Hi there! The newsletter will be back for the rest of the summer. So in my previous news letter, you got to read about my wonderful work experience teaching swimming in India. In this blog, I will be talking about life in India beyond the pool: what it is like to do business in this country and what we did in our spare time.

    I would be lying if i said we had a ton of free time on our hands. We did attempt some sightseeing at the very end of our stay, but it sadly didn't work out due to it being the rainy season as well as some transportation issues we had at the end of our trip. One thing that is unquestionable is the amount of beautiful and lovely people I met in India. I was one of only two American women there to teach swimming. Even though we were small in number, we bonded and became very close with some of our Indian clients and coworkers! A few times we were invited to their homes for tea or coffee! We were told by many of the parents that we were the highlights of their children’s day. It felt good to know that we were making such a positive impact on the kids in and out of the pool.

    We only had one day of the week where we were off, so we usually bought groceries in an outdoor market, washed our clothes, and cooked. The place we stayed in ended up being very nice; my housemate and I each had our own room, bathroom, and washer and dryer, and you can’t forget an AC unit. I learned so much beyond swimming through the experience and I’m very grateful that I got to go. If you're ever going to be in a foreign country there are three rules I have compiled.

1.If you don't feel comfortable with something, say something. You are the best advocate for yourself, so when something doesn't feel right, speak up about it.

2.Try doing some research before you commit to a program. You want to know what you're getting into before you fully commit.

3.If it's a work trip, you're going to be working a lot. So don’t think of it as a vacation.

These are just a few thoughts about my experience teaching in India. Travel teaches you so much! Don’t pass up on an opportunity to expand your horizons when it presents itself!