Goa take two?

COUNTRY: India
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Mei Turnbul

In primary school, we learn that time is a scientific construct that can be broken down into equal measures: there are sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours in a day, seven days in a week.. But in India, time seemed to expand and contract constantly; the third and tenth day both felt as though we'd been there a week.

When the fourteenth day felt like a fortnight had passed, we though time had resumed some sort of normalcy when suddenly the elastic snapped and the second half of our trip flew past in a blur. Just as we each trickled into the camp, so we trickled out in what was perhaps the most melancholy forty-eight hours we’d ever been through. Who would’ve thought that four weeks would be enough time to forge new friendships not only cross-country, but transnational too!

Our final placements at each project were farewells to commemorate our time with the students. Whether we spent it picnicking at the beach, drawing on each other with heena, or playing party games – we endeavoured to ensure that these last moments were memories to last a lifetime. As we scroll back through our photos and reflect on our time in Goa it’s hard not to get a little misty-eyed as we reminisce on our time spent in this strange and beautiful country.

During our final days, it was hard to know how much our experience had personally affected us. We’d adapted to accommodate to our new environment and change could only be measured in how disjointed we felt when we returned home.

It should come as no surprise that we did return different people: a little more patient, understanding, and grateful to be lucky enough to be born into a country that provides us with opportunities that most take for granted. Despite only spending a short amount of time in India, there is a small part of us that remains there. So quickly, it became our home (I genuinely believe the Goans would give the South a run for its money when it comes to hospitality!).

My final memory of the Antips group was sitting around in a circle on the grass, cup of chai in hand. “So guys,” one began, looking each of us in the eye, grinning, “Goa. This time. Two years. Whatcha say?”

I’m excited.