The final curtain

 

Leo Smith

It's safe to say that this trip has gone at rapid pace. It seems like yesterday that I arrived at Hotel Emirates in Kolkata, and now I sit here in Mumbai, about to embark on the final leg of the trip. India has taught me some valuable lessons, and I seem to have picked things up in every city even though I may not have realised it. As I think back on experiences that I have witnessed, and things I have done, I feel the need to share some of the most valuable lessons that India has taught me to date.

Firstly, happiness doesn't rely on anything. When I think back to all the slums that I have been to in the last 3 weeks, one thing comes to mind- happiness. These kids, who don't even have the basic needs of life, can sometimes seem happier than they should be. Their attitudes to life are far different to ours in New Zealand. This really motivated me throughout the trip, to always attempt to see the silver lining, and its helped maintain positivity in me each day.

Secondly- Beauty isn't the Taj Mahal. This was a topic that was discussed in debrief a long time ago yet it hasn't been until now that I have really thought about it. During our discussions, we were talking about the different types of beauty. What was surprising to me is that some boys were talking about human interactions, and kindness, and how they are more beautiful to watch than the Taj Mahal. And on reflection, I totally agree. Since then, I have seen many examples of this, with a predominant example being our dance lesson at the Asha slum. Here, there were a  bunch of kids proudly showing us how to do their dances, and we showed them some of ours. This moment inflicted happiness in both groups of people, and I think that that was therefore a beautiful moment.

Lastly, there cant be a future hope for everyone. That last sentence was a quote from Cam, which he said after we played with the lads from future hope. These boys made me so happy and I thoroughly enjoyed playing with them. However on reflection, I forgot to think about all the millions of other kids who were still on the streets of India, tired and hungry. This has definitely had motivational value on me, as I strongly believe that there should be a future hope for everyone, and that a lot more needs to be done.

I'm sure more moments like these, will come to mind as I relax by the pool in Goa, and I cant wait to begin the final curtain of the trip.