This blog is coming near the end of my stay India, and not due laziness or procrastination, but because I haven’t really had a chance to stop and slow down the entire trip to write one. From the moment I wake up until I head to bed, I have been constantly busy. Whether visiting one of my friend’s homes for a meal, visiting a far off hilltop to watch the sunset, traveling around the city by motorcycle and rickshaw, or exploring Hubli’s nightlife, I haven’t had a chance to take a moment and reflect. So I will try and do that here.

One of the most memorable experiences I have had here in Hubli has been visiting two orphanages to play with the children and donate school supplies, games and toys, and some sporting equipment. Both visits were unique in their own right, as one of the orphanages is a private orphanage that only receives funding through donations and small government support, the other orphanage was a much larger, all girls organization that brought in children who came from troubled homes, or were sent there through the court system. However, the children were absolutely awesome in both organizations as they performed dances and sang songs for us. One of the most memorable moments took place at the all girls orphanage in which we brought in some sporting equipment. I am a big sports fan and it is my belief that sports are able to bridge the gap between cultures to bring them closer. We donated a bunch badminton rackets and birdies, so we were able to play with the kids. One girl in particular picked up the racket immediate and began to display her skills against all of the adults that challenged her. I’d like to refer to myself as a pretty decent player who would be able to beat most kids at a sport, but this girl was amazing. By the time the match was over, I don’t think I scored a single point against her. She said she loves to play and that she was happy we brought some new equipment, to which I told her to keep practicing everyday and that I hope to see her on TV one day. The experience shaped some of my personal beliefs and made me think about what more I could do. It is easy to ignore these types of real world problems from the comfort of our own lives, but even an afternoon of playing with these kids made a large impression on me, and will continue to last with me for a very long time.