India: Global Studies 2026

Hey y’all, it’s Camden and company writing the final blog for our India trip!

The past week has been incredibly eventful and tranquil at the same time. Our group spent around a week staying on the SECMOL campus and interacting with local students. We participated in multiple classes, including Conversation Class, where we helped students gain proficiency in conversational English, and Learning Circle, where students are free to pursue interests that are not otherwise taught in class. Anna’s friendship bracelet-making class and Julian’s drum lessons were especially popular among the SECMOL students. We also took an early day trip to Leh to visit Thiksey Monastery, where we were able to experience morning prayers, followed by a sculpting workshop where we tried our best to accurately recreate statues of the Buddha.

After our stay at SECMOL, we drove, and then briefly walked, to Tar, a beautiful small village located in a very remote area. There, we met up with Ayan, who taught us over the course of the next few days about photography, especially photography with box and pinhole cameras, which taught us how the process of photography is equally as important as the photograph itself. Additionally, we had our second round of homestays, solidifying just how receptive and kind the locals have been throughout the entire trip.

Today, we said goodbye to our homestay parents, which was very emotional, and drove back to Leh for the final time with Neta on AUX, which was goated as always. We had time to shop in the main market one last time and celebrated Julian’s birthday with an awesome dinner and a surprise “Happy Birthday” performance by the chef.

The past few days have been very sentimental as we reflect on our final Global Studies trip coming to an end. It’s been so amazing to learn in India, and we can’t wait to tell you all even more stories when we get back.

Our time in Ladakh has been filled with powerful moments of connection and perspective. A highlight of the past few days was our visit to SECMOL, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, where innovation meets sustainability. With solar-powered buildings and student-led learning, SECMOL offered our group a glimpse into education that is both locally and globally relevant.

We also had the opportunity to visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s summer residence in Zanskar, a place that carries a profound sense of peace and reflection. Walking these grounds allowed us to consider the values of compassion and mindfulness that are central to the region.

These experiences continue to shape our understanding of place and culture!

Shoutouts:

Anja – Hi everyone! I’m having a blast here in India trying lots of new food and seeing some crazy mountains! I hope everything is going well at home! Say hi to Zeus for me!! Love you!!

Monti – Hi fam I miss y’all, I’m loving India, Nate would really love it here! See you soon!

Sebbie – Hi all, India is pretty great. I can’t wait to get back and tell everyone about it. I love you all, see you soon. 

Isaak – Hello all, pretty dope here. Super excited to commit to a school and get some surfing in.

Anna – Hey guys! I miss you but India has been amazing. Give my love to Archie, see you soon! 

Rex – Hello everyone! 😀 I’m having a wonderful time in the Himalayas, which are by far the coolest mountains I’ve seen. The people here have been incredibly welcoming, and the food’s been great. I miss and love everyone, and can’t wait to see you soon!

Oliver Georgy Hill – Hello! I hope all is well back home as all is well here. I have been having a blast. The people here are so nice and welcoming, I might even just stay here. Say hi to the dog!

Leo – I’ve had an amazing time making some memories with my class and wishing that this trip would last longer. I also hope Camilo is doing great. I’m looking forward to seeing him again.

Jasmine –  Hey guys! I miss you and hope all is well at home. I’ve been doing good and having so much fun! I hope track season is going great, and say hi to Spotty and Tim for me! Love you, see you soon!

Laura Jett – Hi mom and dad and everyone! India is super cool and so beautiful, the mountains are huge. We just finished our first homestay in Zangskar. It was fun. The food here is super good and there is so much tea! But nothing will beat the post trip Dr. Pepper. I hope everything at home is going great, I can’t wait to see all of you. I love y’all lots!

Julian – Hey I hope you guys are doing well. India is sweet and the stuff we’ve been doing has been pretty unreal. Hope you’re enjoying your trip Mom and look forward to seeing you all when we get back!

Camden – Hey guys! Ladakh is super cool and I’m enjoying seeing mountains. The mountains in Colorado are cool but they’re also not the Himalayas. I didn’t realize how big they would be. The fun “issue” I’m having this year is that both the iPod and camera broke! Luckily I still have the other iPod I brought last minute, meaning I’ve been listening to a lot of Panic. All in all, pretty awesome. Say hi to the Cat for me.

Hey guys, Sebbie and Jasmine here with another update about India, 

    Since we last chatted, much has happened. We said goodbye to the very kind people at the Nyanjan Guest House and took a very exciting, roughly four-hour drive to Zangla Village, where we met our first homestay families.

We’ve been exploring the village, learning to cook traditional Ladakhi food, climbing mountains, and much more. We spent a day at the nunnery with some very cute nuns in training and helped clear a water canal. We took a leisurely drive to the Phuktal Monastery, which was situated under the overhang of a giant cave. The snow-capped mountains still manage to wow us every morning, and we are well acclimatized to the altitude.

Afternoons with the locals have been filled with cricket and volleyball as we become part of the community here. We’ve been having lunch together in each homestay, getting closer to the families. They’ve started to let us help out with tasks like cooking or cleaning the garden. Everyone has been loving eating momos while struggling to make them. While wishing for a shower, we have all been very thankful for the bucket showers to clean ourselves off after a long day.

Bye for now

Sebbie and Jasmine

What’s up guys? It’s Anja checking in from India for this update!

We started our journey on a flight from Denver to Munich, ja. Ve got pretzels and bratwurst, however in Germany ve just call it dinna(German accent). We then traveled from Munich to Delhi where we awaited our next flight with airport dogs and some spicy momos. Here we also met our in-country trip leaders Uttara and Chamba. We ventured back into the airport for our final flight to Leh, a military base.

Cody claims he saw K2 out the window and we all saw astounding mountains. With our bags in hand and fire in our hearts we trudged up a hill to our bus. We journeyed across the valley surrounded by mountains beyond anything I’ve ever seen into Phyang: a tranquil village surrounding a monastery. We arrived at the Nyanjen guest house and settled in for our first taste of Ladakhi food and milk tea. A cuisine I think we’ve all found a liking for. The people are kind and welcoming as we adapt to the culture and they adapt to our noise.

That afternoon we enjoyed a variety of naps, journaling and games.

We had another day of rest and acclimation which consisted mostly of what I mentioned before as well as a walk to the Phyang monastery: a 600 year old Buddhist monastery with beautiful art, sculptures, and views.

Today we bussed to the HIAL school where we met the fellows working on a variety of projects including architecture, computer science, responsible tourism, and high desert ecology. It was an amazing experience to meet people similar in age, also at an experiential learning school in a wildly different part of the world. We then went on a chilly hike to an ice stupa that helps with water conservation. We then returned to the guesthouse for a delicious daal lunch(my favorite so far).

• Sebbie has recently discovered a love for art.
• Anna has been enjoying playing pass the pig.
• Isaak remains dialed.
• Leo has been board gaming to the max.
• Rex has been improving his German accent.
• Julian has been learning how to Rubix cube.
• Oliver has been loosing at rizzcatan (Leo’s invented game).
• Camden has been documenting everything.
• LJ has been powering through books.
• Monti has been busy looking for yeti and making dog friends.
• Jasmine has been quite the jokester and is mastering the handstand.

We have yet to see a snow leopard but we still have love for the game.

Julley for now,

Anja (written with help from the squad)

Our India Global Studies group has arrived safely in Ladakh! After a long journey, everyone is in great spirits. The group has connected with our partners at Where There Be Dragons and is eager to keep their adventure going. Stay tuned for weekly updates, student shoutouts, and plenty of photos!

In just a few days, our students will step into the vibrant, layered world of India, a place where ancient traditions and modern life exist side by side in powerful and unforgettable ways.

From bustling city streets to quiet moments of reflection, this journey will challenge students to expand their perspectives and engage deeply with a culture rich in history, diversity, and meaning. Along the way, they’ll explore questions of identity, community, and global connection. Students will learn not just about India, but about themselves.

This blog will be your window into their experience. Follow along for stories, reflections, and photos that capture the moments you don’t see in guidebooks.

We can’t wait to share the journey with you.