Rising Star has been such an amazing experience, and I promise I'm in the process of getting my final two posts done about my last day and my feelings about the trip as a whole. They will be up soon; it's just very hard to put into words, and I really want to get it right.

However, this post I think is slightly different then anything so far, and kind of a funny one if I may say so myself.

While we were in New Delhi, we all noticed something interesting. Everywhere we went people would simply stare. It's kind of awkward because even if you look back at them, it doesn't faze anyone. I think it's just different then in America. Not only do we get stared at but people are constantly pulling out camera phones and taking pictures. Although as a group of 17 girls and 1 boy, we were a pretty entertaining bunch in New Delhi, we're like the entertainment. So, for your enjoyment and just to give you a taste, I have a few pictures that I've taken all over of the crowds that gather. I'm not going to lie, it's almost like having our own paparazzi (although I'm not really sure what they do with the pictures they take, and not to mention I'm probably talking or blinking in most of them:))

This first picture is from our point of view. That's our tour guide taking a group picture (the guy in the black shirt) of us in front of the Taj. Please note the crowd gathered and the guy on the far right with his camera out.

Another group watching Chelsea get her picture taken.

The group that followed us all through Agra fort.

Another picture from our point of view -- yupp that camera is pointed at us too.

and a few more

It's hard to tell but these guys were watching us get our elephant rides. They were calling up friends that came on their motorcycles. The crowd just kept growing!

And last but not least at the hotel pool!

But hey, who can blame them when this is our mode of transportation:

"Nothing screams tourist like a big orange bus with 'tourist' written across the front!"

And you may be thinking, "Kenzie, how did you entertain yourself in the back of the bus on the 6-hour bus ride to the hotel while everyone else was exhausted and staring out the windows like zombies?"

Funny you should ask, let me show you:

the front of the bus

the middle of the bus

the back of the bus

Yes, yes that is me with my face pressed up against the glass, slightly embarrassing, but definitely worth watching the expressions of the people staring change from  blank, almost angry-looking stares, to looks of pure shock once they spotted me at the back as we zoomed by.

Once the other volunteers rejoined the living and realized what had been going on, they all joined in and laughed so hard at the reactions and laughs we got. I will miss all of the people here; we have so much fun together just being ridiculous.

(and thank you to Jenny for having us recreate this moment in pictures for the full effect after hearing how I had entertained myself)

with great love,

Kenzie