Esperanza's Trip to India!

Objective: I am reaching out to ask for donations for a service trip to India that I have been invited to through the YES+ Program. Attending yoga sessions at Lehigh University has inspired me to dive deep into yoga/meditation, which is one of the reasons that I hope to go to India. This would be a great cultural experience and will contribute to my growth as a human being and help bridge gaps across many cultures. For more information about the YES+ Workshop, please visit: http://dustintd.wix.com/lehighyesplusclub#!workshop/citr For more information about the India Service Trip, please visit: http://sevatrip.org/?page_id=65 If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at [email redacted]. If word spreads and I receive $5.00 per person, it can really add up. Even $1.00 makes a difference! Any donation, big or small, is graciously appreciated! Thank you for your time! Background: After attending a few yoga sessions on campus throughout the summer of 2013, put on by Dustin Dannenhauer at Lehigh University, I became interested in the group that he established on campus: Lehigh YES+. As a result of my interest in this group, I decided to attend the YES+ Workshop, which took place at Lehigh University on Friday, 11/15/2013 until Monday, 11/18/2013. Once this requirement was completed, I became eligible to attend the second part, a service trip to India from Thursday, 12/26/2013 until Saturday, 01/11/2014. This trip involves traveling to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, India. My stay abroad would involve taking courses exploring the art of yoga/meditation, and committing to volunteer initiatives. "Women's Empowerment and Health" is the initiative I am most looking forward to. After speaking with Lauren Grieco, an organizer of this trip, I learned that we will have the opportunity to communicate with the women of rural India to be exposed to their culture and role in society and to share ours as well. Through this trip, I want to find a greater scope of how to make an impact. Not only am I able to make a difference in India, but this would give me the experience and confidence to do activities that will benefit my local community here in the states. For instance, while the student population in our nation has high rates of depression and suicide, yoga/meditation are effective ways to reduce this; with my experience in India, I would be more knowledgeable of yoga/meditation techniques and learn ways to help share it with others. These exercises are for people of any age, and are sure to keep your energy and spirituality up. I promise to return with peace and good spirits!