On March 27, sixteen Mount Madonna School (MMS) seniors departed on an adventure that will take them half way around the world to New Delhi, India. For the students it will be a significant journey to another culture, where they will experience a society that is far older and quite different from what they are used to: different in language, history, food, religion and social customs. At the same time, it will also be a unique inner journey for each student to discover something about themselves as they engage in the many distinctive experiences and people they will meet on the adventure. The students have chosen the name Muditaa Project for this trip, ‘muditaa,” meaning ‘finding joy in others’ happiness.’ This extraordinary expedition is part of MMS’ two-year Values in World Thought program, an innovative high school social studies curriculum developed by faculty member and trip leader Ward ‘SN’ Mailliard.
Following are two written reflections; one by Mailliard and the other by co-teacher Shannon Kelly, written in the days leading up to the students’ departure.
As the MMS seniors prepare to depart for their trip to India, I have been patiently waiting and preparing for their arrival here. I have been in the country for over a month at the orphanage they will visit, known as Sri Ram Ashram. It is a home for about 65 children and includes a school for them and about 500 other children from the surrounding villages.
We just had a group of 12 students from the Pathways World School near New Delhi visit and I imagine that the wonder they experienced here will be of the same caliber as experienced by our students from MMS. I can promise the days our Mount Madonna students spend here with the Sri Ram Ashram family will be among the most memorable of the trip.
The journey will include our 16 seniors, along with alumna Shannon Kelly (’92), my dear colleague who has been minding the store while I have been here in India; and alumnus Devin Kumar (’06), who has become a wonderful filmmaker; Jen Block, our Spanish teacher who will be seeing India for the first time; and the intrepid and brilliant photojournalist Shmuel Thaler, who will open windows for you to see what we see.
Our journey will take us from the crowded and bustling environment of Delhi to the rural girls’ school at Pardada Pardadi, from the Taj Mahal to Sri Ram Orphanage, from the Golden Temple of Amritsar to the edge of the Himalayas in Dharamsala. What I love about this journey is that what the students learn will be unpredictable and yet profound. Their real job is to stay present, see what they see, feel what they feel and learn what they are ready to learn about this kaleidoscopic country that is so deeply rooted in traditions going back thousands of years and at the same time whirling forward in time at a dizzying speed.
Our gang is in for quite a ride. I encourage you to follow along in the blog and see what emerges from this experience as it happens, and please join us for the ‘Return’ presentation at MMS on May 1st to enjoy and witness what has transpired. — Ward ‘SN’ Mailliard
This will be my third trip to India and I can honestly say that each adventure has been exciting and unique. I have been lucky enough to participate in the pure exhilarating wildness and joy of Holi, the festival of color, and to witness the somber reverence as thousands of people participated in Aarti on the shores of the Ganga. Part of the magic of experiential learning is that no two people have the same experience. Each year we more or less travel the same path, yet each journey is different. The group creates the magic.
In less than a week our mighty group of 20 will embark on our very own adventure. We have spent the entire year preparing for this trip in one way or another. While reflecting on the preparation process I realized that more important than studying Indian culture, researching for interviews and reading various books, was the choice that each individual made when they said, ‘yes’ to the invitation. Potentiality exists when you are open and willing, even if you are scared. Even if you don’t know if you will be able to do what is asked of you. The ‘yes’ makes everything else possible. This amazing, adventurous group of 20 said yes to the unknown. I am excited, and while I don’t know what lies in front of us, I know that we are ready and that each one of us will learn what we are ready to learn. — Shannon Kelly
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Photo by Shmuel Thaler
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Nestled among the redwoods on 355 mountaintop acres, Mount Madonna is a safe and nurturing college-preparatory school that supports students in becoming caring, self-aware and articulate critical thinkers, who are prepared to meet challenges with perseverance, creativity and integrity. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville.