Namaste from Chamba!

I hope you are all doing well back home, I love and miss you all. We left just over a week ago on this wonderful, amazing journey that we have spent so much time preparing for, and every day of the trip thus far has been beyond what I can describe with words. I don’t want to say anything cliché, like, “I am having so much fun here, its so surreal, I don’t even know what to think!” because I know exactly what I’m thinking and feeling, and it is incredible. The feeling evoked by being here, and being with the children we have spent the last year preparing to see, is simply put, eye opening. They have so little here, and yet they are so happy. I am working at Sahoo, and the first day we came to teach we saw the children just over the crest of the hill on the way to the school, leaning out the windows, erupting into huge cheers and spilling into the school yard upon seeing us. Here we are, about 30 strangers from America that these kids have never met nor know anything about, and yet they were so happy to see us. Spending time in the school these last few days, its been me trying to teach the 57 kids we work with, and yet I’ve found that its them that has taught me. I know that may sound strange, or hard to believe, or probably even cliché, but it couldn’t be more true. They’re so humble, and they’re so easy to love and willing to love back, that I feel every one of us could learn something from them and their hope and joy. Every morning I wake up, tired from jet-lag and lack of sleep, not to mention consuming nothing but curry for the past week and taking cold bucket showers, but every day I have more fun than the day before, and I know that there is nothing that I would rather be doing. This is one of the best experiences I have ever had, and as we move into our last few days with the kids I’m going to make the most of every minute. Though it will break my heart to reach the day when we can no longer say “kal milenge” to the children at the end of the day, I know that I’ll always remember the experiences I’ve had here, and I know that the kids will never forget either. I love each and every one, and I am so happy to tell all you back home the memories and experiences I’ve had here. I love you all and I’ll see you soon!

Love, Jacob

PS-Mom and dad, I really need you to register for me at the U by December 1^st, sorry about that, love you!