Our first day

Namaste Everyone!

            We landed in Mumbai, India last night with tired smiles. After a 15-hour flight, we greeted the heat, the people, and the unexplored. After playing fun icebreakers with our fabulous in-country coordinators, we boarded the bus that drove through the hectic streets of Mumbai. With excitement we awaited the hotel destination in which we would prepare to venture into the different, busy, and beautiful streets of the city.

            We started our first day with an early rise and breakfast, which energized us for the day ahead. We then travelled by bus to Nidhi Sharma’s cold pressed juice company, Jusdivine. She shared her inspirational story of how she as a female in India grew her own business through Goldman Sachs 10,0000 Women’s program. Her drive, passion, and confidence wired through us all while we conversed about her own hopes and goals, as well as our own.

            Succeeding our visit to Jusdivine, we were privileged with the chance to visit The Gandhi Ji’s museum where we saw exhibits that explored the beginnings of Gandhi’s nonviolent movement. Afterwards, we toured the streets and markets of Mumbai where we were challenged to make observations using all of our senses. Little did we know, there was a lot more ahead of us than we could handle, but the people we know and the people we didn’t, made the experience amazing, comfortable, and memorable. 

            To repeat what one of our coordinators, Susan Lambert shared, there is no place she’s been, where a smile hasn’t worked. To end, we look forward to sharing our smiles with all the new people we connect with here in India.

Special thanks to our coordinators, who are extraordinarily spectacular!

Rebekah Potter (G. 9) , and Iman Izoli (G. 9)

Selfie with Nidhi Sharma

Aislinn Mumford having fun at the factory

JusDivine Juice

Gandhiji 

Larissa Klufas in Mumbai

Iman Izoli at the market