Dharamsala Reflections

Greetings

Our time in Dharamsala is coming to an end - hard to believe we'll be leaving day after tomorrow. The students returned from their trek today, exhausted and uplifted - they had quite the time in the Himalayas, between gorgeous sunsets, thunder and lightening through the night when several were hit by a nasty bug (doing much better already, thankfully), and a walk back down enhanced by more hail. They're resting now, getting sleep before an early wake-up to attend Tibet Uprising Day at the Dalai Lama's temple (highly likely he will appear), various afternoon options, a last two-group dinner at a wonderful new restaurant run by an Italian-American woman (guess who discovered this place), and then departure tomorrow midday, jeeps down the mountain, one more overnight train to Delhi, then a flight to Kolkata, and the flight out to Bangkok after a night at a hotel near the airport. And when we land in Bangkok, there will be vehicles to take us straight to the beach at Cha Am for a few days of rest and reflection. So soon, we'll be mostly in transit, though I'll try to send some "closing thoughts" once we are landed in Cha Am.

For now, one more set of students' written work - read when you have time - these are response papers written under the title, Why Am I Here? and following up on a discussion Shawn and Colin had with them early on in Thailand, where they identified personal goals for the trip, and gave some first thoughts in answer to the title question. They were written a couple of days before they left for their trek, right before they did their service in the settlement/slum in Lower Dharamsala. I've taken names off this time -- and a few students asked that theirs not be shared, though some will come to parents only. Even without attribution, I'm sure you can see that they are being thoughtful and often quite insightful. Enjoy!

Tashi delek,
Peg

STUDENT A - My main goal here in Asia is to learn. Whether that learning is made playing and teaching kids, or price battling with a Kashmiri, I want to learn. I also want to make a difference. Even the seemingly small act of reading/talking with kids could inspire them later in life to study hard. Besides that, it's fun. When you're young, growing up, having fun is essential. It's even better when you can mix fun with learning. Although I wish we could have worked longer with kids, I'm very grateful for the time we did have with them. They're all eager and quick to learn new games, and it's that mental flexibility that will transfer to their academics. As far as my personal growth and learning, I feel very happy with my progress. I've noticed changes in my tolerance, and appreciation of my surroundings. Being up close and personal with the snow globe of harmony that is India enforces the appreciation I have for the opportunities in front of me. That appreciation in turn drives me to do whatever it is I can do to improve their lives, and at the same time inspire them to do the same for others. Today as I was picking up trash near our hotel, I was thinking about what effect I was really having. The importance of picking up trash is less so the "act" of cleaning, but the chance for others to see that you would take the time to pick up their trash. It sends a powerful message. A message that will hopefully be reciprocated. Ultimately, my goal boils down to leaving a place better than how it was when I arrived, and leaving the people I meet feeling as though we both have learned something, and feeling inspired.


STUDENT B - Why am I here? What could I possibly be doing here on the opposite side of the globe, where everything is so incredibly strange and foreign to me? And how is it that I'm so fortunate to be a part of the tiny percentage of people in this world that has pretty much everything we need? These are the questions that have been running through my mind on a daily basis throughout this trip. As to why I am here, or what I'm doing here, I think I have it figured out. Before we departed, my answer to that question was a little different. Having gone to Spring Street for so long, and hearing people's stories of their trips to Asia and how amazing it is, I've been looking forward to it for a long, long time. Everyone has always told me how life-changing it is, and how "good for you" it can be. Hearing about all this made me want to go pretty bad, and my reason was a lot more self-involved than it is now looking back. I wanted to come here, and push my own limits, learn more about myself and of course gain knowledge about a part of the world that I knew very little about. Don't get me wrong, all of this is still a big part of the reason why I'm here and what I'm trying to accomplish while I'm here, but ever since Thailand I've realized that a much bigger part of this trip is giving back to wherever we go.

There's so much for me, and for all of us on this trip, to gain while we are here, but there's also a lot we can give. For me, our time in Sarnath was the best example of this. It was probably the least comfortable part of the trip for me, and yet looking back, I really enjoyed my time there. Working with the preschool students was more rewarding than I ever expected. Thinking back to the talk we had with Shawn in Noh Bo when we were working there, one thing he said stands out in particular. He said that no matter how hard it seems while we are doing volunteer work, it will be over for us in a matter of hours or days, but it doesn't end for the people we are trying to help. I thought back to that a lot while working with the kids, trying to think of anything to do with them. I realized how ridiculous it was to not enjoy myself while working with those kids. When it comes down to it, it's just a few hours of my life, and just by being there with those kids I was making a difference. Just a few hours. During my time in Sarnath was when I really realized that service was one of my goals on this trip.

Have I accomplished my goals? I know I have gained more than I thought I would on this trip, and been pushing my limits. I understand a lot better now what all the past Asia-goers were saying about how it can be "good for you." Just being in India is a challenge, and I feel I've met it well.

My goal of doing service isn't as accomplished as I would like it to be. Luckily there's still time left, and I hope I can get more service in. Hopefully the weather will clear and permit us to go do work in the slums down in Lower Dharamsala. I'm looking forward to tomorrow if we make it down there, and if not I would like to find a way to help out around here. (The weather did clear, and the group got down to work on projects in the slum the two days they had before starting their trek.)

STUDENT C - I wanted to go on this trip because I wanted to travel to new places and see and experience new things. I also wanted to do lots of service work, at least more than when I went to Guatemala or Peru. Also because I had heard about it from others and because Peg and Ted would not be leading it again, both had a little say in why I wanted to go. My parents wanted me to go as well.

I think I have fulfilled my goal of traveling to new places. I have gone from home to Seoul to Bangkok and went on my first crazy Thailand taxi ride, much crazier than Peru, to the hot Shanti Lodge, to Erewan National Park and Wan Pen's amazing food, to the wonderful waterfalls, to my first Thai night train to Chiang Mai, to Chiang Dao, to Mae Sot, to a Karen refugee village near the Burma border in an orphanage, to blistering clearing of a field, to rice, to painting bamboo, to rice, to blistering clearing of a field, to gas and oil paint, to crazy!!! Kolkata, to a crazy Kolkata bus tour, to a Bodh Gaya scavenger hunt, then I got sick throwing up etc., to Varanasi, sick more, to exploring the ghats, to seeing fires of bodies burning, to Sarnath, to Dr. Jain's, to flower necklaces, to playing with kids, to exploring, to homestays, to playing with little kids, to handing out crayons, to "London Bridge," to "Ring Around the Rosey," to "Head, Sho8lders Knees and Toes," to my homestay sisters doing henna, to teaching kids, to saying goodbye to homestay, to an Indian night train to Agra, to the Taj Mahal with Kevin, to a bus to Delhi, to another night train to Amritsar, people sitting on our bunks, to loud talking, the Golden Temple at 4:00 in the morning, to standing in line to see inside with Kevin, to talking to Sikhs, to the Pakistani border, to being packed like sardines, to too many hands and arms grabbing, to a veggie burger!, to jeeps to Dharamsala, to cold, to rain, to hail, to fog, hopefully to snow, to shops, to exploring, to writing postcards, to trying to find a place that is open to do service, to picking up trash in the rain and stopping because of huge chunks of hail!!

I think I have done lots of service work. I wish that I could have done more but could not because of the Tibetan New Year. I hope we go to the slum tomorrow to paint. I like painting!!!! I have had lots of fun but I can't wait to get home to see my family.

STUDENT D - In Noh Bo, I listed my goals for this trip to be: immersed in a language, religion, culture, and people as best I could. I also wanted to see a new part of the world and look at myself in new ways after experiencing this new culture. I also wanted to look as much as I could into border issues and the Karen and Tibetan issues as much as possible. Besides all of this learning and studying, I wanted to do as much service and exploring as time and opportunities would permit.

Since Noh Bo, I feel as if all of my goals are at least partially completed. I learned valuable phases in Thai, Karen, Tibetan, and Hindi; I witnessed ceremonies, gatherings, and worship in Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism; and throughout my travels I have conversed with average and important figures of Tibetan, Karen, Thai, and Indian (and Punjabi) cultures.Seeing a new part of the world was easy, but looking inside myself was hard. Throughout Thailand and India, I have been learning how I react to conflict, stress, and group issues, and also thinking of ways to improve my patterns of thinking and reactions.

In Thailand I decided that one  the things I would be studying in the future is border issues. I delved into the Burmese-Thai issue and learned about the large issues with all the tribes along the border. Since being in Dharamsala, I have been asking questions and listening to several important figures speak about the Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan issue. My studying has gone extremely well and I have learned innumerable things through independent and class projects.

On the service front, I feel as if I have been doing every opportunity possible and working full time at the assigned ones. In Noh Bo, Sarnath, and now in Dharamsala,I have been doing all I possibly can in the time provided. I really enjoy working with people and doing hard labor, especially when I know it is changing someone's life, now or in the future.

I have also been exploring the physical and cultural landscapes of India and Thailand. I have visited amazing temples, climbed mountains, spoken with strangers, and tried new foods; some of the things I have done, I never expected to ever do.

Overall, I have done all I came to Asia to do, and learned more than I ever anticipated about the new places and myself. Also, I never want to leave.

STUDENT E - I remember our meeting in Noh Bo and the discussion we had about why we came on this trip; our reasons for doing so and any goals we may have set for ourselves. Everyone went around and explained their reasons for coming; only I didn't raise my hand. I don't want it to seem like I didn't say anything for lack of a good/legitimate reasons for coming. Just that at the time, I felt I didn't yet know with certainty my exact reasons for coming (though I have them, do not doubt that I did). Throughout the rest of the trip I've thought about the question Shawn and Colin put to us and I decided I came for the experience. Not just to be able to say I've been to India and Thailand and check off those countries on a list of places to go. Not just because that was the trip to go on junior year (Asia! Go!). I came for the experience of the trip, whatever it might turn out to be (and how I would shape my own trip experience). I came so I could explore completely new and different places that I have never seen, so I could meet travelers, monks, little kids from villages in both Thailand and India, and see with my own eyes just how amazing Asia is (not only hear about it from upperclassmen). I really am interested in how my brain will process this, whether or not I'll be able to realize how the new information is being used to break and then form new schemas. Will I recognize my new schemas at work once the trip is over? I guess (I know) I came for the experiential education, and how that will translate into my future work as a student and myself as an individual, I am excited to discover.

STUDENT F - How do we find answers in the void? Empty spaces leave traces to an old-again place waiting for you, eyes ahead and two feet to set forth on a new path, lacking destination or any contrived aim, simply purpose of venture, of finding the understanding deep inside myself to accept what I know to be true and what I have yet to learn. So, why am I here? Why do I, born ... on March 7th, 1994, get to (no, am able to) be here, sitting in the foothills of the world's backbone, growing through experience and reflection, internal and external. In truth, I know I have the answers to my questions. They are locked away in the myriad of swirling light that is my (our) collective unconscious, for the truth I feel and the knowledge that has been confirmed through conversation and experience. I have felt all along and experiences seem to just unlock or dust off the archaic truth and purify the negativity, cut through false prophesies of materialism and egotistic individualism that results in a society that pulls itself apart. I constantly ponder "can't we converge as people in a more positive, spiritually enriching, environmentally friendly, and generally more healthy way? I know it's possible. ... I just don't know how. I am really at the point in my life of observance to take in all knowledge, and truth, without first offering up my opinion as if it is some priceless gem to be examined through. I'd rather listen and learn. So I am here for this, this second of regurgitation, manifestation of nothing and everything. I will find myself. I've been here before ... maybe?

STUDENT G - I have been asked to ask myself, "Why am I here?". I have tried to keep this question in mind and I have been digging deep within myself and I have realized that there are a ton of answers to that question. Some surface-level answers might insist that it was a uniquely rare opportunity or that I crave to see more of the world. These statements definitely hold true, but I've been trying to think deeper and see how joining this excursion would benefit me, as well as my relationships with others and the people with whom I share this beautiful world. The first answer that came to mind was that something I really needed in my life, especially in the past year or so, is perspective. We forget how easy it is to become attuned to our own lives and our own circumstances. I have found in my own experiences that it's easy to look at your own life as a baseline, or starting point, in quality of living. It's easy to want more and more. Coming to Asia has been really eye-opening this way. It's been a healthy reminder that there are many people in this world who literally have nothing. I feel so incredibly fortunate when I am able to have a clearer picture of how I rank in the grand scheme of things. I am fortunate to have filling meals every day, a functional family, a heated house with hot water, and a sense of belonging. I feel that one thing I have learned on this trip is how to independently accomplish my goals. As a minor, it is a rare thing to have as much independence and wiggle room as I have had this past month. I think that it is a really big part of growing up that a lot of kids don't get to experience until they are out in the real world as adults. My goals for this trip were: to learn to function independently as well as in a group setting, to get better at being grateful and happy, and to make contributions to those in need. I think these goals are all being accomplished extremely well, and I am proud of myself for this. I am definitely glad that I came on this trip.

Dharamsala

Tashi delek! (Tibetan greeting, means "good luck" approximately)

So here we are, last major stop on the itinerary, a place to both exhale after the challenges the rest of India serves up, to rest, restore energies, and to learn/explore/give back for an extended period. We arrived Feb 28, and will stay until March 11, with a couple of days out (and up) for a trek. The rest of our time here is a combination of talks with locals, both informal and arranged for the students with representatives of the Tibetan Govt in Exile, GuChuSum (the organization that helps ex-political prisoners), the Tibetan Youth Congress (who take a more activist position on China than the "company line" of His Holiness' administration); of service projects, both individually chosen by the students (so many options here) and with our friends from Tong-Len who work with the slum dwellers in Lower Dharamsala (we'll be starting work as a group there tomorrow); and of opportunities to explore, connect with locals and fellow travelers, pursue individual research projects... plenty to do, but also plenty of time to simply immerse in a culture all our students feel a fundamental affinity for -- Tibetans share a good many values and attitudes with Americans, speak excellent English, and love to connect with our students.

All of our travelers are healthy or on the mend - those who caught "the bug" (a stomach thing for the high school group, something respiratory for the college group) have recovered, and all are making the adjustment to altitude (slow down, eat more, keep hydrated) nicely, enjoying the wide variety of excellent foods available here. The weather has been cold, sometimes rainy, but sunshine is predicted for tomorrow onwards. Snow has been plentiful just above where we are in McLeod Ganj, which is good news for the local population (no water issues as there sometimes have been here), but not great news for our trek (3 feet of snow where we usually camp!).

Losar (Tibetan New Year) is also having its impact (places shut down but people often open their homes, and there will be a beautiful ceremony at the Dalai Lama's temple on the 5th); the trek for each group will happen soon after that; and we are all looking forward to the 10th, our second-to-last day here, which is Uprising Day for the Tibetan community (the anniversary of the Tibetan resistance to the Chinese invasion), and a time when the Dalai Lama will give a public talk.

So while there is plenty of time left, every moment still counts, and we are all relishing the multiple experiences that fill up each day. I'll try to send one more set of quotes from each of our students sometime while we are here -- they are certainly now in a position to comment on any number of aspects of their individual and collective journeys. Thank you all for helping make it all possible!

Peace
Peg

SatShriNagal

SatShriNagal! (that's the Punjabi version of Namaste)

I need to keep this short (really!), but I'm feeling the need to make some kind of contact -- it's maybe only been a week since we left Varanasi, but oh my goodness, how much ground we have covered since then.

Sarnath was a terrific chapter in this increasingly epic story. Respite in many ways from the intensity of Varanasi and life on the ghats -- but also source of one of the students' larger challenges, tied to their service agenda with Dr. Jain's children. They all rose to the challenge magnificently, as they did in Noh Bo -- I'm pretty sure they would all say the most difficult experience for each of them came when left in a preschool in one or another of the neighboring "hamlets" or (second round) in one of those overseen by Dr. Jain in Sarnath itself -- all by themselves, with only a local teacher there (and of course plenty of attention from the nearby villagers). Imagine holding forth (teaching, playing - Duck Duck Goose and London Bridges Falling Down were popular) in front/with 60-90 (!) preschoolers, for at least an hour. One of those times when one checks one's watch, sees that only 10 minutes have gone by, and wonders what the heck to do for the remaining time with them. The day they worked in the villages, Ted and I and Dr. Jain traveled around from one to another location, stopping long enough to play a game or have a chai, and it was sooo great to see the students running their individual shows!

And  I am already taking longer than I have right now -- suffice to say that after another overnight train ride from Sarnath, we arrived in Agra, visited the Taj, ate at Pizza Hut, had more bucket showers (boys) or the first hot shower in a while (girls), albeit with "Agra water" that just doesn't seem to entirely rinse off -- then loaded into jeeps for the 5+ hour ride to Delhi and the train station and another overnight train ride and now here we are in Amritsar, home of the Golden Temple, holiest of places for Sikhs, and once again, completely different from any other place we've been so far. The students are on another scavenger hunt today, this time to learn about Sikhism. Tomorrow most of us will be up at 4:30 am to catch the sunrise ceremony of "waking up the Guru Granth Sahib" and later we'll all go to the Wagh border between India and Pakistan and watch the border closing ceremonies, visit a couple of other temples, and get to bed early so we can be ready for an early departure Monday morning for Dharamsala.

Whew. Got to go, will write again from Dharamsala if not before.

Thank you all for your support. Hope snow provides more pluses than minuses - soon we'll likely experience some ourselves (the college group already in Dharamsala says it's pretty cold there...).

Varanasi

Namaste!

Ah, Varanasi; where to begin? A good starting point seems to me to be the following, borrowed from Wikipedia, after Charlie reminded me of this wonderful quote (and I actually recommend that for a more in-depth understanding of this most marvelous of places you go ahead and read the Wikipedia article on Varanasi; plenty of excellent detail there):

In the 1898 book Following the Equator American writer Mark Twain wrote about his visit to Varanasi saying that "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."

He's right; this is a very ancient locus of Indian civilization, with layer upon layer both material and spiritual, all in evidence, all at once. Folks here like to claim that Varanasi (Benares and Kashi are two of its other names) is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world - though I gather there are other cities in the Middle East with similar claims. In any case, there is no doubt that Varanasi serves up an extremely rich diet of history, culture, religion -- and people, perhaps India's greatest wealth. Hindus come here at key times in their lives - birth, marriage, death - in expectations of great blessings and benefit that come when here, engaged in ritual, and connected to the River Ganges (and the two others which join it, one north - the Varuna - and one south - the Assi - which give the city its most common name).

With so much to take in, and attempt to process, Varanasi has always been the setting for profound experiences for our students, and this time has been no different. They have explored, investigated, wandered, talked, shopped for silk and musical instruments -- and learned a ton along the way, about both India but also and more importantly, about themselves. It is here that students first begin to understand, I think, what we mean when we say India is a mirror; that the travel here is as much inward as it is a matter of moving through the external context.

I feel like I'm rambling (as usual), and I should be more specific about our four days here. I don't think I can be. It's been a powerful time for all of us, and probably for each of us in different ways. It's been both exhausting (a few of the students have had typical bouts with minor illnesses; we've all done more walking in a few days, on the ghats, taking it in, than we've done in any other 4-day segment on this trip) and exhilarating (we've made new friends and renewed old friendships; seen weddings and funerals and all their attendant color and ceremony; discovered new tastes - and smells, not all of them pleasant; listened to morning ragas and blaring Hindi music) -- in short, sensory overload and a need to make sense of our own reactions have set it, just as these things always have here.

So I think all were happy (relieved?) to be heading off to Sarnath this morning, where the surrounding context is much calmer (site of Buddha's first sermon at Deer Park, as well as the setting for our next extended service project with our friend Dr. Jain), and the pace is a good deal slower. Ted and I will join them in Sarnath (just 20 km away) tomorrow; Shawn and Claire, along with Dr. Jain, are helping them settle in this afternoon. I look forward to my next report about how our time "up there" plays out; I know the college group, who has just returned from their time there, has been wildly enthusiastic about their service in the schools and their time with their homestay families.

And that will have to do for now - time for a meeting with our new Director of the Institute for Village Studies, Charlie, to compare notes, firm up plans for our remaining time here (I did realize this morning that at least for the high school group, we are today mathematically halfway through our trip. Still, one has to be careful about using mathematical/scientific calculation here, as time has a way of sometimes stretching, sometimes contracting beyond immediate comprehension in this part of the world).

The kids are all right. Really. They are doing well, and we are proud of them.

Blessings to all of you. May all beings be happy and may peace prevail on earth.

Peg

6 fun photos!

Student reflections: India

Hello again

Here are the quotes I promised from the students' response papers titled "India: First Impressions," written after their experiences in Kolkata, the overnight train to Gaya, and their first day in Bodh Gaya -- enjoy...

Graham - (internally) I can feel the attention people are giving me; I feel powerful and important. I notice how lucky I am to have clean streets, vaccinated dogs, and quiet drivers. I feel rich and almost snobby when I look at the really poor on the side of the street who smile when they see me and seem happy. (externally) dirt, everywhere; the cars are loud!; extremes between the busy streets of Kolkata and the quiet peace of the Mahabodhi Temple; dull gray smog vs. bright colored saris; now I know why it is the "land of extremes."

Reuben - organized insanity; horn-happy language used by drivers for lack of traffic rules; simple, yet delicious food; passionate/bright people, curious and eager to share a conversation; Indians are un-fazeable; impressive colonial buildings slowly disintegrating; motorcyclists in India are asking to die.

Audre - The following adjectives aptly describe my first impressions of India: loud, odoriferous, ripe, foul, busy, full, invasive, intense, astounding. Kolkata was one big blur of all those above things and I found the cacophony of smells and sounds and sights to be very different from beautiful Thailand (which I miss dearly, having been suddenly thrust into India). I'm really looking forward to Varanasi, Amritsar, and Dharamsala! However, I can safely say I will be very happy to return to Thailand at the end of the trip.

Robin - Waking up in Kolkata, eyes open slowly. This isn't Thailand, it feels different. Eyes peer back, not in wonder, but subtle wisdoms wisping through deep eyes. Time inches to a standstill once again. I'm forced to live here and now, every sight and smell; I am forced to go into myself ..  I'm looking for answers but for now, I'm just here. I have witnessed great joy and equally terrible suffering. India is everything I know now. I breathe it and live it, leaving everything I thought I was sure about behind, wiping the slate clean and hoping I don't fall through the cracks.

Joan - I have been in India two days and it is very different than any place I have ever been. After we got off the plane we got into taxis and the traffic was crazier than in Peru ... Then we walked to dinner; you have to dash across the street at the right time if you want to live. ... We all got in a bus and I looked out the window and watched what was going by: carts being pulled by one person, carts being pulled by a biker, people washing themselves, dishes, their teeth, beggars and cripples, etc. ... (in Bodh Gaya) we went to the temple and there were tons of monks there because they were celebrating some guru's birthday. There were also tons of beggars. They have fluffy, frizzy, dirty hair, stained, faded clothing, and darker skin than most of the other Indians.

Kevin - India is not the cesspool-filled country portrayed by the media as being dirty, unfriendly, unwelcoming. India is simply an anomaly. There's the Western way and the Indian way. Getting across streets becomes a harrowing journey, and when no trashcan is available trash is simply discarded. India is filled with temples with absolute beauty. But around that architecture comes great poverty. Talking to people in the streets, India has great national pride and a different way of doing any task that will make you stop and wonder or push your buttons in some way. India is a journey to the inner self where the things you hate the most you'll see the most often, allowing for the conquering of fears and realizations about oneself and others.

Joe - If you compared Thailand to a lamb, India would be a lion. ... They are different; different population, language, level of noise. However, two things have been constant so far; the hospitality I receive and the depth of the culture around me. So far I love it here. I guess if anything it's "face paced" over here. People here tend to be a lot more outgoing and I already have made some friends. I can't wait to see more of India.

Dylan - India is .... well, India. There's no other way to describe it. Unless you have firsthand witnessed and experienced it, there's no way you can understand it. It's insane, intense, incredibly noisy, and riding in any vehicle is akin to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. The food's good when it doesn't turn your mouth into a raging inferno, and there's nothing like an ice-cold Mazaa. It's quite the hair-raising adventure, and even on my second time through, there's no way to prepare myself for what's in store.

Claire - I got off the plane to smells that I didn't particularly like, the deafening sound of thousands of horns. The country so far seemed a bit dirtier than what I had expected. The car ride would wake anyone up, anyone with cars wedging themselves into tight gaps and then honking to mark their territory, trying to make sure that no one would steal their spot. .. thick layers of dust covered everything. It was most noticeable on the tree leaves.

Robert - Wow, what can I say about the first two days in India? It's overwhelming to say the least. I never thought I would see Mother Teresa's grave and a goat sacrifice within two hours of each other. For years I've tried to imagine what India is like, after hearing so many stories and seeing pictures. I still couldn't understand what everyone was talking about. Just within the first few minutes of being here I felt like I understood. The chaos, the smell, the massive amounts of people and cars. But it's more than that, it's something that I think is impossible to put into words.

Iris - (internal) Maybe because there's never a lack of interaction with Indians, I feel less alien and completely separate here in India than in Thailand. I'm so glad I'm here; there isn't anywhere I'd rather be right now. The crippled and deformed are really hard for me to look at, which is something I never thought I'd have a hard time with. I force myself to look at them, though, or else I think it's shameful; everyone deserves appreciation and acknowledgment. So India forces me to not only talk the talk but also to walk the walk. (external) The people are really curious and always game for a chat. Bathing is a communal and public affair, two adjectives I'd never use to describe an American's washing experience. Indians love to stare and don't mind being caught in the act. Horns, horns, horns, and HONKS! People are always together either in groups or in pairs, talking or holding hands; community and friendship are obviously important here. There's never an end to the movement.

Mae Sot to Bodh Gaya

Greetings and Happy Valentine's Day!

So much has happened since I was last able to write -- we all agree that Mae Sot, and Thailand in general, seem eons away due to all we've experienced since coming out of the village of Noh Bo. I've got time, and I'll try to cover the highlights; I hope my tendency to ramble on doesn't dissuade you from reading through it all. Bottom line, we are all happy, healthy and soaking up an immense spectrum of experiences. The students are great travelers, handling the challenges of our journey - and those that come with being a member of our emerging "tribe" - extremely well, and I am very proud of all of them.

I think I left off last time in Noh Bo, where I was so amazed to be able to email at all, due to that remarkable extension of WiFi all over Thailand (not so thus far in India, which is partly why I had to wait until today to email again). Our time there, and the work we did for the orphans, was so fulfilling that the students asked to stay an extra day, so as to be able to accomplish more before leaving. I want to add a bit more detail about the people we worked with and for at Noh Bo, and will borrow a paragraph from a group email Charlie sent, since he covered it well. This elaborates on the situation for the Karen people we were with and provides a bit more context to what I have already shared about the orphans we were so happy to be able to help.:

"In the village, we had the pleasure of working and becoming friends with Karen refugees from the nearby refugee camp. The Karen are an ethnic group indigenous to both Thailand and Burma. Since WWII they have been heavily persecuted by the junta in Burma and many have fled to Thailand for safety. Thailand was not comfortable with the high influx of Karen coming and retained them in refugee camps along the border. For the refugees we had the opportunity to meet and work with, it was the first time the government of Thailand had allowed them outside of the camp. Their stories were both emotional and unjust, but their capacity for hope and optimism was an inspiration to our group . Many students were transformed from their time with them and hopefully developed friendships they will keep intact back in the US."

(Thank you, Charlie, for letting me "steal" your words..) Having spent the extra day in the village, our return to Mae Sot was a brief one -- just long enough to get an excellent meal, a hot shower (now much more appreciated than ever before), and some sleep. Next morning early we were on a bus back to Bangkok, for one last night at the Shanti before flying out to India. Thai buses can be pretty easy rides - I chose a first class, aircon option for our weary workers, which made the 8 hour ride pass smoothly - lunch, cold drinks included.

The bustle of Bangkok was certainly an adjustment, albeit by our second run through a familiar one. A bit of rest and renewal at the Shanti helped us prepare, at least logistically, for the major adjustment coming in to India requires. The flight to Kolkata was short and easy; the process through the airport, collecting bags and booking taxis into the city, as well. However, from the time we got into those taxis, right up to today, it hasn't been easy. As Ted has said before, "Thailand is easy. India is hard. But hard can be good." Not a bad lesson for all of us to heed. I'll start the sharing of what India has served up so far by stealing a bit of Charlie's posting again, since our ride in was (and always has been, past trips) quite similar:

"We arrived last night in Kolkata and immediately descended into its madness with the exhilarating taxi ride from the airport. Imagine a city the geographic size of Bellingham with 15 million people, no traffic lanes and seemingly no traffic rules. One student said it was one of the most intense and memorable experiences of his life."

I also have some descriptions of this first taste that my students have made in their "India: First Impressions" response papers I collected from them last night. I'll send those in a separate email (this one is already getting rather long!). From the taxi ride in, to the short walk across the street (check those quotes for an understanding of the challenge even that served up) to get some dinner, to the adjustment to an Indian hotel complete with "room boys," to our experiences on our (next-) day tour of Kolkata, the kids have been wide-eyed, amused, overwhemed, thrilled, confounded -- I could go on, but I imagine you get the point.

Our tour included stops at (1) Kalighat Temple, sacred to Shiva's consort Kali, crammed with devotees in search of blessings and good fortune in exchange for devotion in the form of prayers and offerings (which include flowers, incense, fire, and yes, goat sacrifices); (2) a major Jain Temple (astoundingly beautiful, intricate in its multiple constructions, from inlaid halls of mirrors and gems, to architecture and objects collected from or modeled after art from all over the world -- we saw items from France, Germany, Iran, China, and I'm sure many other countries! all arrayed in or around the temple in complex and wondrous forms); (3) Mother Teresa's "Mother House," which includes one of the most peaceful spots to be found in all of India - her tomb, this time adorned with flowers spelling out "Love Seeks to Serve" (last year it was, "Love Until It Hurts"), and a room filled with photos, news articles and other writings detailing her most amazing life and work in Calcutta; (4) the Victoria Monument, a huge memorial to Queen Victoria/remnant of the British Raj surrounded by lovely gardens, and providing quite the contrast to Kolkata's chaos; and finally, (5) Howrah Station, where we boarded the night train to Gaya -- reached via the Hooghly Bridge over the River Ganges as it empties into the Bay of Bengal after its long journey from the Himalayas (via Varanasi), an amazing architectural feat, constantly streaming with people and vehicles crossing from one side to the other.

Our ride on the train was fairly uneventful, save the first half hour or so, when the "local" riders expect to share your booth space with you (which Colin and I were having none of, knowing our students needed to keep claim to the space allotted each with their sleeper berth tickets). Had to wake them all up at 4:45 am, to disembark at Gaya. Sleepy children piled into "auto rickshaws" to make the 4 km ride in the pre-dawn darkness to Bodh Gaya, getting down at our pre-booked little guesthouse, where we dropped our bags before heading out for breakfast at the Om Cafe, a favorite spot from past trips, run by Tibetans.

And as it happens, Bodh Gaya is currently replete with Tibetans - lay people and Nyingma monks, here for the "monlam puja," an annual worship service where thousands of Nyingma monks gather to chant and pray together. The Mahabodhi Temple here (site of Buddha's awakening, and home to the Bodhi Tree he sat under while in search of same) has been full of these worshippers, and their chanting, maroon robes and general great good humor has been as inspiring as it has been overwhelming. The students spent yesterday exploring, visiting the temple, catching up on laundry/internet/sleep/meals..

. And today they are on an assigned "scavenger hunt," collecting information about both Bodh Gaya and Buddhism. I'll attach their assignment, for those of you interested to know what-all they are learning today (of course, those who have been in my World Religions class have a bit of an advantage, but I set up pairs for them to pursue their objectives in, which helped level the playing field..).

And that's what they are up to right now, as I sit here typing this. I told them this morning as I gave them their assignment, that in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I hope they will pursue this knowledge in the spirit of what the Dalai Lama once said about our culture: that in the West, we are very good at "head" learning; but what we could all stand to work on incorporating in our lives is more "heart" learning. In India, this comes from the connections easily made person to person. As many of you know, even the Indian greeting of Namaste (or variously, Namaskar), means (as borrowed from the Wikipedia list of basically similar meanings): "That which is of God in me greets that which is of God in you," a reflection of the Indian belief that we are all connected, all ultimately the same, all just drops in the ocean that is the Ultimate Reality. Consequently, connecting with individuals here can be immediate, and heart-to-heart. There is nothing like making eye contact with an (initially reserved, even stone-faced) Indian, sending a smile, and seeing in return a smile in the receiver's face that lights it up like the sun. I love to make Indians smile. The students are beginning to share that emotion and experience, and it's wonderful to observe.

With that said, I think I'd better close and check back in with the students. I thought this might take me an hour or so -- it's been nearly two -- and I still want to send the quotes the students have given me permission to share. I'll try to get that done a little later today. Please accept once again my sincerest gratitude for trusting me to bring your children and loved ones to this place so dear to MY heart.

Blessings to you all,
Peg

more photos!

Robin, Dylan and Joan feeding the carp who gather near the river taxi stops; Thai Buddhists believe giving food to animals of any kind brings merit

Dylan and Robin looking around on the ride through the canals

Monitor lizard spotted during our ride on a "rooster tail" boat around the canals in Bangkok

More Buddha statues at Wat Po

Photos are here! Courtesy of Shawn O'Bryant

View from Wat Arun, looking across the river at Wat Po and the Royal Palace

Wat Arun, a short river taxi ride across from Wat Po, one of the oldest wats in Bangkok, originally housed the Emerald Buddha

One of the smaller Buddha statues in the same temple at Wat Po as the Reclining Buddha

Reclining Buddha at Wat Po - first full day in Bangkok, Thailand's largest reclining Buddha

Mae Sot/Noh Bo (#3

I've found some unanticipated time to write again -- amazingly, there is WiFi available at the orphanage in the small village 2 hours north of Mae Sot that we are now in (I said it was ubiquitous in Thailand, but this is certainly unexpected)! The group is off on a hike up a neighboring mountain; it being Sunday and our hosts being primarily Christian, there won't be much work done today, and it seemed like a good opportunity to get the group out (and up) to survey the beauty of the hill country here in northern Thailand.

Once again, we've covered a good deal of territory, both literally and figuratively, since I last wrote. We traveled from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot by aircon bus, arrived and found a wide range of tasty dinner options, slept well and piled into our transport to the village the next morning. It was fun for me to observe the students' reaction to our arrival in the village -- though they had had some experience in a Thai village while staying at Wan Pen's, it was not like where we are now. Even though this village does have electricity (and WiFi!), the buildings are quite basic; the kids are sleeping on mats on concrete floors; the food is very simple (but delicious); the orphans (and mangy puppies) are great playmates; and there are several volunteers who are also helping, making for great conversations -- students, primarily, from both the nearby Engineering School in the refugee camp, from Norway, from Stanford University (! one of whom is best friends with Claire Nollman's cousin; another of whom lived last year across the hall from my niece Elyse -- amazing "small world" stuff!).

All are engaged in helping the fellow who founded the orphanage (for Karen children, most of them also refugees) improve the property and begin construction on the job training center he will establish to help these kids continue their education after primary school. They all go to either the local Thai school, or one set up just for Karen people, neither of which offers terrific education, though the staff here helps the kids with homework, preparing for exams, etc. They also have a music program (Robin was delighted to see a piano! and Joe/Reuben/Dylan/Robert are enjoying playing some guitar, some drums -- great way to connect with the kids here).

This afternoon we'll do some painting; tomorrow we'll be clearing brush and helping with the construction of the first building to go up -- the college group, who was here right before us, put in the wires to bring electricity to the site (approx. 2 kilometers of evenly-spaced poles with the wires attached), and cleared brush from about half the 4-acre site. We're also spending plenty of time with the orphans, who range in age from 2 to 17. I'm not sure what else we'll be doing, but whatever will be helpful... It's great to finally have a chance to GIVE as opposed to TAKE -- most of our time to date has been on the receiving end, and it's definitely time to create some balance to that process of "getting." All part of the process of being travelers, not tourists; givers as much as takers...

I do have a collection of short quotes garnered from journal entries I asked the students to write, soon after their arrival in Thailand. Much has happened since then (they wrote right before leaving Wan Pen's), but here is what most of them had to say in response to a request for "First Impressions: Thailand"

•  I wish all people and all places were this beautiful. The hills are spiky and jagged, sticking out of fertile valleys to offer the perfect sunrise.

• I can't put my finger on it yet, but the rice paddies, bamboo, and thatched roofs, among temples and other buildings, give this place a certain wonder, combining old with the new.

•  incredibly nice and gentle people; food to die for; a place I would return to again and again; limitedly modernized, which is why I like it; beautifully intricate temples; Thailand is a perfect example of how powerful an inspiration religion can be. (and after - for a few of them - a VERY active day at Wan Pen's): Dinner had never tasted better after an exhausting day like that, and I'm sure my bed will feel like clouds evaporated from fresh goat's milk.

• A smile is always appreciated and reciprocated.... I wish my mom was here; she'd love it.

•  Surprisingly, being in Thailand only makes me ponder about India more than when I was in the States. I keep wondering what it will be like, similar or wholly different from Thailand? Will I like it as much?

• The heat of the day dissipates, leaving an all-encompassing range of plants and animals to the sweet embrace of twilight. Words fail to describe what I've seen, no felt here, a mixture of emotions as rich and varied as the ingredients of Wan Pen's organic Phad Thai; as bustling, foreign and yet somehow comforting as Bangkok's markets. I am intrigued, in awe of a country I cannot begin to say I understand. I feel as if I have walked into another world, as contrived as it may sound, and I love it.

• Very different from home; outdoor markets with live fish, eels, turtles and frogs; no speed limit; stray dogs and cats everywhere eager to share their fleas; houses put together of scraps of metal roofing next to brand new buildings

• Thailand is: green grass, red soil, skies more beautiful than I would've realized. Thailand is like the weather, constantly changing from calm to chaotic. Thailand is a teacher hard to deal with, but I know I will look back in fond memory. Thailand is a treasure chest, endlessly deep in its subtle fortunes. Thailand is a home. I feel at home.

• More than anything, I'm in a state of disbelief. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm really here. ... People smile at you and you can tell they mean it. It's a feeling of overall welcoming, and that feeling only intensified once we left the city and got to Wan Pen's. Out in the Thai countryside I don't see how anyone couldn't feel at home. Between the delicious food and the amazingly beautiful views, I've decided it's a place I have to return to some day.

•  Thailand is about the same as last year: beautiful, full of nice people, a bit too warm, and overall fun. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be nearly as hot as it was last year; more bearable and not so humid, which really is the murderous part. Really incredible to see how much Wan Pen's has changed in a year. Mr. Hey sure does some amazing work, and quickly. .. Overall, good to be back; I really like this country.

As you can see, we're all in love with Thailand; we've all had beautiful and exciting experiences -- and we've all handled what challenges Thailand has served up quite well. Few completely understand  that this set of experiences is only a easily-handled transition to the ones coming their way in India. They are all moving through the sequence well, and I expect will be better prepared for the sometimes-overwhelming challenges India will serve up than they would be if we had flown straight into Calcutta from Seattle. It's a great group, and I am honored to be traveling with them (even if I do have to sometimes resort to what Ted calls my "scolding mom" persona to ensure vigilance and sensitivity to their surroundings :>)

Tuesday we return to Mae Sot for a day, then an all-day bus back to Bangkok, one more night at the Shanti, and then the flight to Calcutta, where we will be for just a night and a day before boarding our first Indian night train to Gaya. It may well not be until after our arrival in Gaya that I am able to write again, but I'm sure I'll have plenty to share again by then.

Best wishes to all back home; thanks as always for helping make this journey possible.

and much love,
Peg

Chiang Mai/Chiang Dao (#2)

Greetings - and Happy (Chinese) New Year!

They tell me that the Year of the Rabbit will be much calmer, more peaceful than our 2010 Year of the Tiger was. Let's hope so - even as the news, newly available to us here at our little guesthouse in Chiang Mai, tells us of the troubles in Egypt. Such a powerful surrounding global context, impinging though rather distantly, on our current surrounding Thai/travel context. At least I can report that all is well with our group. Our students are thriving, exploring Thailand's second biggest city, after their 3-day idyll at Wan Pen's farm, followed by their first overnight train ride.

As I gather at least some of the students have already reported (while I spent my internet time booking Indian train tickets), we've had a wealth of experiences since I wrote from Bangkok. There was the van ride to Ban Phra Tat, the village where Wan Pen and family live, followed by arrival at her recently-improved accommodations for visitors - improvements Ted and I were a bit concerned about changing the character of the place, until we got there. What were funky, no-electricity & no-running-water, village-style bungalows now have electricity available (through hookup to car batteries charged by solar power), sturdy foundations, and lovely folk art. All very Thai, all simple but lovely. We were glad to see that bucket showers remain a feature. And Wan Pen's cooking is just as superb as ever.

Our second day there was spent in play - at the nearby Phra Tat cave (with first a talk about carpse? topography and extremaphiles from Ted), and then the infamous 7-tiered Erawan waterfall. The group was in fine form, and the day was both exhilarating and exhausting. We slept well that night - and the next two, lulled to sleep by excellent food and sweet jungle noises, woken by the roosters. Our third day was devoted to "you choose" - students were told to use the day in whatever way they felt best, and given a variety of options. A partial list of how we spent Sunday at Wan Pen's, made while sitting on the balcony of my bungalow enjoying the warm sun, the gentle breeze and the dappled light of the garden surrounding the bungalows follows: playing harmonica, practicing/playing hackeysack, exploring (the nearby village and monastery, the Buddha shrine on the ridge, the other ridge that took a good deal of bushwhacking to summit), listening to birdsongs, reading (AP Psych! chapter on Motivation, novels), journaling, playing pickup soccer with village kids, washing clothes, playing with Wan Pen's grandkids, planting small fruit trees for Mr. Hey, resting, talking to each other... A beautiful day for each and all of us.

Monday was return-to-Bangkok and boarding-of-the-train-to-

Chiang Mai day. The train ride was smooth - long but fairly uneventful. Arrival in Chiang Mai was smooth as well. We're staying once again at a little guesthouse nicely situated halfway between the Night Market (Thailand's biggest) and Tapae Road, where bookstores, internet cafes, and excellent restaurants abound. Students spent yesterday exploring the city, shopping in the night market, making contact with northern Thai culture in a variety of ways. Today most of them are off on a bicycle tour of the city, meeting up in a couple hours at a major wat for a "monk chat" - an opportunity to have conversations with some local monks. Several will go to see Muay Thai tonight (kickboxing; not my favorite, but certainly a central element in Thai culture). Tomorrow we get up at 4:00 am to catch a ride up to a remarkable monastery on a mountain above Chiang Dao (many of you will remember how much of a high point in past Asia trips this place has been), visit the orphanage for children of HIV that we've had a connection with for years, and make some choices about a couple of additional options - which I will wait to tell you about after the choices have been made.

We'll return to our guesthouse in Chiang Mai Thursday night, then take off for Mae Sot Friday morning. Mae Sot is our jumping-off point for our first service project in a small Karen tribal village 2 hours north of there, right across the river from Burma. The college group is there now, beginning the work we will continue after we take their places - building a school (Karen children, most of them refugees, are not allowed to attend Thai schools), helping with the establishment of a job training center for youth in need of job skills, and otherwise doing whatever the villagers let us know would be helpful. We'll return to Mae Sot after a few days, thence back to Bangkok in time for one more night at the Shanti before our departure for India Feb 11. I expect I'll be able to send another update once we are back in Bangkok, if not before.


And so go I - miles to cross before I sleep. We send our love and constant gratitude.

Blessings,
Peg

Thailand (#1)

Greetings

I need to keep this first email short, as our group is leaving soon for their tour of the Royal Palace, a couple of wats (Buddhist temples, including Wat Po, which has Thailand's largest reclining Buddha), and a river ride through the floating market. We are all recovering from the "killer" plane ride over (approx 24 hours, Seatac to the Shanti Lodge and a bed), and getting ready for our first day in the heat, and the preponderance of sights, sounds, and smells that is Bangkok. All are healthy and in good spirits. The students have done a super job so far of paying attention, keeping up, supporting each other -- all those essential travel behaviors (but then, young as our group may be overall, they are all veteran travelers, and that's a blessing). I'm sure we'll all sleep a good deal better tonight, after an active day and plenty of input. Tomorrow morning we head out to our dear friend Wan Pen's farm near Erewan National Park (and that amazing 7-tiered waterfall, a cave, and the best Thai cooking I've had anywhere), where we'll slow down and rest up for the next three days. I'll likely need to wait until we arrive in Chiang Mai (Tuesday night your time) to email again, so keep in mind the axiomatic "no news is good news."

Time to gather them up. They've learned their numbers in Thai already - it's great fun for me to hear them sing out "Nam, song, sam, si, ha, hoc, jet, baht, gao, sip" when we're counting heads. It's wonderful to be back, among friends, in what is certainly for Ted and me a second home.

Many thanks for your support and trust!

and much love, Peg