We are a week on from returning from India and it’s crazy to think that it was 50 days ago that our journey began. We left New Zealand as a group of 24 strangers, ready to explore India but we returned as a family, bonded through not only our joint experience but also our ambition for life! In all honesty, it’s been a long week readjusting to New Zealand life and adapting to fit back into the structure of life we left at New Years. There have been countless voice messages sent to others from the group, Instagram posts reminiscing on the trip, and conversations about when we will next see each other. But along with that has also come a beautifully uncomfortable period of digesting a life-changing experience amongst people who have simply continued with everyday life. We have all been grappling with what it looks like for us to reintegrate into our world that has not been transformed by the beauty, scale, and confronting environment of India!
There have been three key things that I have been pondering not only in the past week of returning home but also in the days leading up to saying our final goodbyes in India. These three things have been the idea of family, what will change in my life as a result of India, and how my faith has grown over the six weeks.
While we met as strangers at the beginning, it is now safe to say that our group of 24 Kiwis (and even the 14 Aussies who joined us for the final two weeks) would be much better described as family. We have seen each other at the highs and lows of the trip – whether that be school visits and seeing the Taj Mahal or being sick and tired with no one else to turn to. This family are the only ones who truly understand what it was like to travel through India; the only ones who hold the moments we experienced in the same heartfelt way. Without such a beautiful and tight-knit group of people, I don’t think I could have possibly got through the trip like I did or made the most of the experiences we had. We have all turned to each other in times of confusion this past week as we run into the complications of reverse culture shock and navigate the unique journey of readjusting to New Zealand life. If they were all I gained from this trip it would have all been worth it.
It would be impossible to travel through the depths of India for six weeks and not be challenged to change something about my life in New Zealand. During the trip, we had many thought-provoking experiences that pushed us and made us ponder the impact that we have within our communities. One of these experiences was going to Manav Sadhna; a school run by volunteers for children who don’t have access to go to school normally. After this experience many of our group talked about the possibility of one day coming back to volunteer at this school; however, we were confronted with the reality that many of the same challenges we were witnessing through this school were also present within our communities back home. Why would we want to travel across the globe to serve if we aren’t first willing to serve in our own backyard? I know for me, along with many others on the trip, this was an experience that will still be with us for a long time and has encouraged me to find opportunities that I can volunteer and help out within my own community here in the Waikato. All throughout India we witnessed the incredible spirit of a helping hand to those in need.
Going into this trip I was both nervous and interested to see how my faith would be influenced, tested and strengthened by the spiritual plurality of India. As someone strong in my Christian faith, I knew that India would be a different, challenging but also eye-opening experience. Whether at temples, spiritual rituals or other experiences, the IndoGenius team were always accommodating in ensuring that I and the other Christians on the trip were able to find the healthy line between appreciation and participation. Over the six weeks, I was able to have phenomenal conversations with everyone on the trip about my experience and beliefs in an environment that was poised with curiosity and inquisitive nature. Whether it was listening to worship music while sitting at the Ganges, doing bible studies on the buses or having conversations about a multitude of topics through a Christian lens, my six weeks in India were full of moments that allowed me to strengthen, challenge and share my faith!
Overall, we were fortunate to spend the time we did here. These six weeks have been some of the most incredible of my life! While I have only been able to begin digesting the surface of what this trip held I know many of the experiences will leave a lasting impact on me for years and years to come. I look forward to seeing how the trip transforms my future steps and where each person from this trip goes!
