February 3, 2023

You have so much to offer

We’re about halfway through the GCIL program, and to be honest, these past four weeks have felt more like four months. We have met so many amazing people and experienced vivid snapshots of Bangalore that I am still trying to process. Transitioning from speaking to organizations in the first three weeks to actually working with them first-hand has been both exciting and challenging. We still have little experience actually testing our ideas, so as we settle into the pace of life here, it’s easy to feel like we’ve already seen enough and that there’s not much we can do because the problems we are tackling are too complex.

However, that is not true and today served as a reminder. The problems we attempt to address are huge, but that doesn’t change the fact that we have so much to offer Bangalore.

In the morning, my partner Aditya and I presented research on eco-friendly schools to Shukla, the founder of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation, in order to help plan Parikrma Oxygen, an innovative nature camp. As we presented our tables, pictures, and maps, I could see Shukla’s face light up in excitement. She would frequently pause our presentation in order to jot down a new insight or voice a spontaneous idea.

Mahesh, a Parikrma alumni and coworker, was equally enthusiastic about our project. He made many creative suggestions, such as asking local farmers to teach kids their craft and teaching math through interactions with the environment. Mahesh emphasized how much this project meant to him— he grew up in a village nearby and saw this camp as a means for children to connect to their roots while feeling empowered.

Being surrounded by all this passion, I was reminded that all my efforts are part of a greater narrative. My work will not end once I fly back to the US, but live on here in India with these incredible people. My actions could help kickstart the visions of people like Shukla and Mahesh and bring their dreams to life. What a privilege.

How many people get to go on a trip like this? And how often does the local community here in Bangalore interact with students like us? We carry within us a little world of insights and inspiration from the other corner of the planet, and when our worlds collide, we can all grow wiser. Let’s not forget that we have so much to offer.