As I write this, I'm waiting for our students to return from their weXplore, a five-day excursion that takes students beyond their host city for immersive cultural experiences. For the past two months, we as a school have called Maun, Botswana, our home. It's a small town on the edge of the Okavango Delta and, for many travelers, a doorway into Africa. But Maun is only one perspective, and it...
Read MoreThere is so much to share that it’s hard to know where to begin. The past weeks have been full of creativity, exploration, and those quiet, powerful moments of growth that make our work so meaningful. So grab a cup of tea and a biscuit, settle into a comfortable chair, and step into the stories unfolding here from Mumbai.
weXplore: Returning with Momentum
Returning from a weXplore always feels like a turning point. The first half of term carries anticipation and preparation; the second half brings rhythm, momentum, and growing purpose as we begin preparing for Showcase. It has been wonderful to have our whole community back together at the student residence, swapping stories from Rishikesh and Kochi. Conversations have been filled with reflections on moments of quiet insight, unexpected challenges, and even Kelsey’s now-legendary bus ride playlist.
weXplores are such an essential part of the TGS experience. They invite students to slow down, immerse themselves in a new part of the country, and engage deeply with place. They stretch comfort zones, spark questions, and create space for insight. And when students return, they do so changed, often in ways that unfold gradually over time.
Religious Observance in Our Community
This time of year also invites reflection across our global community. Around the world, and within TGS, families and students are marking meaningful moments in their faith and cultural calendars.Some of our students are observing Ramadan, a sacred month in Islamic tradition marked by fasting, prayer, and reflection. Others are beginning Lent, the 40-day Christian season of contemplation leading toward Easter. Members of our community also recently celebrated the Lunar New Year, welcoming renewal in the Year of the Fire Horse, a combination that occurs only once every 60 years. Here in Mumbai, the city is preparing for Holi, when color, joy, and the arrival of spring spill into the streets. Festivies are commonplace, with vibrant powders gleefully thrown and ritual bonfires lit, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.
Holi was one of the holidays celebrated during our time in India
To witness these observances unfolding side by side is a powerful reminder of who we are at TGS. Ours is a community not simply tolerant of difference, but deeply enriched by it. In shared meals after sunset, conversations about traditions, joyful celebrations, and quiet acts of devotion, our students learn from one another in ways no textbook could ever replicate.
We, staff and students alike, are always learning.
Learning in Motion: Our Students Lead the Way
This past week, I had the joy of spending time with students immersed in their passions.
I slipped on a pair of VR goggles and explored an underwater world designed by Kenzo W., a creation marked by extraordinary detail, imagination, and technical skill. I also found myself in the back of a rickshaw with Eitan, on our way to collect a sitar to add to his growing musical collection.
With Annie, I was drawn into conversations about architecture and innovative housing design. And each Sunday morning, I have the pleasure of catching up with Maya about her internship, gaining a glimpse into her photography and storytelling work.
In the coming newsletters, I’ll continue to share small “tasters”, snapshots of the inspiring projects emerging as we look ahead to Greece. Students continue to push into new spaces, blending creativity with technical innovation in exciting and meaningful ways.
Mumbai: One of Our Greatest Teachers
And then there is Mumbai itself.
This is a city that engages all the senses at once: the aroma of street food and incense, the constant rhythm of traffic and conversation (and the honking of horns at all times of the day), the kaleidoscope of color and movement, and the sheer density of humanity. It can be overwhelming. It can be challenging. It can be beautiful. All at once.
And that is precisely why it is such a powerful place to learn.
We often say that TGS is a school for the bravely curious. We do not shy away from places that stretch us. Growth rarely happens in comfort; it happens when we navigate the unfamiliar, sit with complexity, and allow our assumptions to be gently disrupted. So whether on a weXplore, inside a VR headset, or crossing a busy Mumbai street, our community is consistently learning resilience, awareness, and adaptability.
As we move toward Showcase, we look forward to sharing the tangible outcomes of this learning. What may be less visible but equally important is the growth happening beneath the surface — in character, in courage, and in curiosity.
With much gratitude,
Jen