Keystone Magazine 3rd Issue | Page 19

6 April, Enroute to Bandipur Victor, David and Andy Day2 Today, we spent most of the day on the bus. The ride was quite tiring. But we kept ourselves entertained on the bus with a few games. And the drive was scenic - everything was green and clear. We also walked across a long cable bridge above a river. It was the most interesting thing we did on our way to Bandipur. Once we arrived in Bandipur, we settled into our rooms, and then gathered to reflect on the first two days of our trip. Later, we played soccer with local residents and other tourists. For some of us, it was the first time we played soccer, but we really enjoyed it. Day3 7 April, Service Day at Local Bandipur School Jack P. and Tony W. Today is the fourth day of our journey. We walked through a small village of Bandipur to a school. We worked with the students to plant trees and flowers on the school grounds. We separated into a few groups together with the local students. We worked together and planted over 60 flowers and trees we brought. At the end of the day, everyone played a game of ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’. Following our service work, we reflected individually on a hike near the school. We sat on our own on the hill and experienced nature silently. We reviewed the things we did so far, and had a good time. Marley A. Today was an important day in my life. I saw the sun rise and set, and the galaxy against the Himalayas, all in one day. At 5am Crystal, Cindy and I woke up, put on our jackets, and walked out onto the soccer field outside the hotel. The sky was still dark, but I could see a hint of light far behind the mountains. The big round moon was so bright in the sky, but the stars had disappeared. The sunrise was a one-and-a-half-hour process. Though we were extremely sleepy, we sat through it. It was magical! Compared to the sunrise, the stars at night were more fascinating to me. I didn’t look up until my friends asked me to. Having lived and grown up in a big city since childhood, I assumed there were no stars in the sky. I saw the constellations for the first time in my life. It was exhilarating to see it so close and so big. The sky looked like it was just above our heads, and was so flat and broad. It was a wonderful new experience for me. This day was one of the most memorable days in my life. The meaning of life and the universe changed in my mind. www.keystoneacademy.cn 15