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Published: March 26th 2009
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Well, I changed guesthouses, I had neighbors who would get drunk and fight loudly just about every other night and I had a pestering neighbor, so I decided for the sake of my sanity to move. I now live at the bottom of Longling steps and go up 189 steps to go to work everyday. It's very good excersize but I don't look forward to moving out with all of my stuff and trudging up the steps for the last time. In my new room I have a kitchen (see photos) and last night I realized I cooked my first ever meal. I've cooked plenty of times but this was the first time with food I bought in a room I paid for. My premier meal was toast with peanut butter and banana but it tasted especially satisfying.
I went earlier this week with a coworker to a Tibetan doctor and got some medicine for my cold. I got prescribed 5 rounds of 3 pills with each meal. They are about the size of a pea but the most nastiest medicine I have ever taken. I have to crush them up with a water bottle and throw the powder
in my mouth, trying yet always failing to avoid my tongue and tastebuds, and then chug some boiling water to get it down. Bleh, I feel sick just thinking about them but I think they are working, I'm feeling better each day.
March 28th is another big protest day here in McLeod Ganj. The Chinese recently declared the day as "Serf Emancipation Day" a statement that has outraged and deeply saddened the Tibetan population. On March 28 in 1959, Communist China dissolved the local Tibetan government and forced their government and ideals on the people. But in an attempt to rewrite the history and cover their past filled with brutality, they have announced the first ever "Serfs Emancipation Day." I have spent the past few days getting frustrated with Adobe Photoshop, but I feel like a created an effective poster for the event. I will try to attach it to this blog soon.
I had the pleasure of helping a monk with his English yesterday. He's always around the office and asked if I would help him to practice speaking and get more comfortable with the language. I didn't have a formal lesson plan so we pretty much
the kung-ri and lung-ta
the mountain and the prayer flags just talked about his experiences and I helped him with his grammar during his explanations. He was born in Tibet and lived there for half of his life. He told me about his four months as a political prisoner; it was pretty tragic but he is not bitter or angry, even after being tortured and beaten. He is filled with a deep sense of loss and sorrow. It was called an English lesson but I really feel like I learned so much more than I taught. I just cannot believe the life stories people have around here. It's like reading a book every time I talk to someone.
All of the staff is back at the office which I am so happy about, it was getting rather quiet and lonely... but not anymore! I'm really enjoying the people, everyone is funny and likes to joke, but they have a lot of passion for what they do as well. It's inspirational to see people who are moved by what they do as a living, I can only hope to have that myself. Well, my day is halfway gone. I'm going to buy some rice and veggies so I can cook
my own food. Perhaps I'll walk around the main temple. I don't know exactly what I'll do, but I'm eager for whatever opportunity it may provide.
Lots of Love
p.s. Sorry there aren't that many photos, I'm primarily using my 35MM but I hope you can understand a little bit more of my experience with the photos, or at least visualize!
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Sista
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I cant hear you!!!
Hi Mar, Everytime you have called in the last few days I have answered and your not there! I dont know whats going on. The volcano just exploded again and all the ash is headed this way- we have two hours to get ready! Love you- I think we should start emailing. Sorry about the phone- frustrating! love megs