The shakedown hike was absolutely phenomenal. We had such spectacular views every step of the way. I think it was a great introduction to backpacking, living in a tent, and a good test of our physical ability. Although I could manage the weight of the pack, I was struggling the whole time with how it…
Tag: India
Trail of Perseverance
Have you confronted different cultural and ethical norms while abroad? How are you managing working with these differences? We are staying in a rather western style location here at the Hanifl Centre, so we have not been super immersed in Indian culture, however our Indian guides have given us a taste as to what their…
Girl on Fire
What did you learn during the shakedown overnight trek? How will this impact your approach to the longer trek later in the program? I had a really hard time on the physical aspects of this trek. I was by far the slowest person on our team, and found it incredibly difficult to keep up with…
WAFA Chaos
During our Wilderness Advanced First Aid training, we have undergone dozens of mock scenarios to allow us to practice some of the practical skills we learned during our lessons. Some of them have been mild, such as helping a patient with heat exhaustion or dehydration, but we also had some incredibly intense scenarios such as…
Lessons in First Aid, Leadership, and Linguistics
Over the past few days, we have been taking Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) classes and talking about how to respond to a crisis. These classes have been very intense and sometimes difficult. We have also been practicing how to respond to crises like massive bleeding, an unresponsive person, and mass casualty incidents. Although I…
Jam Packed Days and Setting Personal Goals
The past few days have been a total whirlwind. Our days are jam packed with classes, games, and activities. It is a bit overwhelming at times due to the sheer amount of energy I need to dedicate to stay awake, let alone learn in each class. I am still adjusting to the time zone, lack…
Arrival to India
Cultural Adjustments During our trip to India, there are many cultural norms that we will have to adapt to over the course of the month, especially when it comes to learning about leadership. One thing that we were briefed on before our travels, and was shown a bit in the first few days, was that…
Journey to India and Self Discovery
Personal Background My name is Allyson Doolittle and I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in environmental studies and anthropology as well as obtaining a sustainability certificate. In less than a week, I am excited to say that I will be traveling to Mussoorie, India for Pitt’s Leadership in the Himalayas global…
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