I am woken from the cold marble floor by a tall, spear-wielding man with a turban reaching to the heavens. “Head”. He pats his hand on his forehead and points to the scarf lying by my side. It is 3 in the morning and I have broken yet another one of the the temples many taboos. Among covering your head at all times, bare-feet are a must and pointing feet… Read More
A lot has happened over the past two weeks. After the week of trekking to Dzongri, we had two weeks to recover from our aching feet & sore muscles by spending time in Darjeeling & Rishikesh– both in very different ways.
DARJEELING:
While in Darjeeling, we recouped anyway we saw fit. We all found some much needed rest & relaxation by doing whatever we wanted to do with our three… Read More
After our time in Gangtok, we prepared to go on our long awaited (or dreaded) trek in Western Sikkim. This area is dominated by high mountains covered in dense forests. While the beginning of our trek was only a few dozen kilometers away in Yuksom, it still took hours to reach our hotel having to navigate the winding dirt roads of Sikkim. Arriving at Ejam Residency, we found ourselves in… Read More
Leaving the humidity of Kolkata behind us, we found ourselves amidst the misty mountains of the beautiful Gangtok this week. Sikkim, of the Northeast corner of India, is like nothing we have experienced in this country yet– in fact, it’s often hard to believe we are still in India. Bordered by China, Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet, and comprised of many Tibetan and Nepali people, the hussle and bussle of the… Read More
We arrived in Kolkata one week ago today. I was surprised to see that the city did not live up to the terrifying descriptions that Indians in Varanasi had supplied: “Don’t drink the water or eat ANY of the food outside of the most pristine restaurants. That stuff will make even us sick.” More told stories that made my fears grow wilder. In reality the city is very modern and… Read More
Varanasi was a magical city, unlike anything we expected or were prepared for. But somehow in the overflow of sights, experiences, and chaos, what each person needed to find there was reflected back to them.
All of us had great teachers for our internships, whether we were studying beneti (fire dancing), Indian music, Indian cooking, ayurveda, Bollywood dance, or yoga. It’s amazing what you can learn in a week practicing… Read More
We made it to the Taj, the jewel of India. It was more brilliant than any postcard can really do justice, all shimmery, shiny, white marble, It was hard to believe we were really there. What a labour of love it was, built for the emperors wife when she died giving birth to her 14th child. After it was built he was imprisoned by his son eight years later… Read More
Namaste from India!
The air is filled with dust particles, and sun streams in from a half open window. A little old woman with an Indian accent is smiling and informing us on what the next stretch is good for: “Goood (with long o sounds) for lower back, estomach, gooood for ladies. ” It’s only 7 am and already Jaipur is filled from sounds we can hear from the program… Read More
Hey all you blog followers and information hounds,
Rebecca, Daphne and Kyle checking in at our first visit to an internet cafe. It’s our first jaunt about the crowded, insane circus that is Dehli and we are loving every moment of it. Wish us luck on our scavenger hunt around the metropolis and pray that we don’t get ripped off by the locals. We’re off to buy supplies for the… Read More
Namaste friends and family,
It is with huge smiles that all of the Carpe Diem India students gathered together at SFO and headed off on their long journey to India. The group was full of excitement, a little bit of nervousness, and a whole lot of wonder at the mysterious path ahead!
We should hear from them soon after they land safe in Delhi, until then, thanks for tuning in… Read More
Namaste India Groovers! We are currently in the wonderful food-filled city of Portland, Oregon. Check us out here, fully equipped with rain gear and warm layers, biking fearlessly on slippery streets to our office filled with files, tea, workshops, and all our friends preparing to venture off to distant lands with their own amazing groups. Though we will miss the cuisine and the coffee of the Pacific Northwest, we are… Read More
My parents have told me of the invisible thread that holds all of India together. Unseen, unrepresented, but absolutely present. India is a country that I believe to have the most different extremes. Massive and minute, every kind of terrain and climate, extreme poverty and wealth, it’s all here. Some of the dirtiest things and people living with some of the cleanest. Areas of overcrowding neighbor lands uninhabited. All religions… Read More
So our semester is coming to a close and it has been a crazy and amazing experience. I have learned tons about Buddhism and Hinduism and even some Jainism. I have been blessed with the most magical group and couldn’t have gotten luckier. We have all shared our ups and downs and everything in between. It is a crazy thought that for my next shower I will be at home.… Read More
As I reflect on these past three months as a whole experience, it is difficult for me to come up with one cohesive piece of writing to sum it up.
It is easiest to talk about the more concrete internal and external changes that have taken place. The reasons why those changes have taken place here and now will have to wait. Family: We have built a family together. We… Read More
Free travel started off in Rishikesh, a beautiful, mountainous region near the Ganges filled with yoga-loving backpackers, and ended with an epic camel trek in the deserts of majestic Jaisalmer. Rishikesh was fun and relaxing for the Carpe Shiva group. We got in a fair amount of down time filled with good food (Oasis hummus being a fave of mine) and shopping (Lil and I got Punjab suits custom made!)… Read More
The writing of this post came at a time when I was (and still am) struggling to figure out how I would possibly describe and explain my experience here to family, friends, and even casual enquirers once back at home. For you Carpe students about to embark on your own journeys here in India, though, there is no point in trying to explain it… each of us will have had… Read More
Hari om (namaste, rishikesh version)!
It’s been awhile since we’ve last posted, so there is a lot to catch everyone up on.
Going back in time about two weeks ago- we were in the wonderful city of Darjeeling for three days to relax after our trek. Darjeeling is an absolutely magical hill station located in North eastern India, surrounded by rolling hills and the Himalayas. It is well known for… Read More
Leaves crunching, birds chirping, everyone laughing, bells ringing, snow falling. We heard, felt, touched, saw, and most importantly smelt a lot this past week on our epic Himalayan trek. We spent four nights camping on the mountain and five days trekking up and back. It was a trip full of extremes. At points we were in shorts and t shirts sweating and slightly dreading the crazy mountain death star and… Read More
