Reached the base camp of my 1st Solo Travel to India

Hey everyone! Right now, I'm sitting at the airport in Newark, waiting eagerly for our flight to Chennai, India. We got here at the Airport pretty early, and the rest of the members who were supposed to reach, are stuck in the snow storm.

BTW its early morning and I am still tired. Its been more than 3 hours, but I am not bored of waiting, as I love airports and everything about the planes and their functions is something that excites me the most. I can watch planes taking off for hours and hours. Also I have started reading Solo Leveling, a manga, but naturally its frustrating to wait. 

To be honest, I'm feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. I always thought I was pretty grown-up and independent, but now that I'm here, about to travel halfway across the world without my parents, it's a little overwhelming. I guess that's normal though, right? My cousin Adhvait is also one of the volunteers, and just knowing he's here with me makes me feel a lot better. It's like having a piece of home with me on this big adventure.

Mom always says a little nervousness is good because it means you care about what you're doing. I think she's right. This trip is a big deal—it's not just about going somewhere new; it's about helping out and learning from people who live a completely different life than I do.

Speaking of learning, a few months ago, Mom gave me this book called "The Innocents Abroad" by Mark Twain. It's all about his travels and adventures in Europe and the Middle East. There's this one quote that really stuck with me: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime”. I love that because it reminds me that when you travel, you open yourself up to new ideas and experiences. It's like stepping out of your comfort zone and into a whole new world of possibilities.

But, let me tell you about something funny that happened earlier. On the flight from Dallas to Newark, the flight steward asked if I wanted a sandwich. For some reason, I got all serious and said, "No thanks, I'm good." Looking back, I realize I probably sounded way too serious for just a sandwich! I hope I didn't come off as rude—I was just nervous and didn't know how to act.

I guess that's part of growing up, though, right? Learning how to handle new situations and not always getting it right the first time. I definitely don't want to be known as the kid who was rude to the flight steward! Note to self: relax and remember to smile more.

Despite the nerves and the funny moments, I'm starting to feel really excited about this trip. I mean, how many kids my age get to say they've traveled halfway around the world to volunteer in a village in India? It's like a dream come true! I can't wait to meet the other volunteers, explore Manjukudi, and see how we can make a difference together.

I think this trip will be more than just a chance to help others; it'll be a chance for me to grow and learn about myself too. Maybe I'll discover a passion for teaching or find out that I'm braver than I thought. Who knows?

Okay, I better wrap this up. Next time you hear from me, I'll be in Chennai, ready to begin this incredible adventure. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates from India!