« May 2008 | Main | July 2008 »
If you have received your notification of program acceptance and have not already done so, you should book your plane tickets with Sue Lai at Avia Travel by contacting her at Sue@aviatravel.com as soon as possible to secure your spot on the flight with the group. Be sure to identify yourself as a member of Global LAB's Fall 2008 India Semester.
Hi, my name is Doug. I'm 17 years old from the Washington DC suburb of Bethesda, MD. I have a very strong interest in Buddhism and Tibetan culture and a deep admiration and respect for the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama. I'm especially looking forward to spending time in Dharamsala and experiencing Tibetan culture first-hand.
Greetings from the Deep South, particularly: Alabama. My name is Wade and I'm a naive eighteen year old with a romantic vision of my own future. I live in Hoover, Alabama, which is a suburb of Birmingham and probably completely different from the average person's iea of any area within this state. Aside from living in a well-kept suburbia (where people wear shoes and fried chicken isn't the only food to devour, I might add), I'm a guy with lofty aspirations of a more free and creative life and plans to go to art school. I'm taking a gap year before college because I'm terribly afraid of jumping right into the more expensive and crucial part of education without more confidence in my person; I'd also like to have a more interesting and profound experience before college. Traveling to a different country is something I've always longed to do but have never been able to, and I cannot think of a better way to introduce myself to international but with a wonderful program sending young people to fascinating areas and fostering personal growth and development.
Hi everyone,
My name is Christina. I graduated this year from Lower Merion high school which is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, pa. I don't have any plans set in stone for college but art school is definitely a possibility. I love live music, film photography, hiking, wildlife, good company, improvement,etc. So far this summer has been quite the trip; I look foward to opening a new chapter this fall and experiencing it with all of you.
Love from the illadelph,
see you all soon!
-Christina
Hi everybody. Sandy here.
I'm 17 and just graduated from high school in Concord, Massachuestts.
I'm headed to Vassar in fall 2009, where I'm hoping to go into International
Development type-y stuff, so there seemed no better use for this year than
to defer and get out and be in the world.
So let's see, more about me:
I love spontaneous dance eruptions and/or bursting out into
random song, strawberry cheesequake blizzards from Dairy Queen, ice cream in
general, fireflies, stargazing, building forts, traveling, pushing myself to
try new things, collaging, scrubs, and shopping for craft supplies with my
mom for all the random projects we only sometimes get around to doing.
This summer I'm spending time doing a lot of babysitting and helping out at
my mom's school. For three weeks in August, too, I'm going to the mountains
of northern India (near Tibet), with a Tibetan Buddhist monk I know, to
visit a school he opened for local children a few years ago, which should be
so great. Knowing him has I think deepened my interest in India and eastern
culture, and was part of what drew me to this program as opposed to other
locations.
I am so excited. I can't believe we're leaving in a matter of weeks-- I
can't wait to meet you all soon!!
Love,
<3 sandy
p.s. This is me and my adorbsicle cousin Catie. :)
Hi everyone!
My name is Kate, and I'm from Chicago. I just finished my senior year and I'm deferring for a year. I want to experience some new things before I go back to school...I'm kind of burnt out. I'm so excited! We're going to have a great time- I've always wanted to go to India :)
See you all in September!
Hi I am Sam, I am from Larchmont, NY, and I summer on Martha's Vineyard, MA...I love music and being on the water although I am also really into skiing. Looking forward to this trip!
My name is Natalie. I am a rising junior at Columbia University and live in New York City. I study art and like painting and photography, especially. I love Andy Warhol, Dylan's Desire, Lost, and The Wire.
Hey everyone! I'm Mirise and I'm from North Salem, New York. I am currently taking
time off from school to travel and experience the world, as opposed to sit in a
classroom. Aside from travelling and experiencing, I enjoy photography, painting,
climbing mountains, music, etc etc. I chose to be a part of this upcoming journey to
India for a variety of reasons I'm sure I'll have a lot of time to talk to you all
about when we meet in the future, so I won't get into them here. I am really excited
to meet everyone and am even more excited to experience India with all of you.
Until we meet,
Mirise
Hi, my name is Jake. I am a senior in high school. I plan to go to art school in fall of 2009. I am also a drummer. I am very excited about spending time in India and learning about Indian culture and music. I like to hang out with my friends and make music.
Hey everyone, my name is Timothy and I’m a graduating senior from a high school in New Orleans. I’ve lived in New Orleans for the past two years, after moving there from New Jersey in August of 2006 (yes, after Katrina). My deepest passion is creative writing, but I don’t know what I want to pursue as a career. I’m really looking forward to this trip and I hope that it’ll help guide me towards a career/college choice. It’s going to be a blast. I look forward to meeting all of you.
"Hey," as they say in Bethesda, Maryland! I'm Ariana, but I go by Ari. I'm 18, and this semester is the start of my gap year. I'm currently enrolled in Kenyon College, but decided to defer so I could go to India with you guys and then to France. My biggest passions are dancing (anything from hip hop to ballet to flamenco), creative writing, and traveling. Being half-Filipino, visiting many countries, and living near Washington, D.C. has given me a taste for how fascinating diversity is. I can't wait to go to India-a place I haven't been, with friends I haven't met. We're going to have fun.
For your Indian visa application
Below is an address you can list as a local India contact on the visa
application. Namgial is the local coordinator for the Ladakh portion of
our program in the far northern part of India.
You can put a parent (or any family member or friend) down as a US contact.
Michelle
Rinchen Namgial
Yama Adventures/Himalayan Treks
P.O.Box 187, Head Post Office
Leh, Ladakh
194 101, India
Hello Fall 08 India Students-
Here are some important reminders for you:
1) Please send in a digital picture of yourself to go along with your self-introduction on the blog (email to aaron@global-lab.org)
2) Tuition balances are now due- if you have received an acceptance letter for our program, please send the balance due to our Woodside NY office immediately (if for some reason you need an extension contact
michelle@global-lab.org)
3) Our pre-travel orientation will be held at Cross Roads Camp & Retreat Center in New Jersey, less than 1 hour from NYC. (We are renting this space to run our own orientation program there).
4) You should apply for your Indian visa soon. You can do so via this link: https://www.indian-visa.com/get-a-visa.html
Be sure to apply for a TOURIST visa (not a student visa which is only granted for those studying in long term Indian institution-based programs).
5) If you have not already done so, you should contact Sue Lai at sue@aviatravel.com to book your ticket to India on the flight selected for your group as soon as possible.
6) Get in the habit of checking the blog regularly as news of your program and pre-travel orientation plans will be posted here.
7) If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact one of us at Global LAB:
michelle@global-lab.org (Director of Admissions)
john@global-lab.org (Executive Director)
aaron@global-lab.org (Blog-poster/Admin Asst.)
Or give a call at 800 984 4522.
Looking forward to meeting you all at pre-travel orientation on September 12!
Michelle