A Trip Across the World

All my future U.T. LONGHORNS!!!

Happy New Year! I definitely ended my year with a “bang” with my trip to Bangladesh. My 3 week visit was extremely eventful as I was reunited with many family members from across the world for my cousin, Munia’s, wedding! On top of being a “chief bridesmaid” for my cousin, I was thrilled to visit the DCI orphanage in Mohummadpur, Bangladesh. On my previous visit to Bangladesh, shortly after my crowning in spring, the orphanage fully supported 12 young girls whose ages range from about 5-10. Upon my recent arrival I was overtaken with joy to see many recognizable smiling faces along with 6 new ones! 

Always love leaving a great message in the guest book!

The 18 young girls attend school regularly, attend dance and voice lessons, play outdoors, and practice religion. This visit was exceptionally special because I was also joined by my older sister, Lira, who is a 3^rd year medical student. The moment I swept through the door with her, we were encircled by such beautiful and elated young girls, all tugging on my arms shouting “Lora Apu, Lora Apu!” (Apu is a term often used to refer to elder sisters as a sign of respect) I don’t know if I was more excited that the girls remembered who I am, or that they were so well-mannered, well-groomed, intelligent, and
HAPPY.

Throughout my entire visit, I never witnessed a girl without a smile on her face. It brought me so much happiness to learn about each and every young lady, and their intelligence and manners that definitely reflected. Every single girl could have a conversation with me in English: telling me how old she is, her name, and even miscellaneous things like her favorite animal! I am a true believer in the fact that you always learn something new; they even taught me some Bengali nursery rhymes! In response to this, we all sat in a circle as I taught them the “itsy bitsy spider”,
which was one of my favorites while I was growing up. I admit that I began tearing up as the girls repeated my hand motions and phrases so immaculately.

Talking to the girls is my favorite part of every visit!

Although my time with the girls was limited, we did get to go on a little adventure. The road we were walking on was broken so we had to cross a major body of water, full of sewer water, using merely an unstable plank of wood. As we carefully helped each other cross, the girls were excited to talk to me on the walk back to the orphanage building from their picnic. I was so proud to see that the library I started in March 2011 through my scholarship program, Learning Creates Futures, is still up and flourishing more than ever!

The girls and I love to take walks around Bangladesh

At the end of my visit, the girls enjoyed cutting the chocolate cake that, I so proudly decorated myself from a hut on the streets of Bangladesh. As I was leaving one of the girls, Shilpi, held my hand and pointed to herself then me and said “you, me, sisters”. At that point I could not hold my tears in. Overwhelmed with emotions, I grabbed her and all the girls and squeezed them as tight as I could. I left that evening promising to return in August 2012. I am already anxiously counting down the days until I will be reunited with my girls as an executive youth leader for the annual Convention for Child Rights and Sight in Bangladesh.