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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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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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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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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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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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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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?” Ama Ama and I have a funny way of [View Full Entry]

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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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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 woman who has been living [View Full Entry]

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I’ve safely arrived in Xining, the last stop in a major city before I begin the 9 hour drive to 15,000 feet altitude. I spent one night in Bejing on the way. It’s definitely a different universe over here. A major shock to my American eyes was seeing Chinese police and security guards on every block, often marching in formation. Other things are as I imagined - large, boxy, cement buildings adorned with neon Chinese letters, chaotic traffic flow, dusty, littered streets - all juxtaposed by a majestic mountain silhouette. Here in Xining, I’m spending a few days with relatives of [View Full Entry]

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