Hi, Team GAIA (Global Awareness in Action) India!

After a beautiful weekend of preparations in Putney, Vermont, our GAIA India program is definitely up and running! We have planned some amazing excursions, activities, and of course, an exhilarating trek during our time together. SECMOL (the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh), our home while in Ladakh, is stunningly beautiful and the SECMOL students are eager to meet you!  Situated high in the Himalaya, SECMOL will extend a tremendous opportunity to enter into the life of its community as we cook, milk cows, dance, and even practice yoga and meditation, together with SECMOL students. We’ll also learn about life in Ladakh, including the environmental challenges of living in such a fragile ecosystem. We’ll have the chance to go on a beautiful trek through the mountains, dip our toes in the Indus river, perhaps spot a golden eagle or two, see some marmots, and enjoy the warm hospitality of Ladakhi families. It will be amazing!

In Delhi, we will visit special sites of cultural interest, and will wrap up our adventures in India with a visit to the Taj Mahal, a stunning example of Mughal architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Until we meet, take some time to read and learn as much as you can about India. Have fun with this: check out Bollywood movies, listen to some Hindustani music, watch a game or two of cricket… there are many ways to explore India before the plane ever departs!

The more you explore and start developing your questions now, the more the place will come alive when we finally set foot in India! We can’t wait to meet you very soon and take this journey together.

Julley!

Karan and Sarah