For the second time in my life, I will struggle to answer the inevitable question my friends and family will ask me in the coming weeks: “So, how was India?”

And, once again, I will fail to fully capture in words, the unforgettable people I met along the way, the new friendships formed, the noise, the color, the occasional chaos of it all and the deep melancholy I felt upon departure.

Having visited India once prior, in January 2013 for a study abroad course, I knew I would come back. The course was centered in South India in Tamil Nadu, between cities boasting ancient temple complexes and the splendid Mughal sites of Delhi and Agra. In a word, it was touristy, but on the whole, an unbelievable experience.

But, my most vivid memories were outside the walls of the temple complexes, the Taj and the tourist attractions of Delhi. Rather, the most formative experiences I had on that trip took place in two rural villages where I was plagued with disquiet at the sights, the sounds and the sheer poverty. Those experiences were the impetus for my application to VISION, which has sent a group of St. Thomas students to India for the past few January Terms. I gravitated toward VISION because of the unique structure of the program, which emphasizes six components including: service, simplicity, spirituality, social justice issues, cultural exchange and community.

My hope was that, through VISION and its host organization iSPiiCE (Integrated Social Programs in Indian Child Education), I would more directly engage with some of the social justice issues that much of India faces today, rather than observing these issues from afar.

Our journey to India began on Jan. 5 and was punctuated by a night spent in the Newark Liberty International Airport after a flight cancellation to New Delhi. A day late, we arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in a dishevelled state, where we first met the managing director and founder of iSPiiCE, Varun Verma and Tarren Hehir, a former iSPiiCE volunteer who now assists with marketing for the organization.

Our inaugural night in India was shared over thali, a traditional Indian meal of regional curries, a salty lassi (a yogurt drink) and sweets like gulab jamun (similar to a donut-hole doused in a sweet, sticky syrup) and kheer (a tasty rice pudding).

The following day, after some obligatory sightseeing and a visit to the Karol Bagh market, we boarded an overnight bus from Delhi to Dharamsala where many of my peers were introduced to the campy, slapstick humor of Bollywood as the en-route film (titled “Boss”) played on the LCD screens.

Having slept for the duration of the trip, I was suddenly awoken minutes prior to our dump-off into the pitch-black streets of a Dharamsala village around 4:30 a.m. Minutes later, we were shuttled off to our new home by the iSPiiCE staff, located in a village called Sidhbari.

We slept into the late morning and then were introduced to our local village after lunch. The following day we chose our three daily service sites. In the morning, our group was split between day care centers full of energetic kids, and Ashwani Memorial Public High School in a village called Bagli, teaching English and computer classes to class 9 and class 10 students, the latter of which I volunteered for. Afternoons were spent cleaning or painting day care centers, often in a chorus of Disney songs or ‘90s hits. Evenings were split between private tuition lessons at local homes or in a local slum teaching English.

After our first day of service, we gradually settled into a routine: wake up, journal or read, lesson plan, breakfast, morning service, lunch, afternoon service, chai time, evening service, dinner and finally, time spent reflecting upon our experience with one another.

On our days and afternoons off, we visited the Kangra Fort (India’s oldest fort), the Masroor Temple and two Tibetan Buddhist monasteries near the iSPiiCE camp. We spent an unforgettable weekend on a mountain trek in the Himalayas from McLeod Ganj, home to the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile, in the company of some very sprightly trekking guides.

My most cherished memories, however, took place at the Ashwani Memorial Public High School with my fellow computer class teacher, Claire Leiter, a senior at St. Thomas. We taught two classes; the first was a group of class 9 students, most of whom were girls. They were polite, sweet, diligent and always whispering and giggling to one another about Claire and I, trying to muster up the courage to ask us a question. Our second class was perhaps the polar opposite of the first—mostly male students, a class ahead of the girls and generally rowdy—always trying to impress us. In this class, we were introduced to a student named Shipali, who, according to the principal, was hard-of-hearing. One day, we received a letter from Shipali detailing her anxiety for her upcoming exams, pleading for our help. We observed that her written English was quite good, superior to her peers even—so we decided to continue corresponding via letter with her.

On the last day of class, we were introduced to Shipali’s father, Ashok Kumar. Though the students, the principal and staff and us teachers struggled to understand one another at times because of the language barrier, on the last day, it became clear to us why Shipali was hard-of-hearing—something I’d observed working closely with her, but never wanted to ask about. The principal revealed to us that she has a tumor.

At that moment, I felt helpless and angry that this was Shipali’s reality. At the same time, I was deeply moved and inspired by her. Despite her condition, she deeply values her education, and yearns to grow, perhaps more so than any of her peers.

I can only hope that Shipali, Claire and I will find a way to continue our correspondence and that future volunteers can satisfy her thirst for knowledge. In the meantime, the deep gratitude I have for iSPiiCE, VISION and each of my students makes my heart swell.

Shukriya (Thank you).

Sam Wisneski can be reached at wisn0046@stthomas.edu.