She was at Tahir Square, with thousands of other compatriots, doing her bit to ensure a better future. The girl next to her had knocked on doors, persuaded and convinced people of authority to let her represent her country and be a role model to millions of girls back home. Another one had dreams of bringing together young leaders in her country to allow them to learn, share and experience. The fourth wanted to send school supplies to her native land, contributing to the education of underprivileged children of the developing country. Yet, just that minute, all their dreams were on stand-by and they were on my bed, laughing, talking and learning about each other.
I Live 2 Lead
There I was, a college student from south India sharing the moment with girls from Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Liberia and the Philippines, along with all over Europe. Coming from contrasting cultural milieu, we all chased the same goal — to impact the lives of those around us, to make a difference where it counts, to be a leader in our own little spheres. At I Live 2 Lead’s International Young Women’s Leadership Summit at Munich, Germany, we all spent a week together learning the arts of leadership, networking and teamwork, introspecting to find our mission and inspiration and getting the opportunity to practise these skills at the DLDwomen conference in the city. Hobnobbing with the who’s who of Germany, we were introduced to the world of professionalism and it took all we had to not just stand and gape in awe.
Lessons learnt
Whether it be at the picturesque hills near the Austrian border or the chic conference halls of Haus der Kunst, Munich, the entire trip was made of the people and the experiences. Learning to yodel, performing on stage, participating in a workshop for empowered women from around the world or just exploring the streets of Munich by ourselves, it taught us perhaps the most important lesson of all — if you look hard enough, there will always be people to hold your hand and help you cross the road.
New beginning
The night of goodbyes was one of teary farewells and bear hugs. Passersby on the streets would have hardly guessed that this congregation of girls were complete strangers less than a week ago. Over those six days, a bond had been formed, a bridge had been built. This connection would span continents, languages and ethnicities. Almost a month after my return, we still email multiple times a week, sharing stories about our lives and motivating each other when the going gets tough. Looking back to my trip, I realise that my pride does not come from being a delegate at an international conference or representing my country but rather from meeting inspirational young women from around the world and knowing that whether I am in Cairo or Manila, Washington or Bishkek, I will be home.
The writer is a student of humanities, IIT-Madras.
