India
If there is any hope for a better world, its development is going to come from changed people not changed policies. This development was happening at this school. I saw it with my own eyes. I felt it with my own hands. These kids are learning to live together in peace. Night after night these kids would teach me new songs (in English). And when the singing was over I would help the older kids carry the sleeping young ones off to bed.
Photos play slideshow
Carpe Diem takes groups of 4 - 8 people to India to explore the rich spiritual traditions of this country (Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh).
India is a vast subcontinent that is made even more vast by the sheer diversity of its coexisting cultures. To experience the true depth and breadth of this country would take a lifetime, however, a useful way to organize India is by way of dividing it into “plains” and “mountains,” as the geography greatly impacts the respective spiritualities and ways of life. The following itinerary has been designed with this in mind, and seeks to “flow” in a manner that seeks to maximize opportunity for exploration.
The Plains
Orientation
Your semester in India begins in the capital of Delhi, adjusting to jetlag and getting to know your groupmates with a couple days’ orientation in the backpacking district of Paharganj and the commercial district of Connaught Place. “Get your feet wet” at a reasonable pace within the safety of the group; see a Bollywood flick together or explore some of the sights while absorbing the cultural lessons around you. Learn how to negotiate rickshaw prices and wander the markets.Varanasi
Varanasi (Benaras), the “city of lights,” is renowned as the very pulse and epicenter of Hindu India. The group redsides in hostel accommodations within walking distance to Assi Ghat. Extend your ‘orientation’ and skill set by studying Hindi from a local language teacher who will visit daily, enjoy private lectures on Hindu philosophy and history, and take part in internships of your choice, including: yoga practice, Indian cooking, fire dancing, stone carving, jewelry making, tabla, sitar, flute, and the list goes on! Practice your Hindi when you go to the market. Cook together as a group, or enjoy any number of international cuisines in the area. Experience sunrise over the Ganges, the burning ghats, and just generally soak up the vast, rich scope of one of the oldest cities on the globe.
Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya is the spiritual epicenter and birthplace of Buddhism. Sit and meditate under a descendant of the same bodhi tree where Siddhartha reputedly attained enlightenment. Visit Buddhist temples built by almost every other Buddhist nation in honor of this holy place. Walk in pilgrimmage around the Mahabodhi temple with monks in robes of bright colors. Stay in one of the temples and experience how the true devotees live. Feel the unique flavor of this holy city as it resides within India's poorest state.Calcutta
After the inward journey of Buddhism and Bodhgaya, move on by overnight train to Calcutta (Kolkata). Here we will turn our journey outward by giving of ourselves, working approximately 4 hours each morning as volunteers at the Mother Theresa Homes for the Destitute. Here you will have choices of what type of work you wish to perform: support services (i.e. laundry), helping to feed the poorest of the poor, or even holding the hands of those who are in the process of dying, bringing them honor and dignity in their last days. Spend afternoons in groups absorbing and exploring this unforgettable and politically pivotal city.The Mountains
Chandigarh
Chandigarh was born as a British hill station and subsequently became the capital of Punjab state. It is the only city in India that was built on a grid system, and one of only a handful of Indian cities with a waste management system. Feel how suddenly foreign sidewalks and golf courses feel, enjoy a lecture by a Sikh elder, and just generally experience the juxtaposition of this truly peculiar Indian town.
McLeod Ganj
McLeod Ganj, home of the Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama, is the site where you will be living with Tibetan families and welcomed as a true member of their extended family. In this plush, mountainous region you will learn first-hand the unique challenges faced by a culture forced from its homeland. During the day you will again have the opportunity to participate in internships such as thangka painting, music, meditation, teaching English to political refugees, and cooking, among many others. There is no shortage of activity to be had in McLeod, as well as no shortage of excellent food, starting with your homestays!
Amritsar
Spend a night or two as a guest on the grounds of the Sikhs’ Golden Temple. Experience the wonder of eating a free meal en masse with thousands of others. Feel truly unconditionally welcomed as a guest of this unique religious tradition in the home of its birth.Rishikesh
First made famous by the Beatles who wrote their album "Sergeant Pepper" while living in a Rishikesh ashram, it is one of the most beautiful lowland areas to experience the Ganges River as it emerges from the Himalayan highlands. As such, it is also a hub of adventure activity including whitewater rafting, trekking, and kayaking. Wander the marketed streets and traverse the suspension bridges, or just hang out on the white sanded beaches of the river. Rishikesh is saturated with ashrams of all types, and a "guru" can be found on every corner.Himalayan Trek
Spend 4 days camping and hiking in the Himalayas after a day’s drive toward the headwaters of the mighty Ganga. Breathe deep the crisp mountain air, taking only pictures and leaving only footprints, as you participate in a fully guided and professionally supported trekking experience with one of the most reputable Himalayan companies. Sit each night by a roaring campfire while robust meals are cooked for you, take time for yourself in the silence, or take well-earned naps in the supplied tents. Be sure to dress warmly!
Haridwar
A short ride from Rishikesh, translated literally as “gate of the gods,” Haridwar is a holy place for Hindus as it exists at a confluence of the Ganga and its tributaries. Less touristed than nearby Rishikesh, here you will find small, earnest ashrams teaching practical spirituality and health practices on a consistent basis.Free Travel
This is a week of self-directed group travel. Your group will decide where they want to go and what they want to see, be given a budget to operate within, and be responsible for all logistical details. Your group leaders will be there to monitor and assist as needed, but essentially this is your opportunity to experience for yourself what it is like to plan and execute your own travel in the developing world. It will also give you the opportunity to experiment with ways to stretch your travel dollar safely and intelligently. End back in Delhi, planning to arrive approximately 1 1/2 days before your flight home. Spend the last days experiencing the markets, sights, and whatever else you feel you wish to accomplish before heading home with more stories than you dreamed possible.Program Details:
Program Dates:
Spring 2009: February 11 - May 5, 2009
Fall 2009: September 9 - December 2, 2009
Group Size:
A maximum of 8 Students & 2 Adult Leaders
Eligibility:
Ages 18 and Up
Academic Credit:
Up to 18 credits available
Language Requirement:
None
Admissions:
No deadline - applications accepted on a rolling basis until start date.
Program Fee:
$8,400 Program fee includes all food, accommodations, and scheduled program activities for the duration of the program. International and domestic airfare, health insurance and spending money are extra. International airfare estimated at $1700; possible internal India flight estimated $150 - $200. For information on Financial Aid click here.
