Teaching at the Khawalung Monastery

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This was a place of great tranquility. After experiencing the rustic lifestyle of Goljung this place was a palace of comfort where I taught English to kids from the ages of 5 to 20. The Monastery is run on donations from around the world supporting kids who come as orphans, from poverty, and from far off remote regions. Here they're giving food, shelter, clothing, an education, medical coverage and with that, they are given hope and a chance for something better, something different. The genuine courtesy, selfless generosity, and honest kindness of both the children and the teachers was a soulful experience of curious astonishment and wonder.

I was slowly packing on my last day while a bunch of students were hanging out in my doorway looking in and talking amongst themselves and pointing, I asked them, what was up? After a brief silence, one of them spoke up... "Sir, you have a lot of stuff. Why do you have so much stuff?" ... The contents confined to the stitches of my backpack, I proudly considered the bare necessities, and yet still to others, it was considered an overabundance. My knee-jerk reaction was to defend what little I had, but I could only laugh at myself and at their honest inquiry, jokingly telling them that I had a few of their classmates packed away in my bag and that I had room for one more.

It broke my heart to leave. I left with a lump in my throat under a shower of white scarves (a traditional gift given for luck / good fortune), shining smiles, and waving hands. The kids were also giving me pages out of their notebooks as mementos. Some had lesson plans on them, drawings, and others had little notes attached to them... this coming from one of the only things they possessed to give and they did so freely.

Looking back on the experience, I can't help but to wonder if I gave as much as I received.

*** WARNING *** If you ever go to hold a monk upside down by his ankles in front of his fellow classmates and teachers... please, PLEASE! be sure that he is wearing undergarments before you commit to such an act.

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Photos

"Those Monks Were Kung Fu Fighting..."
Never upset a monk.

The Khawalung Monastery.
My home for two brief yet enlightening weeks.

Sitting in on Puja.
Twice a day the students performed this 1.5-2 hour prayer ceremony. I'd sit in on the afternoon sessions as the 5am session was a bit too early for me.

Tour Guides.
Not after 5 minutes of my arrival, I had a small group of students eager to give me a tour of their home.

How many monks can you fit into a 10x12 room?
At least 40 and one red-headed "American Idiot". They loved watching 'Tom and Jerry'.

English Class.
It was a relaxed schedule teaching only three one hour classes daily.

The youngest (age 5) looking in on his big brothers.
During Puja.

Have Monk, Will Travel.
Always travel with a few monks. Here I'm being escorted to Kopan, a swank Buddhist Temple that was closed to the public the day I went BUT I pulled out my three monk playing cards and the doors were opened for a private showing.

Humble Living.
The students rooms didn't consist of more than a mat on a concrete floor (bed), their prayer books, and a few pieces of timber strategically placed to form a desk.

A Souvenir for Home.
At the age of 5, he was everyone's little brother.

Swastika - knowing this symbol for the wrong reasons.
Swastika comes from the Sanskrit words su, meaning "good", and asti, meaning "to be". Dating back over 3000yrs, it's been commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists as a symbol of "life" and "good luck".

The Tibetan Teacher, aka - the Enforcer
He had a commanding presence which was not to be trifled with... but get him watching some 'Tom and Jerry' and he was as giddy as the rest of them.

Mutras.
Specific hand positions used to evoke certain states of mind.

Lesson Plan - "At the Doctor's Office."
Differentiating between 'diarrhea' and 'gas' and yes, I misspelled 'diarrhea'... but I've only been a murse for ten years ;)

"I shall call him, Mini Me"
Antics on my last day.

Comments

[Kevin]

Wow
Wow Ray, this was a great entry. I can see why it was so hard to leave. Well done. -K.

[Rev. Dr. Sean Thompson]

Would like to talk about your travels
Ray, I am a Buddhist Minister that has 'adopted' the monastery to help with funding etc. You can see the site as it has developed at childmonksofnepal.com. I would like to know if you would let us use some of your photos and some information for others so that they may go to that temple and help out. I am in Colorado and the Lama Jigme Dorjee will be coming to visit in February. If you are anywhere near you are welcome to come to talk with him or help us out, thank you.