AGS India Immersion Programme 2017/18

Dear readers, just a quick note to say we are currently on our way by Jeep down the hill from Darjeeling to Saraswatipur, a small village home to the tribal Adivasi people. I'm unsure of internet access in the village so I apologise in advance if we are unable to upload any blogs tonight. Know that we are safe and well and all sickies are on the mend! Happy Wednesday! Tom

Raymond Before I start, I acknowledge the fact that this blog is long overdue. However, I feel it is unnecessary to apologise, as being late in India is acceptable therefore my actions are totally fine. Thus this may be a bit long (warning in advance). Anyways, let's begin. Dear People of Kolkata Out of this place, where garbage decorates the sidewalk, where the smell of human excrement never leaves your nose, where the pollution makes it safe to look at the sun directly and where beggars never let go of your clothes; lies an oasis of smiles, positivity and possibility. Colloquially known as the "City of Joy", the landscape could be described as anything but, yet it is the people, who wholly fulfil this namesake. While my journey in Kolkata has come to an end, this place has left me with a lot of food for thought. To the workers at Freeset, your work deserves more recognition. The support, expertise and more importantly, t...

​First up, SHOUT OUT – we love hearing about the community this trip creates, and we have been informed of the 'India Tour Reflection Group', a group of parents gathering every Monday to chat about the trip back home. Shout out to you legends, great to hear you are enjoying the blog. ​Tonight is our last night in Darjeeling, and we are so pleased to have taken in this leg of the journey. The place feels little like the India I know, and for that, it is refreshing. So I sit here, literally above the clouds, attempting to articulate for you how day 8 played out, and I hope you enjoy. Tuesday 12 December Sickness Update – it is with a heavy heart that I add myself to the list of those fallen. I am currently trying to practice what I preach, and hope to be back to 100% shortly. Cam MacFarlane and Nikau Reti-Beazley are also new additions, with Ryan Donovan and Ben Lerner still on the mend. Michael Derevianko is now fully recovered – champion. 4:00am – after thi...

Sam Lindberg Life is like cards, you don't choose the hand you are dealt. Some are dealt aces and kings, and some get dealt threes and fours. In Kolkata there is the full deck of cards. Aces living the high life, in suite resorts with the best views and unlimited wealth.  These royalty cards have pictures and colour and are important and everyone wants to be one. Then there are the twos and threes; begging on the street, living under tarpaulins with holes and little to no essential needs for life. These cards have no picture and are considered wasteful cards yet they do not reflect the poor people of India. In this blog I want to specifically talk about Brooklyn the slum and how these people have been dealt low cards but seem as if they had jacks and queens. This is a very plain, black and horrific place yet so full of life and hope.  I remember vividly viewing the rundown filthy living environment these people were in and it hit me like a brick wall and my heart skipped a beat in ...

Roni Chapman I think I wanted Kolkata to hit me harder than it did. When I pictured the India trip I thought I would be brought down to being close to tears by seeing what I saw in Kolkata. I think I wanted this because I believe it would build me as a character. When Kolkata was unable to bring me to this emotional state I was confused about who I am, and I was disappointed in myself as a member of the trip and an individual. I was disappointed because while a few other boys were telling me they would break if they stayed any longer in Kolkata, I found myself to love the place. I felt like I was missing out on the full experience even though I saw what they saw. I felt as though I was perhaps not as emotionally rich as these other boys. I think I blocked myself from the negativity of poverty and only saw the happiness of smiling faces, and felt guilty that I was only able to fully engage in this part of life here. I think the negativity was too overwhelming for me to ...

Leo Apologies for my lack of blogs. I have just finished one of the most hectic weeks of my life in Kolkata. Currently we are having some down time in beautiful Darjeeling, so I thought I better update you all about my most memorable moments in Kolkata. Firstly, I must address the sickness. As you may know it took me less than 24 hours from arriving in Kolkata to receive the honorable title of being first sick. This brought about many uncomfortable situations so I'll describe the main one. It occurred at the Mother Teresa house morning mass at 6 o'clock in the morning. During the first standing prayer I got that tingling feeling in the stomach, so I know I had to make a move. Unfortunately, due to my disorientation in the house, the best place I could find to vomit, was the flower pots outside. After this I was swiftly taxied home by Mr. Jordan, and nothing was ever said. I would like to give a shoutout to my caring roommate George skinner, who was always th...

  Michael   Day nine of the trip and already we have a wide-ranging spectrum of facial hair on display. For those of us even capable of sprouting the slightest tufts of growth - about 7 of the boys - neck beards are currently in fashion. Ben Lerner and Josh Hamilton are showing strong growth on the neck region but little elsewhere, although it must be said, Ben's sideburns are coming along strong. Personally, my beard may be patchy but is still rather impressive, if I may say so myself. Special mentions must go to Matt Illing with his raging stubble in the chin region and Cam Macfarlane with his self-described "filthy-mo".   Leading the pack, we have a four-way race between Nikau, Reuben, Mr Crook and Mr Jordan. Nikau and Mr Jordan are sporting some proud stubble and Mr Crook has the growth if not the colour, although first prize must go to Reuben who, despite braving a shave from a 10-year-old who looked like he'd never shaved in his lif...