Our trip to Igatpuri was just an amazing and memorable experience, it was filled with lots of fun activities, unforgettable memories, and marvellous opportunities. Igatpuri is a town and hill station located in Maharashtra. During this trip, we experienced immense emotions due to the services and activities we performed, and the memories we made with our friends, teachers, environment and place, atmosphere, and the local people. On this trip, we went trekking and visited villages where we interacted and learnt about their local lifestyle, education, income, festivals, and food. We visited the village school where we interacted and played with the students there. And we cleaned the dam for waste, plastic, glass, etc.

Learning Outcome 1 → Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth

One of the main activities we did was trekking where we went for a short trek, morning trek, and a long trek on the last day. I feel focused, joyous, and connected to nature while trekking. We went for a long trek uphill for 2 hours straight and it was a challenge for everyone as it was raining heavily which caused the ground to turn soft and muddy. But this challenge turned out to be just a simple condition for me as trekking is one of my strengths. I got to learn. Practice and experience trekking in a different condition, helped me improve my trekking skills which included step weight, balance, helping out buddies, etc.

Learning Outcome 4 → Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences

I was very excited about and committed to this specific trip because we were going to go trekking in nature, clean the dam, and interact with the local lifestyle. While cleaning the dam, we were so committed to cleaning plastic, paper, glass, and other waste that even when it was time to go, our spirits were so strong that we continued to clean relentlessly.

Learning Outcome 6 → Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance

Other than activities and trekking, we also visited the nearby village and school where we interacted with the residents and children who live there. We visited the only school in the village which was run by an elder (principal), where all the students from the village came to study there. We danced, played games with them, and made friends with them. The principal shared his experiences and situation of the condition the students studied in, how he manages the school with very limited funds, the minimal facilities available, etc. The funds gathered were very limited for further development and growth of the school, they were provided by donations and the government. Because of poverty and limited resources, they didn’t have much privilege like we do, which made us realize about our lives and the gifts we have received.

Learning Outcome 7 → Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions

During this trip, I became more recognized and became more aware of the ethical implications of my choices, actions and decisions. Engaging with the children learning at the school in the village required me to respect their circumstances and cultural differences. I recognized the importance of considering how my behavior could influence others and aimed to approach every situation with kindness and an open mind.

Additionally, we contributed to reducing carbon footprint at a local dam, where we removed waste such as plastic, glass, and other debris. This activity made me recognize the ethical responsibility we have to protect our environment. By actively engaging in this effort, I became more aware of the consequences of our actions on nature and how neglecting waste management can lead to lasting harm. The waste-cleaning showed the importance of making responsible choices, as every piece of waste removed helped prevent further pollution and preserve the ecosystem.