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By Wangmo
July 9th 2006
Celebration! Asia » China » Tibet
Jangchub Drolma and I, Pre-performance
Jangchub Drolma and I, Pre-performance
Here I am with Jangchub Drolma, my Tibetan teacher and friend. Even without looking for them, I seem to find opportunities to play music wherever I go.
This week, Tibetans and Chinese alike gathered from all over Golok to celebrate a government holiday. Children from the local schools competed in a sort of talent show, reciting poetry, singing, and dancing. Three of Jangchub Drolma's students were selected to recite poetry and she asked me to add musical accompaniment to their performances. The Golok theatre crowd is nothing like its American counterpart. In fact, it's more like the audience at a showing of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show. There is constant talking, shouting, cowboy hooping and hollering, smoking, drinking and even [View Full Entry]

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181 Words | 2 Comment(s) | 13 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 9th 2006 | 312 Views | [diary=72685]

Joyful Dancers, Lit in Red
Three Poets and their Accompanist
Little Ones

Setting Out on the Journey
Setting Out on the Journey
Jangchub Drolma, Yumchen Tsomo and Alex, photographed as we began the portion of our trip on foot.
Seasons Come and Seasons Go At last - the mountainsides are turning from dingy, dry brown to lustrous, emerald green. What better time to head out to the grasslands and enjoy a day in the company of friends? Around noon, Yumchen Tsomo, Jangchub Drolma, Alex (an American teacher here) and I gathered with an abundant picnic, sunhats, a tent and a thermos of tea. We set out on our adventure and headed toward a peaceful grassland expanse that Alex had recently discovered. We were a funny crew - Jangchub Drolma speaking only Tibetan and Chinese, Alex speaking only English and broken [View Full Entry]

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785 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 6 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 3rd 2006 | 301 Views | [diary=71110]

Tsomo in the Grasslands
Jangchub Drolma
Tiny Friends

By Wangmo
June 26th 2006
A Day in Town Asia » China » Tibet
Fruit Abundance
Fruit Abundance
One feature about Dawu that I appreciate is the constant supply of fresh produce, virtually impossible to find in the more nomadic areas.
A beautiful sunny day here seemed the perfect occasion for picture taking, and there are always interesting scenes to catch on the streets or in the market's hustle and bustle. [View Full Entry]

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30 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 12 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 26th 2006 | 304 Views | [diary=69295]

More Fruit
Meat Anyone?
Market Hub Bub

Tamdrin Kyid
Tamdrin Kyid
Here is Tamdrin Kyid -my first Tibetan piano student. Some of you will appreciate that her name means "Happy Hayagriva."
I’m settling in at last. My days pass quickly and I find I rarely have a moment to sit down. I spend my mornings translating, my afternoons studying colloquial language, and my evenings practicing meditation. During my breaks, I spend time with Tibetan friends - talking, eating, walking about and visiting the markets. I made a very sweet friend named Yumchen Tsomo. She is Tibetan, but teaches English at the local high school. It is such a treasure to have a friend who can help with anything from paying the phone bill to explaining cultural cues and expectations - all in [View Full Entry]

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1279 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 20th 2006 | 380 Views | [diary=67914]

Another Prayer Flag Expanse
My Neighbors
Jangchub Drolma

By Wangmo
June 6th 2006
Photos, Just for Fun Asia » China » Tibet
Beautiful Women of Golok
Beautiful Women of Golok
A great shot of Gulo and Ama, in their beautiful, colorful, traditional clothing.
Since many people have mentioned that they are enjoying the pictures I post, I thought I would post a bunch more... [View Full Entry]

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21 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 20 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 6th 2006 | 372 Views | [diary=64694]

Ama and Wangmo
Outside the Gate
Ama in her Stetson

By Wangmo
June 2nd 2006
Home, Sweet Home Asia » China » Tibet
Hanging Out in Cowboy Town
Hanging Out in Cowboy Town
Here, I am with Ama (center) and a sweet and funny friend named Gulo, relaxing on the street the day before my move to Dawu.
Leaving the Nest Last weekend, I packed up my belongings from Ama and Apa’s house, rented a car for 30 Yuan ($2.50), and moved to Dawu. It was a poignant goodbye with my adopted Tibetan family, but I promised to return for visits at least once a month. The car was filled with Tibetan cowboys, all fascinated by the idea of a Western woman coming to live in Amdo. “Why are you here?,” they asked. “How old are you?” “How much is Yartsa worth in America?” “Do you have an Amdo boyfriend?” Sometimes out of the blue, one of them [View Full Entry]

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720 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 3 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 2nd 2006 | 367 Views | [diary=63614]

Yes, That's a Lamp...
New Friends Over Tsampa

Fluttering in the Wind
Fluttering in the Wind
Another of countless breathtaking prayer flag sites in Darlag.
You know you’ve been fully inaugurated into the lifestyle of a “Goma.” a woman of Golok, once there is an immovable layer of dirt under your fingernails and you find yourself sick as a dog, upper and lower respiratory systems totally infected, sitting on a hillside with yaks, vomiting into a ditch of trash, old clothes, and human and animal waste. I was sick for three days, but other than a lingering cold, I am now quite recovered. (Thank you Dr. A for the antibiotics!) Holly was passing through town for a day and I joined her on a trip back [View Full Entry]

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883 Words | 2 Comment(s) | 2 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 26th 2006 | 518 Views | [diary=61879]

Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje

By Wangmo
May 20th 2006
Life in a Nomad Town Asia » China » Tibet
No Power It is day nine in Darlag, and five of them were without power. When we lose power in the states, we’re on the phone without a moment’s hesitation, demanding information about when service will be restored. Ah - the western habit of entitlement! I mean, we deserve electricity, don’t we?! Isn't it an inalienable right? Here, there is no one to call; it’s just a waiting game. “Lok medka” is the phrase of the week. “We have no electricity.” “Lok a yodka?” is another one. “Do you have electricity?& [View Full Entry]

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614 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 3 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 20th 2006 | 319 Views | [diary=60564]

Ama & Apa turning prayer wheels
Ama

By Wangmo
May 14th 2006
A Day of Surprises Asia » China » Tibet
Central Shrine Deity: Gesar of Ling
Central Shrine Deity: Gesar of Ling
One of dozens of glittering statues at the Gesar Phodrang.
Our trip to Wayen Gompa was not fruitful, as none of the people I had planned to meet were there. Holly and I then took a trip to the local internet cafe, more accurately described as a smoke-filled room of young men playing video games, and happened upon a very friendly monk who spoke excellent English. In this part of Tibet, an English speaker is rare, almost as rare as finding a piece of pizza, which would be impossible! The monk’s name is Akhu Legshed Zangpo and he’s an English teacher at a children’s school 8 km. from Darlag. He invited [View Full Entry]

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598 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 1 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 14th 2006 | 307 Views | [diary=59260]


By Wangmo
May 13th 2006
Dawu and Darlag Asia » China » Tibet
Making Friends at the Khor Khang
Making Friends at the Khor Khang
At the Khor Khang, a sacred space for practice and prayer, there are always Tibetans circumambulating, hanging new prayer flags and making burnt offerings to the Buddhas and local deities. Holly and ... [more]
First Stop: Dawu After a day-long car ride, I reached Dawu, the capital city of Golok, within the Tibetan province of Amdo. My travel companions, of course, spoke no English and so our communications were tempered with puzzled expressions and much laughter. Fortunately, smiles are universal. One thing that seems to go well when there is little else one can say is to tell people “Ari ked” (English) equivalents for various things. This always gets a big laugh - especially a three-syllable word like "afternoon" or "Stephannie." In Dawu I met up with Holly, an American woma [View Full Entry]

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540 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 3 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 14th 2006 | 319 Views | [diary=59007]

Prayer Flags
Mani Stone



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