Namaste Sangam!

Day Six: Conclusion

2010-01-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

Today was the last day of the Centre Team meeting. It started early with yoga again, and after breakfast, we had more reflections and team-building activities (it's been interesting and helpful to see what resources people bring from different parts of the world).

Later on, we all broke up into working groups and came up with some excellent ideas for Sangam. My group worked on creating a Sangam World Centre page on Facebook. Become a fan! We got 100 fans in less than 12 hours. Everyone at Sangam has worked together to help spread the word--the centre team, staff, programme volunteers, CVPs, program participants, independent guests...everyone! It's been really amazing watching live as the site grows, one fan at a time, from all over the world--this is WAGGGS in action. If we could do this, imagine what else we can do!!

We finished the meeting this afternoon, and everyone in the Sangam family joined us for a beautiful closing ceremony. Two of the team members from India left today--one to Mumbai and the other to Kashmir. I will head out tomorrow with another team member. It's sad to leave, but I know I'll be back! The day ended with a dip in the pool for an exciting game of volleyball. It was a blast to let loose after several days of meetings. Being on the Centre Team has been awesome so far, and I'm looking forward to a great year ahead.

Phir Milenge, Sangam!

Day Five: The Most-Traveled Girl Scout Cookies in the World!

2010-01-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

Today's meeting commenced with another yoga lesson. I gave a brief reflection and the programme manager provided a great team-building activity. Then, we were off, across town to visit Door Step School--one of Sangam's many community partners. Door Step School has over 100 locations--they bring school to children in neighborhoods all around Pune (and Mumbai), and also set up schools at construction sites, for children of construction workers.
Sangam sends Community Volunteers to these sites (like the two in the photo below). Community volunteers stay at Sangam for about three months, and visit their assigned site four days a week to provide lessons to the children. It's a great experience--I did it a few years ago.

When we visited each classroom, the kids showed off for us, singing songs and reciting their times tables in Marathi.
We came back and discussed more strategic planning, discussing programs, advocacy, grants, and working with the Friends of Sangam groups.

I brought several boxes of Girl Scout cookies to share with the group at afternoon tea (don't ask how I fit 8 boxes into my luggage!). The cookies were quite a hit! The Centre Team leader is from Australia had requested that I bring her some Samoas--she's going to have one box at home and will mail another box to her friend in Argentina. From Boston to Mumbai to Australia to Argentina...these have to be the most-traveled Girl Scout cookies in the world!!

Day Four: And the Meet Goes On

2010-01-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

We all woke up before dawn to the squawking of the ridiculously loud birds that live at Sangam. But, getting up early had its advantages since, this morning, a Sangam volunteer came to give a yoga lesson to refresh and energize us. The second day of our meeting commenced with a reflection and team building activity.

We did a lot of business today--slow-moving at times, but important to ensure smooth operation of the centre. One highlight was a tour of the Sangam property. There have been a lot of changes since we were here last April. Our vegetable garden is thriving--many of Sangam's meals include ingredients right from our backyard! And the landscaping overall looks great (as above). The entrances were each dressed up with a new gate of purple, Sangam's official color (below). The campsite continues to get nicer, and funds are being raised for the replacement of tent platforms. Overall, the site keeps looking nicer and nicer.

In the evening, we had a celebration with several of the Sangam community partners: people who teach Hindi, embroidery, warli art, cooking, etc. to program participants, as well as prominent figures in the local scout and guide organization. I got to see some of the people I met as a Community Volunteer in 2008--it was really great to catch up. Seeing all of these people in one place reminded me of how much Sangam is an integral part of the local community, and how there are so many people who care deeply about this world centre.

Day Three: The Centre Team Meeting Begins

2010-01-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

Our meeting began early this morning, with a special flag ceremony and a reflection that highlighted the creation of WAGGGS and the beginning of Sangam. Aruna, the House and Property Manager, performed an aarti and blessed us all.

Then we had a full day of meetings. We went over minutes and goals, evaluated performance, and brainstormed ideas for promoting the centre.

We discussed WAGGGS's 3-year plan and it's mission and themes for the triennium. Check out http://www.wagggsworld.org/en/about/100years for information about the celebrations going on for the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides, and how you can get in on the action. GSUSA will host an international event in 2012 in addition to the centenary festivities. There definitely seems to be some exciting things ahead.

In addition to a productive meeting, we also met all of the Sangam staff at morning tea (chai and Tim-Tams!), got to hang out some more at teatime in the afternoon and evening (gotta love the thrice-a-day teatime), met the local Girl Guide group who performed some songs for us, and played a roaring game of trivia at night. And one team member showed us a video of "The Girl Effect" which mirrors some of our goals.

There are still some spaces left in Sangam events later this year. Trust, me, they're amazing. Check out the 2010 and 2011 schedules. And visit the website at the end of this month for even more info.

And, check out the homepage of the Sangam website--you might see a familiar photo!

Day Two: First Things First--Shopping!

2010-01-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

After taking some time to overcome my jet lag, I woke up just in time for lunch at Sangam—always Indian, always vegetarian, and always the best Indian meal I’ve ever tasted. We had samosas, rice and dal, and I remembered one of (the many!) reasons why I loved staying at Sangam.

After lunch, I joined Vicki and Judy (two of the the Sangam Team members, both from Australia) for some shopping down Laxmi road. Inevitably, on the way there, we got distracted by a couple of sari shops and had to take a look. The variety of colors, styles, and fabrics puts any U.S. store to shame. (Check out the photo--riding in the rickshaw, we passed right by a bunch of cows in the road.)

We picked up some camises (the top of the salwar camise/ “Punjabi suit”), some scarves, and tons of bindis! Vicki and Judy are making preparations for World Sangam Day this fall. I hope to talk with Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts to see if we can do something locally to celebrate it, too. There will be festivities all over the world, so I’m hoping some American Girl Scouts can join in.

We came home in time for dinner, where we continued to meet people from around the world. There are currently staff and volunteers from: the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, Germany, Hungary, and Malaysia. Staying at a World Centre, it seems like you never know who you're going to meet next and which country they'll be from!

Tomorrow, the Centre Team meeting begins--we'll get down to business right at 8am. More info, and an inside look at the committee then!

Day One: The Journey

2010-01-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

Today, I journeyed from Boston to Frankfurt to Mumbai to Pune. The trip seemed endless, but my excitement for what lay ahead kept me going. Finally, after much anticipation and exhaustion, I arrived at Sangam, welcomed by some local staff members sitting outside of Sangam’s ever-open doors.

Despite the long journey, I’m definitely looking forward to my second annual meeting of the Sangam Centre Team, a committee of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It’s great to be involved in a group that can make a difference for girls all over the world. I learned a lot last year—about global scouting, operations at a world centre, and I made friends from around the globe. I’m sure this year promises the same.

But first, some sleep…