India
*Applications for this program have closed for Fall, 2010 - but consider applying for the Spring Term!
Our group has adopted T.I.I. ["This is India"] to describe the disappointment, stress, sheer chaos, filth, underlying simplicity, sense of purpose, respect, history, beauty, humor, delightful surprises, and all of the serendipitous happenings that we experience each day here. One of the things we have all learned, and seems to be the most pertinent at this point in the trip, is that there is much more then meets the eye with India. It is easy to dismiss things as chaotic, disorganized, unpleasant, broken, or even just silly. What it really comes down to, though, is simplicity, efficiency and tradition. Underneath it all, there is much to learn from these people. T.I.I.
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When you study abroad in India with us, you’ll spend 3 months traversing the diverse ecological and spiritual landscape of the Himalayas, the Indus River Valley and the birthplace of 3 major world religions. Experience how these diverse belief systems live and work side by side in tolerance as you, too, live and work alongside them. Challenge your engagement with your own life as you volunteer with your group at the Mother Teresa Home for the Destitute in Calcutta, experience first-hand the burning ghats of Varanasi, and live with Tibetan families in the hometown of the Dalai Lama. Participate in internships of your choice in art, music, language, yoga, meditation or whatever else interests you. Finally, learn the skills of developing country travel in the safety and support of a group setting. If you are fascinated by the thought of some of the oldest religions and cultures in the world, our India study abroad semester will challenge and enrich you beyond your wildest imagination.
Carpe Diem takes groups of 4 - 8 people to India to explore several rich spiritual traditions of this country (Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh).
India is a vast subcontinent that is made even more vast by the sheer diversity of its coexisting cultures. To experience the true depth and breadth of this country would take a lifetime; however, a useful way to organize India is by way of dividing it into “plains” and “mountains,” as the geography greatly impacts the respective spiritualities and ways of life. Itineraries are designed with this in mind, seeking to “flow” in a manner that maximizes opportunity for exploration, while simultaneously working around climatic conditions. In general, fall groups will start the bulk of their semester in the cooler mountain air, while the spring groups will begin in the temperate plains.
The Plains
Orientation
Your semester in India begins in the capital of Delhi, adjusting to jetlag and getting to know your groupmates with a couple days’ orientation in the backpacking district of Paharganj and the commercial district of Connaught Place. “Get your feet wet” at a reasonable pace within the safety of the group; see a Bollywood flick together or explore some of the sights while absorbing the cultural lessons around you. Wander the markets, learn how to negotiate rickshaw prices, and get your feet wet learning to haggle.
Varanasi
Varanasi (Benaras), the “city of lights,” is renowned as the very pulse and epicenter of Hindu India. The group resides in hostel accommodations within walking distance to Assi Ghat. Extend your ‘orientation’ and take part in internships of your choice, including: yoga practice, Indian cooking, fire dancing, stone carving, jewelry making, tabla, sitar, flute, and the list goes on! Practice your Hindi when you go to the market. Cook together as a group, or enjoy any number of international cuisines in the area. Experience sunrise over the Ganges, the burning ghats, and just generally soak up the vast, rich scope of one of the oldest cities on the globe.Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya is the spiritual epicenter and birthplace of Buddhism. Sit and meditate under a descendant of the same bodhi tree where Siddhartha reputedly attained enlightenment. Visit Buddhist temples built by almost every other Buddhist nation in honor of this holy place. Walk in pilgrimage around the Mahabodhi temple with monks in robes of bright colors. Stay in one of the temples and experience how the true devotees live. Feel the unique flavor of this holy city as it resides within India's poorest state.Calcutta
After the inward journey of Buddhism and Bodhgaya, move on by overnight train to Calcutta (Kolkata). Here we will turn our journey outward by giving of ourselves, working approximately 4 hours each morning as volunteers at the Mother Theresa Home for the Destitute. Here you will have choices of what type of work you wish to perform: support services (i.e. laundry), helping to feed the poorest of the poor, or even holding the hands of those who are in the process of dying, bringing them honor and dignity in their last days. Spend afternoons in groups absorbing and exploring this unforgettable and politically pivotal city that one student referred to as "the New York City of India".
Amritsar
Spend a night or two as a guest on the grounds of the Sikhs’ Golden Temple. Experience the wonder of eating a free meal en masse with thousands of others. Feel truly unconditionally welcomed as a guest of this unique religious tradition in the home of its birth.The Mountains
McLeod Ganj
McLeod Ganj, home of the Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama, is the site where you will be living with Tibetan families and welcomed as a true member of their extended family. In this plush, mountainous region you will learn first-hand the unique challenges faced by a culture forced from its homeland. During the day you will again have the opportunity to participate in internships such as thangka painting, music, meditation, teaching English to political refugees, and cooking, among many others. There is no shortage of activity to be had in McLeod, as well as no shortage of excellent food, starting with your homestays!Rishikesh
First made famous by the Beatles who wrote their album "Sergeant Pepper" while living in a Rishikesh ashram, it is one of the most beautiful lowland areas to experience the Ganges River as it emerges from the Himalayan highlands. As such, it is also a hub of adventure activity including whitewater rafting, trekking and kayaking. Wander the marketed streets and traverse the suspension bridges, or just hang out on the white sanded beaches of the river. Rishikesh is saturated with ashrams of all types, and a "guru" can be found on every corner.
Himalayan Trek
Spend 4 to 5 days camping and hiking in either the far Northwestern or Northeastern Indian Himalayas. Breathe deep the crisp mountain air, taking only pictures and leaving only footprints, as you participate in a fully guided and professionally supported trekking experience with one of the most reputable Himalayan companies. Sit each night by a roaring campfire while robust meals are cooked for you, take time for yourself in the silence, or take well-earned naps in the supplied tents. Be sure to dress warmly!Haridwar
A short ride from Rishikesh, translated literally as “gate of the gods,” Haridwar is a holy place for Hindus as it exists at a confluence of the Ganga and its tributaries. Less touristed than nearby Rishikesh, here you will find small, earnest ashrams teaching practical spirituality and health practices on a consistent basis.Free Travel
This is a time of student-directed group travel. For roughly two weeks, your group will decide where they want to go and what they want to see. Students are given a budget to operate within, and are responsible for all logistical details. Group leaders will be there to monitor and assist as needed, but essentially this is your opportunity to experience for yourself what it is like to plan and execute your own travel in the developing world. It will also give you the opportunity to experiment with ways to stretch your travel dollar safely and intelligently. End back in Delhi, planning to arrive approximately 1 1/2 days before your flight home. Spend the last days shopping for family gifts in the markets, take in more sights, and whatever else you feel you wish to accomplish before heading home with more stories than you dreamed possible.
Program Details:
Fall 2010: September 15 - December 8, 2010
Spring 2011: February 9 - May 4
Group Size:
Up to 8 Students & 2 Adult Leaders
Eligibility:
Ages 18 and Up
Academic Credit:
Up to 18 credits available
Language Requirement:
None
Admissions:
No deadline - applications accepted on a rolling basis until start date.
Program Fee:
$8,400 Program fee includes all food, accommodations, and scheduled program activities for the duration of the program. International and domestic airfare, health insurance, visa, and spending money are extra. International airfare estimated at $1700; possible internal India flight estimated $150 - $200. For information on Financial Aid click here.
Program Policies:
For a detailed description of our Program Expectations and Rules, please click this link. These are the rules that we expect of all of our students for their overall safety and to provide the best possible program.
Carpe Diem’s study abroad programs in India allow students to get in touch with their spiritual side as they explore the rich history and culture of India and its people. A gap term in India is like no other – a journey you have to experience first-hand to fully appreciate. Our India "graduates" gain skills to travel anywhere in the world, having learned essential travel lessons for a safe, enjoyable journey, and an inner confidence that will follow them into their college careers.
Available every spring and fall, our study abroad program opens up students’ eyes to a world of possibilities. Please contact us for more information and to apply for this unique program.
During our India semester we'll regularly make our way up North to Himalayan district of Ladakh. Ladakh is primarily influenced by Tibet and Tibetan culture and this is a short clip of a local tribal dance that one of our groups witnessed. For more videos please visit our You Tube page.
Online Application
