Plenty of volunteers find themselves in India and/or Nepal – if you do too, one of the holidays you can look forward to is Holi. See how Next Generation Nepal celebrated at How Conor Is Spending All His Money.

I celebrated Holi 2005 – in between two stints of volunteering – in the Paharganj neighborhood of Delhi, which even at normal times of year has a reputation for being a bit…intense? rowdy? It is definitely a place where tourists go and tourist restaurants, shops and services predominate, but there is still very much a local presence.

Staying in my windowless, cube-like room all day would have driven me crazy, so despite warnings to the contrary, I decided to go out. Holi marks the start of spring, and the idea is to douse your friends, family and every stranger you meet with colored dye and water.

It is also apparently the holiday where you can be “forgiven for anything” – celebrations can get rowdy, and tourists, who are likely to lack a local’s familiarity with what’s normal and what’s out of hand, are often advised to stay in. Especially women.

I love traveling and seeing other cultures in action and this was a golden opportunity. I couldn’t stand the idea of missing the whole thing because I’m a woman and as I understood the warning, it was in fact for my own safety or comfort – though I might be putting myself in a potentially unpleasant situation, I wouldn’t be offending local sensitivities (or so I hope) by going out.

Read on for my Holi experience and some tips to make your own Holi fun.