#10 Asia Update - Safe arrival to Bangkok Airport

You will be relieved to hear (certainly we were relieved ourselves) that we are at the Bangkok airport, checked in and through security, marking time at the gate - due to depart for Seoul in just over an hour. The day played out very smoothly, due in part no doubt to the highly visible cadres of police and military folks. Demonstrations continue, but thankfully not at the airport.

So it's home again, home again, this time for sure - at least for 18 of our original 33 total participants. Rowan was the first to leave us, heading home a week or so before the rest of us -- and we said goodbye to Colin and Jared and Janine in Dharamsala. Fortunately, we did NOT have to say goodbye to Brittaney and Alex in Delhi, except temporarily. It got much more difficult to continue the parting of ways tonight at the Shanti Lodge, saying goodbye to 10 of our college group and John (who will catch up to us tomorrow in the US, along with Alissa and Sophie). The groups have become family, and it was a scene full of hugs and a few tears as we separated, even for the short time before we run into each other again on that side.

We look forward to seeing those who'll be there at Seatac to welcome us home - and we'll be looking for future re-connections with our extended tribe, I'm certain.

Blessings and gratitude to you all,

Peg

#9 Returning To Home and Family

And hello again

All is relatively quiet, and we are sticking close to home, but not expecting any difficulties getting to the airport tonight. Staff have made a few forays to check out the scenes of the protest firsthand, and also the situation with traffic in general -- and with extensive police presence, all appears calm and under control. We will of course continue to monitor the situation, and report any difficulties (at this point, no news from here on will be good news!).

It's hard for all of us to digest the reality of our imminent return -- and I know we'll all work at processing the wealth of input we've taken in these last 2 months, for some time to come. With limited time before I need to take another action step, I'm going to cheat a bit and copy below a good portion of the "last email" I sent to parents and friends at the end of last year's trip. The end-of-the-trip reminders and recommendations remain pretty constant from year to year, though I promise to read through the pasted in portion and edit to make sure it applies this year. Time is just racing by now, yet I do know it's helpful for some to hear about what's below. So apologies to those parents of HS students on their second trip; some of this will seem pretty familiar:

Here are a few tips from past experience about helping the travelers re-adjust to what's "over there," perhaps a bit more relevant to the high schoolers' processing, though hopefully also helpful for others:

1. Communication. You will all, I'm sure, want to hear lots of detail about your dear ones' experiences. Some students will want to chatter away immediately; others will find it hard to put so much they have been through in words. It's impossible to predict who will handle this how - but the best advice I can give you is to be patient with them, whether they choose to talk right away or not. And to ask specific questions - not the oft-heard from those who aren't as close to them as you-all are, "How was your trip?" or even "How was India?" etc., but better, things like: "Tell me about Shivaratri;" "What did you like best about your time in Dharamsala?" "What did you think about what the Karmapa Lama had to say?" and so forth. Use some of the specifics I've given in my updates to home in on specific questions. You may still get brief, "It was fine" kinds of answers, but over time, I'm sure they will be increasingly able to elaborate. They all need time to process the incredible amount of input they've received - remember, one of the intentional goals of the trip is to so over-stimulate them that they can't possibly process it all, something that leads to a necessary re-ordering of their thinking, a new framework within which to locate a wealth of powerful and diverse experiences. This takes reflection, and time - many of the most meaningful lessons the trip has to serve up won't be grasped until weeks, or months, or in some cases years after they return.

2. Health. We've had the usual number of minor illnesses this trip, mostly upper respiratory and of course gastrointestinal. The air quality through the plains of northern India is always poor and challenging to the respiratory system, something initially exacerbated by the shift to the mountains and breathing the relatively thinner, though much cleaner, air there while moving more vertically than horizontally through town and its surrounds. In any case, most everyone has had at least one bout of stomach distress, and almost everyone has had at least a cold. All seem recovered now, though all will still need rest and simple, healthy food before they are feeling themselves again. None of the illnesses have been serious. If you would like more specific input about your child, please feel free to call me after I am home (360-378-5829).

3. Diet. Most everyone will want to dig into foods they are used to at home that they haven't been able to eat here - especially dairy foods and red meat. But because they haven't been eating these things for a long time, and they are challenging to the digestive system in any case, PLEASE help them resume eating this stuff SLOWLY. If they go for a big hunk of beef, or a lot of cheese and ice cream, etc, they will, I promise you, suffer for it. Another major goal for many will be fresh salads - and again, these can be harder to process, so help them see the value of working that back in to their diets slowly. As much as they would all like to take a break from rice and other soft foods, they need to make a transition, and should continue eating at least some of what they are now sick of, while slowly adding what they have been missing.

4. Sleep. They will all take a while to get back on West Coast time. They will be wide awake in the middle of the night, at least for a while, and unable to keep their eyes open at odd times of day. A while back, someone told me that a good rule of thumb for jet lag recovery (always worse, by the way, coming from West to East, against the sun, rather than the reverse) is that it will take approximately one day per time zone crossed to get back to sleeping and waking at the "usual" times - and my own experience has verified this many times. We cross 9 or 10 time zones coming home, and it usually takes me that many days to recover. Young people may snap back more quickly, but as with other things above, there really is no predicting how your particular child will work through this. Exercise helps - but again, a slow resumption of activities they may be used to performing with ease at home, things that may be frustratingly difficult for a while after return.

5. Reverse culture shock. Just as adjusting to Asian cultures has been challenging at many points along the way for all, adjusting to the "same ole, same ole" of home has its challenges. Insights and appreciations gained during the trip take time to find a place in a new way of seeing old things at home. Many will be overwhelmed by several aspects of American culture - a common experience is disgust at our overly-consumptive, wasteful society. A trip to the grocery store, and the confrontation of the amazing amount of what's available, over-packaged, and in multiple varieties/choices, can be hard to take early after returning. Sometimes assessments of our way of life get terribly judgmental. These experiences can be depressing. In some cases, even more depressing will be the resumption of old habits - kids find themselves buying back in to ways of being they now see as greedy and insensitive, and then get down on themselves for doing so. The pendulum swings - but it will find it's balance point eventually.

6. New-found independence. This one is particularly relevant to the highschoolers' experiences. They have in fact experienced themselves as capable, independent operators in the world - they know they can handle a wide variety of challenges, because they have managed themselves through so much. So it can be hard to accept old limits - curfews, communication about where they go, who they're with, when they expect to return, etc. This does NOT mean that you should exempt them from all those reasonable expectations - just realize that they will want to be credited with how much they have gained and grown through all they've achieved during this trip. They have, in fact, "grown up" a good deal during the course of this trip, and they've all begun to think of themselves as more mature than they were. Find a way, if you can, to grant them additional freedom - as long, of course, as they continue to demonstrate the concurrent and necessary responsibility we all (though not always teenagers) understand must go hand in hand with freedoms and privileges.

Obviously, if there is one common thread to all of the above, it's the importance of being patient - with them, and by them. Realize that if and when they get cranky and frustrated, it will be a temporary thing. So many good things have been achieved by each and every one of them, and they need to be given, and to give themselves, credit for what they've achieved. And for the high school parents: know that there will be individual conferences with each of you, during which we will go into much more detail about your child's performance on the trip. In the meantime, and for parents and friends of the college kids, do feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

It's been a great privilege to accompany your loved ones on this most profound and transformative of journeys. Thank you again for all that you have done to make it possible.

Most gratefully - and Sawadee-ka,

Peg

#8 Asia Trip Reassurances

Greetings - and reassurances

Both groups are now safely out of India and nestled in to the Shanti Lodge in Bangkok. I plan to send a last email update later today -- but am sending this now, in case any of you are monitoring the situation with the "red shirt" protests in Bangkok. Please know that we are paying close attention, sticking to home base, and planning for using alternative paths to the flight tonight that most of us will be taking home. The college students planning to stay a bit longer are in a strong position to simply ride out what may unfold in the next day or two. We will certainly let you all know if there is any cause for concern. At this point, after consultation with many local friends, it looks like our departing group will be fine given careful selection of our route to the airport tonight.

To be continued,
Peg

#7 Asia Update

Just so you know...

All trekkers have now returned, safe and happy about their accomplishments. Weather cooperated, though served up some drama as well. Most students are either just returning from or going off to homestays today - reports from those who have been out for at least one night are excellent. Another great "immersive" experience for all.

Today's focus has been on Tibetan Uprising Day - a stirring talk by HH the Dalai Lama at the temple this morning, followed by a peace march to Lower Dharamsala that many of our students participated in. The photos will be remarkable - lots of beautiful Tibetan flags - in hand, draped on shoulders, on t-shirts, painted on faces, everywhere.

It's hard for us all to accept that we just have two days left here in Dharamsala. It will be tough to start down the mountain Friday afternoon, on our way to Delhi and then to Kolkata and then to Bangkok and then home again... for most of us. But as Ted always tells the trekkers as they depart for the high places -- once you start down the mountain, you're really on the way home. (as in "it's all downhill from here" :>)

Students are wrapping up work on their projects, helping with our slum improvements and other service projects, getting those last minute gifts for friends and family, eating one last time at a favorite restaurant, etc. Doing what they can to maximize the time remaining. All are healthy. We've certainly come a long way, all of us, in so many respects. We remain grateful for this amazing opportunity, and for the contributions our students have made to the people and projects we've developed connections with over the years. You can be proud of your friend/son/daughter - we certainly are!

Thanks as always for your support!

Blessings and gratitude,
Peg

#6 Asia Update

And again, Greetings

I've got just a few minutes before a meeting, but wanted to let all know that we continue to do quite well -- all are happy and healthy, enjoying the cleaner air and wide variety of healthy eating available here in Dharamsala. Students have been engaging in different service projects - teaching English to newly-arrived refugees and ex-political prisoners, painting walls and tables for the preschool "school" in the slum project our monk friend Jamyang and his Tong-len organzation helps (we also designed some latrines that the students will be building for them next week when the college group picks up where the HS students left off), picking up garbage with an early morning group that goes out daily. And they've been hearing different perspectives on the Tibetan situation - from the Tibetan Youth Congress, HH's Govt-in-Exile's Department of International Relations, and from GuChuSum, the organization that helps escaped political prisoners adjust to life in exile. And they've each been on various trails in pursuit of their individual research projects - learning tons, making friends, exploring and growing.

The college group left yesterday morning on their trek - a gorgeously beautiful, sunny and clear morning that was preceded by a day of hard rain that gave them all pause as they considered the trek to come. But that day ended with the most amazing double rainbow, centered right above their trek destination spot, Triund, another couple of thousand feet above Dharamsala -- a great omen, as we all agreed at the time. After seeing the group off on the roof of a restaurant with a view of the entire Dhualadhar Range where they had a hearty breakfast to sustain them through the morning, Ted and I traveled to Lower Dharamsala with the highschoolers, who spent the day working at the slum. It was a great privilege to be bringing Jamyang's group a substantial donation to help with their work, and to be sharing the earnest intentions and hard work of our Spring Streeter with them. For us, one of those most amazing of days -- I'd guess it felt that way to all of our students as well.

So all continues to be well - we are all learning, growing, contributing -- and so grateful for the opportunity to do so. Thank you all for your support!

Best wishes,
Peg

#5 Asia Update

Tashi Delek!

I haven't much time before a student meeting, but wanted to catch you up to our groups' respective whereabouts, and reassure you that we are all quite well -- thriving, in fact.

The college group arrived in Dharamsala yesterday, after a universally-enjoyed stay in Amritsar, heart of Sikh culture and its amazing Golden Temple. This morning they all rose early in order to get a good seat at the Dalai Lama's temple courtyard to hear His Holiness' teachings on the Jataka Tales (teaching stories/parables of Buddha's past lives). They are settled in to their rooms, and beginning the planning for pursuing their research projects in earnest tomorrow.

The high school group had a truly incredible experience in the Thar desert on their camel safari. 28 k's the first day. (Our host, Vikram, had said: "10 k's easy, by 20 k's it gets a little hard."). Camping out in tents or under the stars in the dunes, after a day spent in the brutal sun (only just tolerably mitigated by hats and layers of sunscreen) that began with a visit to the Rat Temple, and breakfast in the desert while watching the steady arrival of the camels. Wonderful to observe the students as the reality of what was coming sank in. I hope family and friends get the stories direct, as there are plenty to tell.

After that first day, Ted and I returned to Bikaner, to deal with some ridiculous paperwork, and prepare to join the college group in Amritsar to help bring them up to Dharamsala. Everyone has had their odysseys lately -- and all will be settling in to new rhythms as they settle in to this most magical of places. (The highschoolers arrive tomorrow, after a brief stop in Amritsar and some time along the way to celebrate Holi, Hindu festival of colors in celebration of Krishna. More stories to tell, no doubt.)

So the days ahead will fill with a variety of group activities and individual pursuits of research projects -- coming up for all: a trek into the Himalayas we gaze upon from our perch on the foothills below, a Long Life Ceremony in two days again at the temple for HH, a likely audience with the Karmapa Lama, service projects of a wide variety including for all work at the slum in Lower Dharamsala our monk friend Jamyang's Tonglen organization provides medical services and educational support for, and.... well, there will be more, but time is getting short and I must close for now.

Blessings, happiness and health to all of you,
Peg

4th Asia Update

Greetings, friends and family!

I see from the previous update that it has only been just under a week since I last reported on our happenings, though once again, it seems like so much longer. We have again been in pretty constant motion, with internet access very intermittent, and rarely available at the few times I had time to do anything other than keep up with day-to-day activities.

Which is to say, we are busy, and almost constantly engaged. I'm currently with the high school group, and we've just arrived in Bikaner, after quite another odyssey, from Varanasi to here. The college group arrived in Agra this morning, and is currently touring the Taj, with plans to visit Agra Fort later today. They will move on to Delhi tomorrow and catch a night train to Amritsar, arriving there the next morning. They had a few days to explore Varanasi after their time in the village and Sarnath, working with Dr. Jain.

Our group went directly from Sarnath to a night train (after a fabulous group dinner at an upscale hotel restaurant near the train station - much appreciated after days of all-veg food), and arrived in Agra the morning of Feb 22. We spent that first day resting, enjoying the view of the Taj from our rooftop restaurant, enjoying a (very expensive) Pizza Hut dinner, and working on restoring health to our ones still affected with one bug or another (there have been a few, in both groups, but all have been rebounding after a couple of days). Early in the morning yesterday the group went to the Taj at sunrise, then packed and got on an 18-passenger coach to Jaipur later in the morning. We had a pleasant but extended trip to Jaipur, arriving in enough time for just one more group dinner before boarding the night train to Bikaner.

That's it to date in a nutshell, and I'm afraid I don't have time to include more details. I msut get back to our "castle" hotel for lunch and check in with the group again. We are taking it easy today, with a 7 AM departure for our camel safari tomorrow morning. Rajasthan is quite different - DRY, cool at night and hot in the day, clean air, and plenty of camels here and there, giving us all pause as we contemplate getting on top of one in the morning!

John reports that all is well with the college group. I know they enjoyed their time in Varanasi, and are now enjoying Agra, hoping to stop in Madhura (Krishna's birthplace) on the way to Delhi tomorrow.

Must go - if not before, there will be a significant update coming, once we have arrived in Dharamsala (Feb 27 for the college group; March 1 for the high school group).

As always, we are grateful for your support!

Namaste,
Peg