So while I posted bits and pieces on this page before, people who have been following this blog can now access my paper via my program's website. Every semester, the top three ISPs (whose writers have given permission because I know at least one person did not want their ISP posted) are archived in the Library and posted online. Very exciting I know. Anyway, I encourage you all to read the other two ISPs as well. They are both shorter than mine, but brilliant (mostly because their writers are awesome too) Carolyn did hers in Dharamsala, but Jimmy actually lived with me in our Kathmandu apartment, and I had the pleasure of seeing his research progress into the amazing philosophy paper that it is.
So without further mention, here's the link:
http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/npt/
Thanks y'all!
Also, please again don't judge me based on the writing. Nepal has very little power/internet, and I wasn't used to really speaking English still. But please, if you do read it, let me know what you think!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
In the Words of Others
For the past month, I have been blessed with the opportunity to do independent research. I chose to focus on the carpet industry, and ended up writing a 63 page paper detailing its existence in Nepal. My research took place in three different factories. For those of you truly dedicated, I can send you what I wrote, but please don't expect much...I spent most of the month speaking really broken english/nepali/tibetan and so it is not my best writing. I learned alot during this month, but most of it wasn't studious...it was the absolutely fantastic experience of living in Nepal with just a few americans, and getting to know the Nepali. Of course, most of my friends were involved in some way with the carpet trade, but some of their stories are powerful enough that I want to share. You don't need to read all or any of them (I write a semi actual entry at the bottom of the post); take from these excerpts what you will, and if you want to discuss or hear more about them, let me know... am forever grateful for the people and their stories that gave a voice and heart to my paper and studies.
Anand Lama:
Kathmandu . Fortunately, unlike many other Tamang, Anand was given the opportunity to go to the then, the only university in Kathmandu , and continued to pursue his MBA. In his words:
Pema, Maya and Dholma:
Mina and Reena:
As a random sidenote, this paper caused quite a flurry in terms of ethics; first because children are unavoidable in factories because workers live at the factory, and I am actually not allowed to talk to children. It was an interesting experience to say the least, but the issue of children is complicated, and no one had better throw around the words "child labor" around me because really most people have no idea the nuances and political ramifications of that phrase. I have watched factories torn down and workers thrown out onto the street because westerners tossed that phrase around. My second problem came about because the Maoists were in power and didn't want foreigners in factories. I was lucky because I'm indian and can blend in, but I definitely got kicked out once or twice...again a complicated situation getting even more complicated because the government fricken fell apart. To make a long story short the Prime Minister, who was head of the Maoists who control the parliament, resigned in order to please hardliner (violent) people in his party. My that was an intriguing experience. We were under house arrest for a day, but at the same time I was dragged into a political sphere of industry that I didn't intend on exploring. Thanks to more Nepali friends, I had the opportunity to talk to Maoists and the opposition party...though I guess now the roles have reversed. Anyway, it was particularly frustrating listening to politics because I had spent a month with people so disillusioned with politics, I cannot give it words. In Nepal, unions and political parties are virtually synonymous, and when I interviewed the head of the union of one political party, he flat out said that the party was doing nothing in terms of economics or workers rights. All of their focus was on the political process. Particularly ironic given that most people in KTM blame workers for bringing Maoists to power in the government. God I hate politics.
I could literally go on and on forever, but this is possibly the longest post ever, so here where I say my goodbyes folks. Oh Nepal...how I love you.
Anand Lama:
Cast in
Pema, Maya and Dholma:
Pema and Maya are Sherpa who moved from the village in the hopes of giving their children a better life, and an education. While in the village, they had three children, one elder boy and two girls. When their youngest daughter was just a baby, they moved into the city, thirteen years ago. Pema had learned to weave while in the village. It was a skill taught amongst his family. Upon reaching the carpet factory, he taught his wife who weaved briefly at the beginning. After saving for a couple of years, and with the help of his son, Norsang, who was deemed to be already too old to start school, Pema could afford to send Dholma and her younger sister to school, albeit a few years late for first grade. Today, they stay in the same factory which hired them from the village, but Pema and Maya no longer really work in the factory. They have also added to their family another son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Their housing and minimum weaving is done by friends or their son. Their income is supplemented by Pema’s job as a labor contractor for companies in the gulf. All eight members of their family share one rather spacious room, though currently there are only seven because Norsang’s wife is currently in
Though her analysis does give away her youth, at 16, Dholma virtually pays for her own education. Though she was born in a village about 4 hours away, her memories are of
Mina* is a newcomer to the factory having only been here for two years. She chose it because many of her friends and family also work here. Originally, she says, she “wanted to see the city because so many people say that you can get jobs here.” So, despite the wishes of her parents, she ran away in the hopes of getting a job and making money in the city. Her sentiments were echoed across the room. Since coming to the city, life is much harder than she anticipated. The wages are just enough to make ends meet, but never enough to justify the hours that she puts in. “When we make a mistake,” she says, “we get beaten and yelled at.” She has often considered moving back home, as all the factory girls have, but there is nothing there. “Back in the village, there is nothing there. It is…boring.” There are no opportunities there, nor the opportunities she anticipated here. And even when she now visits home, she is antsy, having been used to keeping so busy. There are some conveniences like electricity, and just enough money to be a little wealthier than her village counterparts. But she maintains that even her friends at the factory are not enough to make the situation altogether bearable. As if on cue, the master, suspicious of our conversation, demanded I talk to someone else and yelled for her to pay attention to the loom.
Not all stories are so doom and gloom. “Some girls take longer to adjust,” says Reena*, a slightly older woman working on a different loom. Reena has been here for six years. She continues among the giggles of her loom mates, “There is room to work if you are hard-working.” Reena is married and has a three year old. Her husband also works at the factory, but between the two of them, they are still unable to afford tuition for UKG, the equivalent of pre-school. There are only about 6 or 7 children at the factory, the oldest is about six, none of whom appear to attend school. Reena, however, is adamant that her daughter will not weave. She intends to stay in
As a random sidenote, this paper caused quite a flurry in terms of ethics; first because children are unavoidable in factories because workers live at the factory, and I am actually not allowed to talk to children. It was an interesting experience to say the least, but the issue of children is complicated, and no one had better throw around the words "child labor" around me because really most people have no idea the nuances and political ramifications of that phrase. I have watched factories torn down and workers thrown out onto the street because westerners tossed that phrase around. My second problem came about because the Maoists were in power and didn't want foreigners in factories. I was lucky because I'm indian and can blend in, but I definitely got kicked out once or twice...again a complicated situation getting even more complicated because the government fricken fell apart. To make a long story short the Prime Minister, who was head of the Maoists who control the parliament, resigned in order to please hardliner (violent) people in his party. My that was an intriguing experience. We were under house arrest for a day, but at the same time I was dragged into a political sphere of industry that I didn't intend on exploring. Thanks to more Nepali friends, I had the opportunity to talk to Maoists and the opposition party...though I guess now the roles have reversed. Anyway, it was particularly frustrating listening to politics because I had spent a month with people so disillusioned with politics, I cannot give it words. In Nepal, unions and political parties are virtually synonymous, and when I interviewed the head of the union of one political party, he flat out said that the party was doing nothing in terms of economics or workers rights. All of their focus was on the political process. Particularly ironic given that most people in KTM blame workers for bringing Maoists to power in the government. God I hate politics.
I could literally go on and on forever, but this is possibly the longest post ever, so here where I say my goodbyes folks. Oh Nepal...how I love you.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
I Saw the Sky Fall
So I'm back from my trek across the Solu region. It was absolutely beautiful, the mountains stunning, the walks fabulous, the views breath taking. We basically moved from village to village that are inhabited by Sherpa, Tibetans, and Nepali. Some are quite deserted. The latest phenomenon is to come across villages with really old people and really young people. The middle generations are all leaving for better opportunities in big cities. For the first couple of days we were just getting to know one of the small towns called Chialsa. It used to be a major carpet factory town, but since the bottom dropped in the 90s, it now resembles a ghost town. We did, however, have the opportunity to meet this six foot five monk who lived by himself at a temple dedicated to Padmasambhava, the guru who introducted Buddhism in Tibet (our group is kind of obsessed with him). Anyway, this monk was absolutely incredible. He was actually born in Nepal, his family moved back to Tibet when he was a baby though because the weather didn't agree with them. He later returned when he was twenty or so to be with his grandmother and aunt who remained at a monastery we would later visit called Thupten Choling. It is a monastery headed by one of His Holiness' teachers. Anyway, a couple of years ago he tried to go back to Tibet to visit his family, and ended up being arrested and put in a chinese jail for six months. Talk about intense. When he finally ended up seeing his family, he fully admitted that it would be his last time seeing them ever again. He said it all so stoically, it was unreal. For now, he pretty much lives in retreat. Occasionally he'll get visitors for a pooja or by anis (nuns) from Thupten Choling, but he's really happy with his solitary lifestyle.
So after our adventuring in Chailsa, we moved to Junbesi. Junbesi was fun for the first day, but the second day I got sick. and I mean miserable sick. I think I lost about three kilos. For awhile they were thinking of sending me back down to Phaplu, which thank god they didn't because I would have missed the whole trip. And hey, if I had to be sick I would prefer that it was in the gorgeous mountains than a boring village, and I liked being with the group still. It did mean, however, that I missed out on seeing Thupten Choling. Which sucked because that was a major reason for our trek. On the other hand, I visited a local village doctor which was an interesting experience. The assistants looked twelve, but they were definitely prescribing heavy medication. I also thought it was interesting that while the patients were all Tibetans, the doctors were all Nepali. It must create an interesting dynamic. After Junbesi, our group was planning on going higher up into the mountain (keep in mind that at this point we were still at like 9800 feet above sea level, so it's not like it was low), but the area got an unexpected bout of rains which meant heavy snow in the mountains, which meant that we really weren't prepared, and so had to quit that idea real fast. Instead we spent the days visiting sherpa gompas (monasteries) in the area. One was really elaborate and the other pretty normal looking....I never did get a satisfactory answer as to why there was such a disparity. But I suppose that is Nepal.
So after our romping around the mountains, we returned to phaplu. Possibly one of the most boring villages ever, but one of the bigger ones in the area. Only when we returned we discovered that bad weather was forcing the postponing of flights. We also needed two flights because our group was so big at 27. By the second day, we were all super antsy. Finally, one plane was allowed to take off...unfortunately I wasn't on it. The second plane came half way to Phaplu before turning around due to "weather." So for about three hours, the five students that were left were super depressed. We indulged in some yak cheese, and were hanging out at a local restaurant when we discovered that a guide that we were with arranged a Helicopter to fly us out! It was so ridiculous/wonderful. So we surprised all of our friends by just popping in later that afternoon. It was soooo sweet, and the hot shower never felt so damn good. So you see, good things really do come to those who wait, and our trek had the most exciting ending of all.
For now, we have just started ISP. Having this much freedom is quite daunting. Our time has been soooo scheduled for what feels like forever; but I suspect I am going to enjoy this last leg most of all. I've only just started work on the Tibetan Carpet Industry, but I think my paper is going to be about how economics/money flow influences identity politics between different ethnic groups involved in the carpet industry. Pretty fun stuff if you ask me....plus I am now an expert on all things carpets and will never be ripped off; in a couple days I'm actually going to start learning how to weave, which I'm definitely excited about. Although my carpet will be small and ugly because I won't know how to do anything else.
Aiight, I'm off to do actual work for ISP and transcription of notes, etc. UGH
Till next time! Subha Raatri (Good Night in Nepali)
So after our adventuring in Chailsa, we moved to Junbesi. Junbesi was fun for the first day, but the second day I got sick. and I mean miserable sick. I think I lost about three kilos. For awhile they were thinking of sending me back down to Phaplu, which thank god they didn't because I would have missed the whole trip. And hey, if I had to be sick I would prefer that it was in the gorgeous mountains than a boring village, and I liked being with the group still. It did mean, however, that I missed out on seeing Thupten Choling. Which sucked because that was a major reason for our trek. On the other hand, I visited a local village doctor which was an interesting experience. The assistants looked twelve, but they were definitely prescribing heavy medication. I also thought it was interesting that while the patients were all Tibetans, the doctors were all Nepali. It must create an interesting dynamic. After Junbesi, our group was planning on going higher up into the mountain (keep in mind that at this point we were still at like 9800 feet above sea level, so it's not like it was low), but the area got an unexpected bout of rains which meant heavy snow in the mountains, which meant that we really weren't prepared, and so had to quit that idea real fast. Instead we spent the days visiting sherpa gompas (monasteries) in the area. One was really elaborate and the other pretty normal looking....I never did get a satisfactory answer as to why there was such a disparity. But I suppose that is Nepal.
So after our romping around the mountains, we returned to phaplu. Possibly one of the most boring villages ever, but one of the bigger ones in the area. Only when we returned we discovered that bad weather was forcing the postponing of flights. We also needed two flights because our group was so big at 27. By the second day, we were all super antsy. Finally, one plane was allowed to take off...unfortunately I wasn't on it. The second plane came half way to Phaplu before turning around due to "weather." So for about three hours, the five students that were left were super depressed. We indulged in some yak cheese, and were hanging out at a local restaurant when we discovered that a guide that we were with arranged a Helicopter to fly us out! It was so ridiculous/wonderful. So we surprised all of our friends by just popping in later that afternoon. It was soooo sweet, and the hot shower never felt so damn good. So you see, good things really do come to those who wait, and our trek had the most exciting ending of all.
For now, we have just started ISP. Having this much freedom is quite daunting. Our time has been soooo scheduled for what feels like forever; but I suspect I am going to enjoy this last leg most of all. I've only just started work on the Tibetan Carpet Industry, but I think my paper is going to be about how economics/money flow influences identity politics between different ethnic groups involved in the carpet industry. Pretty fun stuff if you ask me....plus I am now an expert on all things carpets and will never be ripped off; in a couple days I'm actually going to start learning how to weave, which I'm definitely excited about. Although my carpet will be small and ugly because I won't know how to do anything else.
Aiight, I'm off to do actual work for ISP and transcription of notes, etc. UGH
Till next time! Subha Raatri (Good Night in Nepali)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
I'm Like Yoda....In a Zoo, Send in the Next Group! - Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche
So I'm in Kathmandu, Nepal, and it is fabulous! I may never want to leave here....ever. I may just end up being an expat here. Now what's really funny is when I tell the local Tibetans that they're always like "Yinney yang chu minduk, lok minduk, dewa minduk. Gareycheney kherang kyipo dukge?" (but also, there's no water, no electricity, no peace. Why are you happy?) Okay so of course I just wrote that to brag about my awesome Tibetan. Which really isn't that awesome, but we just took a one week intensive. And by intensive I meant for six hours a day, with two conversation partners each for an hour. And then, because I am sort of masochistic, a couple of us went to Nepali class for an hour a day. So basically I was in classes from 8 in the morning till about 7 30 in the evening, for the past week. But it's over and now it's awesome!!! On the other hand, my language skills have both tremendously improved, I no longer hate languages, and I really want to continue studying languages once I go back home. Also, apologies in advance if my grammar sucks...the tibetan and nepali grammatical structure is quite different from our own, and it's really done a number on my english skills.
Right now it's a really interesting time to be in Nepal. The november elections that brought the maoists into power is now a decision regretted by, I'm willing to bet, most of the population. For anyone interested in a humanistic perspective of the 10 year civil war in Nepal, I highly recommend the movie "Sari Soldiers." We watched it in class earlier this week, and no joke all of us were crying. But it really does a good job of presenting multiple perspectives and just how much Nepal has been torn apart from this conflict. Unfortunately, judging from what the Maoist have, or have not done, corruption, government inefficiency and caste is worse than ever before. However, the Maoists say that if they don't win the next election, they will return back to the jungle and restart their guerilla warfare...way intense and absolutely terrifying. Their example is followed by many disgruntled ethnic groups. Right now, they are rewriting their constitution, a big for a country that was, just a couple of years ago, a monarchy. One of the groups, known as the Taru, were angry that they were being lumped with what they considered to be a lower ethnic group called the Madeshi in the constitution. Both of these groups share the southern jungle of Nepal known as the Turai. Anyway, the Taru were calling for a Bandhe, which means that virtually everything would be shut down in the city for the day if their demands were not met. For the past month, they have been stopping trucks carrying goods from India, so food and oil prices have really skyrocketed... it sucks. So the strike was supposed to be today, fortunately the government for once acted sensibly and agreed to sit down to talk with the Taru. It's such a mess, but an interesting one. I'm sure this is only one of many scares to come. As my teacher put it, we're going to be in Nepal at the height of the demonstration season. excellent!
So in the less political scheme of things. We also had the opportunity to celebrate Holi on March 10th. Our teachers warned us that things get really rambunctious and gave us all the options of staying out of classes. But no one wanted to be inside because a. this is a ridiculously fun holiday regardless of the dangers of being a woman and b. because it was also the anniversay of the 50th March 10 Uprisings in Tibet. Oh and also I would like to insert here that I've been staying in Boudha (nath...no one ever says that nath) which is like Tibetan village central and has the most amazing view of the most amazing stupa ever. I promise to put up pictures, but internet bandwidth is precious...as is power. We've only had power for eight hours a day because of load shedding. If you think India power cuts are bad, these are eighty times worse. So anyway, it was really cool being outdoors on holi because we were definitely prepared. My friend Jyn and I had bottles with tiny holes at the top so we could squirt colored water at people. They call it "playing Holi" and the question "Are you Playing?" really had severe ramfications on clothing. For those of you who don't know, Holi is the festival of colors, and basically means that the day is spent throwing color powder, dumping water, and throwing water balloons with colored water at each other. It's brilliant and messy. For most of the night, my hair was blue like the wonder woman cartoon. hehehe. Of course it was nice when it was finally over, particularly because in Kathmandu, the pre-Holiday celebrations lasted about a month and involved being pelted with water balloons whenever you tried to walk anywhere. We would end up completely soaked just walking from where we had our classes at a Monastery called the Shedra (www.shedra.org) to our hotel near the Stupa. And despite the Stupa being apparently ridiculously holi, it didn't really stop anyone from throwing colored balloons in, around, and at the stupa and the people walking around it. But while Holi was a smashing success, March 10 anniversary was definitely not so.
Since last years protests against the Beijing Olympics, the Nepalese police have cracked down hard on the Tibetan movement. Things have also been rough since, surprise surprise, the Maoists came into power. Okay so maybe it's been a little rough since before then...in like 2002 I think there was a massacre of the royal family in which the crown prince drunkenly and madly macheted his father the king, and nine other members of his family before killing himself. Since then, it's been pretty much down hill for the Tibetans. From talking with our language partners, we heard rumors about how the Nepalese police would illegally detain Tibetans accused of being involved with any sort of demonstrations. It's been pretty hardcore. But then again, I don't know how much is fact versus fiction. In addition, on March 10th, the entire area of Boudha looked like a war zone....I mean besides all the people throwing balloons at each other the Nepalese police/army were all over the place. You couldn't walk ten feet without running into a group. They were pretty intimidating and so I'm no surprised things were quiet here. I would say that it was so sad, but that really doesn't begin to cover it. On the other hand, Tibetan buddhism really seems to be thriving here in Nepal.
As I mentioned earlier, we're taking classes at this place called the Shedra which is a monastery attached to which is a school for western scholars studying Buddhism. And these aren't hippie people, they are very hardcore and many are fluent in Tibetan, which let me tell you is in no way an easy feat. Virtually everyone I talked to, and I mean people who know like eight languages all in different language groups, say that Tibetan is the hardest language they know. So anyway, this Shedra is spectacular. While we were there the monks were in the middle of a nine day puja called the Drubchen Puja which is massive and involved virtually every monk in the monastery...and I mean even the little ones that are like eight and so cute. and I also mean for nine days straight. The huge ceremonies go from like 7 to 7 and then during the middle of the night, groups of monks take shifts to recite the neccessary mantras. On the last day (I think it was this past Thursday but my days are all fuzzy), a couple of my friends and I went at 3 in the morning to watch them take out the Mandala (where they've been putting blessed substances for nine days). We sat literally amongst monks and watched the ceremony for a good two hours before deciding we should head back to the hotel to catch some sleep before our intense Tibetan classes started. It was quite the experience sitting there. In front of me were the monks that had to play these massive drums that I thought were seat dividers before that's how massive they were. And behind me were these other two playing ridiculously loud horns. I jumped every time they played...it was phenomenal. lol of course the two monks sitting next to the horn players were just gossiping the entire time. I mean these monks that we were sitting near were probably around our age and no older than late 20s. But they were laughing and joking and pointing almost the entire time I was there. They must have been soooo relieved that this puja was almost over. I mean it's pretty exhausted. The younger monks could barely keep their eyes open in order to chant. Later that day when we returned to the school to start classes, the entire field in front of the temple was covered with lay people. This we were warned about of course, but it's still one to thing to see it as opposed to just hearing about it. All of these people were waiting for the blessing given at the end of the Puja. Our teachers saw how much we wanted to stay so classes were cut in half and we also waited with the lay people outside to receive a blessing. It was so damn cool.And when the Rinpoche came around to do the blessings, he saw me and was like "You're Indian!" Now I get this alot here from Tibetans, but it was funny to watch him stop the entire procession just to say "You're Indian!" and then proceed to talk to me in Hindi and figure out where I was from. And hey, no one else got to talk to the Rinpoche. Hahaha.
Speaking of Rinpoches, we've gotten to meet alot of cool important Tibetan people on this trip in Nepal. Every day we've had a teaching on "The Ways of the Boddhisattva" by Shantideva by Khenpo. Now a Khenpo is like the Buddhist equivalent of a Ph.D. except for that in order to get the title, you have to study for 12 years! All of you guys who hate school, imagine that! haha. but he is the sweetest. most awesome monk we have had the pleasure of meeting. Before his teaching I really really really was not that interestd in Buddhism, but he's really helped me see how I can apply just basic principles to my life. Also, he spoke no English and used a translator, so it was really cool to see the interaction between Khenpo and the translator. All valuable experiences I think. Monks can be the most amazing individuals. On the same day as the end of the Puja, some monks returned back from a 3 year meditation retreat. For 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, and 3 minutes they sat and they meditated. It's absolutely incredible. Plus only about half of the monks returned...the other half are doing the whole thing ALL OVER AGAIN. Second, just yesterday we went to see a Tibetan Lama whose a healer. Our teacher, Thinley-la has been seeing him for years for protection blessings and has been taking SIT students to see him for a long time as well to bless us before our trek. I mean, I personally am pretty skeptical of the whole thing, but he just has such a calm aura about him that it's incredible. He gave us all some protection cords, incense, and salt that is a cure all for apparently anything. After the lama, a couple of us went to a teaching by the Rinpoche mentioned in the title. He's the abbot of the Monastery and is absolutely hilarious. We've now tried to make plans twice to have a private audience with him, but things just keep coming up. The second time we saw him for two seconds and he gave us a blessed cord from an empowerment ceremony he had just done. That was when he told us that ridiculous, yet apt, quotation about being yoda. So his teaching was also amaaaaaaaaaaazing. And SO funny! the last fifteen minutes he just went on this ridiculous rant about how the english language was inconsisten because there's a difference between Bull Shit and Cow Dung. haha and of course his laugh is so amazing. It makes me laugh thinking about it. My friend Rebecca and I were talking about how much we love how Tibetans get into their own jokes. Even if the joke is not at all funny, you just have to laugh!! And of course it was really awesome when he gave a special shout out to us SIT students and blessed us again after the talk. I so appreciate being here. I think the last exciting event was two nights ago. We had asked for an example of South Asian Music as a group and so our teachers arranged a concert for us in which one of Ravi Shankar's sitar students with a flutists and tabla player accompanying. It was absolutely fantastic.
So that's pretty much how my week has been...next week is a lot more chill and alot more exploring the city. Our group knows Boudha, Naxal, and Thamel pretty well, but that's like a ninth of the total of Kathmandu. And I really can't wait to explore the rest of it. When we first looked out over the valley my first thought was that Dr. Seuss would be very happy here. The city planning is absurd and amazing all at the same time. For the two weeks after that we're going to Solu Khumbu to climb Mount Everest....okay so maybe I'm just kidding but we are going to climb to base camp, which I think is still pretty cool!!
Till next time. Galer Shoog!
Right now it's a really interesting time to be in Nepal. The november elections that brought the maoists into power is now a decision regretted by, I'm willing to bet, most of the population. For anyone interested in a humanistic perspective of the 10 year civil war in Nepal, I highly recommend the movie "Sari Soldiers." We watched it in class earlier this week, and no joke all of us were crying. But it really does a good job of presenting multiple perspectives and just how much Nepal has been torn apart from this conflict. Unfortunately, judging from what the Maoist have, or have not done, corruption, government inefficiency and caste is worse than ever before. However, the Maoists say that if they don't win the next election, they will return back to the jungle and restart their guerilla warfare...way intense and absolutely terrifying. Their example is followed by many disgruntled ethnic groups. Right now, they are rewriting their constitution, a big for a country that was, just a couple of years ago, a monarchy. One of the groups, known as the Taru, were angry that they were being lumped with what they considered to be a lower ethnic group called the Madeshi in the constitution. Both of these groups share the southern jungle of Nepal known as the Turai. Anyway, the Taru were calling for a Bandhe, which means that virtually everything would be shut down in the city for the day if their demands were not met. For the past month, they have been stopping trucks carrying goods from India, so food and oil prices have really skyrocketed... it sucks. So the strike was supposed to be today, fortunately the government for once acted sensibly and agreed to sit down to talk with the Taru. It's such a mess, but an interesting one. I'm sure this is only one of many scares to come. As my teacher put it, we're going to be in Nepal at the height of the demonstration season. excellent!
So in the less political scheme of things. We also had the opportunity to celebrate Holi on March 10th. Our teachers warned us that things get really rambunctious and gave us all the options of staying out of classes. But no one wanted to be inside because a. this is a ridiculously fun holiday regardless of the dangers of being a woman and b. because it was also the anniversay of the 50th March 10 Uprisings in Tibet. Oh and also I would like to insert here that I've been staying in Boudha (nath...no one ever says that nath) which is like Tibetan village central and has the most amazing view of the most amazing stupa ever. I promise to put up pictures, but internet bandwidth is precious...as is power. We've only had power for eight hours a day because of load shedding. If you think India power cuts are bad, these are eighty times worse. So anyway, it was really cool being outdoors on holi because we were definitely prepared. My friend Jyn and I had bottles with tiny holes at the top so we could squirt colored water at people. They call it "playing Holi" and the question "Are you Playing?" really had severe ramfications on clothing. For those of you who don't know, Holi is the festival of colors, and basically means that the day is spent throwing color powder, dumping water, and throwing water balloons with colored water at each other. It's brilliant and messy. For most of the night, my hair was blue like the wonder woman cartoon. hehehe. Of course it was nice when it was finally over, particularly because in Kathmandu, the pre-Holiday celebrations lasted about a month and involved being pelted with water balloons whenever you tried to walk anywhere. We would end up completely soaked just walking from where we had our classes at a Monastery called the Shedra (www.shedra.org) to our hotel near the Stupa. And despite the Stupa being apparently ridiculously holi, it didn't really stop anyone from throwing colored balloons in, around, and at the stupa and the people walking around it. But while Holi was a smashing success, March 10 anniversary was definitely not so.
Since last years protests against the Beijing Olympics, the Nepalese police have cracked down hard on the Tibetan movement. Things have also been rough since, surprise surprise, the Maoists came into power. Okay so maybe it's been a little rough since before then...in like 2002 I think there was a massacre of the royal family in which the crown prince drunkenly and madly macheted his father the king, and nine other members of his family before killing himself. Since then, it's been pretty much down hill for the Tibetans. From talking with our language partners, we heard rumors about how the Nepalese police would illegally detain Tibetans accused of being involved with any sort of demonstrations. It's been pretty hardcore. But then again, I don't know how much is fact versus fiction. In addition, on March 10th, the entire area of Boudha looked like a war zone....I mean besides all the people throwing balloons at each other the Nepalese police/army were all over the place. You couldn't walk ten feet without running into a group. They were pretty intimidating and so I'm no surprised things were quiet here. I would say that it was so sad, but that really doesn't begin to cover it. On the other hand, Tibetan buddhism really seems to be thriving here in Nepal.
As I mentioned earlier, we're taking classes at this place called the Shedra which is a monastery attached to which is a school for western scholars studying Buddhism. And these aren't hippie people, they are very hardcore and many are fluent in Tibetan, which let me tell you is in no way an easy feat. Virtually everyone I talked to, and I mean people who know like eight languages all in different language groups, say that Tibetan is the hardest language they know. So anyway, this Shedra is spectacular. While we were there the monks were in the middle of a nine day puja called the Drubchen Puja which is massive and involved virtually every monk in the monastery...and I mean even the little ones that are like eight and so cute. and I also mean for nine days straight. The huge ceremonies go from like 7 to 7 and then during the middle of the night, groups of monks take shifts to recite the neccessary mantras. On the last day (I think it was this past Thursday but my days are all fuzzy), a couple of my friends and I went at 3 in the morning to watch them take out the Mandala (where they've been putting blessed substances for nine days). We sat literally amongst monks and watched the ceremony for a good two hours before deciding we should head back to the hotel to catch some sleep before our intense Tibetan classes started. It was quite the experience sitting there. In front of me were the monks that had to play these massive drums that I thought were seat dividers before that's how massive they were. And behind me were these other two playing ridiculously loud horns. I jumped every time they played...it was phenomenal. lol of course the two monks sitting next to the horn players were just gossiping the entire time. I mean these monks that we were sitting near were probably around our age and no older than late 20s. But they were laughing and joking and pointing almost the entire time I was there. They must have been soooo relieved that this puja was almost over. I mean it's pretty exhausted. The younger monks could barely keep their eyes open in order to chant. Later that day when we returned to the school to start classes, the entire field in front of the temple was covered with lay people. This we were warned about of course, but it's still one to thing to see it as opposed to just hearing about it. All of these people were waiting for the blessing given at the end of the Puja. Our teachers saw how much we wanted to stay so classes were cut in half and we also waited with the lay people outside to receive a blessing. It was so damn cool.And when the Rinpoche came around to do the blessings, he saw me and was like "You're Indian!" Now I get this alot here from Tibetans, but it was funny to watch him stop the entire procession just to say "You're Indian!" and then proceed to talk to me in Hindi and figure out where I was from. And hey, no one else got to talk to the Rinpoche. Hahaha.
Speaking of Rinpoches, we've gotten to meet alot of cool important Tibetan people on this trip in Nepal. Every day we've had a teaching on "The Ways of the Boddhisattva" by Shantideva by Khenpo. Now a Khenpo is like the Buddhist equivalent of a Ph.D. except for that in order to get the title, you have to study for 12 years! All of you guys who hate school, imagine that! haha. but he is the sweetest. most awesome monk we have had the pleasure of meeting. Before his teaching I really really really was not that interestd in Buddhism, but he's really helped me see how I can apply just basic principles to my life. Also, he spoke no English and used a translator, so it was really cool to see the interaction between Khenpo and the translator. All valuable experiences I think. Monks can be the most amazing individuals. On the same day as the end of the Puja, some monks returned back from a 3 year meditation retreat. For 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, and 3 minutes they sat and they meditated. It's absolutely incredible. Plus only about half of the monks returned...the other half are doing the whole thing ALL OVER AGAIN. Second, just yesterday we went to see a Tibetan Lama whose a healer. Our teacher, Thinley-la has been seeing him for years for protection blessings and has been taking SIT students to see him for a long time as well to bless us before our trek. I mean, I personally am pretty skeptical of the whole thing, but he just has such a calm aura about him that it's incredible. He gave us all some protection cords, incense, and salt that is a cure all for apparently anything. After the lama, a couple of us went to a teaching by the Rinpoche mentioned in the title. He's the abbot of the Monastery and is absolutely hilarious. We've now tried to make plans twice to have a private audience with him, but things just keep coming up. The second time we saw him for two seconds and he gave us a blessed cord from an empowerment ceremony he had just done. That was when he told us that ridiculous, yet apt, quotation about being yoda. So his teaching was also amaaaaaaaaaaazing. And SO funny! the last fifteen minutes he just went on this ridiculous rant about how the english language was inconsisten because there's a difference between Bull Shit and Cow Dung. haha and of course his laugh is so amazing. It makes me laugh thinking about it. My friend Rebecca and I were talking about how much we love how Tibetans get into their own jokes. Even if the joke is not at all funny, you just have to laugh!! And of course it was really awesome when he gave a special shout out to us SIT students and blessed us again after the talk. I so appreciate being here. I think the last exciting event was two nights ago. We had asked for an example of South Asian Music as a group and so our teachers arranged a concert for us in which one of Ravi Shankar's sitar students with a flutists and tabla player accompanying. It was absolutely fantastic.
So that's pretty much how my week has been...next week is a lot more chill and alot more exploring the city. Our group knows Boudha, Naxal, and Thamel pretty well, but that's like a ninth of the total of Kathmandu. And I really can't wait to explore the rest of it. When we first looked out over the valley my first thought was that Dr. Seuss would be very happy here. The city planning is absurd and amazing all at the same time. For the two weeks after that we're going to Solu Khumbu to climb Mount Everest....okay so maybe I'm just kidding but we are going to climb to base camp, which I think is still pretty cool!!
Till next time. Galer Shoog!
Monday, March 2, 2009
"Things are not What They Seem, Nor Are They Otherwise"- Lankavathara Sutra
So we are leaving Dharamsala tomorrow. So much has happened that I don't think I can recount it all. In the past two weeks, I have (not) celebrated Losar, fully celebrated my cousin Ramya's wedding, and gone to a remote village called Tashi Jong where there is literally only one restaurant and three stores.
So apparently when people say "No Losar" they actually mean "No Losar." The first day was basically like any other day. Although we did eat a traditional losar breakfast, and the altar was very nicely decorated. The Losar breakfast includes this rice wine with actual chunks of rice and bread...I really disliked it, but so did my brother so we ate it with losar cookies and that made the whole process a whole lot better. We then had a bowl of rice that I think was the same type of rice and ingredients that fermented into the wine, but it tasted a lot better....although I did appreciate being drunk at eight in the morning. Other than that, we just went down the temple where there were these gorgeous butter statues in the temple. It was a pretty chill sort of day; that night I got on a TWELVE HOUR bus to Delhi....I wanted to kill myself. However...the wedding itself was pretty awesome.
It was my first family wedding, and I absolutely refused to miss it. I'll put pictures up soon, but basically it was awesomeness all around. It was so nice hanging out with the cousins that I never get to see. I'm so jealous of them sometimes. It was also really awesome seeing my family. Though I'm not altogether that homesick so the shortness of their trip coinciding with mine wasn't tooo bad. Ultimately the main message I think of Indian weddings is man we like to draw things out. Not that I was really complaining and the wedding part was over by like noon. Such a weird feeling, let me tell you. Afterwards we went to go see the flats that we're building in Guindy. The other really great thing about Indian weddings is that it's not stationery. You don't have to sit and wait till the whole thing is over...unless you're getting married, but even some parts of the wedding involve a lot of walking. :-) When you're bored you can just go eat, or take a nap, or go for a walk. haha weddings are more fun if you're not getting married.
Anyway, I was in Chennai until the 28th and headed to the Dharamsala airport...a biplane which was better than the Bus, but still terrifying...From there I drove to Tashi Jong. I was a little concerned that I wouldn't be able to find my group, but because there really wasn't a town, I just drove into the main square and my groups was chilling in the one table that was in the courtyard/town square. Haha. But seriously Tashi Jong was incredible. There were all these little children monks that were adorable in every sort of way. Most of them came as refugees from Nepal and are now being educated in the monastery. Which really is a great opportunity. But it's still a little heartbreaking seeing these little kids acting older than they are. Though they did still play a lot of cricket and soccer in the town square. I could really go on and on about Tashi Jong because it was an amazing experience, but most of it would have more meaning to me and my group than any one else.
In other news, tonight is my last night of homestay...I'm really sad to be leaving Dharamsala, but VERY excited for Nepal. For anyone whose curious, in the past week I have gone from Dharamsala to Chennai to Dharamasala to Tashi Jong to Delhi to Nepal all in the course of one week....I am officially a certified India traveler!
Love till next time! (Probably tomorrow and a continuation of these entry)
Swetha
So apparently when people say "No Losar" they actually mean "No Losar." The first day was basically like any other day. Although we did eat a traditional losar breakfast, and the altar was very nicely decorated. The Losar breakfast includes this rice wine with actual chunks of rice and bread...I really disliked it, but so did my brother so we ate it with losar cookies and that made the whole process a whole lot better. We then had a bowl of rice that I think was the same type of rice and ingredients that fermented into the wine, but it tasted a lot better....although I did appreciate being drunk at eight in the morning. Other than that, we just went down the temple where there were these gorgeous butter statues in the temple. It was a pretty chill sort of day; that night I got on a TWELVE HOUR bus to Delhi....I wanted to kill myself. However...the wedding itself was pretty awesome.
It was my first family wedding, and I absolutely refused to miss it. I'll put pictures up soon, but basically it was awesomeness all around. It was so nice hanging out with the cousins that I never get to see. I'm so jealous of them sometimes. It was also really awesome seeing my family. Though I'm not altogether that homesick so the shortness of their trip coinciding with mine wasn't tooo bad. Ultimately the main message I think of Indian weddings is man we like to draw things out. Not that I was really complaining and the wedding part was over by like noon. Such a weird feeling, let me tell you. Afterwards we went to go see the flats that we're building in Guindy. The other really great thing about Indian weddings is that it's not stationery. You don't have to sit and wait till the whole thing is over...unless you're getting married, but even some parts of the wedding involve a lot of walking. :-) When you're bored you can just go eat, or take a nap, or go for a walk. haha weddings are more fun if you're not getting married.
Anyway, I was in Chennai until the 28th and headed to the Dharamsala airport...a biplane which was better than the Bus, but still terrifying...From there I drove to Tashi Jong. I was a little concerned that I wouldn't be able to find my group, but because there really wasn't a town, I just drove into the main square and my groups was chilling in the one table that was in the courtyard/town square. Haha. But seriously Tashi Jong was incredible. There were all these little children monks that were adorable in every sort of way. Most of them came as refugees from Nepal and are now being educated in the monastery. Which really is a great opportunity. But it's still a little heartbreaking seeing these little kids acting older than they are. Though they did still play a lot of cricket and soccer in the town square. I could really go on and on about Tashi Jong because it was an amazing experience, but most of it would have more meaning to me and my group than any one else.
In other news, tonight is my last night of homestay...I'm really sad to be leaving Dharamsala, but VERY excited for Nepal. For anyone whose curious, in the past week I have gone from Dharamsala to Chennai to Dharamasala to Tashi Jong to Delhi to Nepal all in the course of one week....I am officially a certified India traveler!
Love till next time! (Probably tomorrow and a continuation of these entry)
Swetha
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Choe Chang Lani Dangtsi Nyingu
So ya la tengchog cha le min la duk
Shehgang hala nangwa zomki laha
sempe rewa drupsong drup la ha son
Gaga Tro Tro Nang Dang
Keepe tsawa tsuksong
Choe Change Lani Ngulphor di la
So ya la mantsig lensum don laaa Yop
Shey Gong ah la, nangwa Zom Kyi La
Rejay drebu Min Song. Min Laaaa Song.
Suprising fact #2348: Tibetans are pretty into their liquors. The previous stanzas are the words to a Tibetan Drinking song dedicated to Chang (pronounced Chong), a tibetan beer made from fermented Rice or Barley (Hey Julie, if you're reading this, you can drink it!). All of our group was pretty into giving it a taste, what we didn't expect was it to be made and served BY OUR TIBETAN LANGUAGE TEACHERS. hahahaha. This was a most excellent reward for our struggles in language classes. And they have impeccable timing as we just took our first weekly exam which was brutal in and of itself...Anyway, I really appreciate this particular custom. The beer we had was made from rice (our teachers said next time it would be barley and it would be fermented longer...the stuff we had wasn't very strong) Traditionally, one sings this song while serving the Chang. The special cup has three lumps of butter along the rim and a space which marks the place the drinker is supposed to dring from. The drinker then dips a finger into the cup and flicks it upwards three times as an offering to the gods (I encourage all of you to adopt this custom the next time you drink, it's a good sentiment right?) And now for the good part, the drinker has to chug the cup at the end of the song while the rest of the crowd chants Chik, Nyee, Soom (1, 2, 3) over and over again. Altogether it was a unique experience that was entirely unexpected to a mysticized culture that most of us envision as entirely pure and holy. HAHA. In addition, I have also had the song stuck in my head all day/weekend.
So far, we have had the most amazing time meeting some absolutely incredible individuals. One of the first nights we were here, a group of us stopped to eat at the Momo Cafe, a small sketchy looking joint with most excellent yogurt. And lo and behold, we sit next to a table that happen to be the leaders of the Tibetan Youth Congress. The TYC is one many NGOs dedicated to the freedom of Tibet. Unlike other groups, however, the TYC is very famous for its work and MANY members of the current parliament have served as heads of this noteworthy organization. Many of this organization also disagree with His Holiness and his policy of the Middle Way and want to fight. This creates a unique tension between younger and older generations....the fact that their thoughts may be in disagreement causes an indescribable heartache carried by many of those involved in the Free Tibet movement. It's very moving to hear both sides of the story...from the group that abandoned everything so they might have a chance at freedom and from those that have never seen their homeland but are fighting for the cause none-the-less. The TYC is also the group that regularly organizes Hunger Strikes and protests. It was here that we first heard about the "No Losar" movement. According to Tibetan sources, the Chinese authorities are giving money and essentially forcing Tibetans in the TAR to celebrate Losar (The Tibetan New Year). This is, however, in disagreement with Tibetan custom mandating a mourning period of one year and a restriction on all celebration. Many Tibetans lost loved ones in the March Uprisings last year and so are unwilling to celebrate Losar as it has traditionally been done in the past. In response, the TYC has organized a movement to encourage Tibetans in exile to honor the suppressed wishes of their brethren and to not celebrate. Instead, there will be religious services and supposedly a hunger strike. If our homestays are any indications, such a proposal is going to be universally respected in these parts (which I guess is why I'm not too sad about missing the second two days for Ramya's wedding).
All of this was confirmed by the current speaker of parliament, Karma Chophel who came to speak with us in class and also got his start in politics with the TYC. He explained the structure of the Tibetan government and it is especially interesting to see the dynamics between Religious institutions aka Monastaries and the State of which H.H Dalai Lama is regarded the highest positions in both instances. Though they are technically separate (and provide a solid secular education via the TCV (Tibetan Children's Village), monasteries provide some of the largest monetary donations neccessary for infrastructure in Tibetan settlements. Other donors we learned from Tsering Dorjee, jt. secretary of home aka department of the interior, include individuals like Richard Gere, and governments like Ireland and Norway (the former I find particularly ironic given the whole NRA-ish). The tibetan government or rather the Central Tibetan Administration as it is called due to political reasons, is surprisingly accessible. A group of us just walked into the building to get an interview with Tsering Dorjee. It really is a struggle for them, always having to toe the PC line. A few years ago, when Chophel first became speaker, the Parliament was called an Assembly because of pressure from the Indian government (who of course felt pressure from the Chinese).
The whole thing is rather discouraging...giving one the impression that the CTA really has no power (which may or may not be true). Also, as an interesting sidenote, Chophel disagrees with the Dalai Lama and his Middle Way policy as does, some think, the current Prime Minister. The politics of this issue are growing with each day H.H grows older. I predict this to be the cause of many fireworks in the future. Though many lay people still agree with the Middle Way, my Pala made an interesting point when I asked him about the issue. He said that the Chinese just have so many people and compulsory military service. If Tibetans in exile were to fight for Tibet, they would first face their own brothers and sisters...Tibetans forced to serve in the military by the Chinese. What a mess. Though negotiations have been ongoing, Tibetans here aren't holding their breath. And I certainly don't blame them.
It's absolutely amazing hearing these stories from people around here. I think Mackenzie's host mother really put the whole thing in perspective. Originally, the host family was hosting another girl on the program, but that girl left due to personal issues including homesickness. Mackenzie then moved in because apparently her host family decided to be in Delhi the whole time (weird and confusing, I know) But anway, Mackenzie's new Amala said, "[The other girl] was only here for a few weeks and she went home because of homesickness, but I haven't seen my home or family in fifteen years." It's stories like that which really put things in perspective.
Shehgang hala nangwa zomki laha
sempe rewa drupsong drup la ha son
Gaga Tro Tro Nang Dang
Keepe tsawa tsuksong
Choe Change Lani Ngulphor di la
So ya la mantsig lensum don laaa Yop
Shey Gong ah la, nangwa Zom Kyi La
Rejay drebu Min Song. Min Laaaa Song.
Suprising fact #2348: Tibetans are pretty into their liquors. The previous stanzas are the words to a Tibetan Drinking song dedicated to Chang (pronounced Chong), a tibetan beer made from fermented Rice or Barley (Hey Julie, if you're reading this, you can drink it!). All of our group was pretty into giving it a taste, what we didn't expect was it to be made and served BY OUR TIBETAN LANGUAGE TEACHERS. hahahaha. This was a most excellent reward for our struggles in language classes. And they have impeccable timing as we just took our first weekly exam which was brutal in and of itself...Anyway, I really appreciate this particular custom. The beer we had was made from rice (our teachers said next time it would be barley and it would be fermented longer...the stuff we had wasn't very strong) Traditionally, one sings this song while serving the Chang. The special cup has three lumps of butter along the rim and a space which marks the place the drinker is supposed to dring from. The drinker then dips a finger into the cup and flicks it upwards three times as an offering to the gods (I encourage all of you to adopt this custom the next time you drink, it's a good sentiment right?) And now for the good part, the drinker has to chug the cup at the end of the song while the rest of the crowd chants Chik, Nyee, Soom (1, 2, 3) over and over again. Altogether it was a unique experience that was entirely unexpected to a mysticized culture that most of us envision as entirely pure and holy. HAHA. In addition, I have also had the song stuck in my head all day/weekend.
So far, we have had the most amazing time meeting some absolutely incredible individuals. One of the first nights we were here, a group of us stopped to eat at the Momo Cafe, a small sketchy looking joint with most excellent yogurt. And lo and behold, we sit next to a table that happen to be the leaders of the Tibetan Youth Congress. The TYC is one many NGOs dedicated to the freedom of Tibet. Unlike other groups, however, the TYC is very famous for its work and MANY members of the current parliament have served as heads of this noteworthy organization. Many of this organization also disagree with His Holiness and his policy of the Middle Way and want to fight. This creates a unique tension between younger and older generations....the fact that their thoughts may be in disagreement causes an indescribable heartache carried by many of those involved in the Free Tibet movement. It's very moving to hear both sides of the story...from the group that abandoned everything so they might have a chance at freedom and from those that have never seen their homeland but are fighting for the cause none-the-less. The TYC is also the group that regularly organizes Hunger Strikes and protests. It was here that we first heard about the "No Losar" movement. According to Tibetan sources, the Chinese authorities are giving money and essentially forcing Tibetans in the TAR to celebrate Losar (The Tibetan New Year). This is, however, in disagreement with Tibetan custom mandating a mourning period of one year and a restriction on all celebration. Many Tibetans lost loved ones in the March Uprisings last year and so are unwilling to celebrate Losar as it has traditionally been done in the past. In response, the TYC has organized a movement to encourage Tibetans in exile to honor the suppressed wishes of their brethren and to not celebrate. Instead, there will be religious services and supposedly a hunger strike. If our homestays are any indications, such a proposal is going to be universally respected in these parts (which I guess is why I'm not too sad about missing the second two days for Ramya's wedding).
All of this was confirmed by the current speaker of parliament, Karma Chophel who came to speak with us in class and also got his start in politics with the TYC. He explained the structure of the Tibetan government and it is especially interesting to see the dynamics between Religious institutions aka Monastaries and the State of which H.H Dalai Lama is regarded the highest positions in both instances. Though they are technically separate (and provide a solid secular education via the TCV (Tibetan Children's Village), monasteries provide some of the largest monetary donations neccessary for infrastructure in Tibetan settlements. Other donors we learned from Tsering Dorjee, jt. secretary of home aka department of the interior, include individuals like Richard Gere, and governments like Ireland and Norway (the former I find particularly ironic given the whole NRA-ish). The tibetan government or rather the Central Tibetan Administration as it is called due to political reasons, is surprisingly accessible. A group of us just walked into the building to get an interview with Tsering Dorjee. It really is a struggle for them, always having to toe the PC line. A few years ago, when Chophel first became speaker, the Parliament was called an Assembly because of pressure from the Indian government (who of course felt pressure from the Chinese).
The whole thing is rather discouraging...giving one the impression that the CTA really has no power (which may or may not be true). Also, as an interesting sidenote, Chophel disagrees with the Dalai Lama and his Middle Way policy as does, some think, the current Prime Minister. The politics of this issue are growing with each day H.H grows older. I predict this to be the cause of many fireworks in the future. Though many lay people still agree with the Middle Way, my Pala made an interesting point when I asked him about the issue. He said that the Chinese just have so many people and compulsory military service. If Tibetans in exile were to fight for Tibet, they would first face their own brothers and sisters...Tibetans forced to serve in the military by the Chinese. What a mess. Though negotiations have been ongoing, Tibetans here aren't holding their breath. And I certainly don't blame them.
It's absolutely amazing hearing these stories from people around here. I think Mackenzie's host mother really put the whole thing in perspective. Originally, the host family was hosting another girl on the program, but that girl left due to personal issues including homesickness. Mackenzie then moved in because apparently her host family decided to be in Delhi the whole time (weird and confusing, I know) But anway, Mackenzie's new Amala said, "[The other girl] was only here for a few weeks and she went home because of homesickness, but I haven't seen my home or family in fifteen years." It's stories like that which really put things in perspective.
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