I will never forget the beautiful sunset I watched every night as I ate my tempeh, tofu and rice for dinner. I will never forget looking into my Ibu’s (mother’s) eyes as tears stream down her cheeks with her hand on her heart, explaining to me......Read More
According to Merriam Webster a hike means to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise. Personally I’ve always had a bad association with hiking. I always wondered where the fascination came from. Hiking was a source of anxiety for me, almost unconsciously. I would brush off the idea that it made me nervous, convincing myself that hiking just wasn’t my forte. However, In past three days my perspective has changed, due to some crucial tips and tricks I learned from myself and others. So here they are, things to remember. Brought to you by someone who previously had a… Read More
The sun sinks behind a 300 year old Mosque, illuminating the perfectly rounded towers. I remember visiting the Mosque during our Muslim week (what seems like ages ago). I stood on the balcony, looking out over the ghats, down at the boats in the......Read More
Simplicity: I find simplicity profound. Effective. Necessary. Asian cultures adore the concept of simplicity. It is second nature to them. American culture is way too complex. Too stressful. There is no need. It is not necessary or effective. In......Read More
“The ethnosphere, a notion perhaps best defined as the sum total of all thoughts, beliefs, myths and intuitions made manifest today by the myriad cultures of the world. The ethnosphere is humanity’s greatest legacy. It is the product of our......Read More
I’ve spent much of the past ten days processing my month in Senegal; trying to make sense of how I ended up in such a beautiful country, in the arms of the most welcoming hosts, and with the greatest group of co-travelers. I’ve been reflecting......Read More
My home-stay sister’s name is Ritu. She is 30 years old and lives in the same house she has grown up in her whole life. Ritu has three brothers, but they are either married or at school, and have all moved out of the village. Ritu takes on......Read More
February 17th, 2015: After rising early, we made the four hour drive to Helambhu, a sacred beyul in the Himalayas where we would have our first trek. We had a dal bhat lunch and set out on our adventure. Ten minutes in of going up a steep stone......Read More
I trek because it is what I signed up for. I trek because it makes me feel alive. I trek to ground out, to feel my bones, tendons, muscles, tendons, my body, all working together, pushing my mind. I trek to feel the sweat trickle down my forehead,......Read More
A few mornings ago, as Duncan and I crowded around the outlet to read our parents Field Notes on the program house iPad (hi mom and dad!), we found ourselves distracted by Photos of the Week and Field Notes from other students on other courses in......Read More
The Kathmandu valley presents a chasm of a contrast to the world outside of the hills which one can occasionally glimpse from a solitary moment on building rooftops: looming mountains of ragged green and reflective sky-shearing peaks through which......Read More
It is said that culture never dies. It only evolves; molds to whatever patterns life weaves. It is constantly being reshaped, re-spun, and recreated. Culture is as plastic as the people who compose it. It can be a thriving garden of heritage in the......Read More
I recently read a short book that was given to me on Buddhism, called What Makes You Not a Buddhist. In each section, the author, Khyentse Norbu, repeatedly urged the reader to not simply intellectualize and then shelve the philosophies he was......Read More
Having never spent time in a rural community before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect last week as our course moved to the quiet mountain village of Chokati. I assumed it would be very different from the busy , dusty city, but I never would have......Read More
NAMASTE FRIENDS AND FAMILIES!! During our transference in Bhaktapur, we talked about going home – what it means, what to expect, how to make sense of this semester in Nepal. We want to thank you to all families and friends for your support in......Read More
For any U.S. resident as inexperienced with international travel as myself, the thought of traveling to a foreign country such as Nicaragua evokes a diverse range of emotions: excitement, fear, eagerness, and not a bit of trepidation at the......Read More
