Volunteer Abroad Program - Indian Himalayan Cultural Stay Program

India

New Delhi
Term: Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: 3 programs for 2010; May 7-June 18, June 18 - July 30, July 30 - August 30. However programs are offered throughout the year and tailored to suit individual interests

Description: We are offering two six week programs, and a one month that differ slightly in content. The first (May 7th June 18th) is designed for those students who are interested in gaining a holistic view of the region, enjoy travel, adventure and trekking. The second (June 18th July 30th) is a village intensive program for those who are interested in a more anthropological experience of village life. The third (July 30th-August 31st) is a shorter version of Program 2, and involves less travel and trekking. However, students are welcome to come at any time of the year and we are happy to tailor programs to suit their individual needs.

The Indian Himalayan Experience offers the following:
- Hindi Language training at an accredited language training institution.
- Village stay where guests have the opportunity to:
- Learn about village life and the rich tribal practices that set Jaunpuris apart from Hindus in other parts of India.
- Engage in ancient agricultural practices and animal husbandry with villagers.
- accompany villagers as they go about their daily chores and learn what life is like for people in the village.
- Take part in development projects (i.e. teaching English to village children, provide computer assistance to children and youth, teach craft skills to children and adults, take part in an experimental garden project, etc.).
- Learn how to make rope, cook traditional dishes over an open fire, care for fields, etc.
- learn the local dances, or listen to village folklore (translated) on cultural nights.
- Embark on various light treks to villages in the surrounding area and learn about the different subsistence strategies villagers employ, as well as issues villagers are struggling with, including the changing environment and ecology, access to resources, lack of basic amenities, poverty, under nutrition, etc.
- embark on over night mountain treks where guests will get fantastic views of the Himalayan range, and gain a better perspective of the cultural area.
-Visit several ancient cultural sites in the area.
-Take part in river rafting excursion down the Ganges or the Yamuna.
-Take in popular sites such as;
- Gangotri Glacier -- the source of the sacred Ganges River.
- Yamunotri Glacier -- the source of the sacred Yamuna River
- Rishikesh and Haridwar
- Tibetan Refugee Camp in Mussoorie

Highlights: The following programs and excursions are to be including in all of the programs.

Two Week Stay in Mussoorie for Language Training -- Mussoorie, is a fascinating hill resort. It is situated between the Himalayan snow ranges to the north-east, and glittering views of the Doon Valley & Shiwalik ranges in the south. Its history dates back to 1827 when Captain Young, an adventurous military officer, explored the present site and along with a Mr. Shore, the resident Superintendent of Revenues at Dehradun explored the present site and jointly constructed a shooting lodge. This laid the foundation of this holiday resort. In 1827 a sanitorium was built at Landour (where students will be staying) which later became a large cantonment. Colonel Everest built a home here in 1832. Mussoorie is well known for having been the retreat of many army personel and famous Rajs who entertained their mistresses in many of the hotels which are still standing today. The name Mussoorie is attributed to a derivation of 'mansoor', a shrub which is indigenous to the area. In fact many locals refer to the town as 'Mansoori'.
Like other hill stations, the main promenade in Mussoorie is called, the Mall. The Mall stretches from Picture Palace at its eastern end to the Public Library (shortened to 'Library Bazaar') at its western end. During the British era, signs on the Mall expressly stated: "Indians and Dogs Not Allowed". Racist signs of this type were commonplace in hill stations, as they were founded 'by and for' the British.
Students will have a chance to explore Mussoorie and Landour while attending the Landour Language School. As well they can visit Mussoorie on a weekly basis for shopping, and site seeing.
Landour Language School Located in a suburb of Mussoorie in the Indian State of Uttarakhand, the Landour Language School teaches students from around the world various North Indian Languages with a focus on Hindi instruction. The Landour Language school is under the administration of the North India Institute of Language Study Society, which is a non-profit cooperation organization established for the express purpose of teaching Hindi as a second language. This school has been in existence for over 100 years, and has taught over 20,000 students one or more North Indian Languages. The teachers are carefully selected and trained by a system of examinations and supervisor's reports. The present facilities and courses are based on years of experience and time-tested methods. All students will receive 3 hours per day of Hindi language instruction, five days per week for two weeks. This period of study is intended to provide students with basic conversational skills in Hindi which they can practice and build upon once they are in the village, and have the opportunity to interact with Hindi speaking individuals in the village.
Happy Valley and the Tibetan Refugee Camp: In April 1959, after fleeing Chinese occupation of Tibet, the Dalai Lama established the Tibetan Government of Exile in Mussoorie. The first Tibetan school was established in Mussoorie in 1960. Tibetans settled mainly in Happy Valley in Mussoorie. Today, some 5,000 Tibetans live in Mussoorie.
Students can visit the Buddhist temple, the Dali Lamas first residence and the Childrens Refugee Camp. The childrens stories of crossing the Himalayas on foot to reach freedom are really remarkable.
George Everest Estate George Everest, whom Mt. Everest is named after was Indias first surveyor. He established Everest House in the early 1840s. From the estate, which now lies in ruins you can see the Himalayan peaks to one side (on a clear day) and the Doon Valley on the other.
In and Around the Village:

School Initiatives Throughout Jaunpur there are several schools, both rural and urban, government and non-government. Students will have the opportunity to visit these schools and to ask questions, make observations, and come to their own conclusions of what system is offering the best opportunities, and what improvements (if any) can be implemented for Jaunpur village children.

Health Care Facilities Similar to the education system, there are many types of health care facilities in the region; private (Allopathic) government, (Ayurvedic and Allopathic), and local non-licensed practitioners. Here students will have the opportunity to observe different health practices, and to speak with different health representatives.

Health Clinic The Community Hospital in Mussoorie is a charitable organization and does its best to service the outlying communities in the Jaunpur region. While they would like to offer health camps on a regular basis funds are low, and so they are limited to providing services every one or two months. Nonetheless, when word spreads that there is to be a health camp in the area, villagers from all over the area will take advantage of the services offered by LCH health workers. Often they will walk 2 hours from distant villages to meet with the doctor and receive free medicine. For the guests who are interested in health and nutritional issues, this is an opportunity to see and learn about what types of ailments villagers are dealing with. Additionally, our home (in the center of the village) has become recognized as a center for receiving basic health care. Almost daily we receive visitors with cuts and burns, skin ailments, fevers, cough, and chronic pain. However, we also learn from the villagers how they understand their health and well-being, what ailments they consider worthy of seeing a doctor for and which ones they feel are better handled by a local untrained doctor or the pundit (local priest).

Agricultural Initiatives As Jaunpur and Jansar-Bawar struggle with changing climate and ecological conditions there have been some initiatives to try to enhance agricultural productivity in the area. Students will be taken to various sites where these projects are being carried out. They will have an opportunity to ask questions and observe the techniques being employed. At the same time students will be introduced to the various agricultural methods used by the locals, and to see the various types of crops that are grown in the area.

Learn the Local/Indigenous Plants Students will embark on a walking tour of the area where we will point out different wild fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. Afterwards we will prepare a meal using some of these plants.

Lackwar Village Jaunsar-Bawar visit this picturesque village, and see the ancient temple, which has recently been rebuilt. Afterwards enjoy a refreshing dip in the Yamuna River.

Tour of Villages There are seven villages in close proximity to Sainji. We will spend one full day visiting as many of these villages as we can. Students will note the variations in geography, ecology, agriculture and development advancement from one village to the next.

Highlights of Program One May 7th June 18th
This program will appeal to those students who would like to gain a broad perspective of the region, the culture and the environment. It includes a number of excursions, but also offers the chance to engage in village life.
Excursions:
Gangotri, is the source of the river Ganga and seat of the goddess Ganga. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in theGangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from the village of Gangotri. The round trip takes roughly seven days.
Yamunotri -- is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna. The hike from Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri is very picturesque with beautiful views of a number of waterfalls. The round trip from Sainji takes about 3 days.
Haridwar and Rishikesh -- Situated along the banks of the sacred Ganges Haridwar is said to be one of the oldest cities in the world, and one of the holiest cities in India. Rishikesh, nicknamed "the world-capital of Yoga", has numerous yoga centres that also attract tourists. The Beatles visited Rishikesh in the 1960s and recorded many of their songs on the White Album.
Hands on Daily Experience in the Village:
In the village students will have the opportunity to take part in village life and immerse themselves within the culture. In addition, the hosts will be on hand to offer guidance, assistance, answer questions, and will provide background information through weekly seminars.

Task learning -- learn how to cook local foods over an open fire, make rope, milk a buffalo (optional), care for crops. In addition, students will be encouraged to accompany villagers as they go about completing various tasks necessary to their life in the village (i.e. collecting fodder or wood, animal husbandry, or caring for young children)

A day in the life: Students will be asked to select one person to follow for one day, observe their activities and participate in those activities whenever possible, and to conduct an interview on a specific topic (i.e. education, future aspirations, work load, marriage, etc). Afterwards students will be asked to share with the group what they have learned through their participation experience and interview.

Week 1- intro to Jaunpur Culture
Week 2 An Overview of the Economic Issues Within the Area
Week 3 Enough to Eat: Subsistence Agriculture in Jaunpur
Week 4 Growing up Jaunpur: An overview of the Education System
Week 5 -- How Healthy am I? An overview of Health Issues
Week 6 -- Summary
Daily Discussions: (1 hr) -- students can ask questions, comment on what they have observed, learned, etc.
Highlights of Program 2
This program is designed for individuals who would like to gain a more anthropological experience through engagement in village life and excursions to other villages within the area. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct a research project of their own choice, and to take part in any one of our project initiatives.

Overnight and Day Treks to villages Within the Area: Students will have the opportunity to see variations in village life, subsistence strategies and the varying degrees of development initiatives throughout the region.

Rafting on the Yamuna River students will take part in a rafting tour down the beautiful Yamuna River where they will be able to take in the mountain scenery, observe the villages perched on the mountains along the way, and crops along the waters edge.

Fish Festival Every year at the end of June, the Aglar River becomes the site of a massive fish festival. Thousands of men and boys from all over Jaunpur and Jaunsar-Bawar come to take part in this tribal ritual. The hosting village prepares a powder of Timuru (a local intoxicating plant) which is taken by the villages up the river and then dumped into the waters. The timuru has the effect of numbing the fish. The men and boys then race down the now darkened waters and dip their hand made nets in to catch their prey.

Rice Transplantation As soon as the monsoon rains arrive (late June, early July) rice is taken from its nursery fields along the irrigation canal and transplanted into other fields more distant from the canal. This is one of the few collective farming endeavours that takes place in the village. By taking turns, and working collectively to plant one familys rice at a time, the water from the canal can be maximized. Women and men alike join in to plant the rice and it is often accompanied by drumming, and usually a good mud fight follows.

Task learning -- learn how to cook local foods over an open fire, make rope, milk a buffalo (optional), care for crops. In addition, students will be encourage to accompany villagers as they go about completing various tasks necessary to their life in the village (i.e. collecting fodder or wood, animal husbandry, or caring for young children)

A day in the life: Students will be asked to select one or two persons to follow for two to three days, observe their activities and participate in those activities whenever possible, and to conduct an interview on a specific topic (i.e. education, future aspirations, work load, marriage, etc). Afterwards students will be asked to share with the group what they have learned through their participation experience and interview.

Survey: Students will be asked to conduct a survey on a topic of their choosing (i.e. food consumption, fuel usage, income, number of children per family, number of fields and crops grown per family, level of education per household, preference of health care facilities, etc.). Afterwards student will be asked to present their findings to the group.

Week 1- intro to Jaunpur Culture: What Makes us Tribal?
Week 2 An Overview of Subsistence Agriculture and Economic Issues Within the Area
Week 3 What I have Learned?An overview of the Education System
Week 4 -- How Healthy am I? An overview of Health Issues
Week 5 Growing up Jaunpur: Child Rearing Practices
Week 6 -- Summary
Daily Discussions: (1 hr) -- students can ask questions, comment on what they have observed, learned, etc.
Highlights of Program 3
Essentially the same as program 2, but shorter in length and includes less excursions.
NGO Projects
Students from programs 1 and 2 (and to a very limited extent due to time constraints, students from program 3) are invited to volunteer their skills and time in anyone of the ongoing NGO projects.
Teaching English as a Second Language -- Students in Sainji and neighboring villages are at a disadvantage when it comes to writing the exam to enter high school. Many write the exam three or four times before finally achieving a sufficient grade that allows them entrance into the local high school. One of the barriers standing in their way is that they do not have a sufficient grasp of the English Language, a skill that is lacking in both government and local private schools and that is required to pass the high . One group that has visited Sainji in recent years has come up with an innovative program that allows those with limited or no Hindi language skills to teach English as a second language to children who are non English speakers. Students will be instructed on how to use this program, and encouraged to teach English to the local village children.
Teaching Handicrafts to Local Villagers Many villagers in Sainji and in the surrounding area are struggling with poverty due to their low level of education and inability to find good paying jobs. Students will be encouraged to teach their skills, be it sewing, embroidery, knitting, canning (making jams or pickles with local fruits) carpentry, masonry, or whatever to adults and youth from the villages. At the same time they can take time to learn what skills villagers possess, and what the local handicrafts are and how these could be enhanced to become a marketable product. Since products need to be marketable to the local area we will invite the students to do a little research on their own to see what can work, but we will also be on hand to make suggestions and to guide students in their projects.
Teaching First Aid and Hygiene to Locals Some students who are pursuing a career in the health field might want to explore the way in which villagers think and react to health issues. They might also want to learn about what plants and natural remedies have been used by the villagers. Coupled with this, we invite them to take part in the local health camp to be offered during their stay and to teach skills in basic first aid and health care to the villagers. This could be conducted with children through making posters, or play acting (perhaps miming, or puppet shows), or through focus groups with local women (with translator on hand).
Experimental Garden While the villagers in Sainji are able to produce enough food to subsist on throughout the year, this is not the case for all villages, especially on the dry side of the valley or in villages such as Kolti (which has a similar environment to Sainji, but lacks irrigation). Therefore students will be invited to take part in the experimental garden project in Sainji where we are growing different types of vegetables that may have a higher market value than local varieties, more nutritional value, or which may be more suitable to areas lacking water or irrigation.

Typical Volunteer: Volunteers should possess a desire to help others, be self motivated, and able to work as a team member. They should be willing to take the time to understand the culture and to work within the framework of cultural constraints. They should understand there are more than one way to complete a task, and be respectful of cultural differences. They should also be able to live without their western comforts, and to adapt quickly to different living conditions.

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals