The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes
but in having new eyes
Proust

Experience India is a structured immersion programme, which provides students with an opportunity to develop personal leadership skills in a foreign culture through working with those at the margins of society.

The purpose of the trip is to:

• Expose students to the experience of living in a different culture
• Provide opportunities for the students to work with those at the margins of society
• Visit the historical sites in India of international fame
• Explore the cultural history of a contrasting people
• Develop an understanding of one’s role in a global world

The Details

Duration: 6 December 2011 – 4 January 2012

Group Composition: 19 students

Staff: Mr Skeen, Mr McNeil, Mr Jordan

The Programme

Preparation- monthly meetings (parents included) commencing 12 months out from departure which includes guest speakers, documentaries, Indian cuisine and looking at the complexities of travelling to India

The tour includes six stages:

Stage 1 Kolkata- getting acclimatised to India; voluntary work assisting Mother Teresa’s sisters in the homes for the dying and intellectually handicapped; various interactions with Future Hope (NGO Charity)

Stage 2 Varanasi- understanding the basis of Indian culture; witnessing Hindu practices; touring the Ganges to appreciate the significance of the sacred river

Stage 3 Delhi- exploring the capital and the influence of colonial Britain on Indian society (includes an excursion to the Taj Mahal in Agra)

Stage 4 Jaipur- understanding the historical influence of royalty and the many peoples of India in the desert state of Rajasthan

Stage 5 Mumbai- experiencing the vast contradictions between rich and poor in an environment of 16 million inhabitants; celebrating Christmas abroad

Stage 6 Goa- a time to enjoy the New Year; an opportunity to refresh and reflect on the beaches of the former Portuguese settlement before returning home