The thing about being a Scottishite is that you’re never short of experiences for life. This year, Scottish organised an SUPW trip to a place where we would have to step out of our comfort zones, and adapt to the unattended and underdeveloped rural areas. I think I speak for all the boys when I can say that Saguna Baug was a wonderful experience, which reminded us where our roots are. Before reaching Saguna Baug, we went to an animal farm, where inter species bonding was promoted. Students got the chance to mingle with 86 wounded, stranded or estranged dogs, horses, donkeys, cats, and other animals. As a prospective doctor, and a keen observer and volunteer, I got to help operate three animals, which included removing maggots from inside the bodies of two dogs, and the sterilisation of a male cat. From the animal farm, we made our way to Saguna Baug, where room allotment was both a priority and a cause for temporary alliances, false promises and other such regular deals. Once we settled in, we went for a nature trail, where a guide walked us through several species of plants, most of whose names were pure fantasy to us. Boys being boys began to name each other using these names! Imagine calling someone Triticum Aestaevum (wheat). In the evening, we had a bonfire, where the students had to organise a skit, a song and a dance. The night was chaotic but at the same time, extremely good fun! When teenagers are told something, in all likelihood, they will do the exact opposite. So, when we were told to sleep early, you can imagine what would have happened! We talked, played cards, and retold ghost stories which we all pretty anticlimactic. The next morning, we woke up to go to a school, so that we could donate stationery to the children there. In our own small way, we wanted to help the underprivileged children who deserved all these amenities, just as much as we did. That brought an end to the activities that had been organized for us. The students were then free to try activities within Saguna Baug, which included cycling, rifle shooting, archery and zip lining. We used the empty stretch of land to play cricket, football and generally pass time until lunch, after which we would leave for Bombay. Finally, it was time to bid farewell to Saguna Baug. Back in the bus, every single student sat down and caught up on the sleep we hadn’t got in the past two days. The long awaited ‘SUPW trip’ had finally come to an end but it was just the start of the repeated inside jokes and the everlasting memories that we took with us from this wonderful trip!
-Sai Narimetla, 11B