Prior to leaving for India, I felt a number of different emotions ranging from excitement, nervousness, curiosity, hesitation and fear of the unknown. After meeting with the rest of our group and speaking with those who have participated in the trip from previous years, many of my worries were quickly relieved, as everyone seemed to hold the same feelings before they left and they swiftly went away.

Additionally, upon boarding our first flight from Boston to Dubai, and finding out that I was upgraded to Business Class, my anxiety levels quickly went out the window, as it was one of the smoothest and enjoyable flights I have ever been on. I was handed a glass of champagne fifteen seconds after sitting down, a bowl of warm nuts, a warm towel, and they even handed out mattresses to put on your chair to make falling asleep that much easier. I am not sure how I lucked out so much but I found out I wasn’t the only one. A few of us going on the trip were upgrading including the girl sitting next to me headed to Swaziland. After starting a conversation with the other lady sitting to my left, I found out that she is a student from MIT traveling to a workshop related to start-ups. We exchanged our information and since she is very familiar with Hubli and the surrounding areas, was excited to let me know which sites and restaurants to visit. This encounter was very welcoming as I could begin to sense the hospitality that everyone has for the guests in their country. Seeing that my voyage to the other side of the world was so pleasant and enjoyable, it only made sense to me that this is going to be a trip and experience that I will never forget.