Jennifer Spatz
- Oct 23
- 3 min
Diwali: The Festival of Lights and the 5 Days of Celebrations in India
Diwali, known as the Festival of Lights, takes place on the darkest day of the new moon during the Hindu month Kartik, the eighth month of the year marking the Hindu New Year, which falls in late October or early November. It is a holiday celebrated worldwide by Hindus, as well as Sikhs and Buddhists, and has some special traditions associated with it. The name Diwali comes from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning “row of lights,” and the festival generally symbolizes the v
Jennifer Spatz
- Nov 13, 2020
- 3 min
Diwali: India's Festival of Lights and How India Celebrates the Holiday
Diwali traditions in India are as diverse and rich with cultural history and spirituality as the country itself.
Jennifer Spatz
- Aug 14, 2020
- 12 min
I is for India: 26 Fun Cultural Facts about India, from A to Z!
Prepare yourself for a journey to Incredible India, and learn its diverse cultural traditions!
Jennifer Spatz
- Aug 27, 2019
- 7 min
Sacred Moments at Wanla Monastery: A Mandala Dissolution on the Art of the Silk Road Trip to Ladakh
The village of Wanla was one of the first stops on our ‘Art of the Silk Road’ journey to Ladakh, a stunning region in the North of India which once served as an important gateway to the ‘Silk Road,’ a network of trade routes connecting India with China, Persia, and Southern Europe. Trip leader, Laura Kozaitis, shares her insights into some sacred moments while our group of travelers witnessed a mandala dissolution at Wanla Monastery in Part 1 of a 3-part blog series. We enter
Jennifer Spatz
- Feb 1, 2019
- 3 min
India for Beginners: Discover the Quiet Beauty of Ladakh and Kerala
For many families, the prospect of traveling to India with children can be intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. What makes India seem so overwhelming is also what makes it an ideal family destination—a sensory playground with a cacophony of sounds, explosion of colors and intoxicating blend of smells. It’s as exotic a destination as they come, and yet English is spoken. For families yearning to break out of a vacation rut and embark on a really big adventure, India can be
Jennifer Spatz
- Aug 15, 2018
- 4 min
Highlights from our 2018 Learn, Serve & Immerse Ladakh, India Trip
Last month (July of 2018), we had the pleasure to return to Ladakh on our Learn, Serve & Immerse trip with a wonderful and adventuresome group of 14 travelers, many of whom are supporters of the Siddhartha School. We were warmly greeted at the airport in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, by a group of students from the school and the School Secretary, who presented each of our travelers a khata, a traditional ceremonial scarf in Tibetan Buddhism, which symbolizes purity and compas
Jennifer Spatz
- Sep 7, 2017
- 5 min
Gifts from a Visit with Lama Tenzin and the Children of the CED House
At Global Family Travels, we are blessed to partner with many incredible people and organizations who do good deeds in their communities around the world. In June 2016, I had the opportunity to take my own two children to Dehradun, India to visit one of our partners, Lama Tenzin Choegyal, a very special person and Buddhist monk, who is doing some amazing work to provide young children an education and a home to live in. Lama Tenzin’s generosity and dedication to educating gir
Jennifer Spatz
- Mar 7, 2017
- 3 min
Finding Friendship in India with the Kiran Anjali Project
It’s not much to look at, really. Just a green and white bracelet. Yet this simple pair of strings twisted around my wrist connects me to India. I never want to take it off. Two weeks ago, my 13-year-old daughter and I returned from the trip of a lifetime. I have always been fascinated by India, and getting the chance to visit this exhilarating country with other donors to the Kiran Anjali Project (KAP) was the perfect blend of culture, charity and sightseeing, organized by G
Jennifer Spatz
- Nov 28, 2016
- 3 min
Support Global Family Travels Partners & Community Service on Giving Tuesday
Global Family Travels is grateful for the many partners we work with around the globe who work hand-in-hand with communities we visit and who help facilitate the service work during our travels – they are our expanded family. On the eve of Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back, we would particularly like to highlight the good work of three non-profit partners we volunteer with in India, Nicaragua and Peru. Learn more about these organizations and the opportu
Jennifer Spatz
- Jan 14, 2016
- 3 min
Exploring the Beauty and Culture of South India
Global Family Travels spent the December holidays in South India, a beautiful part of the country which offers similarly colorful cultural experiences that North India does, but at a more relaxed pace which we found more ideal for traveling with children. We were impressed with the natural beauty of South India’s forests, backwaters, spice plantations, and wild life sanctuaries! Here are our favorite travel experiences from visiting two of South India’s states, Kerala and Ka
Jennifer Spatz
- Nov 20, 2014
- 2 min
The Magnificence of Ladakh, India
Ladakh has to be one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth that I have ever experienced. Even though the landscape is very arid, the surrounding peaks of the Himalayas and lush cottonwood trees add to its beauty. The people here are also beautiful and very warm and jovial, and live a simple subsistence life-style. Our travelers had the pleasure of stay in a local Ladakhi home on our last trip, which was truly an honor! See more photos of our trip here. Ofte
Jennifer Spatz
- Jul 10, 2014
- 3 min
India Spiritual Tour Top 10 Experiences
Our Mystical Mamas Tour group journeyed to some of Northern India’s most spiritual places, learning about Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism as we traveled. New friendships were formed both within our group and with our host communities as we took in the sights of India’s beautiful historical monuments and temples, witnessing the ways of life in both the cities and rural areas we visited. As we traveled, we also learned to meditate and explore our own spirituality, lau
Jennifer Spatz
- Mar 26, 2014
- 2 min
10 Tips to Staying Healthy and Safe in India
As we embark on our Mystical Mamas tour to India, we will be adapting to a new climate and new food. Here are 10 tips from our pre-departure packet to staying healthy and safe while in India: 1) Be wary of uncooked food, especially salads, and unpeeled fruits or vegetables. Custards, pastry creams, yogurt and unboiled milk should be avoided where refrigeration is primitive. 2) We recommend going vegetarian while in India. Plus, many Indians are vegetarian, so there's a fabu
Jennifer Spatz
- Jan 23, 2014
- 2 min
4 Cultural Tips for Travel to India
Global Family Travels prepares travelers who are going on our India tours with a pre-trip orientation which includes information on the culture and history of India, helpful words and phrases, and cultural tips or “do’s and don’ts.” This preparation helps travelers quickly get over any culture shock that can happen upon arrival. In this week's blog post, we share 4 cultural tips for travel to India. In future posts we will discuss other cultural tips for India such as the