I’m Not Coming Home By Brooke Baugh

I’m Not Coming Home

By Brooke Baugh

 

We got up quite early this morning to go on this cool hike to this AMAZING temple called Shiva temple. But before today, yesterday we got to go to this fancy private school right here in Kullu and it was so cool. We got to hang out with the kids our age and they were so smart. We ate samosas and these super sweet donuts and just learned about their school and culture. They then did a big program for us. They sang and danced to both modern and traditional songs, it was incredible. I love experiencing this new culture and I never want to leave. We also got to perform for them but we probably looked really silly. We say “Let it grow” from the Lorax (lol so last minute), Clara did her dance, we sang “jump  right in,” did the September dance, the girls sang “can’t help falling in love,” and then we all sang “one day.” I am honestly surprised I didn’t cry. We then got everyone (us and all the students) to sing happy birthday to Ash. The students then showed us the the Kullu traditional dance and then let us join in. It was AMAZING. It was so cool to experience their culture.

 

Everyone here gives us all they have, they are so selfless and generous. I love them all. When we first arrived here at our hotel, at our school, and at the private school we were presented with these cool hats and they put this orange dot in between our eyebrows. Also we got cool henna! Our translators did it, it looks cool.

 

Okay back to today, we went on this hike and it was all uphill. It was so beautiful!! There were pine trees everywhere and it was even more beautiful at the top. Every day I still can’t believe I’m in the Himalayas and that I hiked in the Himalayas. It’s freaking AMAZING. So at the top was this super old temple, it was beautiful. The view was amazing as you could see these snowy mountains, little villages in the mountains, and this cool river that goes into the Ganges. So we got to go into the temple and woah so much incense haha. Like A TON. But we all sat on the ground in the temple and they gave us these bracelets which are like a blessing to travel safe and they are supposed to fall off organically, like you leave them on until they wear off. After that we got to wander around the temple. No joke this was the prettiest place I have ever been to. Cows were just everywhere and there were tons of prayer flags but they weren’t related to the temple. After we hiked down and drove back to our hotel this guy came and taught us yoga! It was actually tons of fun and super relaxing but man I am so not flexible. I’m going to work on that.

 

Right now some of us are just hanging out on the balcony writing our blogs and I feel so content. I seriously love this place so much! It’s been two days since seeing the kids at our school and I already miss them so much. Not gonna lie, coming home is going to be so hard. Also I love everyone everyday. But I literally cannot wait to not take a bucket shower and wear clean clothes haha.

 

Mom I brought too many snacks… I have so much food haha. They feed us so well here and the food is so yummy! Anyways I love it here. Can’t believe this is my last blog and that we’re coming home next week L. I already know I am going to bawl my eyes out. Oh well haha.