Students return from an eventful Activity Week

Exploring the outdoors through rigorous hikes, exploring Indian culture and history, social service, political debates, wildlife, rafting, understanding nature, and heaps of fun in between. Woodstock packed in a plethora of life-defining experiences for its students inside a week. The annual Activity Week, an occasion for students to take different approaches in learning outside the classroom, was held during the first week of November.

Students travelled far and near, high and low, charting places such as Chennai, Dharamsala, Baraadsar Lake, Pindari Glacier, Rishikesh, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun, villages in the Garhwal, and of course, other parts of Mussoorie itself. The week was a rousing success, and students returned with fresh experiences of culture, service, environment, and adventure.

The trips included:

• Model UN - Chennai: Grades 11-12
• Kuari Pass Trek: Grades 11-12
• Baraadsar Lake Trek: Grades 11-12
• Roop Kund Trek: Grades 11-12
• Pindari Glacier Trek: Grades 11-12
• Camp Forktail Creek: Grades 11-12
• Dharamshala: Grades 11-12
• Chandigarh & Amritsar: Grades 11-12
• Himalayan River Runners: Grade 10
• Habitat For Humanity - New Delhi: Grade 10
• Khas Kudaon Village: Grade 9
• Takarna Village: Grade 9
• Gaird Village: Grade 9
• Sarab Talla Village: Grade 9
• Rishikesh and Nature Village: Grade 8
• CARE, Experiential, and Cultural visit to Dehradun: Grade 7
• Himalayan Bear Camp with Snow Leopard Adventures - Near Rishikesh: Grade 6
• Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Rajaji National Park: Grade 5
• History of Mussoorie: Grade 4
• Study of Local Schools and Children of Local Area: Grade 3
• Nature Around Us: Grades 1-2
• People Who Help Us: ECP/KG

Below are short accounts from just a few of these memorable trips:

People Who Help Us: ECP/KG - Shubhra Chundawat

The theme for the ECP/KG was People Who Help Us. This entailed trips to Dhobi Ghat, watching the masons at Hostel, visiting the tailor at his work, and getting sandals made by the shoemaker. Of course, the children made the most passionate pilgrimage to Ram Chander's with Rs 100 for pocket money. All of the children left with the bags full of food that met their gastronomical approval completely disregarding any nutritional value or parental consent!

Activity week was wrapped up by a fun trip to Company Garden where the children enjoyed the rides and park attractions enormously. Amongst all the excitement and enjoyment, they blissfully ended the week with heaps of practical learning.

Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Rajaji National Park: Grade 5 - Rufus Emmanuel

This year Activity Week took the grade six students to the area surrounding Rajaji National Park as well as to a camp located at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Bear Stream camp was our base for two days. Accommodation here was in Safari tents with bathroom facilities including hot water in the morning and evening inside the tent. We had a full program with rafting the next day down the Ganga River. This was by far the most thrilling experience. We faced five rapids and even had the opportunity to cliff dive a 24 foot rock face and swim in the river where it was calmer. Later that evening, the students were taught to put on harnesses and practice Rock climbing on the 20 foot artificial wall. While one group did that the other group practiced making various knots used in rock climbing.

The evenings were relaxing and were usually spent playing or sitting around the campfire.

The next destination was Camp Tusker. Accommodation here was in Safari tents too, though not as posh as the ones in Bear Stream camp. We had to go to the end of the camp site to Tusker Point to do all our ablutions. It lived up to its promise, taking us into the "rejuvenating lap of nature." We had a full itinerary, with early morning nature walks and cycling trips to a nearby stream.

We left for Mussoorie on the fifth day, but not before the students had another go on the cycling trip, which was longer and more challenging than before.

Students spent about forty-five minutes every evening writing a journal entry and making a drawing reflecting the day's activities.

Baraadsar Lake Trek: Grades 11-12 - Casey Guenther

Tourism has affected the Garhwal in many ways, and after experiencing the busyness, dirtiness and chaos of the well travelled routes we decided to head into the remote, unexplored area of the Western Garhwal in search of the little-known high-altitude Baraadsar Lake. For most of our group the idea of not showering for a week, having to use a "loo with a view", and having to hike many kilometers and climb thousands of feet seemed daunting. But the allure of the unknown urged us on and as the days, distances, and feet went by our group grew used to the heavy backpacks on our shoulders and more importantly we grew closer together and closer to the beauty that surrounded us.

From playing cricket with the local boys in remote villages, having 300 sheep keep us company at night, climbing to over 14,400ft, and making snow angels it was an amazing trip and one that we are sure to remember for a long time.