This school year I completed a unit called “Monsoons and Mountains”. One of the lessons was to read and listen to Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian poet who wrote a collection of poems about the monsoon. My assignment was to compose a free verse poem about the monsoon. This is what I wrote. —————————————————————————————— As I … More Writing the Monsoon
This semester I continued to learn about researching and writing. One assignment was to pick a topic of my choice, write a thesis statement, and use credible sources to write a research essay. I chose Kathak because it meant so much to me as a dancer, and I wanted to learn more about it. I … More Kathak-The Art of Storytelling
We all waited with baited breath as the jeep pulled up next to a small lake hidden in the trees. As we emerged from the forest it came into view—an elephant, basking in the golden, buttery sunlight. We were in Sri Lanka, the place fabled to be the golden city of Lanka, where Ravana took … More Stupas, Seashells and Sambal
October 5, 2025 Mardi Himal, Nepal— As the bright rays of sunlight fill the robin’s egg sky, we watch in wonder as the world’s largest peaks are cast in robes of pink and gold. I think back on our trip so far. We have hiked through the forest, draped with vibrant green moss, and across … More Standing Among Giants
As we were departing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on our flight to Kathmandu, I thought about all of the amazing times we had in Vietnam and Malaysia. We have traversed across many towns, cities, even countries, experiencing their unique cuisine, culture, language, and landscapes, among so many other things. But now it is time for something … More Nepal And The Monkey Temple
On our journey so far, we have tasted, smelled, seen, and heard masterpieces everywhere. We have experienced so many forms of art in ways of food, music and so much more. In food, we found our amazement in bowls of steaming pho, rich in flavors of chicken and a deep umami flavor that is too … More The Beauty In Art
Hue, Vietnam—a place of ancient wonders, amazing sights, smells, and sounds, and serene river scenes. We visited the ancient citadel, with old buildings decorated with ceramics and colored artfully. We explored many buildings, oohing and aahing at many different things: bright mosaics, lush gardens, interesting exhibits, crumbling walls, and beautiful complexes. We stopped for a … More The Ancient City
Cat Ba, Vietnam We enjoyed our time in Cat Ba very much. In fact, for many of us it was one of our favorite places overall. We stayed in a beautiful homestay with a limestone karst behind it and no neighbors other than goats and chickens. We went on some beautiful hikes and a boat … More Ocean and Paddies
Bac Ha, Vietnam May 19, 2025 We have been in Bac Ha for a couple of days now, and it has been my favorite place that we have been so far. We met some village kids and played some games in their small driveway, which was very fun. The kids speak very little English, and … More In the mountains
Last night, we flew into Singapore during a thunder-and-lightning storm. As I looked out of the window, I could see bright bolts of lighting flash across the sky, illuminating the clouds around us. When we landed, we took a taxi to the guest house that we are staying at. I woke up in the morning … More The City Country
