"No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth." Robert Southey
When the initial shock of signing up for a volunteer trip across the world, by myself, to India, wore off, the dread of who I would be spending my two weeks with set in. You see, I am not the easiest person to get along with. I have a very strong personality and usually know within the first five minutes of meeting someone (or really two to three seconds) if I will like them or not. So the thought of sharing a house, bathroom, and working alongside in very stressful situations with random people from across the globe - well, that scared the hell out of me.
Luckily, the universe looked out for me and our team; team 156 to Chennai, was everything I could have hoped for and truly everything I needed. Cindy, Elizabeth, Jodie and Jenna, along with myself, bonded immediately and were truly ride-or-die with each other.
Cindy:
I hope to be half the mother you are to your children. Global Volunteers says out of all of its programs "India is not for the faint of heart", we all went to India because it was our dream - you went to fulfill the dream of your daughter as a graduation gift and my heart bursts as I process the love you demonstrated. Watching you and Elizabeth together was special and truly beautiful. Your bond is one I hope to share with my daughter. I will forever remember laughing in the rickshaw with you about our sweaty faces and teenage breakouts. Next time you are in Tucson, you better look me up.
Elizabeth:
Your beauty, poise and intelligence is second to none. Your heart is so big and I truly believe you have the ability to change the world. Colorado is lucky to have their next true leader as a resident, and I can't wait to see where your journey takes you. I will be along for the ride and support you through it all. You are amazing and the world is yours - go grab it.
Jodie:
Thank you for walking me off the proverbial ledge pre-India. You were such an amazing support system and truly not a wack-ado. You are such an incredible mother, friend and sister. Thank you for listening to me, laughing with me and hugging me when I needed it the most. Your talent behind the lens captured the special moments of our trip, the smiles of the children, the chaos of the streets, the sweat on our faces and the joy in our eyes. Thank you for that gift, it is one I will cherish for a lifetime. There is no one I would have rather "chased the naan" with then you. You will truly be my friend for life.
Jenna:
There is little I can say that sums it up better than "I just adore you". Thank you for bringing levity when we needed it the most. For being a sounding board when I needed someone to listen and for bringing your incredible gifts as a teacher to the children of Chennai. You truly made a difference. You are so talented and I sit in awe of you. I pray our paths will continue to intertwine, as the universe broke the mold when they made you.
I have always felt called to go to India. I can't describe it, I am not religious, but something always pushed me there. During a long drive from Chennai to Pondicherry, it hit me. I was called to India, for this exact moment. To meet these amazing women, to learn from them, cry with them, laugh among them, and become friends with them - friends I pray will last across continents, and stand the test of time. If not, I will always look back on our time together as some of the most meaningful of my life.
Team 156, we set out to change the world, and while we left with a small start of a ripple of change, we each have the power to turn that ripple into a mighty wave. I love you all, and thank you.
When the initial shock of signing up for a volunteer trip across the world, by myself, to India, wore off, the dread of who I would be spending my two weeks with set in. You see, I am not the easiest person to get along with. I have a very strong personality and usually know within the first five minutes of meeting someone (or really two to three seconds) if I will like them or not. So the thought of sharing a house, bathroom, and working alongside in very stressful situations with random people from across the globe - well, that scared the hell out of me.
Luckily, the universe looked out for me and our team; team 156 to Chennai, was everything I could have hoped for and truly everything I needed. Cindy, Elizabeth, Jodie and Jenna, along with myself, bonded immediately and were truly ride-or-die with each other.
Cindy:
I hope to be half the mother you are to your children. Global Volunteers says out of all of its programs "India is not for the faint of heart", we all went to India because it was our dream - you went to fulfill the dream of your daughter as a graduation gift and my heart bursts as I process the love you demonstrated. Watching you and Elizabeth together was special and truly beautiful. Your bond is one I hope to share with my daughter. I will forever remember laughing in the rickshaw with you about our sweaty faces and teenage breakouts. Next time you are in Tucson, you better look me up.
Elizabeth:
Your beauty, poise and intelligence is second to none. Your heart is so big and I truly believe you have the ability to change the world. Colorado is lucky to have their next true leader as a resident, and I can't wait to see where your journey takes you. I will be along for the ride and support you through it all. You are amazing and the world is yours - go grab it.
Jodie:
Thank you for walking me off the proverbial ledge pre-India. You were such an amazing support system and truly not a wack-ado. You are such an incredible mother, friend and sister. Thank you for listening to me, laughing with me and hugging me when I needed it the most. Your talent behind the lens captured the special moments of our trip, the smiles of the children, the chaos of the streets, the sweat on our faces and the joy in our eyes. Thank you for that gift, it is one I will cherish for a lifetime. There is no one I would have rather "chased the naan" with then you. You will truly be my friend for life.
Jenna:
There is little I can say that sums it up better than "I just adore you". Thank you for bringing levity when we needed it the most. For being a sounding board when I needed someone to listen and for bringing your incredible gifts as a teacher to the children of Chennai. You truly made a difference. You are so talented and I sit in awe of you. I pray our paths will continue to intertwine, as the universe broke the mold when they made you.
I have always felt called to go to India. I can't describe it, I am not religious, but something always pushed me there. During a long drive from Chennai to Pondicherry, it hit me. I was called to India, for this exact moment. To meet these amazing women, to learn from them, cry with them, laugh among them, and become friends with them - friends I pray will last across continents, and stand the test of time. If not, I will always look back on our time together as some of the most meaningful of my life.
Team 156, we set out to change the world, and while we left with a small start of a ripple of change, we each have the power to turn that ripple into a mighty wave. I love you all, and thank you.
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| Erin, Elizabeth, Cindy, Jodie and Jenna |
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