International Leadership: India

My name is Amanda. I am a junior at The Brooklyn Latin School. I am really excited to go to India because I have always been fascinated with the Indian culture: Bollywood films, Indian food and the Hindu teachings. I’m really excited to learn a new language and be able to live with our host families. This past February was my first experience living with a host family, in Antigua, Guatemala. At first I was scared to live with strangers, but after that experience I feel more comfortable trusting new people and getting adjusted to their lifestyles. I am REALLY excited to be apart of this program and learn new life experiences.

Posted by Global LAB at 02:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi, we are the students from Bronx Career and College Prep (BCC Prep). Our names are Jazzmin Mack, Anna Stanislous, and Nicholas Murrell. We are so glad to be going on this trip. It's an amazing experience that we can't wait to explore. What can we say? The trip to the Himalayak Restaurant was an eye opener and wonderful all at the same time. The food was delicious, especially the Indian flatbread. YUMMM. The chicken mo-mos were excellent, too. During our trip to Jackson Heights, we explored the neighborhood and asked some of the residents about their culture and background. We explored different clothing, music, and movie stores. We have learned a lot from this experenice. We learned that India is a very diverse nation. The time we spent in jackson Heights felt as if we were in a city in India, living as if we were one of them. If there was anything we would change, we would have spent more time the neighborhood.

Posted by BCC Prep at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Students enjoying a feast of Indian and Tibetan food at the Himalayan Yak Restaurant on Wednesday.

Check back soon because the the BCC Prep students will be posting an update with more details about this week's Pre-Travel Orientation Session #2, which took place in Jackson Heights, Queens, home of a large South Asian community.

Posted by Global LAB at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello my name is Joelvy, I'm an 11th grade student at Henry Street School for International Studies. Being a part of this amazing experience is really exciting. I am really happy that i was chosen for this opportunity. I hope that I can learn many things from the Indian culture, in which i can be able to share what a wonderful experience it was to be a part of this once in a life time opportunity.

Posted by Global LAB at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My name is Taccara; I am an 11 grade at Frederick Douglass Academy III. I am hoping to get a chance to see what most children do not get to see in a life time. From this experience I hope to get another language and a new culture to understand. I also hope to make a difference with the community service projects that we will be doing. I am most excited about going to another country and experiencing a place that I have been interested in for a long time.

Posted by Global LAB at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello my name is Amanda. I am 16 years old. I am a student at Henry Street School for International Studies. I am a very yellow person. Meaning I am a very happy person and my favorite color is yellow! I would like to travel as many countries as I can and experience different cultures. Getting to know other people is what I do best. I am very open and a good listener and a sharing person as well. I'm excited to see what our journey to India will be like!

Posted by Global LAB at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi Everyone! This first post covers our first impressions and our thoughts about our first India-trip meeting!

The first orientation was a great meeting, being that we got to meet with the other students that were chosen to go to India with us. We also go to play a “get to know each other” activity, where all of us got stickers of personality types and stuck them on to each other. Then we introduced ourselves to each other. This orientation meeting was helpful because we got to meet and also got to know the other people who are going to India with us. We watched a documentary of college students who experienced the journey for a few months before us. We witnessed how emotionally attached they were to their host families and what they learned from the culture. We learned about the population and a little about Bollywood. We learned that there are very diverse religions in India and that some people eat with their hands. We asked questions about how to fundraise and activities that we will be doing in India. One of the things we wondered about was what new activities we will do next in order to get more into the Indian culture. As we continue to meet up with the group we will do many different things such as activities and watching films about India. The thing that we like about the group that is going on this great experience is that everyone felt comfortable and welcomed. Also everyone seemed very interested in this amazing trip.

Joelvy, Amanda, Kevin, and Felicia

Posted by Ilora at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi everyone! My name is Kristina and I am a sophomore at the Brooklyn Latin School. I am beyond excited to be part of this program because I never been to India. I love to travel and experience new cultures. I was born in New York City, but I lived in China for five years and moved here to live with my parents and two older sisters. In addition to living to China, I been to Costa Rica and the Bahamas.

I can't wait til we leave for India. This will be an eye opening experience to meet people who are exiles by the Chinese government. This will help create awareness and spread the word about what's going on in Tibet.

Posted by Global LAB at 02:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey, my name is Shah, and I attend the Brooklyn Latin School. I consider myself very friendly and so I look forward to making new friends along the way. Another reason why I look forward to this program is because I love visiting new places and experiencing new cultures. I hope to come out of this program enriched with a different perspective of the outside world because I find it hard to experience new things when isolated in a city. I am excited about meeting the people in India and living in their lifestyle because I think that will be a challenge and I love challenges. This is it for now! I will love to tell you more about me in person.

Posted by Global LAB at 04:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello, my name is Ashley. I was born in Harlem, New York but was raised in the Bronx. I used to live with a family of 5, my mother, my father, my two older brothers and I. But being that my family has been through some changes I now live with my mother and one of my older brothers. Living in a divided household is tough, especially since I'm experiencing this at sixteen. Although my family is not how it use to be, we know how important it is to communicate with one another and still support each other through our struggles. I'm very reliable, responsible and also very compassionate. On my leisure time I like to knit, write and hang out with my friends and family. I'm looking forword to this trip, this would be an awesome experience, just to escape New York City and see how other families function As far as fundraising goes, so far I have fundraised $200. I'm preparing a dinner party at the end of February and organizing a school talent show/bake sale in the beginning of April, hopefully I will have $1000 by the end of April. I can't wait!

Posted by Global LAB at 02:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi, my name is Princess, I am 16 years old and I reside in the Bronx. I attend school at Frederick Douglass Academy III. Ever since I heard about the opportunity to attend the India program I knew it would be a once in a life time thing.

Some things I am hoping to get out of this experience is to leave America with little understanding of the Indian culture and to come back with fuller understanding. I am excited first and for most that I have the opportunity to travel to India. I am also excited that instead of hearing lectures on India I am going to be able to experience it for myself. I am excited to learn about their religion culture and the place they consider home. I am also excited to get a feel of how things differ from things in America. Things like their food, job, entertainment and more.

Posted by Global LAB at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi, my name is Anna and I'm from the Bronx. I'm 14 years old and I have three siblings who are all boys, which made me a tomboy because I like to play catch and I don't like to dress up for anything. I go to school at BCC Prep in the Bronx and I'm in 9th grade. When I graduate I'd like to go to school overseas, possibly in England because I have relatives there. I decided to apply to the International Leadership Program because it will give me a chance to experience other places in the world, and I consider this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Plus it sounds really fun!

Hi, my name is Lachristin Mack and I am a ninth grader from the Bronx, New York. I am really interested and excited to go on this trip to India and meet all of you in person.

Posted by Global LAB at 07:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello. My name is Sonam, but you can also call me Peter. I was born on the 10th of March, in 1979, in small village called Changthang Nyoma in Leh, Ladakh to a family of nomads. At a young age, I was sent to the Tibetan Childrens' Village School located in the town of Choglamsar, in Ladakh. After the 10th class, I completed two additional years at a school in South India and then completed my college-level courses at Delhi University in the field of Business. In March of 2000, I started to work in the travel business IATO (India Association of Tours Operation) company at New Delhi as a travel coordinator. I stayed with the company for six years.

In 2005, I started my own travel business company at New Delhi in the name of SP Travels 24/7 and soon after began collaborating with Global LAB on all of their India cultural immersion programs. I now work with a dedicated team, which combines the dynamism of youth with the experiences of age, to ensure a memorable tour experience to all participants. This work has allowed me to develop a good relationship with the native people that you will be meeting in Delhi and Dharamsala. I look forward to sharing with you the actual lifestyle and culture of the people you will meet.

With regards,

Sonam (Peter)

Posted by Deborah at 05:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi! My name is Bob Lesser and I am responsible for coordinating the International Leadership Program for Replications, Inc. Before joining the Replications team, I led international experiential education programs for American students in Asia. I have a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Vassar College. I'm a native New Yorker and a proud product of New York City public schools. I'm sure this is going to be a life changing experience for everyone and I'm so excited to be a part of it!

Posted by Global LAB at 06:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello Everyone!

As Director of Global LAB's India Programs, I am excited to be working with our NYC high school students, both during our 4 orientation sessions here in NYC and during our adventures together while exploring India. Having led Global LAB's India Semester program, I know that the students will have an incredible experience. This is truly a program of a lifetime!

Here is a little bit more about me…

Continue reading "Hello from Deborah, Global LAB Director of India Programs" »

Posted by Global LAB at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hi, I’m Adam Branson - a high school teacher at the Henry Street School for International Studies. I’m excited about the cultural immersion opportunity we have in Dharamsala and would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up in a small Florida town, spending my childhood playing outside, camping as a Boy Scout, swimming in lakes and working as a lifeguard. My passion for photography lead me to New York, where I earned my BFA at the School of Visual Arts. I spent four summers working with the Fresh Air Fund as a counselor, lifeguard, and waterfront director.

In 2007 I traveled to Uganda in East Africa where I volunteered as an English and math teacher at a secondary school in a village called Ntenjeru. In addition to teaching, I collaborated with friends at a local NGO for a number of service projects, including Malaria prevention and HIV/AIDS education.

As a teacher, I spend most of my holidays traveling. Recently I’ve been blessed to spend time in Costa Rica, Spain, and Bahrain. I live with my dog, Buddy in Manhattan and attend graduate school at City College. You can see some of my photography at www.adambranson.com

Posted by Global LAB at 06:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello all! My name is Ilora Majumder-Afzal, and I am one of the teachers helping to lead the trip to Dharamsala, India. I am so excited to be part of this valuable experience! I am a 12th Grade Government/Economics Teacher at the Henry Street School for International Studies, but I also teach Human Rights, Model United Nations, and am heavily involved in organizing our seniors' activities such as yearbook, prom, and senior trip. Just a little bit about myself: I am originally from Canada, but I've been living in New York City for 5 years now. My parents are from India, so I have some strong ties to the country and am looking forward to learning and sharing with all of you! My education is in Political Science and International Relations, so I am happy to bring a political flavor to this trip. Can't wait to meet you!

Posted by Global LAB at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Welcome to the inaugural Replications-Global LAB International Leadership Program! This cultural immersion and service learning program will provide 18 high school students from 5 New York City public high schools (in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan) a hands-on learning and leadership experience in Dharamsala, India this summer.

For most of these students, it will be their first time out of the country.

Over the next five months students will participate in a series of orientation sessions in New York City exploring global citizenship and leadership and learning about the history, politics, religion, culture and languages they will encounter in India. In Dharamsala, students will engage in home stays with local families, service learning projects, and get hands-on exposure to the many complex challenges involving relations between Tibet, India, and China. When they return home, students will give presentations to their school communities and will produce essays for college applications.

Learning how to turn dreams into reality through fundraising and community support is a key part of the program. As such, students have committed to raising $1,000 each towards their travel costs.

However, to cover the remaining student and program costs--approximately $50,000--we need your help.

We believe deeply in the power of international education and experience to transform young people’s lives. If an international experience has changed your life even in a small way, we ask you to consider helping Shakwan, Amanda, Kevin, Joelvy, Donai, Felicia, Precious, Amanda, Peter, Shah, Anna, La’Christin, Taccara, Nicolas, Anthony, Shaniqua, Kristina, and Ashley realize this opportunity.

To support the International Leadership Program please consider making an online donation. Or you can send a check payable to Global LAB to Global LAB, 4818 43rd Street, 4C, Woodside, NY, 11377. Please designate your gift “International Leadership.” Your contribution is 100% tax-deductible.

Thanks so much for your support,

Bob Lesser, Replications, Inc.
John Eastman, Global Learning Across Borders, Inc.

Posted by Global LAB at 07:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)