Matheran

Every year, the middle school students and staff here at the American School of Bombay participate in a "Week Without Walls" experience. I had the opportunity to spend a few day with the ASB grade 6 students at a nearby hill station called Matheran. 

• Hill Station: "The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly India), ...  for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler." -
  "Hill Station." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_station>.

Matheran is located in the Western Ghats at about 2600 feet, which makes the evenings and mornings a little cooler and more pleasant, and is unique in that no automobiles are allowed, so the main forms of transit are walking and horse riding. The importance of the tourist trade with shops and restaurants and hotels make the place a sort of Indian "Mackinac Island". They are even known for their fudge !

We saw this view while doing a little pond study ;-)  By Gaurav Raval (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

With 55 sixth grade students and a bunch of adults enjoying a variety of hiking, adventure activities, good vegetarian food and teachable moments, a good time was had by all. Of course, there was also plenty of drama from boy/girl relationship issues, girl/girl relationship issues, boy/boy relationship issues and kid/monkey relationship issues.  While monkey troubles were a new one for me, it really is not much different than the kid/raccoon issues I used to have with Quest camp.  Anyway - i had a great time getting to know the kids and the other staff members - great team!  I am such a believer in the value of experiential education and we all had formative experiences. Working on problems and activities with other kids and then reflecting on what we've learned. Doesn't get any better.

By Dr. Raju Kasambe (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons