Midpoint, Reassignment, and More

Last time I wrote, I was on a magical mystery tour of Himachal Pradesh in hopes of determining the NGO to which I might be reassigned. Since then, all the Fellows traveled to Mumbai for our Midpoint Meeting, I traveled afterwards with friends, AND I got a new assignment (yay!) and lots of exciting work. I am working with Muse, an NGO that focuses on conservation and livelihoods initiatives in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh.
My dream came true -- I am using my background in business in a meaningful way. Since snow currently cuts off Spiti from the rest of the inhabitable world, I shifted to Delhi where I will work until Spiti thaws. Muse desires to create a separate entity focused on livelihoods endeavors, including agricultural products and ecotourism. As a result, I spend my days researching what kind of legal enterprise ought to be created and the process by which we can accomplish that. In addition, I get to market our ecotourism ventures that include home stays with local families high on the Tibetan Plateau and adventure travel such as mountain biking and trekking. As an outdoor enthusiast, this latter project is good for my soul! Finally, Muse hopes to offer Eco Ratings to local Spitian businesses based upon the their sustainability so I am investigating methods of doing this.
Another dream came true when my siblings came for a surprise visit after the holidays! My brother and sister negotiated with auto rickshaws drivers, we hiked, and we posed after a hail storm for the local paper.
Here's my travels in photo form:
1st: Fellows enjoying dinner during Midpoint
2nd: Fellows squeezing in an auto after Midpoint
3rd: My siblings and I enjoying hand-delivered Moravian cookies.
-Sarah Hine