It All Began With My Mother

 That first January tour (1999) was so successful that I did it eleven more times.  I also led three student groups into the Himalayas, co-directed two Mellon-funded faculty development tours (courtesy of ASIANetwork), AND organized the June 2018 “epic Himalayan double date” with my wife, her sister, and brother-in-law.  Despite my initial reticence, knowing how to guide people in India has become one of my unusual skills.

Practice made basic logistical problems less pressing, and led me to consider more subtle issues: How do I promote a good group dynamic?  How do I teach more effectively in the field?  How can I help people feel "at home" in a profoundly different culture?  These were all resolved through practice, since they had been part of my academic training.

What have I learned?  This practice emerged from my teaching, and the teaching mission remains central.  My primary goal was to facilitate an experience of India’s people and culture—an ancient and rich culture--that goes beyond mere tourism, and promotes respect, empathy and understanding.  Small group travel has been one intentional strategy for this.  A large group needs a large bus and a large hotel, whereas a smaller group can travel more nimbly and stay at smaller, family-run guest houses.  Both of these travel experiences are equally real, but the latter gives participants far better exposure to ordinary Indians and their everyday lives, and this is the sort of experience I seek to promote.  A small group is like a family—the basic Indian social unit—and as we share these experiences I  hope that participants can build genuine connections with their fellow travelers and with me.  In the end, everyone has their own experience--given the nature of human consciousness, it cannot be otherwise--but for most of my participants it has been positive and life-affirming.  

These were my goals for my students, and they remain my goals here.  Mindful India Travel LLC reflects the hope that people will embrace this experience not as tourists or spectators, but as active participants.  Both tours visit places I know and love, but more importantly places in which I have dear friends.  I hope that you too will love these places, and that some of these people can also become your friends.  Travel in India can be difficult, but its vibrant energy and palpable human warmth have kept me coming back since 1981.

Questions?  I’d be delighted to tell you more. You can message me at <jim@mindfulindiatravel.com>.

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