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Published: September 6th 2005
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Finally, I've escaped the madness of the city, to Bouda, or Bodnath as known in the books. This is one of the early Tibetan refugee settlements following the '59 exodus. There are a large number of Tibetans, some Tibet-born, others Nepal-born.
The atmosphere here---it is completely different from Tibet. Geographical differences aside, I have heard more Tibetan monastic music and chanting here than I did in Tibet proper, and I did visit a number of monasteries in Tibet .
There is a small, independent language school catering to fundless Tibetans and Nepali, teaching mostly English but some Nepali as well. I teach in the mornings, a small class of 6 or 7: about 4 are Nepali (a couple of central area Nepalis and a couple with Sherpa heritage) and another 2 or 3 are Tibetans. That is in my class. In other class, there are more Tibetans. The 2 or 3 in my class have been here for a few months and already have a decent grasp of basic English. They are keen, hard-studying, and attentive. The
Nepali students, too, are good, which makes for a very inspiring, if informal, class. We use a text but diverge from it quite frequently, lapsing into joking or conversation applying to everyday things.
The director of the school is a Bhutanese Nepali Sherpa, having lived most of his life in Bhutan but residing now in Nepal with a Nepali wife. He is seemingly selfless and gives a lot of his time to the school and students. His small language school receives no funding from the government, no surprise, but is supported by his brother in Bhutan.
Being refugees, I had expected to see a fair number of completely poor and homeless Tibetans. To my surprise, I have found that most settled here have lodging and some sort of work or support. The family network seems to be strong, whether it is with a parent
or relative the new arrival is staying with. I even get the impression that most spend some time in another place, like northern Nepal or Northern India, before coming to Boudha. Many of the Tibetans I have talked to did first spend time in Dharamsala, north India, or in south India, first, learning English and fulfilling nearly every Tibetans' dream: to meet the D.L.
After teaching in the morning, the rest of my days filled with walks in the surrounding countryside or visiting friends. Boudha has a few assets, in addition to the Buddhist culture. It is removed from the insanity of Kathmandu centre, and it is easy enough to walk into the country and along quieter lanes. There, one sees rural and village life, with contrasts of the new: old wooden or stone buildings next to a very new, taller, squeaky clean pink building; corn cobs drying on the front porch and a dvd sales store next door. Yet, as in Kathmandu, the signage is old-fashioned, the bubbles and swirls style of generations ago. And as in other parts of Asia it is hopeful: best tea-shop; good delicious food; friendship store.
Running through the knee-high, spit-laden, sewage-leaked,
rain-watered streets one day (and acutely aware of this filth) I passed a small shop with a smiling Tibetan man. I thereafter adopted the habit of visiting this kind soul daily, for tea and lessons in Tibetan. Gyaltsen is a free-spirit, a giving man who came to Nepal about 15 years ago from Eastern Tibet (now "China"). He ran a restaurant until he was offered a part as an extra in "Kundun," when he sold his shop and went to Morrocco for the 5 months of shooting. When he returned, he soon after met his wife (equally lovely!) and married and opened the small shop. He has a fun-loving manner and although he doesn't seem to be wealthy or dress the part, he has no qualms about forcing gifts here and there upon friends, and lending or giving money to beggars and borrowers. If I can return here next year, he has promised to continue my Tibetan lessons and throw in some cooking lessons.
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