Carolyn Emails from India
02/07/07 12:48
Tashidelek!
I'm here, safe, happy, and trying to soak in everything.
After a 36 hours of plane rides and airports, we made it to Delhi very late. Manu-la and Puntsok-la (our directors) greeted us and put long necklaces of yellow and red marigolds. After a few days of orientation in New Delhi we started our 2-day bus ride up to the mountains. The first day was relatively flat and nice. The countryside is so green and beautiful. There are gorgeous temples everywhere. However, poverty is everywhere as well. Our second day on the road was very windy and dangerous (in addition to the normal danger of Indian driving in general). The mountains are incredible. While driving we saw little monkeys everywhere, cows, goats, camels, horses, dogs, yaks, and some interesting birds.
Finally, we made it to Dharamsala and up the hill to upper-Dharamsala or McCleod Ganj. It is incredibly beautiful here. We are perched on the hills and in the distance you can see the tips of the huge, ominous, and snowy Himalayas in the distance. It is so diverse here: 'Westerners', Kashmiris, Indians, Tibetans, etc. Also, there are lots of monks and nuns everywhere with the most beautiful temples and monasteries. The roads squiggle back and forth and up and down; I keep getting confused and lost. The electricity and internet are very sparatic, and go off and on multiple times a day.
Last night was my first night living with my new Tibetan family. We are in a small two-room apartment without running water or heat. They are the most wonderful people! My Amala (Tibetan mother) is very short and stout, but full of energy. She escaped from Tibet 13 years ago by walking for 23-days over the mountains without food or water to speak of. She says most of the people she left with died along the way. Once she got here, she studied very hard for three years before working as tailor. My Pala (Tibetan father) is an ex-monk (shh! It is a secret!) who escaped Tibet after being released from a jail for political prisoners. Once here, he met Amala and they were married. Therefore, he is extremely educated and is an amazing thanka painter. Recently, he hasn't been able to make a living painting, so he has opened a small restaurant near our apartment. He is the most amazing cook! Speaking of which, since I'm a full-fledged member of the family, I have to work every-other night in the restaurant cooking, washing dishes, serving, and cleaning!
My Amala is VERY strict. She is constantly quizzing me with Tibetan words and when I get them wrong, she scolds me and joking slaps the back of my hand. I was reading for three hours last night and started to fall asleep around ten, and she went on and on about how lazy I was. So , my new nickname is 'lazy.' She says she'll be nice today since I don't have class, but she says on class days I should be up to 11 reading every night. I told her I had already read a lot and was already ready for class tomorrow. She just stared at me an then said, "You are lying to me!" and scolded me even more! She is hilarious!
My Amala's 14-year-old niece is living with us too. She and I sleep in the livingroom together. She just came from Tibet a month ago and is very shy.
Tomorrow our first formal language classes start, along with our regular thematic studies and field work seminars. I'll be in school from 8:30 to 5 everyday, with a short hour break for lunch. All of our instructors are very demanding, so I'll have to be working pretty hard here the first month (not to mention working the restaurant too!).
Forgive me if this email is choppy and sloppy. I feel nervous in these internet cafes, especially with the men working here constantly reading over my shoulder. I miss you all and think of you often! Please keep me up to date with your news from the states!
Fondly, Carolyn
I'm here, safe, happy, and trying to soak in everything.
After a 36 hours of plane rides and airports, we made it to Delhi very late. Manu-la and Puntsok-la (our directors) greeted us and put long necklaces of yellow and red marigolds. After a few days of orientation in New Delhi we started our 2-day bus ride up to the mountains. The first day was relatively flat and nice. The countryside is so green and beautiful. There are gorgeous temples everywhere. However, poverty is everywhere as well. Our second day on the road was very windy and dangerous (in addition to the normal danger of Indian driving in general). The mountains are incredible. While driving we saw little monkeys everywhere, cows, goats, camels, horses, dogs, yaks, and some interesting birds.
Finally, we made it to Dharamsala and up the hill to upper-Dharamsala or McCleod Ganj. It is incredibly beautiful here. We are perched on the hills and in the distance you can see the tips of the huge, ominous, and snowy Himalayas in the distance. It is so diverse here: 'Westerners', Kashmiris, Indians, Tibetans, etc. Also, there are lots of monks and nuns everywhere with the most beautiful temples and monasteries. The roads squiggle back and forth and up and down; I keep getting confused and lost. The electricity and internet are very sparatic, and go off and on multiple times a day.
Last night was my first night living with my new Tibetan family. We are in a small two-room apartment without running water or heat. They are the most wonderful people! My Amala (Tibetan mother) is very short and stout, but full of energy. She escaped from Tibet 13 years ago by walking for 23-days over the mountains without food or water to speak of. She says most of the people she left with died along the way. Once she got here, she studied very hard for three years before working as tailor. My Pala (Tibetan father) is an ex-monk (shh! It is a secret!) who escaped Tibet after being released from a jail for political prisoners. Once here, he met Amala and they were married. Therefore, he is extremely educated and is an amazing thanka painter. Recently, he hasn't been able to make a living painting, so he has opened a small restaurant near our apartment. He is the most amazing cook! Speaking of which, since I'm a full-fledged member of the family, I have to work every-other night in the restaurant cooking, washing dishes, serving, and cleaning!
My Amala is VERY strict. She is constantly quizzing me with Tibetan words and when I get them wrong, she scolds me and joking slaps the back of my hand. I was reading for three hours last night and started to fall asleep around ten, and she went on and on about how lazy I was. So , my new nickname is 'lazy.' She says she'll be nice today since I don't have class, but she says on class days I should be up to 11 reading every night. I told her I had already read a lot and was already ready for class tomorrow. She just stared at me an then said, "You are lying to me!" and scolded me even more! She is hilarious!
My Amala's 14-year-old niece is living with us too. She and I sleep in the livingroom together. She just came from Tibet a month ago and is very shy.
Tomorrow our first formal language classes start, along with our regular thematic studies and field work seminars. I'll be in school from 8:30 to 5 everyday, with a short hour break for lunch. All of our instructors are very demanding, so I'll have to be working pretty hard here the first month (not to mention working the restaurant too!).
Forgive me if this email is choppy and sloppy. I feel nervous in these internet cafes, especially with the men working here constantly reading over my shoulder. I miss you all and think of you often! Please keep me up to date with your news from the states!
Fondly, Carolyn
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