On one of the final days of my Round Square service project in India, I found myself sitting in the back seat of a safari car, speeding through the jungle of Panna Tiger Reserve. As we came face to face with a tiger in its natural habitat, it made me think about what a challenge it would be to describe this whole amazing trip. That reflection came not just from seeing a tiger, but also from helping nearly 1000 people at a village health camp, visiting traditional Indian temples, building a library to help many villagers, and making powerful friendships.

After landing at Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi and uniting with the trans-Tasman contingent, our first trip in a local taxi was quite the experience. It turns out that seatbelts are optional in India and that includes installation, and traffic lanes are simply a guide, plus the city’s vibrancy hit me – both in sound and colour. Meanwhile, having to hand over our phones, we quickly made friends without the distraction of devices.

After a night in a hotel, we headed to the train station to catch the Vande Bharat Express to Khajuraho. During our nine-hour journey, we saw much of the region before stepping off the train onto a crowded platform that included cows. We were soon on our way to Ken River Lodge in Panna, the base for our service project.

During a traditional welcome, we were given marigold garlands and a tilak (sacred mark) was made on our foreheads. I soon discovered that I was sharing a cabin with eight other students from India, Australia, Germany, and Kenya, while a very street-smart rat lived in the air conditioner, closing the vent behind it as it entered to avoid being seen.

Following an early start the next day, we arrived at our library construction site, picked up our traditional tools, and were soon laying bricks, shovelling and moving dirt, mixing mortar, breaking up rocks, and compacting the dirt to be used for the floor. While the work was challenging, the company and the end goal made it much easier. It was very uplifting to be able to hand over the site to local builders to complete the library.

However, one of the most rewarding experiences was setting up a health camp for villagers in the Rajgarh district in Madhya Pradesh. We checked blood pressure and eyesight, distributed glasses, and dispensed medicine. It was so rewarding to be able to help so many people and see the joy in people’s faces. One woman was simply amazed that her eyes ‘worked again’ after receiving glasses.

We were also fortunate to visit the stunning Khajuraho temples and go on safari. It was exhilarating to see tigers, elephants, and vultures in the jungle environment. Throughout my stay, I met truly amazing people, made a difference, and established strong friendships – all while working together in an incredible environment with no distractions.

At Christ’s College, Round Square and school exchanges open the gates to a world of opportunities and adventures. Our exchanges include United World College Singapore, St. Paul's Co-educational College in Hong Kong, Dunn School in California, Providence Day School in North Carolina, and Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. Senior students can also attend this year’s Round Square International Conference, hosted by Barker College in Sydney, while boys can apply for an upcoming Round Square service project in South Africa.