Los Angeles & San Diego, United States

After nearly three months, it was nice to be back on U.S. soil. We were greeted at LAX by Pat Whelan, the legendary “Din #1” and founder of the group. Our first full day, Pat drove us down to San Diego where we enjoyed a true California day swimming, eating tacos and enjoying the warm weather. In the evening it was off to La Jolla, a quaint beachside town with a community center known as the “Athenaeum.” Our performance at the La Jolla Athenaeum was tremendously moving. For our seniors, it was the very final Dins concert. It would be my last time singing with these people who meant so much to me. To end our tour back in the United States, surrounded by Dins friends and the group’s founder, was perhaps the best possible ending for an amazing summer.

It’s hard to describe what this tour has meant for me. When the tour began on May 31, I was already tremendously close with my fellow Dins. But the shared experiences of travel—the joys, the stresses, the cultural and interpersonal exchange—brought us together in an amazing way. For four years I have looked forward to Dins tour; I had heard all the stories from older Dins, and I had become appropriately psyched about the prospect. But finally experiencing tour was unlike anything I could have imagined.

It's also evident to me that tour could not have happened without the graciousness and generosity of our many, many friends, alumni, and supporters around the globe. A tour of this magnitude is an audacious undertaking for a dozen-odd college students. Our ability to do this is a testament not only to our organizational and musical prowess, but also to our invaluable relationships with people to whom we are deeply grateful. I have so much love for my fellow Dins and for everyone who made this experience possible.

Signing off for the last time,

Samson

Melbourne & Sydney, Australia

Melbourne: August 1 – 5

After the hectic Singapore schedule, it was such a pleasure to have several unscheduled days in Melbourne. Arriving from tropical Singapore, it was a shock to arrive in the antipodean winter—with temps hovering around 50 Fahrenheit! Melbourne is a lovely city with some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. It was a blast to explore the city and its environs for a few days. Karalyn and I ventured on a winery tour, and had an awesome time sampling the various varietals around the Yarra Valley wine region.

One exciting development during our stay in Melbourne: officer elections! I was thrilled to welcome Jay Hong and AJ to Dins leadership, and I participated in the democratic transfer of power by resigning my own role as Producer. Alas, such is life for a graduating senior.

Sydney: August 6 – 11

After Melbourne, we had an amazing stay in Sydney. We were greeted at the airport by Ted Blamey, a Harvard alumnus and longtime friend of the Dins. Ted took us for a night on the town, showing us around all of Sydney’s historic bars. It was such fun to go along with Ted because of his deep knowledge of all things Australia (by the end of the night I had learned the rules to Australian football). An amazing first night.

The Dins had a fun performance at the Harvard Club of Australia. It was a beautiful event at a downtown building abutting Sydney Harbor; dozens of Harvard Club affiliates came to enjoy music and dinner. Prior to our performance, though, the club’s President delivered a lecture on the state of U.S.–Australia relations. As a politics nerd and Government concentrator, I enjoyed this a whole lot—not a bad opener for a Dins concert!

Our final night in Sydney, we performed at the opulent Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. The Dins enjoyed hors d’oeuvres with the RSYS guests, then we all sat down to a three-course meal. After an amazing (and hilarious) introduction by Ted, the Dins performed a set during the dessert portion of the meal. This gig was so fun—Mattheus and I were seated next to an engineer and a pilot, so conversation was predictably fascinating. It was a fantastic last night abroad.

Singapore

After Japan we returned to Southeast Asia for a busy and incredibly memorable week in Singapore. The Dins have a long and deep relationship with Singapore, where we have traveled during each summer tour in recent memory. We came as guests of the Central Singapore Community Development Council, a government unit that provides services (including cultural amenities like a cappella concerts!) to the citizens of Singapore. The Central Singapore CDC staff treated us with incredible kindness, showing us around all week.

Our first event was at the Autism Resource Center, an amazing institution run by the CDC’s Mayor, Denise Phua. ARC provides services for adults on the autism spectrum, and the Dins met with ARC beneficiaries and staff and scoped out the space. We’d return later in the week for a fundraising event for ARC, where we had a great time performing our set.

Another highlight: visiting Raffles. Raffles is a top Singapore school (and the alma mater of our very own Jay Hong). It was awesome to see Jay Hong’s old haunts and to perform in the beautiful auditorium.

The week was quite busy, with one or two performances each day. But there were plenty of opportunities for relaxation and fun. Jay Hong’s parents treated us to an awesome meal at a hawker center, where I sampled a variety of Indo-Singaporean, Chinese-Singaporean and Malay-Singaporean dishes. My friend from Harvard visited me in Singapore, and we had a fun night on the town. Finally I turned 22 during this stop, and I was surprised in the middle of a gig with a chocolate cake from the Mayor herself. All in all, it was a stop to remember. A special thanks to the incredible staff at the Central Singapore CDC who showed us so much time, dedication and camaraderie during our stay!

Osaka & Kyoto, Japan

It was something of a lucky surprise to visit Japan. The country had only recently opened up to tourists, and our trip was only possible due to the amazing work of our contact, Nao-san. We arrived in Osaka and Nao-san showed us around the city’s historic sights before we turned in for the night.

Our time in Japan was busy, but there are a couple of standout highlights. The first: our visit to Kyoto. We took the bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto (the train puts Amtrak to shame—we made the trip in just 30 minutes). Kyoto is an amazing small city that showcases traditional Japanese architecture and history. We explored a beautiful Shinto shrine; indulged in street food; and ate too much mochi. One memorable moment: Felix and I shared some fugu, a pufferfish that is highly toxic if not prepared correctly. Fortunately for us both, this fugu was apparently up to snuff. Though I wouldn’t write home about the taste.

Second: we visited a traditional Japanese theater. We saw an amazing play based on a folktale about a hero who battles a monstrous giant spider; afterwards, we had the privilege of meeting with the actors one-on-one. The next day, we returned to the theater to stage our own performance to a sold-out audience. It may have been one of the best performances of our tour; the incredible acoustics of the space certainly helped.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2022 represents the Dins’ first visit to Malaysia in nearly two decades. The time was right for us to return: after all, we now have a Malaysian Din (Jay Hong!) and a community of Dins friends who were invaluable in showing us around the country. Our first day in Kuala Lumpur, we met up with Karen—a longstanding friend of the group whose family runs a soup kitchen in the city. Our first event was at a fundraiser for this organization; it was so meaningful to perform for a cause and meet all of the charity’s supporters and associates. Karen was incredibly kind to invite us to her home that evening, where we enjoyed traditional Malaysian food and great conversation.

One salient topic of conversation: “durian,” a Southeast Asian fruit which is apparently quite polarizing. Many Malaysians love the fruit, but to the unadjusted palate it is a difficult thing to enjoy. Jay Hong led us on a durian expedition—we went to an outdoor market, observed as Jay Hong haggled over the price of a fruit, and then tried the fabled food for ourselves. It was not my thing, but Sam and Jay Hong seemed to love it.

The next day, we performed at a girls’ high school in the suburbs of the city. It was great to meet kids almost our age and to share our music with them. That afternoon we headed to a rainforest lodge about an hour outside of Kuala Lumpur; Sam and I had a peaceful evening hike in the woods. The natural beauty is impressive, and nothing like Cambridge, Mass.

Back in Kuala Lumpur, the highlight of our visit was the opportunity to perform for a Sultan. The University of Malaya hosted us for a sellout performance in their main auditorium, and we were preceded by a youth choir and an exceptional Malay dance troupe. The Sultan of Perak Province was in attendance, and it was such a fascinating cultural exchange opportunity to learn about royal etiquette. (See the attached photos for a shot of the Dins with the Sultan himself).

Delhi, Mumbai & Kolkata, India

Delhi: July 11 – 13

Samson here, describing our time in India! Delhi was one of my favorite stops because of the history, culture and amazing personal connections we made in the city. We arrived in Delhi late at night on the 11th and immediately headed to our hotel. We stayed in Safdarjung Enclave, a charming and quiet neighborhood with narrow alleys and lots to see and do. The next morning, I explored the area and got some much-needed coffee with Elio and Hannah. Then, it was off to our first performance in India: an evening gig at the Piano Man Jazz Club. I can honestly say the Piano Man was my favorite venue so far. A four-story building, it combined a classic New York-style jazz club ambience with a world-class restaurant and bar. The owner, Arjun, treated us to dinner before the concert—and I enjoyed a phenomenal Southeast Asian coconut curry dish. The concert itself was an amazing event because the audience was overwhelmingly jazz aficionados. After our gig, a few Dins decided to do some impromptu soloing, with Arjun on the keyboard. I, for one, helped myself to a mango lassi from the bar and merely watched. A great first day in Delhi!

The next day most of the Dins took a trip to the Taj Mahal, about three hours away. Noah and I decided to hang around Delhi, exploring the city beyond our neighborhood. On Arjun’s recommendation, we began at a phenomenal hole-in-the-wall North Indian restaurant, proceeded to the famous Humayun’s Tomb, and concluded our expedition at a bazaar. In the evening, we reunited with the rest of the Dins and visited Arjun’s house for dinner. His family prepared for us an amazing meal, which we enjoyed over discussion of music, politics and travel.

Mumbai: July 14 ­– 15

Our next Indian stop was Mumbai, where we performed at the U.S. consulate. It was a real blast to meet the State Department staff, and we were treated to a buffet of American and Indian cuisine alike. Our second and final day in Mumbai was packed: I enjoyed Mumbai street food with Elio and Noah, we had an amazing dinner with a Harvard alum, and then headed to the airport to catch our 9:00 pm flight to Kolkata.

 When you’re traveling, it’s important to be flexible. Sam and I learned this the hard way! We missed the final boarding call, finding ourselves stranded at the Mumbai airport. We ended up rebooking on a flight at 7:00 the next morning, and suddenly had 10 hours to kill at the airport. The good news: Mumbai has a fantastic airport! It’s a modern and large facility, with plenty to see and do. Sam and I camped out at a bar; explored a Barnes & Noble; and treated ourselves to a midnight snack of kebab and lassi. The hours passed quickly, and I remember the all-nighter as a true bonding experience.

Kolkata: July 16 – 17

Sam and I arrived in the morning—just in time for the breakfast service at our Kolkata hotel! After a well-deserved breakfast, we tucked into bed for a well-deserved daytime nap. The day was mostly free, with only an evening performance on our schedule. I spent the afternoon exploring Kolkata’s charming downtown. The Victoria Museum is an impressive British-era civic building that was converted into a national museum after independence. Inside, I enjoyed an exhibit on the Indian independence movement and the life of Gandhi and Nehru. As a history nerd, it was fascinating to learn about Indian history from this perspective. In the evening, we had a fun gig at Shisha Bar Stock Exchange, a happening club downtown. Then, it was off to Malaysia!

Nairobi, Kenya

Hey folks - Karalyn here, and I am so excited to tell you about my favorite stop so far, Kenya!

Tuesday, July 5th - Nairobi Day 1

Our flight landed around 7:30am in Nairobi. Once we were through passport control, we hopped into a van to head to our lodging. We stayed in 2 apartments about a 10 minute walk from each other. Upon arrival, most of us passed out in our new beds for an afternoon nap after a long night of travel. Others took the opportunity to walk around the city and get to know the area. Perhaps the most exciting feature of our apartment was the *drumroll please* washing machine!! The apartment that I stayed in was on the 13th floor, so we had a great view of the city!

Around 2pm, we headed to a performance at the US Embassy. We had the opportunity to hear about what its like to be in the foreign service from our host, Chris. And we got to collect another embassy pin to add to our collection!

After our performance, we headed off to our second performance of the day at a local jazz club called the Geco Café. It was a unique and personality-filled space. The seating was a combination of outdoor booths, indoor tables, and cars/vans/multi-person bikes turned into dining seating. The walls were covered in musical instruments and colorful art. We were graciously hosted for a delicious dinner and had the pleasure of listening to the band play some of the best jazz music I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It was SO much fun!

Wednesday, July 6th - Nakuru Day 2

Much of today was spent acquiring visas for our upcoming trip to Japan. Once we (Jay Hong) got everything squared away with the Japanese embassy in Kenya, we hopped into 2 vans to head to Nakuru. The drive was one of the bumpiest, most ~lively~ drives I have ever been on. For those of you familiar with the Disney Parks, the drive is best described as “Test Track combined with Kilimanjaro Safaris, but with a 3 hour duration.” When we hit a bit of traffic, our driver veered off the road and drove along the side until we passed the slow down. From the back seat, I couldn’t help but giggle at the roller-coaster like ride.

We arrived to our accommodation, Ziwa Bush Lodge, around 10pm. It was already dark, so we didn’t get to see much of the area. The lodge served a dinner buffet, featuring Kenyan classics, including roasted goat and delicious fried potatoes. We stayed in pairs in individual villas, featuring thatched roofs and mosquito net-draped beds. Mattheus and my room had an additional guest, a slug lurking on the ceiling, which we kept a close eye on throughout the evening. Alarms set for bright and early, we drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the surrounding nature.

Thursday, July 7th - Nakuru / Nairobi Day 3

Today was such an exciting day!! We woke up around 6:30am for breakfast and then hopped into vans to head out on our game drive (aka safari) through Lake Nakuru National Park. The roofs of our vans opened up, and we stood to see the wildlife as we drove. We saw SO many animals - hundreds of zebras, thousands of flamingoes (so many that the shoreline looked pink!), buffalo, white rhinos, baboons, monkeys, a giraffe, and even a lion couple! It was truly an unforgettable experience. We then drove back to Nairobi, stopping by way of a local artisan market with a gorgeous view over fields and mountains.

When we got back, we showered and prepared for our evening performance with the Harvard Club of Kenya. The event was graced by a Harvard professor of African language, who spoke at length about the importance of language study of all of the hundreds of African languages and dialects. It was fascinating and informative. We enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner (especially the desserts!) before heading back for the night.

Friday, July 8th - Nairobi Day 4

Today we had a performance for teachers and principals of Nairobi schools, complete with a delicious buffet lunch. In the evening, we headed to Nairobi Street Kitchen, an eclectic collection of food stands, bars, live music and a dance floor, for dinner and drinks with some new friends from the Harvard Club of Kenya.

Saturday, July 9th - Nairobi Day 5

This morning, the Dins enjoyed breakfast at a nearby cafe before heading off to the Giraffe Center, which quickly became one of my favorite places we have visited over all of tour! The giraffes were all incredibly friendly (probably because we had yummy treats to feed them!) and walked up to the bridge we were standing on, tongues stretched out for treats. Then we headed to the Nairobi National Museum, which housed lots of fantastic exhibits about the native wildlife of Kenya and the historical tribal life of the region. The museum complex also had a reptile and snake center where we got to hold snakes and chameleons (!!).

We then headed off to Lava Latte with some Harvard Club of Kenya folks for a delicious lunch and fabulous conversation. The evening was spent relaxing. Noah and I decided to build a pillow fort and binge season 3 of Stranger Things.

Sunday, July 10th - Nairobi Day 6

Today was our last day in Kenya! :( We had brunch at CJ’s Restaurant with Harvard Club of Kenya friends. Afterwards, we headed back to our apartments to change for our afternoon performance at Bomb Blast Memorial Park. Upon arrival, we were shown into the transept of the memorial museum, walls covered in photos and descriptions of the explosion. The concert was a joint performance with us and a women’s choir, which we had the pleasure of watching (and they were fabulous!).

After our performance, Noah, Mattheus and I headed to the Maasai Market, an open air market packed with vendors selling handcrafted jewelry, clothing, art, and souvenirs. While the sheer number of stands and products being sold was a bit overwhelming, we had a fabulous time getting to know the folks there and even bought some items to bring back home! We found a restaurant the specialized in local dishes from southern Kenya which was delicious! Then, it was time to head back to finish packing for our travels to India tomorrow!

Monday, July 11th - Travel to India

Around 10am, we hopped into a van that took us to the airport. We had a bit of an adventure checking our bags, but eventually everything got worked out and we headed through immigration and security. Thankfully the flight wasn’t too full, so we were able to spread out. And the inflight meal was some of the best airplane food I’ve ever had! The first flight was 7 hours long, arriving at 10:30pm. We stayed on the plane while the staff cleaned and counted passengers, and a little while later, we took off to Delhi, a short flight of 1.5 hours. The Delhi airport was HUGE! It was a long walk until we got to immigration. We got our bags and headed off to our hotel, arriving around 2:30am and finally crashing into bed after a looooong day of travel.

Amman, Jordan

Hey folks! Karalyn here, and I can’t wait to tell you about our amazing time in Amman, Jordan!

Thursday, June 30th - Travel to Jordan

We woke up around 8am to depart from our Amsterdam “Botel” (aka our hotel that was on a boat!) and head to the airport. We took the ferry across the river to the train station, grabbed a quick breakfast, and jumped onto the train to the Schiphol airport. Schiphol is notorious for its extremely long lines, so we left ourselves about 4 hours to get from the entrance of the airport to our gate. Fortunately, that was just barely enough time. While the extremely long lines of people snaking through the airport made it difficult to navigate, we eventually found our way to the correct security line. Once through to the terminal, Mattheus, Elio and I headed off to find a post box to send our post cards! (If any of our family members are reading this, I hope they made it to you guys!). Thankfully, after a long and stressful airport experience, all Dins made it onto the plane.

This flight had quite possibly the most children under the age of 2 that I have ever seen on one plane. Noah and I sat next to the cutest 3-week-old baby (who was incredibly quiet for the entire flight!) We landed around 9:30pm and headed to purchase our visas, collect our baggage, and call a taxi. Unfortunately, Sam’s bag got lost in transit (but, *spoiler alert*, it was found in Turkey 5 days later!) We arrived at our beautiful hotel, the Landmark Amman Hotel, around 11pm. I was very excited to find that they had my favorite type of tea, English Breakfast, in each room and I promptly enjoyed 3 cups of it. Felix and I ordered a delivery of delicious falafels and enjoyed a much-needed night of longggg sleep.

Friday, July 1st – Amman, Jordan Day 1

Most Dins spent today enjoying the comforts of our hotel and catching up on some much-needed rest. Felix and I went to do laundry at a nearby self-service laundromat, and it turns out, it was the only self-service laundromat in the entire country! Thankfully it was so close to our hotel! Personally, I enjoyed a day primarily spent chilling out in bed, knitting the Jordan flag, and watching Netflix. Other Dins explored the city a bit, checking out nearby historical sites, and enjoying some delicious nearby restaurants!

Saturday, July 2nd – Amman, Jordan Day 2

Today was an exploration and adventure day! Noah, Mattheus, Hannah, Elio, Felix and I hired a van service to take us to Petra, an archeologist’s (aka Noah’s) dreamland. We drove for about 3 hours, stopping every once in a while to look out at the desert scenery. When we arrived, we grabbed a quick bite (falafel sandwiches), found a tour hide, stocked up on water, and headed out! Dating to around 300 BC, Petra is a historic city carved entirely into rocky sandstone cliffs. It’s nickname is the “Rose City,” thanks to the pink coloring of the rocks. The city’s most popular façade is The Treasury, known for its astounding intricacy, towering beauty, and famed appearance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. It was mind-boggling to know that the exact stones we were walking on had be tread by our human predecessors nearly 2000 years ago. Our tour guide was fantastic and showed us all the small details that a novice eye would overlook. For example, he showed us the water pathways carved into the side of the rock used to bring fresh water to the city, complete with large troughs every few hundred feet that were used to clean the water by letting the sediment sink to the bottom before travelling onward.

At the conclusion of our excursion, we purchased some fruit popsicles (the mango-flavored ones were a huge hit!) and cold water to rejuvenate ourselves. We all slept very soundly on the van ride back. Our driver kindly brought us a watermelon, which he sliced and served to us overlooking a beautiful desert landscape on the side of the road. Back at the hotel, we ordered dinner via delivery from a local restaurant.

Sunday, July 3rd – Amman, Jordan Day 3

The Dins enjoyed another restful and relaxing day in Amman, primarily spent lounging at the hotel pool. Sam and Samson found a delicious Yemeni restaurant for dinner, which we all enjoyed immensely.

Monday, July 4th – Amman, Jordan Day 4

This morning, Samson, Mattheus and I headed to Jerash, a city in northern Jordan that is known for its ancient Greco-Roman ruins in the middle of the modern city. The ruins visible today date back to the Hellenistic Age, around 331 BC – they are perhaps the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world, outside of Italy. The city was founded by Alexander the Great and was later absorbed into the Roman empire. The large archway entrance was built to honor Emperor Hadrian on his visit to the city in 129 AD. Some of the pillars were inscribed with writing, which Samson enjoyed deciphering. It was so fascinating to think that, even back in BC times, humans had such immense knowledge of engineering – arches that truly stood the test of time, circular drain covers (the only shape that, no matter it’s orientation, won’t ever fall into the hole it’s covering), and stadium-style seating to fit thousands of audience members. And it wasn’t a museum or a picture book – it was a real city with real pillars and stairs and streets that you could climb over, walk on, and explore. I have never experienced anything like it.

We arrived back at the hotel around 2pm, just in time to check out and head to the airport for our flight to Nairobi, Kenya. The terminal of the airport we were in was quite small, so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and boarded the plane. The first leg of the flight was short and easy, about 2 and a half hours to Doha. The second was a bit longer, about 6 hours from 2am to 8am. Luckily, most of us slept soundly through the flight and woke up to find ourselves in Kenya!

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