Life in India can be challenging, and I work intentionally to stay grounded especially as the busyness of the end of the year approaches. I was excited to spend a week in Sri Lanka for spring break, but I wanted the trip to be more than just a distraction from my busy life. It was a week filled with much … More #springbreaksrilanka
Last week I took a couple days off and decided to venture down to the southern Indian state of Kerala. Solo. I haven’t done a lot of travel on my own. It proved to be intense at times, but there was something deeply satisfying about being in an unbelievably beautiful place with just me, my … More Kerala: My World As It Is
This past week at school has been amazing. We set aside our curriculum and lesson plans for the week and were immersed in a variety of activities to learn about and celebrate India! We saw a variety of performances, tried our hand at pottery, block printing, yoga, and chapati making, and learned about many of … More A Beautiful Tradition
After a wonderful, energizing two weeks home for the holidays, Tiffany and I spent the first week of 2016 in Kathmandu, Nepal, recovering from jet lag and denying the impending reality that Monday would indeed come. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, there were several things that struck me immediately: people are so friendly and kind, traffic is … More Stupas and Sunrises
It is the first week of the new year. There is much buzz about making resolutions and fresh new beginnings. While I don’t believe true change can magically happen by simply turning the page on the calendar, I don’t mind taking advantage of this time to recenter, reflect, and refocus my intentions as I look forward to the … More Now. Here. This.
As my friend Tiffany and I were traveling last weekend in the small town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, we were talking about the challenge of trying to describe our experience to people back home. How do you describe a place like this – that is so full and so deep and so different from … More Describing Pushkar
The air quality in Delhi has been getting progressively worse as the evenings have cooled off. A combination of people burning fires for warmth and the excessive use of fireworks announcing the arrival of the holiday season have caused the air quality readings to surge into the “hazardous” range. It is rather frightening. I wear a mask when … More A Breath of Fresh Air
Many cultures have their own celebration this time of year and many of these celebrations involve lights, helping to illuminate these shortest days of the year. For Hindus, this celebration is known as Diwali. Historically, Diwali marked the end of the summer harvest. Spiritually, this holiday signifies the victory of good over evil and people participate … More Diwali: Festival of Lights
One of the things that has struck me the most during my first few months in India is the contrasts that exist side by side. It is quite normal to see a Hindu temple, a Muslim mosque, a Sikh temple, and a Catholic church on the same block. The wealthy and the poor coexist in very … More Delhi: Ordinary and Extraordinary
Friday was a holiday here in India for Gandhi’s birthday, and we took advantage of the long weekend to do a road trip of the “golden triangle:” Delhi – Jaipur – Agra. It was a weekend full of amazing experiences! We left Delhi bright and early and settled in for the 5 hour ride to … More The Golden Triangle
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