How I fell in love with rural India
Beyond the beautiful, majestic mountains of Ladakh, people’s immense love and warmth emerges as the highlight of a 10-day ‘voluntourism’ trip.
Earlier this year in August I found myself amidst the majestic landscapes of Ladakh, nestled in the Himalayas, for a remarkable 10-day adventure. My once-in-a-lifetime journey was made possible thanks to a ‘voluntourism’ initiative run by the NGO 17,000ft.
Their mission? To unlock the doors of quality education for the children living in the remote corners of India’s Himalayan region. With a footprint in over 350 schools in Ladakh and Sikkim, 17,000ft goes beyond academics, gifting them with playgrounds, libraries and digi-labs.
As part of voluntourism – a unique initiative that blends volunteering and tourism – I visited a school at Udmaru village in the Nubra valley.
Can I do this?
I’ll be honest – I was nervous at the beginning. I had been warned that I would have to part ways from my usual comforts and live with no internet connectivity, running water or shower, and use a make-shift toilet.
My trip would involve a car journey of at least five hours through bumpy, mountainous roads to reach the village. And I get motion sickness, quite badly.
Luckily for me, I needn’t have worried. The voluntourism trip far exceeded my expectations and the luxuries that I normally took for granted didn’t really seem to matter anymore. The landscape throughout the journey was so beautiful that time flew by and everything about Udmaru seemed amazing.
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Soaking in the simplicity and the beauty
The family we were staying with was lovely and had a beautiful home surrounded by breathtaking views. The food was simple yet delicious. The landscape was like nothing I had ever seen before, enveloped by mountains whose sheer size was awe-inspiring.
A river of mountain run-off had been redirected to flow through the entire village, with lush greenery everywhere – apple and apricot trees, sea buckthorn with its vibrant, tangy orange berries and an abundance of poplar trees that almost transported you to the picturesque landscapes of France.
My favourite bit
Beyond the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayan landscape, my favourite part of the voluntourism trip was the children. They were absolutely heartwarming and their eagerness to learn was inspiring. We had brought with us two packs of a word game that got the children excited.
We played a lot of different games and did various activities with them. We did stone painting wherein the children collected stones, washed them in the river and then painted them. We also made a knowledge tree at the end – everyone wrote words they had learned during the week on an apple which we then stuck on a tree.
Performing for their proud parents
At the end of the week we prepared a presentation for the parents and other villagers to come and watch. I worked with the older children for a performance of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I was amazed when, completely of their own volition, they memorised all their lines. I hadn’t told them to do so because I thought it may be too much to expect, but it turned out that I didn’t even need to ask.
Watch: The life of a nomadic boy in Ladakh
The amount of effort they put in was impressive. They worked hard to add expressions to the lines and use their body language to convey feelings, despite not fully understanding the words.
On the day of the performance they brought in props and their amazing traditional clothing as their costumes. I was beaming with pride watching them perform in front of their parents.
After the children’s performances the villagers thanked us by presenting us traditional prayer scarves and giving us a gift of dried apricots. It was so thoughtful and lovely. A representative for the Village Education Committee also gave a speech in English to thank us. It was amazing to hear how grateful she was. It made me feel so appreciated and special.
Also Read: First musical band of high-altitude Ladakh riding high
The lead image at the top shows a view of the Himalayas in Ladakh. (Photo by Aneline Wood)
Aneline Wood is a 17-year-old school student in the United Kingdom.
