed the takeoff and the breathtaking view of the clouds from the window seat. As we began our descent, I couldn’t help but pray for a safe landing. Fortunately, we touched down safely at Delhi airport by 1 pm.

Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by volunteers who escorted us to Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, our current residence. We had the opportunity to interact with our team leaders, Miss Arbeena and Miss Priyanka, who will be guiding us throughout our stay. What struck me was the diversity of participants, with students from various Indian states such as Maharashtra, Haryana, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh already present. We were informed that we would have to wait another day or two for the international students to arrive.

The afternoon was filled with exciting activities. We spent a few hours getting to know each other, sharing stories and experiences over lunch at 1 pm. Later, at 3 pm, we had a theatre session where we practiced for a performance scheduled for the orientation day. The theme was to showcase India’s rich cultural diversity, highlighting our various languages and traditions through a captivating dance-drama. It was fascinating to learn about each other’s cultural backgrounds and incorporate them into our performance.

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