Worth every bit!

I spent two weeks volunteering with community children and women through iSpiice and it was an incredibly enriching experience.
Viki, the host, is a wonderful person, cooking homecooked meals every day with homegrown ingredients from the surrounding fields. His wife Bindu and son Kitu are two extremely kind-hearted and bright people - making you feel at home at the volunteering site, their home. The village is small, tucked away in the mountains, away from the hussle of a city and tourists. The walk from the campus to the volunteering site is a gorgeous 15min walk through the rice fields. It creates for an intimate experience with the nature around, the kids, the community, the food, and the culture. You don’t feel like a tourist here. You live the life of the people in the village - simply, peacefully, and seasonally.
The trekking weekend was a definite highlight of my time. Despite the fact that we went during the off-season (monsoon) and were soaked for the entire hike with most of the view covered in mist, the entire experience was so much fun. We had a great guide, and the view from the camping site once the sky cleared up was breathtaking and worth every millimetre of sweat and rain! The food (dinner and breakfast) cooked by the guides was absolutely delicious. (See photo)
I finished my time with a trip to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Definitely worth the trip!! The hotel had a view of the Taj Mahal and it was only a 5min tuktuk ride away from the mausoleum. The whole trip was super well organised - I felt safe and guided the whole way!
Wish I could stay longer but I’m so grateful for this enriching, inspiring, and spicy experience. :)