Over the summer, Devika Kumar ’17 traveled to an exotic country where she got a kiss on the cheek from a boy.

As much as it sounds like a standard summer vacation, Kumar’s story was significantly more life-changing and eye-opening.

Through the Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development, Kumar visited northern India along with 24 other applicants. Together, they performed service work in rural villages while also gaining insights in a lifestyle that is completely different from that of America.

“I really wanted to try this opportunity to give back because I had never done anything like it,” Kumar said.

Kumar had multiple motivations to go on this service project trip.

“[The project] took place in a part of India I’d never been to before, so I was definitely intrigued,” Kumar said. “Plus I have an interest in global affairs, international relations, and the Peace Corps.”

Kumar spent two weeks in India. Every day, she and the organization visited a different village. They worked with the disabled people, women, teenage girls, and children of the villages. In order to gain familiarity, Kumar spend time playing games, dancing, and singing with the villagers.

“It was a very surreal moment for me,” Kumar said. “It was early on, and I was like ‘wow, is this even real’. [The villagers] were so open and accepting of us.”

Kumar’s most memorable moment was one with a boy named Aayush. Just four years old, Aayush has microcephaly, or abnormal smallness of the head.

“He couldn’t really stand or move,” Kumar said. “He was really sweet to me, and he was hanging onto me and kissing me on the cheek. It was really sweet. It almost made me cry.”

In addition to working with the people of India, Kumar also got to experience the Indian scenery.

“We got split up in groups, and our chaperone took us to some rivers,” Kumar said. “There’s so many casual rivers there, and it was just beautiful. It was an incredibly moment because the nature was so breath-taking.”

The trip to India allowed Kumar to gain a new perspective to life. She observed the stark differences between the culture of her urban American city and the culture of the rural Indian village.

“Even though these people had so much less compared to us, they were so much happier,” Kumar said. “They were content with that they did, and they never complained about how much they had to work. It taught me a lot about being happy with your circumstances and adapting your attitude to fit the situation.”

Kumar’s experience in India has fueled her passion for service work. With her new insights and awareness, Kumar is grateful for her opportunity.

“I’m really thankful for having this opportunity open to me because I know that would never get anything like it in America,” Kumar said. “I just hope that I can do it again in the future.”