Unplugged in the Ganges Part One

http://www.morguefile.com by mconnors

Hiking through northern India with a group of Grade 8 students may sound daunting to some.  If you are an international teacher, it is a perk of the job (at least in my world).  It began with a bus ride to the train station, followed by a train ride to Haridwar and additional bus ride along the banks of the Ganges to our tents at Snow Leopard along the roaring river.  

I swam in the Ganges.  I didn't think I would ever really say that.  It was cold, really, really ice cold and I'm used to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario cold, but it was worth it.  But here's the thing. . . walking and hiking through the mountains and villages reminded me of why I came overseas in the first place.  I hiked to this quaint little village outside our camp and it was clean with smiling children and friendly faces everywhere.  These are not sites I see everyday living in Delhi.  The buildings looked meticiously cared for with healthy and clean yards.   And the gardens were beyond words, carefully sculpted along the mountainside.  The colors reflected the sunlight and the shadows of our students danced along the tips of the wheat grass.  It reminded me of the glittering sun on the ocean.

Then we hiked down a stream.  I took each step carefully.  Having an old leg injury makes me extra cautious, but living in India has taught me to be even more careful where I step.  As I carefully placed each step, I realized how effortlessly my students walked along the path enjoying the beauty that surrounded them.  As we get older, how many moments do we lose because we are protecting ourselves from getting hurt or because we are afraid we will step into something we weren't expecting?  With age, do we lose our chance of seeing shadows dance across the wheat grass because we have learned to be afraid?  


When we reached the stream, I looked down and saw some of the most colorful river rocks I have ever seen (my screen saver is actually a poor version of what I witnessed).  I realized maybe I needed to do a better job balancing the looking down and looking around in my life. The unexpected opens up doors to learning.  


I learn so much from these experiences; this is the second school that has awarded me with a week without walls.  I have traveled and learned more about my students and myself on each of these occasions.   Unplug and see what you might be missing, even if it is just for a day.  I know I need to do this more often.

For more reflections about Week Without Walls:

Unplugged on the Ganges Day One

Week Without Walls Done Right: Service and Safari in South Africa