I Do Not Want To Leave By: Samantha Anderson

The other day, we had the opportunity and privilege to participate in a cultural exchange at Raj’s daughter’s school. They were so hospitable, and gave us delicious food. The school was called Cambridge. What was so cool about it was that they were kids our age. Felicity, Tyler, Aiden, and I talked to some girls in 11^th grade. I was so surprised that they had many similarities as me and teens in the United States. Such as music artists and punishments from parents. The performances in the exchange from the students were so good. We even got to dance on stage and learn Indian dances in front of all of Cambridge. It was so fun!

It was Ashley’s birthday on Saturday! She turned 40! At the cultural exchange, we all sang happy birthday to her. We also went to dinner and had pizza, cake, and shakes. It was sooooooo good. Also, the food has been really tasty here. We have cooks that make Indian food for us every meal, and it is delicious. And yes mom, I ate the whole pizza. Allison also ordered a custom cake for Ashley, and it was so amazing. To travel to and from the restaurant, we had to jump out of a car really fast. It was like a Chinese fire drill. I’m also getting very used to the sights and smells here, and gaining a better appreciation for them. The smoke, the food, the traffic and roads, the people, shops, and the Himalayas. I’ve heard so many good things about the Himalayas my whole life, but you can never really understand the great power, beauty, and stories that come along with them until you are actually planted within them. In India, land and nature is definitely respected more than in the United States. It is a part of their everyday life. On our drives to the schools, I see corn on roofs, women carrying barrels of dry grass. They work with the earth’s resources respectfully and carefully. The homes are also very colorful, happy, and nestled into the lush, green landscape. Every time I wake up, there is a view of the Himalayas with houses dotted along the ridges. It feels like I am at a museum looking at a painting because of how beautiful it is. I still am in shock that I am actually here in Kullu. It’s insane to think about.

Today, on Sunday, we had the opportunity to hike up to the Shiva temple on top of one of the mountains in the Himalayas. It literally was so beautiful, I couldn’t even believe my eyes. The Shiva temple is one of the many temples in Kullu that worships Gods. This specific temple worships the God Shiva. We took our shoes off and went into the temple. It was completely filled with incense. They gave us God’s blessing, which is a big orange dot in between our eyebrows. It is very traditional, and we’ve had it happen three times. Then, after lunch, we did some yoga. I loved it. Also, this is the last time you’ll hear from me until I get home. Kumbaya!