By Thomas Jackman-Kuwabara

One of my most memorable moments was seeing the Taj Mahal over the summer and getting caught in the moment. 

In the hours before arriving at the world wonder in Agra, India, my mind was racing with many different thoughts. My biggest concern for myself and my fellow trip mates was getting drenched by the amount of rainfall, as it was monsoon season. 

When we finally arrived at the site, everyone got off the bus and prepared to see this amazing architectural feat. As I opened my umbrella and offered my umbrella-holding service to a friend, Molly, it hit me, I was finally going to the Taj Mahal! It didn’t just hit me, it hit me really hard, like walking into a wall or stop sign.

At that moment and for the next few minutes, I completely zoned out and could barely understand what my friends were saying. Eventually, I started to chat with people nearby me about what an amazing experience we were about to have, and my excitement grew. 

After a 10 minute walk, we arrived at security, got our tickets, and entered the property where the Taj Mahal is. We arrived at another amazing building first and had some photos of us taken. After our photoshoot, we walked 150 meters, made a turn through an archway, and there it was in the distance, . . . the Taj Mahal. My jaw dropped. It was amazing.

I was caught in the moment. My mind stopped racing. As I looked around, took photos, and tried to avoid puddles on the ground, I soaked in the moment as much as possible.