Early this morning we strapped on our shoes, grabbed our paani (water) and headed to a giant field where we awaited our rivals for our cricket rematch game; American Bears vs. Indian Bears. The tournament ended as a tie game, each team having won one match. After much application of sunblock, we walked back to our homestays to spend our final moments with our host families. Moments filled with our last meals in Chinchoti, painted nails, and creating friendship bracelets and everlasting friendships. We exchanged much laughter and photos that captured our appreciation and experience in the beautiful village of Chinchoti. Our final goodbye consisted of a marathi phrase parrat betu taught to us by Krishna which roughly translates as “I will see you upon my return”. Teary-eyed we piled into rickshaws and traveled to the ferry for the second leg of our journey to Mumbai. The boat ride was approximately 40 minutes to the hotel, where we showered and prepared to share our leadership stories. These stories consisted of moments in our life that represent our transformation into leaders or why we decided to apply for the India Program. Everyone had their own personal story and it was an open and emotional few hours. For our last night in Mumbai, we returned to our favorite restaurant, Koyla, for dinner. Then, we participated in A.N.C.H.O.R, and reflected on our week in Chinchoti. Many shared their concerns and hopes when returning to America. However, the common themes were everyone’s sadness for their departure, the love for the bonds made, and the struggle for expressing our amazing and complex experiences in this colorful country.
Julia and Portia
