Attention all “Slumdog Millionaire” lovers and wannabes: during spring break of 2010, a group of BSM students will have the opportunity to spend 14 days traveling throughout India.

The trip is open to all students grades 9-12, and Sra. Lidibette Rosado-Guzman and Ms. Kathryn Green are hoping for 14 students to attend their trip, but they will accept many more. “One of the missions of the diversity office is to find ways to give students the opportunity to experience other cultures,  and we want as many kids to experience that as possible,” said PRO leader Sra. Guzman.

While the students will have the option of experiencing a new culture, Sra. Guzman believes a main benefit of the trip is the safety. “It’s an option to have a supervised spring break trip for parents. Most people go to Mexico, and Mexico is not a safe place to go for students if they are not supervised,” she said.

Throughout the trip students will be staying in hotels and eating authentic Indian food. “We will visit the local markets and only eat from reliable restaurants,” she said.

Students will also travel around the country, visiting a variety of cities, including Delhi and Cochin Town. “We will visit the Taj Mahal, take out a house boat, go on a safari, relax at the beach, visit local villages, [and] see a traditional martial arts demonstration,” said Sra. Guzman.

Students will also have to complete some volunteer work; however, the main focus of the trip is experiencing new social customs. “In the past we have been to Egypt and Ghana, but we want our students to experience other cultures,” she said.

Though Sra. Guzman believes students will greatly benefit from the experience, she also believes the students will benefit India itself. “We are serving, we are doing volunteer work. It benefits the tourism of the culture. We are building cultural bridges to a greater global understanding,” she said.
Any student interested in the trip, which will cost roughly $3,500, should see Sra. Guzman in her office as soon as possible.