The following post features student writing.

At the end of our second day we took a train from Delhi to Falna. The train station was very, very busy! There were hundreds of people crowded around us. It was difficult to navigate our way through with our huge suitcases, but we did it! When we got onto the train we all got settled into our bunk beds with the blankets and pillows they gave us. The train was pretty crowded and it took some getting used to. However, it allowed us to immerse ourselves into a normal local activity. After 12 hours, we finally arrived in Falna! We then got onto another bus which brought us to our new home: Kotri Village!

We were immediately greeted by Fateh Ji, Mahendra Ji, and his two dogs. They played drums and put paint on our foreheads as a way to welcome us. We are staying in Mahinder Ji’s home, called Kotri Raola. It is like a mini-castle! It is so beautiful and the rooms are very comfortable…one even has air conditioning! We spent the rest of the day getting settled in. We walked around Kotri and met all of the locals. Then, we took a short hike up to a temple that looks over the whole village. It was built into the rocks, like a cave. A bunch of village children followed us up to the top, and everyone became fast friends!

– Liza