Mia Allgood • Junior • Violin
Entering the doors of Carmel High School, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me. The jet lag from our flight had finally caught up to me; I was stuck in PST. After our performance, we had the opportunity to socialize with the members of the CHS orchestra. Feeling foggy, I did not have enough energy to strike up conversations. I was approached by two wind players from the orchestra and found myself engaged in our conversation despite feeling exhausted. We chatted about the festival, our instruments, and our home life. Concluding the small tour they gave me, I met more of their friends and they met some of mine. We took pictures together and added each other on social media. During our conversations, I was surprised to find out that Carmel High School is home to over 5,000 students. Twice as many as Buchanan!
Boarding the bus to head back to our hotel, I realized that I will never see these faces again. I made new friends with people I would have never met otherwise. The beauty of making friends in faraway places is that you get to learn about their cultures and experiences. Even if it was only for an hour, I made memories that will last a lifetime.
