The Himalayan Gap program exceeded our wildest expectations. Being realistic in our expectations, we dared not hope for nor expect it to have such an impact on our daughter. But it did. Obviously, much of this was due to her exposure to the rich Indian and Nepalese cultures, but what made this program particularly unique and special was the integral role of Rajiv and Anu in the day-to-day activities of the participants. Our daughter developed a strong, genuine bond with Rajiv and Anu, and they with her. As a result, we feel our family has been expanded. They are extraordinary individuals, wealthy in wisdom, who connected with each participant. And as parents themselves, they understood the needs of parents who had sent their 18-year-old daughter halfway around the world, on her own, to be with people they had never met. Rajiv and Anu had excellent instincts about when to communicate with us, and for that we were grateful. In sum, our daughter absolutely loved the time she spent with Himalayan Gap, and we love the myriad ways in which she grew. We recommend this program with enormous enthusiasm.

Terry Huffington, parent

 

I am enrolling next year!!!!!!!!

Dave Keyte, parent

My daughter, Roxie, had an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experience with Himalayan Gap.  Rajiv and Anu have sparked in her a deep love of the culture, language, landscape and people of India.  The travel, seeing first hand the beautiful temples and Taj Mahal, and the trek, with its breathtaking scenery, experienced with such knowledgeable hikers, were unforgettable experiences.  Teaching in the local school, where Roxie learned as much as she taught, was a particularly rewarding experience.  Not only did Roxie learn a lot about the country and the Hindi language, she also learned a lot about herself during her stay.  She came home a more mature person.  As her parent, I shall be forever grateful to Rajiv and Anu for making the experience possible and for their kind solicitation in helping Roxie to learn and grow.  I was amazed at how frequently I heard from them, letting me know at every stage of the trip that she was safe and well, even to the point of getting e-mails with smiling pictures at an altitude of 18,000 feet.

Martha Hadeler, parent

Thank you for your wonderful oversight of Lindsay.  I think her being with you and your program is the best thing that could have happened to her in this gap year. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to amplify or catalyze the magic which you seem to be promoting there. I look forward to meeting you in person.  Thank you....

Ralph Dittman, MD, MPH, parent

 

I have never had a more life changing experience and I am so blessed to have had this opportunity. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I have never been so happy in my life. This program has changed me…for good. I love you guys.

Katherine Keyte, participant

I took a Gap Year because I needed to experience life outside of academia and America.  I wanted time to myself and time to explore. This program is unlike any other because it does exactly that.  It is tailored to your needs.  You will learn Hindi in the classroom, but it will also be spoken to you at home.  You will attend Indian weddings, raft Rishikesh, take day trips to the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort, learn the sitar or Indian dance, all the while retaining the freedom to wander about town and explore all other interests.

My experience in India lasted only three and a half months. I initially chose Himalayan Gap because I liked the points on the website: taking several months of Hindi classes, teaching English at a middle school, trekking to Everest base camp, and generally being able to immerse myself in Indian culture.  But those bullet points gave way to some of the most rewarding, enjoyable experiences I've ever had.  Learning Hindi endowed me with the ability to learn the backgrounds of my Indian friends and barter for local goods.  Teaching English allowed me to watch Hindi-speaking children, ages twelve through sixteen, memorize a twelve-page English dialogue in three weeks in order to perform a Lion King remake.  Exploring my artistic interests (of which I thought I had few) enabled me to move my bell-covered ankles to the beat of a tabla in traditional Indian dance.  Trekking up to Everest base camp involved catching a three AM flight on a twelve-seat plane  from Kathmandu to Lukala, spending cold nights in tea houses playing cards with the people who had long ago become my family, and standing atop a peak at 18,400 feet, finally knowing what it meant to feel on top of the world.  Most importantly, the simple phrase “becoming immersed in Indian culture” meant watching fireworks on the doorstep of a local friend’s house on the eve of Dewali, attempting to dance in a sari, celebrating my roommate’s birthday over candle-lit Gulab Jamon, and learning the incredible stories of my second Pa and Ma, my host parents.

It’s fair to say that Himalayan Gap influenced who I will become in the greatest of ways.  Like an excellent novel, I was completely engrossed in it while there and will be forever altered by it long after its end.  It challenged and changed me.  Now, a car isn’t my only mode of transportation, I have more to talk about than boarding school, I’ve become interested in Hinduism and Buddhism, and I’m more at peace with myself than I’ve ever been.  But mostly, I’m just grateful— for the people and places that opened my eyes and for the family that I gained in Rajiv, Anou, Katherine and Roxie.  I recommend this program with all my heart.

Lindsay Dittman, participant

Taking a gap year was the best decision I have ever made. While my friends are in college, slaving over exams and papers I have spent the last 3 months in India having the most amazing experiences. Rafting on the Ganges, teaching English to a poor village school, attending Indian weddings and learning about Indian culture and customs, learning traditional Indian dance and Hindi, visiting forts and the Taj Mahal, and finally going on a 3 week trek through the Everest region are all part of Himalayan Gap. Not only did I learn so much about a new and amazing country but I also learn a lot about myself and having the experiences I have has helped me realize what is important in life and what I want to do with my life.

Himilayan gap really stood out to me more than the other gap years programs because of how personal it is. Rajiv came to stay in my house with me, met my parents and called them on almost a daily basis with news and pictures of what was going on. Rajiv and Anu became Rajiv papa and Anu mama over the last 3 months, I love them and care for them as I do my parents and that is something totally unique and wonderful about this program.

Roxie Overaker, participant