From Brahma to Buddha, Spring 2008

Hello my world sisters and brothers!
(One of our project's 'Messages to the World')

More specifically, Hello Tracy, Harrison, Al, Allie, Lara, Mika, and Tiff! I miss you guys and now we are truly spread out. I am home safe... from Canada. hehe. Canada was good. It was a little strange to leave houston 5 days after getting back. And now here I am, at 7 pm, sitting upstairs in my PJ's, waiting for my friend, Michelle to come over. (She is bring me cookies, I am more than a little excited!) I am hungry, and soon my big family ( I am at my dad's) will crowd around a table and eat dinner together. This is good. I missed this. I also miss you guys.

Being in the US has been an excercise in memory. I keep getting a little lost, forgetting what I am doing and remembering times past. In some ways it has been easier than getting back from Morocco- Jetlag was not that bad and I did not feel as reverse culture shocked (I did not feel like I had to hide from the world and hang out at my house, readjusting, for as many days as before.) I have been feeling sad. In this semester, I felt more sad during actual leaving part, maybe because we left our lovely leaders behind... (How are you lovely leaders?! hehe)

But, life is good here. busy. It has been nice seeing my friends and family. Two days after I got back, I got a job as a party coordinator for a reception hall. I am working as a coordinator part time in the afternoons and in the mornings, I work for as a personal assistant. (Remember MOL? heh) Right now the coordinator job is slightly stressful/ keeping me busy. The hall is new and I am working on organizing and unifying slightly scattered information. It is kind of like detective work, putting together the pieces of how to run a successful reception hall. I am enjoying it.

So that is that. Mr. F and I will be working on our project soon. She is in Arizona, and I am trying to get a running start on this job. We will start soon. I am still emailing my host mom. I still have one I need to reply to actually...
Also, I will send you guys everyone's addresses soon. (Lara, I found Tracy and Harrison's, oops...)
Aaaand MIKA!!!! I am so excited that you chose American. I tried calling you a few times, I am guessing that you are in Spain. I cant wait to hear all about it! Shoot me an email? On that note, how is everybody else?
I cant wait to hear from you all.

Now, I am going to bed. It is time to catch up on some sleep!

lovelovelove,

ellie

PS Lara! I loved the package. Thank you and I am sorry that your cell is not working!

Posted by Ellie at 12:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Aloha! I'm back in Hawaii now and missing everyone and everything about India...well except maybe the squat toilets. I'm not missing having to carry around toilet paper everywhere either. Anyways besides that I hope all of you made it home safe and incident free. The airlines lost my luggage on my flight over to boston so I was thrust back into the consumerism world of massive, brightly lit malls with similarly sized price tags almost as soon as I stepped back onto American soil. It's also amusing to note that while my luggage was never lost for the duration of the three months we spent traveling around India, it was immediately lost on a direct flight from New York to Boston in the so called technologically advanced and better developed US. But I got a new wardrobe out of it so whose complaining. It's true what they say, To every cloud here's a silver lining. And while we're on the topic of silver lining and clouds, I know it was depressing to be disbanded, but i know you guys are loving being reunited with family and friends, right. And to be fufilling summer plans and trips. So what have all of you been up to? Tracy it sounds like you're having lots of fun at SECMOL. How did they react to your new look?!?! And how's Namgial and Peter and Amit and Gorav???? Tell them and everyone and SECMOL we miss them and say hi !!! and Harrison...are you out of retreat yet? if not then what are you doing on a computer, and if so, then how was it? Tell Josh we say hi if you're still with him. And Allie and Lara, how are the summer jobs and Ellie and Tiffy how (ellie) was the road trip, and (ellie and tiff) how's the project going? can't wait to see it. also ELLIE I'm going to your school!!!! so e-mail me when you get back so we can talk about orientation and stuff. Anyways. miss you guys tons XOXoxoxOXoxoxoO -mika
ps. thanks for prom... looking through all of my friends prom pictures all I could think about was the fact that ours was better ;D

Posted by Mika at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So where to start!

It has been a bunch of interesting days filled with lots of travel and spending time with friends since I last saw you all. I'm here at SECMOL now helping out with their summer camps which is quite similar and quite different from the summer camps I have worked at in the past. There are just about 200 people on the campus here, which is more than they have ever had living here at one time. Ladakhi students from blocks far from Leh are here practicing English, learning about Ladakhi history and culture that isn't taught in school. There are even two or three from Domkhar High School!

I had a wonderful journey through Jammu and Kashmir to get up to Ladakh -- I wanted to do something different than just fly from Delhi, so I spent four days in buses and shared jeeps crossing through Srinagar (look on a map, Ellie) and some amazing passes that are just totally dramatic. As you are driving through, the valleys are greener than you ever thought green could be, and the mountain peaks are reaching up so far you have to wrench your neck to get a good view from the car window... not to mention the glaciers that are just sitting in the small valleys and the cars drive so close to the ends that you can reach out and touch the ice. It was the first time I had ever seen a glacier in real life (my B.A. was studying about the glaciation of the Northeastern U.S.) so all of these concepts fell into place as I passed one and I saw all the sand, rocks, gravel, and random things drip drip dripping away. So, the trip was long, but rewarding and I'm happy to be back in this community and able to contribute again.

Right now, as I'm typing, I can hear Paldan teaching traditional Ladakhi dance to a group of the summer campers -- they are yelling loudly and giggling!

I'm thinking a lot about all of you and your transition back to the states... how's it going? What's new? What things have you noticed now that you've been back for a while? Tiff and Ellie, how's the project going?

Keep us all updated!

love,
T

Posted by Tracy at 05:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hi all

I made it home safe. But I did get jet lag pritty bad. I woke up yesterday very dehidrated, and spent all day drinking water and doing nothing. I am much better today but still not 100%. It is good to be home and see my family and my kitties. But it is weird not being in India, I could go for a tomato utapom right now.

My aunt is flying in today to visit and hear about India. and sometime after she leaves i will head up to Boone to find a job for the summer.

I hope you are all doing ok and did not get sick like i did.

Tootles
Allie

Posted by Allie at 01:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Namaste Loves,

Here are some reentry resources for you that I've collected over the years. I do have some paper articles back in the states that I can send you about the process of reentering your home culture and how to make that transition back to the states a most productive one. I’ve used the first two before with student groups and found them a while back just by searching “reverse culture shock” or “reentry shock” on any search engine. The third link I just found today, and the last link is from SIT. Feel free to google any of these terms and see what comes up.

Enjoy them… I hope that you’re all happy and healthy these days. I miss you all very much.

Much Love to you,

Tracy

http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/overseas/faq/culture_shock/culture_shock.html

http://international.missouri.edu/studyabroad/after/cominghome.shtml

This is an interesting website I came across while searching… (Seems Jennifer has an interesting perspective on her travels in India. Makes me think about what you all would put on a list like this…)
http://members.tripod.com/~jennifer_polan/india/backtousa.html

Check out this resource, from the School for International Training, written to parents of students who study abroad. Sometimes reading material written for another audience gives you a different perspective on your own experience:
http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/parents/docs/parent_reentry_handbook.pdf

Posted by Tracy at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My Dear Allie, Ellie, Lara, Mika, and Tiffany,

I'm hoping by now you have reached those places you might call home at this point and have had safe and meaningful reconnections with your family and friends... or just a good 36 hours of sleep after so much traveling. You've all been in my thoughts these past hours, of course. I have been running errands to print photos for P Namgial, closing bills at the hotel and connecting with Peter and Amit over future planning, but every place we are at, my eyes look to my wrist and I think, "What time do I need to meet the students?" and then I remember you're all back on the other side of the globe.
Harrison left for Dharamsala, and I keep expecting him to walk through the door of the hotel lobby as I type asking me when we are going to fill our bellies with Butter Paneer Masala at Gulnar.

*Sigh*

So it's been a tough transition so far - HB, Amit and Gaurav, and I (Nescafe in hand) waitied and watched you all as you were working your way through the check-in line at the airport the other night. Harrison asked me when he came back from the Nescafe run, "Is the Global LAB show still on??" as it felt like we were watching you and couldn't do anything but spectate. We left the airport reluctantly the other night after an hour realizing that there was nothing we could do but watch you. We returned to Ramu and the forlorn press van and pushed it around on the road for a while before deciding to leave it there for the night because it still wouldn't turn over. The rains came, and the thunder, and washed away the saddness for a bit until HB and I again realized we didn't have to meet you anywhere.

What I'm really trying to say is how much of an impact you all made on me this semester. Though it happens like this time and time again, this spring was special beyond words. The five of you coming together, different personalities creating our solid dynamic, was magic. I know you all felt it, and will feel the absence of it in the days, weeks, and months to come. I think Allie wisely said it best when she talked about the world continuing to turn... We all have the opportunity to be a significant part of each other's lives for years to come. How I am looking forward to that! I want to thank each of you, and each of your families, for allowing me the opportunity to learn from, travel with, and share with you during our time in India this spring.

I'm wishing you luck and love as you continue to make this transition back to life in the states, and I very much look forward to reflections and thoughts on what it is like to be back - how long it takes you to compare the chai at starbucks to the chai at Kanishka Palace - what it feels like to spend $3.50 on something - if you're already passing around hugs to your friends and family members letting them know how much you care about them.

Congratulations, Global LAB Spring 2008 Alumna. Our celebrations are well deserved - you all learned so much about India, about spirituality, and most importanly, about yourselves. May these experiences together support your future adventures. Keep each other in your hearts and minds. I'm sending you all my good wishes and energy for your health and happiness.

SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU,

Tracy

Posted by Tracy at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

so, after a day and a half of travelling, I am home safely. I am feeling extremely weird and out of place without my family of three months :( It is strange to be around people who did not go through these experiences with me, and telling them about them, and about you guys. I miss you all a ton already

After I left tiff as I boarded the plane, I cried for three hours all of the way until Houston. This adjustment is going to be hard for me, but it has happened and I have to deal with it one way or another, but it will be hard.

Being back home feels as if I never left. That is such a weird feeling, it is as if you guys aren't around me physically, none if it could have happened. I mean, I know that I did, this is just how I was feeling in the airport today, and a bit right now. Weird weird feeling.

I just wanted to drop a quick note to everybody to let you know that I came in safely. I love you all so much, and I will miss waking up to you all tomorrow :(, here I go again, getting the keyboard all wet.

anyway, please everybody keep posting okay?
Harrison and Tracy, how are you doing? I hope you are doing amazingly well and I hope that your extra time in india is productive and meaningful. I love you both.

Lara

Posted by Laura at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's all over now, well in India at least. We've all laughed together making moments we'll always remember. We've gotten serious and challenged ourselves and eachother, but most of all we've created a special bond (you too Al...you've always been part of it despite being on a different continent). Its surreal at this moment to think we are actually leaving tomorrow, it still hasn't hit me. The last couple of days have gone by so fast; with our leave from cold, peaceful Ladakh to the drastic difference of hot, very hot hectic Delhi. Ladakh is a giant Rothko painting with subtle color change with Joule crossing tones while Delhi is an explosive Pollock painting with the splashes of colors laid down by the energy of the rawness that is Delhi. Ahhhh India I'm still trying to figure you out and think of ways to describe you. Something I'll always be pondering. I'm so lucky to have experienced this all with such an awesome group of people. That is just a brief adieu so I shall share some reflection on some events....

Prom went great and Mika and Lara looked like true queens looking absolutely beautiful. We danced and drank some amazing punch made by Ellie and ate tons of cookies. We stayed up so late that sleepy delirium came over us and led to conversations of metaphorical cows and other silly nonsense. We did last minute shopping and found Namgial a present; a collared shirt with a belt buckle with a cowboy on it. We went to a monastery and saw the morning Puga with all the monks, I especially enjoyed seeing the adorable young monks. I even got to have some butter tea! I <3 butter tea. That was so nice to see and I had know idea people could chant as fast ast that head monk reciting the text. We also saw a huge, epic statue of Matrea. On our last day we hung prayer flags at Leh Palace and were off to the airport after. We got to Delhi and started being sticky in the envelope of high humidity here. We went to the salon yesterday so everyone could get the works, I must say, Lara and Ellie look awesome with their new hair of henna. So today we'll do last minute shopping, a fancy dinner tonight and then tomorrow...we leave :(

..."To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
We did it our way..."

~Tiffany

Posted by Tiffany at 04:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As Mika and Lara were missing their high school proms to be with us, the rest of our group motivated around throwing them our own prom during one of our last nights in Ladakh. With homemade corsages, decorations, and fruit punch, we danced through iPod playlists, making sure to include the occasional slow song just to be official. I pretended to be the proctor with my tie on, which was quite fun for me. It was such a great time, and again showed me how these 5 can take a simple idea and make it rich with their affection for and comfort with each other.

As the dance ended, we shared a few words, and I'd like to share mine with you.

I shared that as a teacher, an educator, this semester has been such a gift. It reminds me of how I really connected with one teacher in particular during high school. He really engaged me, made me think about what we were studying, and also about my own life. It felt like the learning was going both ways, like he was also thinking about and wrestling with the ideas as we worked our way through U.S. History. As time went on, he stayed in my life, as a mentor, and then a friend, and more recently as a colleague...and over the ten years or so that I've known him, I've sometimes wondered how he can go so deep with his students, only to have his classroom emptied and filled with new faces each year.

I don't know where my connections with these current students will go, though I think and hope that they'll continue and grow. What I do know is that we've shared something quite special as a group, and that feels amazing as a teacher and mentor. I hope the experience has something in common with what I described above. It feels like that to me.

OK, now that I've been serious, let me now say that I'm sitting here all alone at an internet shop as the rest of the group is having a salon experience. I don't really know exactly what that means, but I'm expecting some students' and maybe Tracy's hair to be a bit shorter, nails to be smooth and colored, eyebrows to be neatly shaped...stuff like that. The tricky part is when they have their nails done in that clear or minutely colored style, and I think it's supposed to just look nice, but not like there's anything done to them...then I don't know whether I'm supposed to offer a compliment, or pretend like it's so natural looking that I didn't notice. Guys have it so hard!

And then I must wonder what would happen if we had 5 male students along with Tracy and me. Would we be going to lift weights or watch rikshaw engines being fixed while Tracy checked her email? I think not, as she was just talking about doing arm exercises earlier today, and has also recently mentioned her immobile, but much loved car back home. Jokes aside, though, it's been wonderful traveling, learning, and laughing with these 6 women.

Time to go see the results...

Much love,

Harrison

Posted by Harrison at 07:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hey guys,

currently we are in Delhi, three days away from the sad time that we board that flight back to the US. Since I can neither face, nor believe this fact, I will instead wrie out a journal entry that I wrote in Ladakh when we visited Thiksey monastery and witmessed their early morning prayers. I am excited to be going home; to see my family and friends that I have missed so much. Yet, part of me cannot help asking, "why am I leaving this place and this group." Life is change, neh?

So, without further ado:

There is the smoke of incense in the air. Torquoise drums with dragons crawling up the sides. Young monks with the old. Little red robed Buddhas. Wow.

Silence, the chanting has stopped. So too has the interplay of trumpets and young monks gleefully beating the drums. (Well, I do not know how gleeful. I would have been gleeful to hit the drum. Maybe they treat it with the seriousness that only a child can have, when faced with a responsibility; a task. I did see some smiles though...)

Chanting. One lead voice and then the others. Rows upon rows of the young and old, praying in a hall of brightly painted pillars and tibetan script dimly lit by the light coming through the single door. The light coming through the door illuminates the monk's faces.

Now, the young monks scurry, fetching butter tea and tsampa for the others. Some can barely hold the buckets.

The lights just came on. I can see the golden Buddha statues in the back. One man is standing in a yellow cloak, chanting. Pausing, the monks eat breakfast, and Tiffany, the one among us who has most taken to the salty buttter tea, drinks with them.

We are the spectacle here. I feel too self-conscious to take pictures, even though Namgial said that we could. It is early, and my brain is still too sleepy to think about such things. Part of me thinks that if I take pictures, I will be exploiting the Ladakhi's religion and culture; turning it from sacred to entertainment. Like if when I take a picture without asking the subject, I am turning that person into an object to be viewed for curiousity and entertainment.
At the same time, here I am taking pictures with my eyes and my pen.

How little do I know of this religion and culture. Everyday monks wake up for morning prayers at 6:30 Am. How amazing. I wonder if they are warm with shaved heads and robes? The oldest here looks to be in his 70s, the youngest, 5 years old.

Now, although cannot see what the shift was, the seriousness of the ceremony has passed and the younger monks are playing with each other. They whisper to each other. Across from me, one blows his trumpet out of turn and smiles sheepishly at his neighbor. Yet the chanting continues, as it will for another hour.

This morning I woke up selfish, worrying about my own convienience, my own comfort, my own sleep. It takes seeing a ceremony so different than my own experience, yet so obviously important to remind me that the world that I live in is not just about me. The world is so much more and so much more for it. Even now, after I have left the monastery, there are monks there eating, sleeping, praying, even playing. They too are living their lives and that thought makes life wonderful.

Posted by Ellie at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Our last three days in India are finally here! I cant believe how these three months have gone. it feels like hardly any time since I was sitting in this same internet cafe a month ago in delhi writing a blog. so much has happened in these last three months, things and experiences, emotions and connections that will forever be with me, but all things must end.

Our time in Ladakh this past month was amazing. I loved being around mountains and in a cooler climate. I am so impressed and inspired by the Ladakhi people that we were given a chance to get to know. Everyone was so kind and welcoming to us, eager to give us some sort of insight into their culture. I am already missing the cool weather and environment of Ladakh in the Humidity of delhi! I am excited about being here for the next few days though, spending as much of our remaining time with the group and seeing some more sights here.

Our student led portion went really well I think. We spent the beginning part camping around Ladakh in beautiful spot after beautiful spot, seeing yaks and monasteries along the way :)
We then stayed in the beautiful guest house across from the Dalai Lama's residence where he comes about once a year for huge public teachings. There were many animals about including sheep, dogs and horses that have been given a safe place to live there, saved from being killed for one reason or another. In front of the guesthouse were 8 large stupas, each a little different and really beatiful. Definately a unique place.

I have already begun feeling sad about leaving the group, though I am trying extremely hard to stay in the present for these last few days that we have together in India. We have all been a family for the last three months, and it will be strange to not wake up and see their faces every morning. I know that all things must end and pass and that everything will stay with me, but I can't help but be a bit sad.

anyway, enough sadness! We are alive! We are in India! I am going to make these last few days count. Unitl next time,
love,
lara

Posted by Laura at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In Choklamsar we stayed at the Dalai Lamas guest house for 2 nights. We were the first tourists that they had for the season and the lady's working there were so happy and fun. It was a beautiful place, not as crowded as the big city Leh. Every direction I looked there was a beautiful mountain view. There were some days when i could see a snow storm on a mountain in the distance. One day we woke up early to go see the morning Puja of a local monastery. It started with 2 monks on the roof blowing horns in set patterns with each other. Then we went down in the room and listened to the chanting. Every now and then they would blow horns and or beat drums. And throughout the young monks some around 8 years old poured tea for them all, and they sat there for at least 2 hours with one man chanting, others playing instruments, tea being drinking and poured, and the young monks in the back giggling with each other. It was worth getting up at 5:20 to see it.

Tootles Allie

Posted by Allie at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tso Moriri, the High Altitude Lake we didn't reach because of road conditions

So we are half way into our student-led and our days are winding down in India. We attempted to go to Tso Moriri only to confront the road deep in sand. I suggested we floor it and plow through the sand, but as I spoke a car did that and got stuck in the sand. Not a good idea apparently. We decided to go to Puga instead and we camped there for two nights. We hung out playing cards, which I must comment on Harrison and Ellie's intensity of card playing, especially the game Idiot. We also saw some nomads who had an adorable baby, Harrison chased the local kids in the area while he played his harmonica, playfully of course. We ate lots of yummy camp food and saw lots of yaks. Nyamgal and Harrison acted out Lara's drawing of them in the sand.....which by the way was a whale and sea turtle. We saw a beautiful monastery today and there was a cow that really liked hanging out with us at the campsite.

~Tiffany

Posted by Tiffany at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hi,

Well, this morning I woke up at 6:00am to "Bed Tea" (Every morning on trek we received tea in bed. Part of me feels like we did not deserve this amazing treat.) I stretched, drank my tea, and made my sleepy stumbling way to the Ladakhi toilet, (Which are earthy and fun and probably deserve more description than I am giving them here.) Then, I packed my sleeping bag, extra sleeping bag, thick sleeping pad, and warm night time layers up before making my way to the dining tent. We proceeded to have an amazing breakfast of Hot chocolate, nutella covered pancakes, and omlettes. (Stenzin, oh beloved cook, how did you do it?) Packing up our tents (I shared with Lara last night. We had some nightime ghostie fears.... ooohhh) we started our last day of trek.

Now, I am in Leh, typing in an internet cafe, and the return to "civilization" is marked. Already, I am worried about summer plans and plane tickets. But, it is ok. I have the memory of those snowy Himalaya peaks to remind me that the imaginary world of the internet is not all.

So, in the short time I have before I have to return to the guesthouse, let me just say that trek was wonderful, and I hope to recount our Lord of the Rings themed trek more later. hehe (I was Sam (to Tiff's Frodo)/ Arwen...)

much love,

ellie

Posted by Ellie at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So we're back and there is quite a bit to tell. Dormkar was amazing, the lifestyle there was like nothing I have experienced. I stayed with a lovely Ladakhi family. They had cows and other cute animals and grew apricot trees. There was a little two year old in the house which was sometimes not so lovely since she locked me in my room the first night so the next morning I couldn't get out and was not awarded the relief of emptying ones blatter as a result of the locked door. I eventually opened the window and yelled joule out to my Ama-le and she opened the door for me. We went to the high school and got a chance to interact with the shy Ladakhi students. I got a chance to teach a lesson; mine was a picture word poem using adj. to help them with their english vocabulary. We exchanged dances which was fun since we made up our own dance to the velvet underground song Afterhours. One day I was randomly invited to pick weeds with some Ladakhi women in the field. It was a delightful experience and I found some broken pieces of a bowl. I loved being in this farming society where everyone lives simply and fully. It was definitely an experience that I will stand out in my mind and one that i feel so lucky to have had. We then went to SECMOL where we got to hang out with a different environment of students. I even got to teach an art class there. The kids there were so nice and open to getting to know us. We played volleyball with them and did work when they did work. Like peeling trees and picking leaves from the vegetables. Lara and I watched the stars one night and I saw five shooting stars!!! I had never even seen one before in my life. After our days sadly ended at SECMOL we went off on our trek for six days. It gave us a chance to hang out with eachother and the ponies and take in the beautiful scenery of the Himalayas. A definite highlight was riding the pulley across the river, in a box, which on my turn had three of us in the box hovering over the indus river. We are off to our student led tomorrow and I am starting to get sad with the realization of leaving in 2 weeks.

~Tiffany

Posted by Tiffany at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

So much to talk about so much to do. In the last 2 and some weeks i (and the others in the group) have showered a maximum of 3 times. But it was totally worth it for all the things we got to expirience. First was Village. The apricot trees were in bloom and the weather was friendly to us. the family i stayed with had 4 kids i think. I only saw 3. One boy was in 4th class. I saw and talked to him the most he had good english. and a girl in 10th class she was more shy and had more chores to do, but i still got to talk and do things with her. And a girl in 12th class came home for a day from boarding school. We visitded a school there 3 times and the girl in 10th class went to that school. But the boy was sent off to a private school. He took the bus to school. I helped him with his homework sometimes, and it is sad how the education system works in India. They concentrate on memorization rather then comprehension. There were some sentences that he had perfectly memorized then he would ask me what a meaning to one of the words was.

But the family was so kind and generous. They were allways giving me more to eat and drink, more then i could posibly eat if it tried. But i got to help them in the fields some, and i learned how to spin wool. I am glad i got to stay with them for a week in such a beautiful freindly place.

After that we visited SECMOL, a boarding school for students who fail their 10th class test (which happens a lot up here because the education system is not fair) And everyone there was so friendly. Then we had a Treck which was amazing. There were rocks everywhere and so many different kinds, and i wanted to pick up them all and upt them in my pocket. I have a few one being a lucky find, a crystal quartz.

Tootles for now

Allie

Posted by Allie at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, technically it's called a "trek," but at times I felt like I was participating in a traveling culinary tour of Ladakh. Our cook, Stenzin, whipped up everything from pancakes and omelets to pizza and chocolate cake. Even just spending a few hours in the kitchen tent with him was enough to get a sense of how much planning and preparation went into each meal. Slicing, mixing, boiling, steaming, and frying with the help of a few utensils and two gas burners, Stenzin never failed to amaze our eyes and stomachs with each meal.

OK, we did some hiking as well. For me it was a peaceful journey, with most days affording tan and brown valley views and enough afternoon leisure hours at camp to enjoy each other's company or lean against a rock with a good book. The pass day was a highlight, as our slow but steady pace payed off with wonderful views of surrounding peaks. These mountains are so large and powerful for me to see from any vantage point, but to be and feel among them, at the same height and able to look straight across to sister peaks really does feel pretty epic. It also helps to make the lunch taste that much better at the top.

So, here we are, back in Leh again and making final plans to launch into our student-led week tomorrow. Tracy and I will enjoy stepping back as our five traveling mates fill in roles such as budget keeping, setting activities, and booking accomodations. I'm told that there are less than two weeks left of this semester, but I don't believe it. These students are too amazing to let go, so perhaps we'll just extend our trip a few months and cover Nepal and Tibet as well.

I hope everyone reading this is happy and healthy. Parents and friends- as much as your loved ones are doing well and thriving in these last weeks, I know they'll also be so happy to see you all upon their return...so for those of you who have been eagerly awaiting a daughter or friend to return, hang in there a bit longer for big smiles and fun stories.

waheguru,

Harrison

Posted by Harrison at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hellooooooooooooooooooooo everybody that reads this blog!

so, we are all safely back from our 6 day trek in the beautiful Himalayas. Everything about the trek was amazing, except that Mika had to go back early due to Bronchitis, but we are all sending her millions of positive vibes everyday so that she can get better soon, so if you want to help, send Mika some positive energy!

So, it has been a couple weeks since any of us blogged I think, so alot has happened. One of the most inspirational and motivational places that we have been for me was a school a little ways away from Leh called SECMOL. It is a school for Ladakhi students, but it is run much differently from the majority of schools in Ladakh. The students were so much fun, so open and outgoing and welcoming. We didn't want to leave! I wish them all the best, and hope to meet them again someday, you never know.

After spending three lovely days with the students of SECMOL, working, learning, talking, cooking, reading, living, we all embarked on our trek. Like I have already said, it was amazing! We all got to entertain our inner child by imagining along the way that we were each a different charcter from the Lord of the Rings. I personally was a mix of Boromir and Aragorn.

I loved the pace of life on trek, wake up, eat, pack, walk, eat, unpack, read/sleep, tea, read/sleep, eat, sleep, wake up etc. Our guides along the trek were really great too. I enjoyed watching the cooking and petting the ponies each day. I miss it already!

I also made a lot of headway on my stone collecting! There are so many different colors present in the stones here, they are all so beautiful. I must say that it was nice to get back and take a shower though! :)

As we are coming closer and closer to the end of our three months here in India, I have started to evaluate and look back on the parts of the trip that are now over. each time that I do this, I am amazed at how meaningful each experience and step along the way has been. I have met so many amazing people, seen impressive things and been introduced to so many thought provoking ideas and issues. This semester has been everything that I had hoped for and much, much more. And, it is not quite over! I am looking forward to the next two weeks I get to spend with my global-lab family, and wonder what new experiences we will face together!

I hope that everybody who reads this is doing well in life, and a little shout out to my Albuquerque community, whoever reads this, I will see you soon!
love love love love,

lara

Posted by Laura at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Time marches on.

I think this is officially the quickest moving semester I've experienced. At the same time, I feel like we just landed in Delhi and were on our way to Varanasi AND that our ten days in Jaipur were a million years ago.

We're counting down the days as we all come back from trek and gear up for the student-led portion of the journey. We'll have some updates about that soon, from the students themselves.

I'm reflecting a lot about the circumstances that have come together to produce this wonderful semester... some being the students and their families and friends who made it possible for all of us to share time and space, some being our amazing staff in India including all of our friends and folks who help us out along the way, our knowledgeable lecturers and student activists who have gifted us information and told us moving stories about their experiences helping us understand more about the spiritual traditions and political situations we've come into touch with, and of course, some being the US staff - John, Michelle, and Alex - who are working hard back there to make all of this possible. As with everything Interdependent, we couldn't be doing the amazing things we are doing without the support, kindness, and generosity of every person involved - including each of you checking the blog and sharing your comments with us.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you.

So with the last few days in sight, we are cherishing our time together and wishing for a safe end of program. Check back here soon as each of the 5 will have some thoughts to share post-trek in a matter of hours.

Also stay tuned for the description of the breaking of the fellowship and our LOTR adventures.

All my BEST,

T

Posted by Tracy at 05:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hi Everyone,

Tracy and Harrison have been giving quick update calls to NYC from the Himalayas on a daily basis and all continues to go well. Tracy said today they have pitched tents at the highest and coldest camp on the trek and will begin dropping down in altitude after breaking camp in the morning.

Stay tuned for trekking photos and blog posts, which should be coming next week, assuming the somewhat finicky Internet connections in Ladakh are cooperating.

John

Posted by Global LAB at 09:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Namgial shared the following description of the group's trek:

This short trek has has some spectacular scenery, including giant rock pinnacles, beetling cliffs, narrow defiles, prayer-flagged passes and evidence of a much older civilization, the history of which has been lost in antiquity. As you trek up the valley, there are the ruins of many forts and castles, some built in some pretty unlikely places! It is a fairly short trek, crossing a pass of over 16,000ft, in the Zanskar range, Kang Yatse, 21,000ft.

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

30/4 : DRIVE TO PHEY, TREK TO ZINGCHEN. After breakfast we drive to Phey bridge and we cross the bridge over the Indus river and meet up with the horseman. The trek begins here and follows the Indus for a short distance, before striking out for the mountains. You soon enter the narrow gorge that leads to the first camp at Zingchen.

1/5:TREK TO RUMBAK: 4 hours ,You will follow the trail beside the river till the valley widens at Rumbak junction. Where we will stay for the night. We have hotel lunch at Rumbak then in the late afternoon visit the village.

2/5: We follow valley up stream where you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Stok mountains. Take the right fork of the river and continue to the very small village of Yurutse. The purple and green rock formations are quite impressive. Continue past the village to the base camp of Kanda La.

3/5 :TREK TO SHINGO : 5-6 hours. (11,200ft). The climb over the Kanda La is not as steep as that up to the Stok La, but it is a bit longer. From the top of the pass there is a fabulous view of snow-capped peaks. The descent into the Shingo valley is steady. The wide pastures at the top of the valley closesinto a narrow 'waist' at Shingo, where there is a stream junction and a few houses and fields.

4/5 : SHINGO-SKU : 4 hours (9900ft) From here the river swoops exuberantly down the tight narrow gorge choked with willow and wild rose, with the trail following, swapping from bank to bank as it goes. The village of Skiu is at only 9,900ft, and the Markha Valley here is narrow, so the temperatures can soar. We camp at Skiu, and at dusk it is worth climbing back up the valley to where the Skiu Nala meets the Markha river. Here there is a small monastery cared for by an old nun who comes every evening to light the candles at the altar of 'Chamba', the future Buddha.

5/5 :TREK TO LAMAGURU, Drive to Leh. A very pleasant walk down to one of the loveliest sections of this trek passing through Kaya village. We cross pulley over Zangskar river. Your transport will meet and transfer to Kider house.

END OF HAPPY TREKKING!

Posted by Global LAB at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tracy gave the NYC office a call via the group's Iridium satellite phone to report that the first day of the trek went well. Tents were pitched at the first night's camp and everyone was excited to head deeper into the mountains in the morning. We'll post more updates here as they come in over the next few days.

John

Posted by Global LAB at 01:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yesterday we harvested some edible weeds. Today we pruned lettuce greens grown in the greenhouses. We also did all of our laundry by hand! We're already sharing laughs and connections with the new crop of SECMOL's (The Student Environmental and Cultural Movement of Ladakh) Foundation year students who are just finishing up their 10th class exams. (www.secmol.org)

Our time in Ladakh has been filled with learning about different education systems, understanding the value of our own education, and digging more deeply into the Indian education system to understand the experiences of Ladakhi students as the decide what they want their future to look like.

We've been enjoying being part of the SECMOL community so much that we've decided to stay an extra day at SECMOL campus. We'll head out on trek soon - spending five days together in the northern valleys of the Zangskar range. More updates to come!

P.S. - Internet cafes in Leh have finally banned photo uploading as it uses all the bandwidth, so unfortunately, images from our time here will have to wait until we are back in Delhi with speeds that can support photo uploads.

Take Care Everyone,

Tracy

Posted by Tracy at 07:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We are cozy and well-fed here at Namgial's house in Domkhar. The apricot trees are in full bloom - their white flowers are only just starting to fall making way for the most popular fruit in Ladakh. Many families harvest the fruit from the trees and sell them dried, pitted, un-pitted, as juice, jam, harvesting the nuts from inside the shell for eating, or pressing into oil that's used for keeping babies faces from getting chapped in the cold cold winter months.

Spring is all around us... The weather is warmer (but still freezing cold at night!) and families have moved to their houses lower in the Indus river valley from their winter homes built much further up the hills. These homes get much more sun light (read: warmth) in the winter months. As the days get longer, moving to houses lower in elevation and closer to the fields, apricot trees, apple trees, and water sources makes more sense.

There are two baby goats here at Namgial's house that were born the morning we arrived here. We've taken our arrival as a sign that these two babes should be named after Harrison and I. They are twins. Yesterday, after a wonderful afternoon of conversation with Domkhar High School students, a short hike and visit to Domkhar's monastery and a talk on the meaning of stupas, we returned to Namgial's house for tea. The goats were making lots of noise and trying to suck milk out of our legs. HB and I picked them up and cradled them for a while. They quickly fell asleep in our arms as we stroked their ears. So Baby Goats Harrison and Tracy have a really nice life here in Domkhar. We will follow their progress in semesters to come, so keep reading the blogs! Photos to come when the internet cafes in Leh lift their ban on uploading photos.

Long story short, all is well in Domkhar. Homestays are going wonderfully and today all of us will present a short lesson to the students at the government high school. We are all enjoying our last month together very very much!

Love,
Harrison and Tracy

Posted by Tracy at 05:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Dear Loyal Blog Readers,

I'm posting a quick note to let you all know that we LOVE Ladakh and the giggling is increasing minute by minute. I'm starting to think it has noting to do with altitude adjustment, just silliness :)

The trucks are packed, the group is off hunting down some traditional Ladakhi bread, peanut butter, apricot jam, and of course, nutella (!) for our mid afternoon snack while we make an expedition westward toward the village of Domkhar. We'll make one stop in Alchi, home of one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh dating from the 12 century A.D. We'll appreciate some exquisitely painted Buddhas and Bodhisattvas by Kashmiri artists and look upon a Kalachakra sand mandala that will possibly plant some seeds to be reborn in some future life in the mystical land of Shambhala in order to help the world establish peace. Then we'll continue down the river, past the confluence of the mighty Indus river and the just-as-mighty Zangskar river (start of the famous Chadar trek where you walk for 2+ weeks down the frozen river into the kingdom of Zangskar), and tonight, will meet our Ladakhi homestay families with whom we will chill with for about a week.

Stay tuned for updates, either by spotty internet connection, or from John through our phone calls.

Hope spring is treating you all well back in the states - I'm personally loving the freezing cold weather!

Jullay!

Tracy

Posted by Tracy at 05:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

So,

here we are in Leh. Our first sleep deprived view of this place was breath taking; snow covered Himalayas awed the sleepiness away. That said, when I arrived at the guest house I closed the curtains in my room and greatfully slept my morning away.

On another note, altitude sickness is a funny thing. On one hand it makes my head hurt, my steps heavier, and my need for sleep demanding. On the other hand, when five girls in a high altitude are in a room together, it makes us RIDICULOUS! Hence, my title, which I discovered yesterday after Tiffany accused me of stealing her "mitten" which she alternated, exchanging the word "mitten" for "muffin." and to which my sleep deprived self replied, "QUE???"

Then of course, Laura fell off the bed, Mika screamed, and I could not stop laughing.... (all the while our wonderfulk leaders peacefully slept.) fun.

Right now, we are happy to be out and about. Leh is gorgeous and I am on a quest to find a waterbottle. Somehow I lost both of my Nalgenes. I have been markedly less mindful on this semester than I was in Morocco, grr...Must be a lesson. I am excited to be over my sleepiness, so that tonight Tiff and I can go over our project. What we have done, next steps, ect.

I know that internet access will be rare for the next few weeks.

So until my next blog,

much love,

ellie

PS AL we love you. I hope you can feel and know it. And I hoped you liked our love compilation...

Posted by Ellie at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Yes, well, Tiffany solved my riddle, so I have to concede to her my promise of being able to design my beard as she wishes. At least we're all happy and healthy up here in Leh, with a smooth shift to higher altitude aided my tea, movies, and naps.

Pictures to follow...

Posted by Harrison at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So a couple days ago I finally figured out Harrison's proposed riddle for us. It was to guess a special feature on his face that he had in common with a wizard. We had been scanning his face for a week when finally I just happened to notice this long white hair on his eyebrow. I stated it as an observation, not expecting to be right. It was right and for Harrison the stakes were high. Whoever guessed right got to design something for him to shave into his beard. I was thinking about what to do and I decided on some adorable hearts on his cheeks, I thought it fit for the theme of Ellie and I's project. We wanted to take advantage of the events in Dharamsala and the Tibet issue in general that we got an opportunity to witness. We collected 6 interviews from Tibetan refuges in Dharamsala about their story and Ellie took portraits of them with her camera. We wanted to show real people and their stories in their own words. Our theme is Compassion transcending suffering. My part of the project was to offer a universal view. I have been interviewing random people from all backgrounds trying to show how we are all people wanting to be happy. I wanted to emphasize the interdependence of all beings and try to de-emphasize the notion of 'us and them' and 'I and you'. I only film the eyes so as to not distract the viewer with their facial features and to really focus on the eye contact and words. We ask questions like what does compassion mean to you, what are your everyday struggles, what does it mean to be a human being, etc. things that we forget that tie us all together as human beings. So I thought Harrison having hearts in his beard would make him a lovely mascot for us.

P.s barf means snow in Hindi
~Tiffany

For Al: We are all thinking of you, we send you a tremendous amount of hugs and kisses, and buckets of love. With every awkward silence during a conversation or breath taking view we see, the absence of your presence is severely felt and missed. You are with us in all of our experiences and we always have your cheerful and positive energy filling our hearts. We are all under the same moon, sky, sun, and stars, not separated by two continents. We miss you Al and we are even wearing your hat. Which we think is quite lovely, and when it served as our talking object in our council, embodied everything from glamour to your continued presence with us. Take heart in your current surroundings... people, places, experiences... these are the fodder for future adventures - you are exactly where you need to be, however much we think of you, wish you were here, or you wish you were here as well. Look deeply at the lessons you are meant to learn from Ohio-ian existence and know that India awaits you when the time is right. My beard hearts are only a physical representation of the love from my heart, pouring forth from the eternal source of Clear Light.

~A compilation of words, thoughts, and love for you Al

Posted by Tiffany at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

we're still alive and well...and despite the scare stories the leaders told us about migraines and diarrhea, we're all relatively symptom free and normal. Or maybe its because of the scare stories that we're ok since they made us super cautious about everything...and voila now we're symptom free. Although, we were really giddy yesterday...But hey, what else can you expect when you pile a bunch of lightheaded teenage girls on a bed...all i can say is that there was a lot of tickling and laughing and giggling..and some movie watching. It's been nice just to be together after the relatively independent schedule in Dharamsala. And, since we have to acclimate to the pressure change, we've been planning the student led portion and the trekking together...it's been good fun. ok that's all for now. Ju lay as they say here in ladakh.

Posted by Mika at 01:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was sleeping on the plane ride from Deli, and then I was poked to ask if i wanted the breakfast they were passing out (plane service in India is soo much better then in the states) and then i looked out the window. It was a sea of mountain peaks in all directions as far as I could see. They were all white and glowing with snow. it was amazing, something you'd imagine antarctica to look like. On closer examinations i could see where some small streams made a zigzagging through the ice and snow. Then slowly there was a parch from my side that had less and lass snow and i could see the rocky surfaces of the mountains.

It is such a difference here in Leh then it was in the hot sweaty Delhi. Here there is more land than development, and it is peaceful and the mountains are surrounding.

None of us are having any bad effects to adjusting to altitude. We have been sleeping extra, and drinking lots of water.

WE are about to go to a village, and then we will be trekking so i don't know how likely internet access will be.

Tootles
Allie

Posted by Allie at 01:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just spoke with Tracy and Harrison, who report that the group is enjoying their first day up in Ladakh, where the weather is clear and the snow covered Himalayas are beautiful.

Everyone is doing well in terms of of adjusting to Leh's altitude.

Unfortunately for the blog, dial-up Internet connections are currently down in Leh so we may not get too many posts for a little while. The group plans to head out to Domkhar for a village stay and some service work starting on Sunday. They'll try to send an update for the blog before then.

John

Posted by Global LAB at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out Thao Nguyen's wonderful audio slideshow made during her stay with the group in Rajasthan.

Posted by Global LAB at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So, we are now two thirds of the way into our semester. We have just left another city, another place that was beginning to feel like home and are about to embark on a new adventure. Dharamsala for me was extremely significant. My host family, our speakers, and the community was so unique, I am so inspired by the Tibetan people and culture.

Being in Dharamsala at such a pivotal time was an experience that I didn't expect, and one that I may never experience again. The thoughts and emotions that were set in motion inside of me by all of the action and atmosphere around us have prompted me to truly evaluate myself, where I come from, the world we are living in right now, my current place in it, and what I want my place and influence to be upon this earth. I had expected my experiences in India to be eye-opening and life-changing on many levels, but our time in Dharamsala and the emotions and thoughts that it created I could never have imagined or expected.

By listening to the stories of my Tibetan host family and speakers, sitting with them tensely every night watching international news and hoping to hear something about the situation in Tibet, I tried to understand as much as I, a foreigner who has never experienced that amount of suffering and pain, could. Every day I picked up another story, another instance of suffering and of the strength of spirit. Slowly I began to realize that the best thing that I can do to help these people is to tell their stories, to spread the word and awareness of what is actually going on.

I feel extremely lucky to have been in Dharamsala at this important time, it has given me the opportunity to place a human aspect to news stories so that hearing about something happening in Tibet or any place really, I can remember the faces, the stories, the tears, the courage, the love, that these are people suffering, not just numbers or nondescript faces. This will help me to be a more active, influential, and compassionate citizen of this world.

So, for me, the last couple of weeks, or really the last month, has been extremely life-changing. It has been emotional, difficult, confusing, rewarding, comfortable, awkward, intense, and significant. It is hard to put exactly how I have been feeling, or how my time in Dharamsala has changed me into words. I just know that it has been important, and that the people I met and even just faces that I have no name to pair with, will stay with me in my heart and mind forever.

In a way, this has been a bit of a closure piece for leaving Dharamsala, which I have had trouble with the last couple of days. I don't know if I am quite ready to move on, but I know that our time in Ladakh will be full of many experiences that I can't even imagine.

I want to end this with saying to anybody that is reading this to start thinking about themselves and their place as they see it in this world, and what they think is important in life. I want to encourage everybody to stop and think every once and a while about what is happening in the world, close and far away, and not let the busyness of our modern lives forever restrict our minds. Stop and smell the roses! but stop and smell the bad things too, for want of a better metaphor, on every rose is a thorn!

These have just been a string of my thoughts, so forgive me if they don't sound cohesive :)
Love to all,

lara

Posted by Laura at 04:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ellie in Dharamsala

Hey everybody ("Im Dr. ...)

hehe.

So, hey, hello, hi for the first time in a long while. So, while in Dharamasala, my good intentions to blog went to waste, because blog I did not, and for that I apologize. I am sorry; It relly is important for me to let all of you at home know how my life is here.

Let me first say, that my lack of blogging did not mean that I lacked love for Dharamsala. (Perhaps it was a sign of HOW much I loved Dharamsala.) And also, that this did not mean I wasted my time in Dharamasala. Let me summarize: I both loved Dharamsala and spent almost every moment there actively and richly.

I had a wonderful homestay, and days filled with double Hindi lessons, speakers and a project that I both love and am inspired by. As Tiff may have mentioned, we are doing a project together on the Tibetan Refugees in India and around the world. Our project is interview based and during every free moment we had we were either trying to squeeze in an interview or planning what the next step was in our project.

My time in Dharamsala was great and I look forward to further reflecting on it both on the blog and off. Right now, I am going to meet the others for dinner.

So I leave you all with, Hello, Goodbye, I miss you.

I love you,

ellie

Posted by Ellie at 01:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's our last full day here in Dharamsala, and even after several weeks it feels like we were only given a brief moment to look into the culture of the Tibetan community here. From daily speakers on the history and current political situation of Tibet to witnessing monks en route to vigils to watching international coverage on Olympic torch protests by the BBC, we've certainly had our fill of exposure during our time here...but then there's always another story to be heard, another perspective to add to the mix in trying to understand the lives of those living in this hill-town refugee community.

Personally, taking the time each evening to have a conversation session with a Tibetan woman learning English has been a powerful way to connect to one person's story. From 7-8 pm, Tracy and I talk with our conversation partners about many topics- life in Tibet, India, and the USA...the current momentum of media attention towards the Tibet independence struggle...our own personal ambitions...and also more mundane things like hobbies and favorite foods. Tracy and I both enjoyed defining the word "lawn" last night as "a planned area of grass," and I was interested to hear about "ice saddles," which involve frozen mounds of yak dunk fastened with rope and then used to pull people along ice. Didn't get that growing up in Boston.

One thing Yangzom, my partner, has spoken of that has stuck with me is her flight from Tibet. In the moments before she began talking about it, I had some brief thought along the lines of "she's done it too," referring to crossing the border by walking over mountain paths for weeks. And then a moment later I was hearing her account- waking by night and sleeping by day, more than half the group being children (herself being just 16), difficulty staying warm and feeling full without having sleeping bags or an adequate supply of food. Though her story is similar to those of many Tibetans here in Dharamsala, it was still powerful to hear, to be reminded that behind the label of a person learning English or selling momos or running a small shop or raising a family, there are personal histories of struggle and dislocation...and then it's also just one of the many layers to be unearthed and understood up here.

Tomorrow morning we'll drive back to Delhi, and after a few days of city life we'll fly up to Ladakh for the greater part of our remaining time, as the students have decided to spend their student-led portion there as well. We'll be traveling to the Chang Thang plateau, which is similar geographically to the far western portions of Tibet. There we'll stay in Choglamsar and collect stories from Tibetan refugees who have lived in Ladakh since 1959. High mountains, rural homestays, and trekking ponies, here we come!