The Unexplained Feeling

Since it was my first time on a outdoor management program on such a large scale with so many new faces around me and yet none known to me. The journey started from waking up @ 5 in the morning and realizing that one can wake up in the morning before the sun . So I packed up my stuff and head out for the campus to report . As soon as we all gathered in the campus , we were locked and loaded in the buses and left for our journey. Singing and introductions along the way made the journey shorter and much more amusing. bright eyed students looking out the windows of the bus which is moving swiftly on the curvy mountain roads. That smell of absolutely fresh air with not a single ounce of pollution in it made it more refreshing. Finally , the bus stopped and we got out of the bus and saw the gate of “Surya Shibir” which essentially was a valley surrounded by mountains and river . But a wave of shock and awe was across when students started to realize that there wasn’t a mobile network in the area . Slowly people started to accept the fact and moved on to their rooms to get changed and report to “duty” as the coordinators ” The Colonels” were really strict about the timings. So we reported at the “Rang Manch” and was divided into 8 groups from A to H and briefed about the day they have planned for us today . Teams A to D pulled their socks up and left for a 5km Trek through the mountain range. I was in Group – H or “Hot Pink” as named by the members of my team. We and the rest of the group started to perform some team building activities which wasn’t b not at all boring as it sounds . We performed trust exercises , group three legged races , et cetera and trust me it just sound easy . We all ended up with dirty sweaty clothes but have developed a sense of confidence and mutual trust amongst each other .
In the evening , all the groups were told to perform an activity for 10mins as a group . There were skits , dances , songs , love stories , fashion show . The most fascinating thing about this activity was that all the things were prepared and performed in the span of 3 hours . Then we all had dinner and went to our rooms where we had 60 boys in one big room .One could imagine the kind of scenario all of us could create. But people were so exhausted that we literally slept over each other . The Night rushed through and sun was on our heads . But before the sun could wake us up , one of the coordinators were in our room shaking all the beds and waking people up for the 5km trek for the rest of the groups. We all got up and left the area only with some tea in the morning. With each passing moment and every step taken by everyone and the sun not making our task any easier made us all remember the hardships we have been through all our life’s and made us realize the efforts we need to make to overcome all the obstacles in life. The mountain became steeper and even harder to climb and so does life. At the first checkpoint , we realized that some of our team members are left behind and so we decided that we will take everyone together “no man left behind” . We crossed the rough and rocky terrain as a team and didn’t leave anybody behind as promised . On the way we came across some berry’s and mangoes which was shown to us by colonel . Everyone loved eating those all the way down . At the end of the trek when we reached back to the “Surya Shibir” campus we all realized that with a little support and a little team work there isn’t a mountain high enough that we can’t climb .Then we all had this creative activity of banner making which brought out the artist in us. Finally , it was time to bid adieu to this world and go back to the real world but prepared. We all thanked all the colonels and the coordinators for making it a wonderful one.
It made us all overcome our initial fear of talking to a unknown person and made him/her a friend for a lifetime , made us realize the importance of team work and trust in others. By the time we all reached the buses to come back we all had three things with us New way to Look at life , New friends and a Big Smile on our faces . This Outdoor Management Program has Not just brought us closer to each other but also have thought us how to work with others , listen to their ideas and opinions and also accept them . The way to sum it all up in my words would be :
“LIFE IS A JOURNEY AND NOBODY LIKES TO TRAVEL ALONE”

Submitted by
Rahul Simon
Div-D
SCIT – ITBM