AGS India Immersion Programme 2017/18

To all in Goa, and all those family and friends following this wonderful blog, Happy New Year to you all and may 2018 be one filled with adventure, challenges, friendships and acts of kindness.  I would also like to add my thanks to everyone who has contributed to the blog, been brave enough to share their thoughts, feelings and discovering about themselves and in turn made us examine our own lives back home, and wherever else we have been. I thought I would worry this whole month, but I haven't- Tom and Reuben, the trip has been so well organised, everyone has had such an incredible time, and the blog posts so informative and reliable ( 2am in the lobby post movie!) that I quickly realised, that along with trusting my son, there was no place for worry, just joy that he had the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful program. So thankful to everyone involved. Enjoy the last moments, safe travels and Happy New Year! Gabrielle 

Young men, I want to start by sincerely thanking each of you for the immense courage you have demonstrated. Not just 'courage' as a term synonymous with bravery, that being to travel and become immersed in such a foreign setting, but more importantly 'courage' in the true origin of the word, described as being willing to share yourself with your wholeheart. Your blogs have been scribed with a genuineness and authenticity that has been raw/heart-wrenching/humorous/ uplifting.  At 15, 16, 17 or 18 years of age, in many ways each of you are only just embarking on a lifetime of wonderful experiences and successes, coupled with inevitable trials & tribulations. I hope India sits under your skin and guides you to continue to seek out human connection; to be comfortable with being vulnerable; to continue to show love and be willing to learn/understand (even when others many not do so in return).  However, this blog is not for you boys, for I have communicated with each of ...

Cam Upon arrival in Mumbai, word went around that we were on the easier leg on the journey, the home run so to speak. The city of Mumbai and some of the specific things I saw proved this mindset wrong. With nice restaurants, respectable accommodation and a general western feel to the city (perhaps influenced by Christmas) I think most people, including myself, started to relax. I couldn't help but feel a dilution of the Indian culture that we were supposed to be immersing ourselves in.  For example, dining at a 6-star restaurant on Boxing Day did a good job of distracting us from the fact that we were in a hectic country of 1.2 billion. Later that day however, the group was confronted with the huge contrast of the Daravi slum. Comparing this to the skyscrapers, lush hotels, the extravagance of a recently-watched Bollywood movie and even a 27-story house, I felt so saddened, confused and frustrated by the unfair distribution of opportunity and mere luck in Mumbai. As an individual t...