Trek from Zanskar to Darcha
**Note, we changed our name in 2021 to be more reflective of our mission. Institute for Village Studies started in partnership with Western Washington University in 1999, and we look forward to carrying on this work as InPlace - Ecocultural Learning Institute.
Tashi Delek! (Tibetan for hello!) - We made it - six day trek, indescribably beautiful, up raging river canyons, beneath towering peaks and hanging glaciers, camping amid blue poppies and fields of wildflowers, feasting on great Tibetan food prepared by three cooks - and with the help of ponies which for centuries have been the mode of transporting loads across the trails and passes such as that we used to cross the Himalaya range from Zanskar to Himachal Pradesh. We are now in Manali, such a contrast to the wilderness where we started our final day yesterday: center of tourism, traffic, restaurants - quite a clash, though the hot showers were welcome reminder of modernity! Internet is down (for 400 million yesterday!) but this is from a place with a backup generator.
Tomorrow we leave for Chandigarh, then Delhi for flight out Aug 2 (for most - with arrival in Vancouver 10:30am Aug 3. it has been an amazing, diverse, and challenging trip for all - with deep learning, personal growth, new friendships & trust. it may take some time to 're-enter' and will be tough to answer simply the question "how was India" or "how were the Himalaya mountains' so we hope all will be patient as well as inquisitive.
Charlie and I have had the great fortune to accompany 13 other participants in this endeavor, and am grateful to each of them for the wonderful qualities they have brought to our field course - and to all of you who have been the support behind them. we look forward to continuing to learn from them about the "so what" questions and next steps each may take. julley - thanks! james