One of the best parts of working in youth development is to see what happens to the students AFTER the programs. I’ve been getting some incredible updates from recent Teen Programs Alum in the past few weeks. One with ambition to be an artist just came back from participating in the Venice Biennale with Tim Rollins and K.O.S., who Teen Guide Council worked with last year. Another is applying for a Critical Language Scholarship to study Hindi in India and is currently specializing in Indian Art at Columbia. Just received an amazing email update (below) from a former RMA Teen who’s traveling in India. Go Teen Programs Alum and keep sending your amazing updates!
I’m currently writing to you from a village called Bundla in Himachal Pradesh, about an hour away from Dharamsala. I was in Macleod Ganj this past weekend and it was absolutely gorgeous! Can’t thank the Rubin enough for introducing me to a culture that has become so much a part of my own! I bought a beautiful thangka painting (for about 12 dollars), saw the Dalai Lama (and listened to his teaching!), visited the Tibet Museum, participated in a candle-light vigil/march for Tibet with the local monks, and bought a few Tibetan-published books (one on folktales, one political, one spiritual). This city, Macleod, made me miss home more than ever… especially the Rubin. I used the knowledge I’ve picked up while working with you so extensively and, as I mentioned above, I think I’m hooked. I get this feeling at the center of my chest when I look at or think about the culture and its manifestations in paintings, dance, temples. I hope the programs are going well. (I’m sure they are!) I can’t wait to come back and visit and revel and participate in all of it … God, do I miss it!
