INDIA

You know those places where you step off the plane and instantly are immersed into a culture unlike your own? India is one of the most exotic and best places I have ever been; the people there know what it means to have a grateful heart and a positive mindset. Like my other service trips, India consisted of meeting people with different backgrounds, listening to their stories, and loving on all the people I encountered. My team of 19 taught in an orphanage called Grace Home, where I was tasked to create a curriculum for high schoolers for a week. Needless to say, traveling halfway around the world (literally, it is the farthest place you can get to from the place I call home, San Diego) was worth driving down the streets and seeing the vibrant colors, getting to try all the spicy food one might dream of, but most importantly being able to understand a culture so unlike my own. As cliche as it sounds, when I think about India, I think about the word thankful. The people there are thankful for their circumstances even if they are living in poverty, grateful for what they have, and filled with an overflowing and endless amount of love. So India, I just might have to make the 30-plus hour trek back to you.