Friday, May 2, 2014

On the Road: Dehradun

Well the trip is over, but I wanted to let you know what we did in Dehradun:

After the crowds and heat of the big cities, it was so refreshing to go up to the foothills of the Himalayas and  rest. We spent a day debriefing the past semester and discussing what we learned and how we can take these things back home with us. 

Another day was spent learning about the Tibetan refugee issue and getting a chance to hang out with some Tibetan guys at a drug rehabilitation center. It was a cool experience to interact with them, play sports, and try their delicious food. 

Playing volleyball with the Tibetan guys
A major highlight of the End of Semester trip would definitely have to be whitewater rafting on the Ganges river. We drove a few hours away to the town of Rishikesh which is famous for several things: it is where Shiva is said to have stepped out of the mountains, the Beatles had an ashram there, and the clean clear Ganges river flows out of the mountains! Needless to say, it is very beautiful and a very unique experience, as well as tons of fun!

Bridge overlooking the Ganges
Whitewater rafting on the Ganges River

Whitewater rafting on the Ganges river
Another day we traveled higher up the mountain to a hillstation called Mussoorie where we got a chance to hike around and see the snow capped Himalayan mountains! So beautiful and refreshing!

Snow capped peaks of the Himalayas!
We took the train back to Delhi and spent the day getting in some last shopping and eating Indian food before it was time for students to board their flights and head home. We wish you all well!