We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. We often restrict to our personal desires, sometimes we don’t know what’s happening around us, we learn, we observe, we follow but the most important thing we human beings never practice is knowing ourselves. We are on a never ending journey and, unlearning can lead to self-growth, forgiveness, self-compassion, and self-love, that is what the IDYE has taught me.
Now let me tell you what is IDYE ? Inter District Youth Exchange (IDYE) is a program that supports the motive of Rotaract, i.e. understanding the world as a system, friendship and peace by increasing awareness and respect for cultural differences. It can be achieved by sending the Rotaractors to visit other Rotaract Districts to instill the idea of “Fellowship through Service”.
My experience was quite amazing, the hospitality, welcoming faces of roctractors of RID 3054 was overwhelming. Three days literally flew by, and it didn’t feel like we were strangers. The whole environment of Kutch- Mandvi beach, Vande Mataram memorial, Vijay Vilas palace Adani port, Cat garden, Aaina mahal, Prag mahal, Rotary forest and many more drew us into happiness straight away. Also performed and enjoyed high energy traditional folk dance of Gujarat, Garba and Dandiya which is usually enjoyed during the Navaratri festivities. I would like to urge everyone to go for this programme once in a lifetime. For me IDYE is not just a programme but a way of life. It represents, friendship, fun, networking, sharing, learning, encouraging and most importantly growing together.
IDYE is a platform which prepares us for the real world, motivates us to learn, unlearn, discover, experience and consume the tangible & intangible cultural attractions in that region. These attractions relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that embrace arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, music, and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value system, beliefs and traditions.
In the end I must say, if you are a young, physically fit, hungry to learn, I urge you to be a traveller and travel as much as possible. Try new things, meet new people, find out how other people live and eat, learn from them, share the knowledge, try to find out the purpose and look beyond what’s right in front of you. These are the tools which help us understand this amazing world we live in.