The Feeling of Action

I am writing this blog post on a bus ride back from my first meeting with the Akansha program. Despite the bumps of the crowded roadways, I am allowing my handwriting to slide and draw across the notebook, because I feel driven by this newfound feeling of action. The energy of Akansha is as vibrant as the pace of colorful Mumbai itself. The walls are painted with murals and messages of empowerment – phrases such as “Joy,” “Education,” and my favorite, “A Sense of Urgency.” But above all, I am astounded by the vibrancy of the employees and volunteers – wearing bright smiles and almost singing information to us about the program – because they love what they do. Looking around the circle to my fellow Niswarthians, one thing is clear, we are ready. The jetlag is gone. Our senses are used to the rapid pace of Mumbai. We are ready to not merely paddle the surface of Akansha, but dive in with the same energy of the Akansha community, the excitement of educational growth, and the vibrancy of Mumbai. In the spirit of Niswarth, we are ready to embrace our focus of the program: the aspects of Me, Community, Education, and India. Bodies pulsing with the feeling of action, we are ready. --Angela