by Aqsa Ali, PhD student in Public Administration from Pakistan
“The best autumn colors in the last ten years and the finest sunset to enjoy the buggy ride”, these were the words of the man giving us the buggy ride last Saturday. I have been at Penn state Harrisburg for the last three years but never got a chance to sign up for the Amish country trip arranged by the Global Lion Mentors (GLM). This year I decided to have a thorough Amish experience… 27 students from PSU joined us and we drove to Lancaster to enjoy the Amish Experience. That experience was based on learning their history, exploring the local culture, and understanding the values that make them unique ... The most surprising thing was that the children from level one to eight study in the same room, taking the same courses with only slight variations. Every school is a mile away from the kids’ houses and is managed by just one female teacher. …The houses had no electricity and the Amish used other sources of energy like wood and propane. The most interesting and joyful part of the Amish Experience was the buggy ride … The main destination of this trip was Kitchen Kettle Village. It was a beautiful marketplace, showcasing crafts and food. We ended the trip with lots of fun, learning and an afternoon spent well.