Nepal Semester: Himalayan Studies

I really don't know where to begin with this, so I guess I'll just start it from the very top.
The initial reason I wanted to visit Nepal was not some sort of altruistic goal for global understanding and for the betterment of others, it was actually quite selfish! I wanted to see the Himalayas...simple as that. But what ensued over the next 3 months was so profound and ego dissolving, that I came home to a completely different world than the one before I left. On the night of September 16th, myself and the 10 others that I was about spend the next three months, with, touched down in Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu. As soon as I stepped off the airplane, reality seemed unreal, as I picked up my duffel bag off a pile on the floor, and left the airport doors to be greeted by hundreds of people trying to sell me this or that. I didn't even know how to comprehend it. Not knowing how to comprehend a lot of the experiences I had on my journey was a common theme for me throughout the three months. In the time we were there, our group went on 3 seperate treks, lived in the Kathmandu suburb of Patan, lived with Nuns in a Buddhist Nunnery and spent time in the tourist-town of Pokhara - however the one place where I was pushed most outside my beliefs, and probably gained the most at, was the small village of Chokati. I lived with a family who did not speak a single word of english, in fact, nobody in the village except us spoke any english! Living with a family who produced less trash in three weeks than I do in a single day and who's "extended" family extended to the entire village really got me reflecting on my conceded ideas about development equating to a prosperous and happy society. All in all, there is no way for me to sum up my trip to Nepal on an internet blog, but if I were to leave a couple nuggets for whoever's reading next, I would say this - Taking a year before going off to University and travelling to Nepal is a decision that has had an impact on me that I have yet to fully understand. I would have never been able to do it without countless other people supporting me financially (partially), namely my parents, as programs with Where There Be Dragons tend to be silly expensive. If you have the kind of resources to go to a place like Nepal with a program like Dragons, it'll probably be the best decision you'll ever make. However, if you're like most people and can't afford to pay 18 thousand dollars (canadian) to go travel, know this - Experiencing the things I experienced doesn't have to be a with a program abroad, in fact it doesn't even necessarily need to be abroad! Just try listening instead of speaking, let go of some of the "truths" that you may hold onto so firmly, and the magic I experienced in Nepal can be felt where ever you may find yourself in the world.
Thank you :)

My Himalayan semester was one of the best experiences I have ever had. From rural homestays to trekking in the Himalayas, it was full to the brim of adventure, community, culture and collaboration. My instructors were absolutely amazing as were my fellow Dragons students. The space that Dragons creates for self reflection and growth along with building an incredible group environment was something unique and awesome. On a trip like this it is expected that at one point or another you are pushed outside of your comfort zone. This was incredible because you end up watching your comfort zone expand and grow with you. Going from being a complete stranger and foreigner, lost in Kathmandu, to a confident traveler catching crowded busses and chatting to the person next to you in Nepali was incredible.

One of the countless stunning moments on this trip was when I was sitting on a rock on a mountainside. It was near sunset we were at 13,000 feet of elevation, and the pinkish orange light of the setting sun began to creep across the massive peaks of the Himalayas in the Lang Tang region. I sat there, watching the sun dip down below the cloud layer, and was struck by the silence. No sound whatsoever penetrated that beautiful serene mountain silence. It was almost like the world had frozen briefly. Stuck in that dusky state between day and night. The giant peaks only adding to the splendor, putting the size of humanity in its place yet again.

Nostalgia, humility, and gratitude flood my consciousness as I think back on my three months spent in Nepal with Where There Be Dragons. I think about standing among hundreds of prayer flags at 17,000 feet and never wanting to come down. I think about carbo-loading dal bhaat by candlelight and drinking dudh chia with my host family. I miss my Dragon siblings who went through it all with me. I think about the tears I shed from exhaustion and laughing too hard, of all the lessons learned in between. I think about how far I came; not just over miles of mountain passes and through villages, but over miles of awareness, understanding, perspective, and growth. As I reflect on the person I was before embarking on my journey with Dragons, I recognize the dramatic and positive transformation Dragons guided me through.
Ultimately, this journey allowed me to find magic and growth in myself and within every single moment of our experience in Nepal while also opening my eyes to what it really means to be a global citizen.

Each morning in Ale Gau, a small agricultural village in the foothills of the Himalayas, I woke up to the sound of crowing roosters and cool mountain mist. My Aama and I would huddle around the open fire, sipping fresh, warm bison milk and preparing breakfast. Aama would knead rice flour and water to make roti, and I would stir the vegetables in a large pot, naming the spices in Nepali as she added them to our dish. "Besar" I would say, as she sprinkled tumeric into the sizzling pot. "Ramro (very good)!" she would reply with a hearty laugh and toothy grin. Through cooking and sharing meals, Aama and I forged a new kind of family, built on love, trust, and openness rather than blood.

The Dragons experience isn't a vacation; it's engaging, challenging, mentally and physically exhausting, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The program skillfully includes a dose of healthy stress by insisting on using public transportation and often going places where nobody spoke English, but always while avoiding any real danger. Through this intense immersion, I have a working knowledge of the Nepali language after a mere three months of practice. I found this experience to provide a greater wealth of learning than any other semester during my undergraduate education.

We traveled around quite a bit, but our 'home-base' was in Kathmandu. On the average day there, I would wake up and eat breakfast with my home-stay family, walk to our Program House and attend classes on language and various other topics (religion, history, culture, etc.), then take a bus to Boudhanath, the Tibetan neighborhood, where I spent my afternoons learning with a Tibetan doctor.

Two years later, I still think about these experiences every day. Much of what I learned has been very useful during my graduate studies, and will most certainly help me get my career off the ground. I recommend Dragons to everyone.

I signed up for Where There Be Dragons sort of on a whim,only knowing that I wanted an immersive and independent travel experience. I chose to go to Nepal with Dragons because of the Kapan monastery stay and the trekking experience. Dubious of anything group oriented or heavily guided, I was a bit tentative about Dragons at first. But once I realized the immense amount of wisdom and insight my instructors and peers and the whole program of experiences had to offer me, and let myself be open to them, I fell in love. With the country, with the program, with the people I was traveling with and the people I met along the way. I had such an amazing experience abroad. It was one challenging and eye-opening experience after the other. There were so many times I felt like crying and going home, like taking the easier option would have been better, but I am 100x more proud of myself than I ever have been before for rising to the countless challenges and overcoming them. For instance, climbing a 13,000 ft pass in the Himalayas, and learning a 6 minute traditional Nepali Folk Dance and performing it for hundreds of family members and friends. My sense of self-worth increased immensely from my experience with Dragons, and despite moments of regression, I truly feel like I can do anything now. The amount of roughness, the things you learn to live without (and live happier without), and the unexpected connections you make with people are life-changing. I feel like I am a better, more competent and confident, more self-aware and culturally sensitive, and interesting human being since my experience abroad, and I feel empowered both physically and intellectually.

With Where There Be Dragons, I was able to experience life in an urban setting in Nepal, as well as life in a rural setting. My instructors had great in-country connections, and were able to find every single student a mentor for their specific Independent Study Projects. The home-stay families were all extremely generous and kind, and I always felt safe staying with my family in Kathmandu. Trekking in the Himalayas was intense but so beautiful, and gave us all a real understanding of why development in Nepal is so difficult. I have come home with a new perspective on my own life, and with a better idea of who I am and what I want to do with my life.