Leah, 11th Grader Newton South High School
Fun Fact: I played ‘Just Dance’ with Shaq.
One of the reasons I want to go to India is because of an experience at the Boys & Girls Club a few years ago. I went into the art room and there was a paper mache elephant. The art teacher asked if we would like to help paint it. He told us it was for the India class and would be used in a celebration dinner. When he told me this I thought about how one day I would travel to a far off place like India. Not knowing that a couple of years later my older sister would participate in the Explore India program. She is the type of person who never really imagined traveling far from home, but she went to India and seeing how much she loved it inspired me. I knew I would love the program too. My sister told me the trip changed her and gave her a different view of the world. The experience gave her an opportunity to connect with other Boston teens she normally would not talk to and it was a chance to live independently – without our parents – for a couple weeks. This trip is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I want to be a part of it!
