Follow the Journey

We made it!  The jet lag is diminishing, and we are beginning to explore the wonders of this wild metropolis.  Expect a blog from your sons and daughters tomorrow, but we wanted to write briefly and assure you that we are safe, sound, and not too sleep deprived…anymore that is. Some of you may have read about the “nation-wide” strikes called across India yesterday.  They were called by the opposition… Read More

Hey everyone! It is with huge smiles that all of the Carpe Diem Shanti students gathered together at SFO and headed off on their long journey to India. The group was full of excitement, a little bit of nervousness, and a whole lot of wonder at the mysterious path ahead! We should hear from them soon after they land safe in Delhi, until then, thanks for tuning in and all… Read More

Namaste! 13 days!  In less than two weeks we will all be standing on Indian soil.  It might seem like a world away, and in many ways it is, but it’s moving closer all the time. Welcome to the blog.  While we are overseas this blog will be our link to family and friends at home.  It’s a place for them to follow our journey…just a small window into the… Read More

As of 365 days ago we were all drifting far above the Asian continent, very much separate but somehow connected by gossamer threads of what destiny had in store for us… Connected by the simple fact that we threw our unharnessed faith in the Carpe Diem boat bound for India. I remember seeing the lights of Delhi waver into sight, a pit in my stomach of rumbling excitement and question-… Read More

Our boogers are black…we’re back in Dheli. Our final night was spent at the Wongden House, where we found ourselves 3 months ago on our very first night. Erin checks off the last day in her immaculate calendar, and Brianna zips up her duffel bag stuffed exclusively with Tibetan wool goods. The countdown begins…15 hours till our flight to Hong Kong. Last night we gathered on the roof by candlelight… Read More

Hi families and friends, significant others and random readers! Sorry for the delay with the blog. Each moment in McLeod Ganj ends up being too precious to find the time to sit in an internet café. I post from Delhi but wrote from McLeod (for the most past): Our group arrived in McLeod Ganj, home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government over a week ago, and our days… Read More

Bir Nov 15-21: Buddhist Teachings, discussion, films pooja ritual at Chokling Monastery Movies: The Story of Stuff, 10 Questions with the Dalai Lama, Thich Naht Hahn film about peace Hike to Sherabling Monastery Hike to Upper Bir village, waterfall working in Craftshop with my man Trilockk Went to an incense factory Talk with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (The coolest cave lady) Thoughts Ole:”Self is the problem not the solution” Cobie: “Meditation… Read More

Hi everybody, Here is how our travel went from Rishikesh to Amritsar. We left Rishikesh at 10:30 from our relaxing  hotel with great yack cheese sandwiches and took a bus to a train stop. We got on a train then transferred to another train. I remember saying this is going to be an easy travel day but, there is no such thing as an easy travel day in India. When… Read More

Namaste friends and family! Erin here, blogging to catch you up on our many adventures since the trek! After bidding farewell to our trekking guide, Dendu, and the cooks and porters who helped us along the way, we spent a night in Yuksom, the starting point of our trek. The next morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel before boarding a jeep to Darjeeling, a city known for its tea… Read More

From the journals and minds of the young trekkers, I present to you individual “Revelations/inspirations/moments of empowerment” from our hike/bus tour. Brianna H.-wants to expand her eating horizons (unlike her Thai bus-mates who ate pre-packaged Thai ‘catfood’ instead of the freshly prepared Indian cuisine) Erin-Being alone in nature she couldn’t run from her thoughts. This inspired her to be more present with her thoughts in the future and to allow… Read More

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Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Readers, After seeing the other eight start their hike towards the massive mountains, Mariah and I began our journey with our contact, Arthur and driver, Snoop Dog towards Ghoom. Ghoom is a city about 8K away from Darjeeling. In Ghoom, we stayed with a man, who usually leads the India Carpe Diem treks, named Raju, his sister, mother, and two nieces. On the way to… Read More

“Did you hear about the circus?” … “It was in-tents” -Simone And now I present to you, devoted blog followers, a reading directly from my personal journal detailing more “intents” events, documented during the hike. disclaimer: please throw grammar to the wind, and enjoy the rugged charm of this raw, ranting journalism. 10/24/2011 4 mi hike. Who carries our belongings? A yak/cow hybrid that is nowhere to be seen. Who… Read More

We began our volunteer work Tues at Gaucharan, Govt. Jr. High. It’s a bumpy uphill hour and a half jeep ride away, accross small waterfalls and views overlooking green hills, valleys and rice fields. We arrived to school around (:30 and were assigned a class to observe. I walked into class and asked “wheres the teacher?” they told me “you’re the teacher!” I laughed “No really, where is he?” they… Read More

Final days in Calcutta/Kolkotta: some saw the museum (charging 150 rupes for foreigners and 15 for locals), some visited Kali temple or Victoria memorial, and some stayed in bed with rumbling tummies and/or fever, regrettably missing out on some of the excitement of the city. On our “day off” from the Mother home, we scheduled a boat tour at the Sunderban tiger reserve (home to the largest mangrove forest IN… Read More

Hello parents, family, friends, and anyone reading this! The next part of our adventure was a wonderfully cramped train ride to Bodhgaya. We had ten seats reserved for ten people…and all of our bags. We ended up getting six seats for all of us and our things, but only after a dispute with other people about who was supposed to be where. Thank goodness the train ride was only a… Read More

On a train from Bodhgaya to Calcutta, somwhere between consiousness and dream-state, one of the eight students writes: Fall asleep now And get your shit Stolen. Succumb to gravity + eyelid And the small brown man who is sitting on his flip flops next to you pretending to sleep will steal yourshit so ifiwereyou i’d stay eyewide staring, as you are at the dirty blue wall P.S. Guess who! Love,   … Read More