top of page
Search

Dave Pilla

Writer: kozainilkozainil

Updated: Aug 6, 2018



July 10th


It has been a challenging stretch for our group here in Shangri-La. We had just returned to the Bodhi Inn for lunch after moving into home stays when we heard of Dave's passing. The news hit our group very hard, and we took the entire day to help the group process the tragedy. While acknowledging that everyone grieves in a different way, we asked that students spend time during the day as a group. We spoke about how it is okay to feel whatever each student is feeling. We walked slowly in the rain up to a very special temple overlooking the town. We lit candles, sat in a circle around the lights, held hands, prayed, cried, and shared thoughts, feelings, stories and memories of our dear friend, mentor, teacher, and pillar of the Proctor community.


Last night, rather than sending students back into their home stays, we stayed another night at the hotel together so that we could be all together.


Our hearts go out to Dave's immediate family, and to everyone in the Proctor community.



 
 
 

Comments


About The Program

This trip is a four-week culture and language immersion trip intended for Proctor students interested in experiencing cultural immersion, developing their Mandarin language skills, and earning one full year of language credit toward their graduation requirements. Students will travel through southwestern China to the town of Shangri-La in northwestern Yunnan Province, east of the Himalayas on the Tibetan plateau. Yunnan province, in particular, is a fantastic area to explore because of its enormous cultural diversity, historical significance in terms of trade, and its relative remoteness. There is very little air pollution in the area compared with cities on the east coast of China. In addition, the town of Shangri-La itself is a cultural crossroads due to its proximity to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, and 80% or more of the residents of Shangri-La are Tibetan. Once in Shangri-La, students will live with home stay families who speak Mandarin and have children roughly similar in age to them.  Students will also participate in four hours of language classes each weekday, and of course will have many more opportunities to practice their Mandarin in markets, with their home stay families, and with friends. During the weekends, they will embark on various exciting excursions, including a five-day trek around Kawagarbo Mountain, one of the mountains considered most sacred and holy by the Tibetan people. Each day, the group will meet to reflect and share thoughts and feelings about all that we experience. Through our group meetings, group excursions, and classes, students are supported in and can get the most out of their home stay experiences.

 

bottom of page