Activity Week

This Sunday the entire Woodstock School will be heading out all over India to participate in Activity Week. Groups will be going to places like Chennai, Dahramsala, Delhi, Corbet Tiger Reserve and other wonderful places throughout India. I have been assigned to chaperon the 9th grade activity which is essentially a week long visit to a village in the Aglar Valley directly to the north or here. We will be camping close to the village and participating in service projects such as teaching primary school children, giving presentations on safe water usage and helping to eradicate a noxious invasive plant species called Kahli Ghas. While this is not the culturally fulfilling trip that a visit to Dahramsala or Arga might be it will be nice to spend more time with the wonderful hill folk that inhabit these mountains. We will be camping in a clearing near the village for the entire week. I find something very cleansing and rejuvenating about sleeping out under the stars like our ancestors have done for centuries. It will also be nice to have a whole different set of responsibilities than I do during the normal school week. I am in my element in the outdoors, it is truly where I belong. So team-leading a trip like this is no problem, especially considering I have two very capable partners on this adventure. Dale Seefelt is the Hindi teacher here at Woodstock and has lived in India most of his life so he knows the cultures and how the Indian people think. Jackie Pye is a great person to have along as well cause she is a born leader and strong personality, when she speaks people listen. Also, Jackie has tons of experience in the outdoors and leading camp type group activities. I think it will be a wonderful experience for student and chaperon alike. Stay tuned, I will be back in a week with a full report.