Girl Scouts appreciate support for India trip

This August I traveled to India with my Girl Scout Troop and other Girl Scouts from around the world to volunteer and experience the culture. India could not be any more different than our little hamlet by the sea, yet I felt right at home.While some parts of India’s rich culture are undeniably overwhelming and disheartening to foreigners, I was inspired and moved by every aspect of it.

The uncomfortable experiences with hustlers or creepy men were outweighed by hugs or waves from kids wandering around, or invitations into temples and homes. For the first week and a half of the trip, we volunteered at various schools and slums in Pune, Maharashtra — the city where a Girl Scout World center is located. I worked with a couple of girls from England to teach slum kids ages 1-9. We soon learned that it would be much harder than expected — none of the kids or teachers spoke any English and we were confined to cramped, dark, wet classrooms without any desks. But, regardless, we had a blast and so did the kids. Although I couldn’t speak to anyone beyond the couple Hindi words that I knew, we could dance and play together and, most importantly, we could share a smile.

To say the very least, India is incredible. Whether I was crammed in the front seat of a tuk tuk with seven other people hanging out the back, or trying to navigate a busy market in the middle of Mumbai, there was never a dull moment.

This trip would not have been possible without the support of our loving community and the May M. Benson Charitable Fund of the Homer Foundation. Thank you for your contributions and continued love.

Love,

Daisy Kettle for Ruby Allen, Katie Clark, Poppy Benson, and Chevonne Alexander-Clark, Girl Scouts Troop 1935