Nepal Semester: Himalayan Studies (Gap Year)

On my Dragons gap semester, I was sexually harassed by another student on the program. I learned that two other participants on the program experienced the same harassment I did, so we all came forward together to the female leader on our trip. I was pretty traumatized by the experience and expressed this to the leader, but she did not seem to take it seriously and ultimately nothing was done for the remainder of the program. I followed up with Dragons after to inquire about why nothing was done and the current south Asia program coordinator’s response was something along the lines of “We didn’t want to upset you by bringing up the situation because we know that serious things like this can be hard to talk about.” If they knew how serious it was, why was nothing done? They still have not been able to acknowledge that they mishandled the situation. I genuinely believe that they mean well and just have not sought out the training or support to navigate situations like this. I reached out directly to the current executive director of Dragons about how they have updated their response to sexual harassment and his response essentially that they haven’t made any changed. I unfortunately don’t recommend their programs for anyone who doesn’t feel like a full adult who can take care of themself. I really wanted to love my semester in Nepal but instead left traumatized:( No one can learn in an environment they don’t feel safe in.

I spent 3 months in Nepal with Where There Be Dragons. On my trip I spent a week at a buddhist monestary learning philosophy and medication and living alongside monks as they went about their daily lives. I lived for 2 weeks with a family in a rural village. During my time there I experienced life as a local while also having daily language lessons and group activities with the rest of my group. The family I stayed with spoke very little english and, at the time, I spoke very little Nepali, despite the language barrier I was able to connect so beautifully with my 3 siblings, my mother, and the slew of other single months and their children that often hung out at our house. They all made me feel so welcome and loved and J would say it was the most rewarding and special experience of my whole trip. I then spent a week trekking in the Himalayan mountains from village to village with my group. This was another beautiful experience, not only because of the views, but because of the connections I made with my fellow students and my instructors. Next I spent 3.5 weeks living with a different family in the city of Patan. Once again the group met daily for language classes and to explore the city. We also partook in independent study projects where we each got to choose a different Nepali skill to learn, I chose silver jewelry making and I came home with many pieces to share. The city itself was beautiful and had endless things to see but also my family was once again so welcoming and made me feel at home. I was fortunate enough to be there during two large festivals and I got to experience them first hand with my family, going to family gatherings and hosting as well. I felt so immersed in the culture. The last thing we did was another trek, this one was 2 weeks. We reached 5,106 meters (17,000ft) during this trek. Our team and guides were incredible and it was such a rewarding and incredible experience. I have never seen such views or connected so closely with my peers. I will be forever grateful that I attended this trip and I highly recommend it for anyone who has the opportunity. The only negative thing I can say is that it is fairly expensive and while they offer great financial aid, a spot is not guaranteed unless you are paying full price so the program could fill up before they process your financial aid. I recommend applying to a couple different programs just in case. Anyways, happy travels!!

My Himalayan semester was one of the best experiences I have ever had. From rural homestays to trekking in the Himalayas, it was full to the brim of adventure, community, culture and collaboration. My instructors were absolutely amazing as were my fellow Dragons students. The space that Dragons creates for self reflection and growth along with building an incredible group environment was something unique and awesome. On a trip like this it is expected that at one point or another you are pushed outside of your comfort zone. This was incredible because you end up watching your comfort zone expand and grow with you. Going from being a complete stranger and foreigner, lost in Kathmandu, to a confident traveler catching crowded busses and chatting to the person next to you in Nepali was incredible. One of the countless stunning moments on this trip was when I was sitting on a rock on a mountainside. It was near sunset we were at 13,000 feet of elevation, and the pinkish orange light of the setting sun began to creep across the massive peaks of the Himalayas in the Lang Tang region. I sat there, watching the sun dip down below the cloud layer, and was struck by the silence. No sound whatsoever penetrated that beautiful serene mountain air. It was almost like the world had frozen briefly. Stuck in that dusky state between day and night. The giant peaks only adding to the splendor, putting the size of humanity in its place yet again.