A Brief Overview of SERVICE DAY at RSIC '09

A Brief Overview of SERVICE DAY at RSIC '09

Abby F. '12

Our second day here at the conference began with chocolate donuts, corn, and lemon tarts for breakfast. It it interesting how the conference organizers seem to think that foreigners eat lemon squares for breakfast, but it is a nice treat. As I sat with five Indian girls at breakfast, they asked me if this was a typical breakfast for Americans. Hopefully I explained to them well enough that I do not eat desserts for breakfast every morning.

The theme for the day was service, and it kicked off with a keynote address from Mr. Sachin Pilot, the youngest person elected to Parliament at the age of 26 in 2004. Mr. Pilot stressed the challenges that face the democracies around the world, and stated his firm belief that no type of democracy works for every country.

Mr. Pilot is a particularly interesting and inspring young man, but we also remarked on his good looks. I wondered if it was maybe just us Hotchkiss delegates who found him particularly attractive, but an Indian girl in my room told me that he is a beloved celebrity in this country, not only because of his good looks but also because of his record-breaking acheivements. Her friends screamed when they found out she would be hearing him, and they told her to get his autograph. It is interesting that kids across the country idolize him, and that he is as well known for his good looks as for his politics.

Later in the afternoon, we were all seperated into various service projects. I found myself doing an art project which they later wanted me to buy- an intersting service project in a country where more than 40% of the people live in slums. I found it difficult to reconcile the idea that there are 700 people here for this conference and we are waited on day and night, and yet we could not even get out of the school to help out in the community for service day. I think it is something worth considering- not everyone's idea of service is going into the community and interacting with those who need service.

The evening ended with a rehearsal for mulitcultural night. We got together with the other three American schools to decide on a performance that represented American culture. Some people argued for Hannah Montana, so it took a while for us to try to talk them out of that. We eventually decide on "Surfin' USA," which is not the most accurate representation of the whole of America, but we came up with a fun dance that was easy to learn.

The Importance of Asking Questions

I want to end with a short summary of theme that has manifested itself here at the conference many times. Many of our keynote speakers have stressed the importance of asking questions. As I heard their claims that just asking a question can start to solve a multitude of global problems, I wondered just how true that is. As the conference has progressed, I have come across many instances where the truth of their claims is visible.

Whenever I meet someone new, our conversation is usually comprised of back and forth questioning. It seems like an awkward way to lead a conversation, but at the same time, it is almost the only way to get to know new people. I know nothing about most of their cultures, and the only way for me to discover the similarities and differences between my lifestyle and theirs is to ask the questions. If we all got to know each other a little better around the world, we might better understand the "others" that we are so fearful of.

This also applies to the idea of environmentalism, which has been discussed at the conference numerous times. If you ask yourself, "do I really need to buy that car?" or "Should I throw away all that food that is still perfectly edible?" we could greatly reduce the ridiculous consumption that makes America the leading producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the world.

In India, the Right to Information Act allows all citizens to ask questions and to get answers. It requires the government to publicize their accounts to whomever desires them. This has allowed many Indians to becoime more informed and responsible voters, but more importantly, it has started to solve the problem of tax money being absorbed into the government and then disappearing. It would be wonderful to see a law such as this one passed in the U.S.A. Mr. Pilot discussed how positively it has affected India, and how it is the only law of its kind in the world.

Lastly, the theme of asking questions relates to the conference theme: "lead me from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge." Personally, I believe that the more questions we ask, the closer we get to light. We will never fully understand our world, but we can definitely take steps toward that when we discover the answers to some of our burning questions.

Goodbye from India- we look forward to sharing more of our experiences with the Hotchkiss community upon our return!