Last Friday came just in time! The week of class leading up to it was starting to make us all a little tired and worn out. Everyone had Hindi for 2 hours (in addition to all the homework that was given), as well as our secondary class. My secondary class was yoga, which took place every day for one hour. During this time we learned many different poses from our Yoga Master. After doing yoga for two weeks it was gratifying to see myself becoming more flexible.

But as I said, Friday could not have come soon enough because that meant we were going to the beach! We left in the morning and traveled in two vans, making it a very cozy trip for the fifteen or so people in each vehicle. After three hours or so of driving we arrived at our hotel, where the beach was only a five minute walk away. Needless to say we spent almost all of our weekend at the beach. It was absolutely amazing, the water was just right, it was never cloudy, and there was a boardwalk type stretch of restaurants and all kinds of shops. Oh, and it was also great because we didn’t stick out as a group of Americans anymore because the place was full of tourists.

Sadly though, Sunday came too fast and all of us were sad to see leave the beach. I will admit though that I was happy to get out of the sun, and I think others were too, considering how lobster-red we were! Monday rolled around and we tried to fall back in to the groove of classes for one more week until we will catch a plane back north.

-Jared Troyer

This past week has been a flurry of anticipation, finishing up our classes and preparing to travel again. After a relaxing yet challenging three weeks here at VKV, we’ll be flying back to Delhi in just a couple days! I’ve really enjoyed learning the Hindi language, as well as participating in my Bharathanatyam dance class. Bharathanatyam is a classic Indian dance form, the dance of Lord Shiva, which emphasizes strong, stiff movements. Stomping, intricate hand gestures and animated facial expressions make this dance fun to both practice and watch! This class has been a challenge and a joy for me, and I’m pretty sure we’ve amused our teacher at times with our attempts to perform this foreign and complicated art form! Hindi class has been a little more stressful, but I’m really looking forward to using it in the north, as Malayalam is spoken predominantly in Kerala. I’ve liked learning Hindi from our passionate instructor, Nisha Ji, but I think it’s safe to say that most of us are looking forward to wrapping it up!

After an intense week of classes at VKV last week, we were all pumped to go to Kovalam Beach for the weekend. We spent Friday through Sunday soaking up the blazing sun and the beautiful beach scenery. I played in the big waves, shopped on the boardwalk and found some awesome places to eat. Overall, the weekend was a welcome break, and it was great to just chill out and ‘be a tourist’ for a few days!

As we prepare to leave the south, my emotions are mixed. It was wonderful to settle into a daily routine after weeks of constant travel, and the staff at the VKV are so hospitable. I’ve also enjoyed having the time to get to know others in the group even better during our stay here! However, I’m also very excited to return to the north and to see what new experiences await us there. This once-in-a-lifetime experience in India has been eye-opening, challenging, and so much fun for me, and I’m looking forward to whatever lies ahead!

-Megan Yoder