I had never left the United States before going on the TEXT program, and then I wanted to never go back. It is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Tibetan culture, and to learn from those traditions of debate and nonviolence that have kept Tibet alive in exile even as the country itself is occupied. I interviewed the Venerable Tenzin Bagdro, an activist and former political prisoner. I also sat in on other interviews with politicians, a doctor, a nun, and a rock star, to name a few. In between we traversed the country, driving through the Himalayas and flying to Goa for a break at the seaside. Even still, I keep up with my friends from the trip. I cannot recommend this program enough. To say it broadened my horizons is an understatement; I have never been the same.