India 2008

My second trip: Mizoram, India.

This was my time to do something HUGE! As much as I loved my first trip, I struggled with being lead by my peers. I was 21 and was ready to lead. I applied to be an intern but got bumped up to leader. My co-leader was one of my neighbours ( seriously!) Drew, who had travelled to Mizoram the year before and falled in love.

As a leader my responsibilities were as follows:

• create new contacts with new organizations in India


• maintain existing relationships


• interview and create a team of up to 14 people


• be legally responsible


• fundraise my own trip


• encourage and answer all questions for my team


• hold and facilitate weekly team meetings


• attend Regional Leader meetings

Basically parent these students while parenting myself and supporting my co-leader. All I could hear was one word : opportunity. But there was much more than I could prepare myself for.

Every 48 year bamboo flowers which increase the rat population exponentially: 1:9 to humans. This creates a complete loss in crops, bamboo houses and creates contamination around the entire northeast of the country. We had incredible opportunity to make a substantial difference.

We worked with an organization in BC called Gleamers who helped us tranport over a million dollars worth of rice to India. We spent a couple days travelling around in a bus in over 45 degrees celsius, distributing rice. I sweat through my clothes as soon as I dressed myself, smelt horrible, was sick and could not have been more hot. I easily had the most amazing time of my life.

When you are given an opportunity I have learned that it is important to look at it and think " what more can I do with this?" There are always opportunities and you never know what decision you are going to make that might change your life forever.

I will always remember the life and warmth of the people, the spicey smells in the air, the crisp mountain breeze, the deeeeliiicious food, the vibrancy of the country and most of all.... every single step and breath that I took.

India will ALWAYS have a huge part of my heart and I hope that some day I can walk up, down and around those mountains again. I believe that this was a great leadership opportunity for me, it gave me many life skills that are very transferable for Public Relations careers.