From roaming the hill tops with the clouds to cleaning the space around a beautiful dam, this two-day trek made me experience things that I hadn’t been through in such a long time. We trekked up slippery hills, overcame long hikes, even cleaned up the space around the dam. My CAS took place in Igatpuri, Maharashtra, a place I personally felt was great with lots of greenery on its hills. It was in the hills, not so far from a village. So, it was nice for adventure as well as interaction with the local community.
Learning Outcome 2 – Coping with Challenges and Developing New Skills:
It was the first experience of climbing hills through this trek. Not so easy, I must say. Especially when the rain came for the second time on the hills of Igatpuri. The rain did make the paths rather slippery, and, to make matters worse, I had brought the wrong shoes. Safety and healthy behavior are always concerns on such adventures, but by the second day, these issues not only arose but turned into real troubles. Besides that, during my visit to the local village, I had to speak completely in Hindi, which isn’t my mother-tongue, because of the language barrier. Eventually, despite initial reservations, I felt comfortable speaking and ended up really enjoying the idea exchange. These experiences not only pushed me but helped me grow as a person and ignited my desire to undertake more adventures in the future.
Learning Outcome 4 – Demonstrate perseverance and commitment:
The trip was 3-4 days over the holidays, and I vowed to go all out for the experience, even sacrificing some comfort of home and familiarity. Well, it certainly was a first to stay in what would go as basic accommodations, far removed from urban life amidst hills and mountains, but not an experience that I will forget so soon. Along with the execution of a series of activities with friends, whether it’s trekking or cleaning the dam or even conducting classes at the local government school, all these activities call for patience and tenacity, especially where there are no ideal conditions. Staying motivated and committed during the entire experience led to an adventure deeply rewarding.
Learning Outcome 5 – Teamwork Skills and Appreciation for Team Collaboration:
It was teamwork all through the trip, whether cleaning the dam, trekking, or teaching school children-they all required the input of the team for them to come into being. The distribution of tasks and ensuring that everyone had a role was vital. This whole experience reminded me of how much strength there is in teamwork; this not only makes the work appear faster, but they also share in the achievement. Better and long-lasting bonds with the people during this process made it even more worthwhile.
Learning Outcome 6 – Engaging with Global Issues:
Looking back on this experience, I realized how some of our activities tied into the global sphere. Cleaning the dam really helped us ‘clean’ the environment and enhance environmental sustainability as a small but vital effort to preserve the beauty of the region. Similarly, while teaching at the local school emphasized the importance of education and the effects of personal empowerment through education. These endeavors made me realize my part in solving world problems, mainly towards the direction of protecting the environment and achieving equal access to education.
Learner Profiles I Exhibited:
I exhibited the Learner Profile of being a Risk-Taker. I ventured out of my comfort zone; instead of having my holidays at home and simply relaxing, I took this adventure, full of new and challenging experiences. Reflecting on my decision, I’m proud that I took that jump and challenged myself. I also applied the Reflective learner profile by taking my time to reflect on how much I learned from the trek and service activities, and also how I can apply these insights to future experiences.
