Tiwari, Nidhi
(2011)
Outdoor education – exploring a new paradigm.
Learning Curve (17).
pp. 44-49.
Abstract
As a team of adolescents braved the winds and chilly
weather to scramble up a rock phase, the winds whistled through a narrow chimney in the rocky back country of the Himalayas. As they belayed each other on the rock phase, emotions ran high and so did the adrenalin. One of the climbers screamed “TENSION!” meaning “Hold me tight, I can potentially fall!” and the whole team rallied behind the belayer. Lips pursed inward, bodies turned numb and faces flushed. The next five minutes elapsed in pin drop silence as the climber made a daring move up the ledge.
Instantly, the team broke into a cheer, exuding relief
and overflowing jubilation. The storm within had passed. Their class mate was now secure and, surprisingly, they were celebrating a ‘joint’ victory. I over heard one of the girls standing behind me comment to her friend, “Strange, isn’t it - I felt relieved to see
Shashank (the climber) reach that ledge. Before this
trip, he wasn’t somebody I could handle in the same
space as me. But now, it felt so good to see him safe.”
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