Miami University Tibetan Studies Program

2009-11-27T01:08:00.001-05:00

Philosophy class in the prayer room at IBD

We leave for the airport in Delhi in less than a week! Things have been busy as we wrap up the final days, but also filled with good things. His Holiness is giving a series of teachings to Russian clientele on emptiness and “dependent arising”. Tomorrow is the second of three teachings. The third one is reserved for those that have received a certain level of Tantric initiation. Contrary to popular belief, the practice of Tantra has more to do with visualization and meditation than it does erotic sensibilities. Unlike the path to enlightenment suggested by the Sutra teachings, Tantra holds that one can achieve enlightenment in one lifetime. In this lifetime. In Buddhist philosophy class, Gesehe Kelsang Damdul has been explaining to us a method by which we can all experience the divine within ourselves. According to this philosophy, each and every one of us has deity-like qualities within ourselves, and when we practice visualizing particular gods and goddesses, we become more like them, and more able to demonstrate a compassionate attitude to our fellow man and woman.

We’ve recently taken a field trip to the Dolma Ling nunnery. Initially constructed by the Tibetan Nuns Project, the Dolma Ling nunnery is one of two new facilities in the Dharamsala area. We were given a fantastic chance to interview the original founder of the Tibetan Women’s Association and current Director of the TNP, Rinchen Khando Choegyal. It was a Saturday, the second of the month to be precise, which means that for Tibetans it was a holiday. Rinchen sat down in front of us and explained that because it was her holiday she could have chosen to refuse to meet with us. She then wondered aloud about what kind of purpose life would have if she had made this decision, and asserted that she was thrilled to have the chance to speak with us all. She did so calmly and professionally, and instantly made a lasting and positive impression on me.

Dolma-ling Nunnery

Butter tea in the making!

Fried eggplant!

The discussion went from a description of the current Tibetan Nuns Project to a broader range of conversation about the education and role of Tibetan women in exile. One student asked Rinchen if she thought it would be a good idea for the nuns to develop an attitude focused on international human rights activism. Up until that point most of the questions and comments had been about the inner-workings of the nunnery, the hopes that many of them had to succeed and gain advanced degrees, and the challenges of seriously pursuing the lifestyle of a nun. Rinchen answered with characteristically calm poise, saying that the idea of an outward and selfless focus was indeed a goal of the TNP, and commented that such a view works well with the pillars of Buddhism. Many of the nuns, because of her efforts now have the chance to work towards the highest level of ordination, which had previously been reserved for monks. Another positive development in gender equality is the fact that the nuns are learning the systems of logic and fervent debating style typically practiced solely by their male counterparts.

Under the umbrella of the TNP many positive changes are taking place, and the women engaged in these pursuits seem to be embracing this change, and pursuing its fruits actively.

This weekend we are all moving back down to the Sarah College, coming full circle to the place where we began this three month journey. It’s time for Sarah’s annual picnic, and we’ll all be present for the three days of R&R taking place on campus. A group of about eight students will be heading down to Agra on Monday to visit India’s most famous monument, the Taj Mahal. The rest of us will indulge in good food, carom board, and the company of our Tibetan friends.

Yesterday we had a small tea ceremony with all of the host-families who were nice enough to put up with us for six weeks! In all seriousness, it was a sincere gathering. Khatas were presented to the family members, and the sweet tea flowed freely.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I have a feeling that our three months abroad was time well-spent. As is usual for programs of this nature we have been confronted with many of the challenging realities of the Tibetan diaspora. We’ll all come away with a better sense of what it means to be a Tibetan, and what it means to be a Tibetan in exile. In addition, our immersion into their rich culture has yielded for me a greater understanding and appreciation for the religious aspects. According to the Dalai Lama there are three different types of Buddhism: Buddhist religion, Buddhist science, and Buddhist philosophy. The fact that practitioners are not limited to studying or participating in any of these three forms is admirable. It creates an open environment for research. His Holiness contends that if science reveals that a specific part of Buddhism is wrong, they will change their philosophy. This open-ended approach to religion, science, and philosophy is perhaps one of the reasons why Buddhism has gained such a worldwide popularity, much like Wikipedia!

Since we’ve been here teachings have been sponsored by the Mongols, Russians, Taiwanese, Koreans, Singaporeans, and have been attended by peoples from countries all across the board. This is as multi-cultural as it gets, and hopefully we have all learned much from our experiences. One of the greatest pen-names of our time, Mark Twain, has put it this way:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.”

I thoroughly agree with his stance on travel. Study abroad programs like these, that put an educational twist on recreational travel, are effective vessels for turning academic learning into real-world experience. My hope is that a greater understanding and appreciation for others’ worldviews can be created and maintained through the accumulation of experiences such as these.

Thanks for reading,
Zack

The program continues, and field trip to TCV!

2009-11-11T10:35:00.002-05:00

    Since the audience with His Holiness life in Mcleod Ganj has returned to normal. Classes and projects continue. Our esteemed Buddhist philosophy teacher, Geshe-la Graham Woodhouse left for south India last weekend on his way back home to England. Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul, assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, who spent six weeks last year in and around the Oxford campus, is now teaching in his stead. We are continuing to have guest lectures in Dr. Akers’ applied anthropology course. Last week we had representatives from the Tibetan Womens' Association, as well as the Secretary of Education. The group from TWA spoke about Tibetan Womens' role in the movement into exile in 1959 and their position within the modern government in exile.

     In the past two days the weather has turned from clear and warm during the day to cold, rainy, and overcast all the time. To my Tibetan host family this type of change is pey yak poo doo, or “very good”. It hasn’t rained here since the end of the monsoon season in late September/early October. In fact, according to my host family, the last two years have been especially dry, with water shortages causing many families to have to traverse a steep hillside down to the river to wash their clothes. Much of this dry weather is attributed to a lack of snow on the mountains during the winter, which according to the locals, seems to be a growing trend caused by global warming.

    Two recent field trips have been an inspiring source of information for us. The weekend of October 31st we were given a tour of the Tibetan Reception Center, where Tibetan refugees are cared for until they can receive and audience from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Each refugee that crosses over the Himalayas, usually during the winter, first checks into the reception center in Katmandu, Nepal. Their troubles don’t end when they reach the Nepalese border. Many refugees are turned back, and nuns and women laypeople are often beaten and raped by members of the Nepalese army. Once they reach the Reception Center they are checked in, and after a few days, sent to Delhi, where further processing ensues. After only one or two days they move again to Dharamsala, where they will be granted an audience with His Holiness, and will receive his blessing. Many of the new arrivals we saw still had the rosy cheeks characteristic of the high plateau people.

    Last weekend we spent Saturday morning at the Tibetan Children’s Village, a school for Tibetan refugee children, as well as for some boarders and day scholars. By and large the majority of the students are refugees that have come over from Tibet. Their parents have sent them to receive an education or to join a monastic order. Others that are older come on their own will, recognizing the comparatively large amount of freedom that they have in India. From the reception centers in Katmandu and Delhi they are sent to one of TCVs branch offices to begin their school if they are under 18. If they are between the ages of 18 and 50 they are sent to one of the Tibetan Transit schools, where they will learn various vocational and trade skills.

    Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the visit to TCV is enjoying the company of the youngest children in the baby room. Each year students bring stuffed animals, clothing, and toys for the youngsters to enjoy, and this year was no exception. Mutton for lunch the day before kept my immune system on high alert, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to stray too far away from the bathroom that day. However, I managed to get many photos from Renate Seiwert, and was there in spirit. (photos to be added ASAP.)

TCV

Students having fun in the baby room

An audience with His Holiness, Part 2

2009-10-27T12:17:00.005-04:00

Continued from An audience with His Holiness, Part 1...

The students from the British School wanted to know how they could find inner peace in today’s world of conflict and globalization. The Dalai Lama began his answer by telling of quarrels had with his siblings while he was a child; something everybody with siblings can relate to. He said that eventually the quarrels would subside and they would get along again. They would become intimate, and that this intimacy was something that created compassion. He went on to explain that when one is a child, they have no worries about another person’s background, economic status, or ethnicity, that there is a feeling of oneness that doesn’t come from religion or religious teaching. He advised us to continue to keep that open-minded spirit as we grow into adults, and when our minds become more sophisticated as a result, not to forget our basic nature.

His Holiness elaborated. As people grow they learn to immediately think in terms of religious faith, ethnicity, or social and economic background when they first meet one another. As a result these relationships often begin with a “what I will gain from this“ mentality. He emphasized the importance of keeping a “young” mind when forming friendships and again mentioned the inherent biological factor that creates some kind of compassion and sense of community. Our biology, if I understood correctly, is initially a seat for compassion.

The Dalai Lama’s testimony continued: This youthful compassion allows a person to develop a sense of community, or a “we” at a young age. The implications of this “we” stem far beyond our immediately accessible community, and why shouldn’t they? Is the “we” in our immediate social group the same “we” that others experience in social groups on the other side of the world? If so then all 6.7 billion of us are a bit more similar than “we” thought. His Holiness used the example of India and Pakistan. They are neighbors. As the societies increasingly become more globalized what one does to the environment, and how one reacts to global issues has an effect on the well-being of the other. India and Pakistan share some parts with each other, or you could say that in some ways they are a part of each other. Each is a part of the other‘s “we“. So it is in the best interest of these countries, and of individual peoples and communities to help their neighbors. Through destruction, violent, and negative activity, individuals, communities, and countries negatively influence their own interests.

His Holiness stated that when drawing upon our biological status as a basis for the seat of compassion, one can generate a peace of mind that can be used as a preventative measure to maintain good health. His teaching was that if illness happens, peace of mind can help recall the afflicted to a state of good health. He said that when facing a tragedy in a more calm and peaceful state one can handle it more realistically, and that with anxiety, anger, jealousy even small things can be difficult to handle. These negative physical states and emotions could impede the quest for inner peace in a competitive, global society.

His next point of advice dealt with actions and actors. His Holiness said that as far as actions are concerned, if other person takes advantage unjustly of you sometimes it is necessary to take countermeasures, but that the countermeasure only should apply to the action, not the actor. The actor, according to the Buddhist philosophy, is still a human being, still a part of “we“. His Holiness considers them to be like a family member. His advice was that one must react to the negative action without losing general sense of the actor’s well-being. According to his teaching, the reason why you are taking countermeasures to their misdeeds has to do with the aggressor’s own well-being. His Holiness explained that in the long term committing these negative or aggressive actions is harmful for the aggressor. This understanding is the practical attitude to have in these situations, according to him. But of course with everything, too much is not good. His Holiness let us know that it is unrealistic to use too much compassion.

To summarize this last point, the Dalai Lama used an example where a Buddhist mindset can indeed help one get closer to achieving inner peace. He asked the audience hypothetically what we would do if someone committed an angry or aggressive act against us. How would we react? To restate, in the Buddhist view, His Holiness explained, the act itself is what should be reacted to, not the person who sends the action your way. The angry action, after all is just a reflection of your and the aggressors karmic actions in this life and the last. So in order to develop inner peace in a world that is so competitive and fast-paced we should ask why the negative action was committed in our direction, but remain compassionate to the person who acted aggressively towards us. In this way we may forgive those who do harm to us, remain compassionate towards them, and work to understand negative disturbances in our lives. Sounds simple, right?

Their second question was something like, “what do you do in your free time?” He kind of chuckled a bit, and said, “nothing”. For those of you who were on the edge of your seats wondering about this, and dying to ask him yourself, His Holiness does not grab a beer and watch the game, does not play monopoly or scrabble with the extended family, doesn’t hit the cinema for a film and a rare bag of sour patch kids, and doesn’t beat his parliament in racquetball on the weekends.

Then it was our turn. Our first question was for advice on what we as future leaders, policy makers, and conscious citizens should do to create peace and positive change in the world. I was a little bit surprised when he deferred to his answer to the first question of the audience, saying that he had already explained it then. At first I didn’t understand why he thought he had answered the question already, seeing as how it was completely different from “how do we find inner peace?” I asked my host father about it, and he explained that to someone who hasn’t practiced Buddhism, and who only has the most minimal understanding of the Dharma, His Holiness’ simple English can seem, well, simple. But the more you understand about the philosophy behind the ideas, and how it works in conjunction with the Tibetan Buddhist worldview, the more those few words sound like prophecy. So I think that his answer to our question comes down to the same philosophical base of the first question of the British School group: Compassion as a means for inner peace and the well-being of your neighbors, or the “we”. As “future leaders” it will be in our best interest, then, to have our neighbors best interest in mind when we make career choices, advise financial decisions, or write policy briefs.

The next question came from Justin Landers, who is working on a promotional video for the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies and the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, to help raise funds for operational costs and improvements. He briefly explained his aims and asked His Holiness to give a statement concerning the significance of these institutions to the Tibetan community, and asked how those studying under their curriculums could use their experiences to better fulfill his wishes. He thought for a few moments, rocked slightly and gazed up at the ceiling, then quickly turned to Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul, assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics and said,
“Did you ask him?”, after which he burst into laughter with the rest of the room, chalking the question up to a plug by the assistant director. The Dalai Lama does have a quick wit, and a wonderful laugh.

Now, with the crowds full attention he composed his answer. There were two things he wanted to address. He began by explaining the 1973 establishment date of the school of Buddhist Dialectics. He said that he and his administration at that time felt that young Tibetans that went through the Tibetan general school, established in 1960, were very bright and that many had shown interest in studying Buddhist philosophy. His Holiness was aware, however, that they didn‘t want to join a big monastic institution; that they were a little hesitant. So the institution was started mainly for those young Tibetans who had basic [modern/moral] education. There were other clientele that were interested in Buddhist studies and philosophy, specifically Europeans and Americans. His Holiness praised the small school for its productions up until now, and said that they have been “quite satisfactory”.

His Holiness paused a moment before continuing, and then turned his attention to the Sarah College. He spoke generally, mentioning the new programs, teacher training, and groups of students from western universities that have been coming to study there. Like the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, said His Holiness, the Sarah College has become quite useful, and can make some contribution in terms of the promotion of general human value, and of better knowledge about the human mind, and human emotion, and how one can better tackle these different emotions. He said that he makes these claims of moral and psychological achievement as a part of Buddhist science, not a part of Buddhist religion. This was the first part of his answer.

The second part concerned the importance of the dialectic system that has been established for Tibetan discourse on science, philosophy, and religion. there is a special technique that comes from an ancient institution in Tibet. I apologize, but could not quite get the name right. His Holiness talked about the founder of Buddhism and his methods of reasoning. He commented on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as it is used to emphasize studies and learning, not just meditation, and that the style of learning and disciplined study is one that uses a well established system of dialectics. But, the Dalai Lama said, neither English nor Chinese yet employ a similar system of dialectics that is so functional a method for the investigation of truth. His Holiness sought to clarify by making sure we knew that it was not the Buddhist tradition he was speaking of, but the technique to explain or to articulate Buddhist, philosophical, and scientific concepts.

The Tibetan leader expressed his hope that Tibetan dialectics could be introduced to the fields of medicine, modern medicine, economics, political science, and especially law. Using this dialectic system, he said, one’s understanding becomes more precise, and his/her method of explanation to others become more precise, and again His Holiness emphasized, especially in the field of law. A smile peeled across his face as he mused about the sharp mind a lawyer can develop by employing the Tibetan system of argument and debate, and how the practitioner can develop a very sharp mind. With that kind of mind, His Holiness said,
“lawyers win!” He erupted into laughter with the rest of us before returning to his normal poise.

He looked at the camera for his concluding remarks. He reestablished his opinion that the dialectic system for logical argument be used in other world languages. He said that in this way the dialectical school can make some contribution, as can the young students, to the world community. Quickly he turned to Dr. Sidky and fired off,
“what do you think?” To which Dr. Sidky immediately responded,
“Absolutely.”

Please note that my interpretation of the message given to us by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, when I am not simply reporting what was said and such interpretation is used, is my own. Please feel free to email me at miamitibetanstudies@gmail.com with questions, comments, arguments, or refutations of my take on the parts of the dialogue that were not specifically explained to us then and there. Thanks as always,
Zack

An audience with His Holiness, Part 1

2009-10-27T10:43:00.000-04:00

We all woke early yesterday morning to get ready for our audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Some men wore jackets and ties while others wore male chupas. The women in our group all donned their own chupas, and we all met in style at the Pemathang hotel, where in the lobby we had breakfast and coffee and discussed the days events.

Students bought books written by His Holiness in hopes of getting them signed during the audience. We also purchased ceremonial Khatas to be placed over our necks, just in case we all got to receive a personal greeting by him. Jeeps arrived to pick us up and take us to the Norbulingka Institute at 10:30am. Because of His Holiness’ busy schedule we had a window of time during which he could see us, and we wanted to get to the Institute early. We arrived at about 11:30 for a possible audience at 12:30. We pulled up in our jeeps through the front gates, which were adorned with flags of red, yellow, and green, some of which were delicately embroidered with Tibetan knots, lotus flowers, and other powerful cultural symbols. We disembarked and made our way onto the grounds of the institute, stepping on a cobblestone walkway overtop of fountain streams that cut through the stones at various intervals at our feet. Through elaborately constructed pillared gates, painted with colors and hand-drawn symbols we moved. Prayer wheels lined the wide archway, and spun as we went beneath it.

As mentioned we first thought that we would be received by His Holiness at 12:30, and waited anxiously in the gardens of Norbulingka until then. The landscaping job was astounding. There was green everywhere. Sunken ponds met with retaining walls that moved with the contours of the earth. The stone and cobble pathways led in between bamboo clumps and large-leaved jungle shrubs, and showed characteristics of the harmonious relationship with nature that is central to the traditional Tibetan worldview. It holds that everything is interconnected, and that seeking to understand nature is better than attempting to subdue and control it.

Two and a half hours slipped by, or rather crawled by. One couldn’t help but remain anxious and slightly nervous about meeting a Nobel Peace Laureate, and one of the most revered spiritual leaders of our time. His direct connection to the very well-published human rights issues between Tibet and China also made the importance of this experience something close to astronomical. We are very lucky.

At about 1:30pm Geshes Kelsang Damdul and Geshe Jamphel arrived. It was a good sign that the time was drawing near. Geshe Kelsang Damdul is the assistant director of the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics. Geshe Jamphel is the principal of the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies. Both are revered in within the community here for the scholarship and accomplishments. At near 2:00pm we received the signal to mobilize and all followed the monks towards the center of the Institute. A large crowed had gathered in a semi-circle on the massive concrete patio in front of the main four-story building. The architecture was much like many of the buildings here, concrete and squarish, but this one was adorned with colored paint, and square pillars and corners were incut with intricate interwoven lines and Tibetan symbols. We were ushered along the sides of the crowd of lay Tibetans, and monks and nuns. After a brief acknowledgement from security we moved up to main arched entryway of the Institute and after only a moment were ushered in by Geshe-la Kelsang Damdul.

The second security check went smoothly. Cameras were not allowed, so we had all left them at our houses, and phones had to be turned off. We were all ushered into a small room. About 45 plastic seats were placed in rows of eight or so, all in front of one single brown wicker chair. Whether on purpose or not, we’ll never know, but the chairs for us to sit in were all red and white. Did they know these are Miami’s colors? We sat and waited for another solid hour for His Holiness to arrive. We had plenty of time to check out the décor. Various Thangkas hung from the walls depicted such deities as Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, Tara, and others I didn‘t recognize. A large incense burner fumed, and added to the spirituality of the place. Again the upper wall borders were striped with red, yellow, and green, and which created a warm glow when combined with the rest of the orange painted wall color scheme.

After many door-opening false alarms, the moment finally came and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet was ushered in. Having read so much about His Holiness, of his exodus to India from Tibet in 1959, of the creation of a democratic government, and system for refugee processing and aid in exile, and having experienced many aspects of Tibetan culture through being here, observing, recording, interviewing, and talking with those to whom some my own experiences pale in comparison, I was very honored to be sitting where I was at that moment. He was accompanied by his personal envoy, and instructed us to sit down before he had reached his own chair.

We sat and Dr. Sidky, from the right side of the front row, began by thanking His Holiness for giving us the audience. He introduced Glenn Platt from AIMS at Miami, and told His Holiness of Dr. Platt’s multiple projects involving the preservation of ancient texts, and the creation of a freely accessible on-line Tibetan language learning software. Dr. Sidky also explained that Miami University had been bringing students to the area for over five years. He reminded the Dalai Lama about the memorandum that the University signed with His Holiness last December, solidifying the semester-long Tibetan Studies Program that we are all engaged in this Fall. Dr. Sidky also gifted to the Tibetan leader a celebratory text commemorating Miami University’s 200 years, and explained that the Provost’s invitation to visit the Oxford campus was still open. The Dalai Lama warmly acknowledged these words, and motioned for the eight or so students from the British School from New Delhi to begin with their questions.

Stay tuned.

2009-10-26T23:25:00.002-04:00

Alley in Mcleod on the way to temple

Rhesus Monkey

Tibetan Script on the Kora outside of the Dalai Lama's Temple

Coffee Talk Cafe

The Norling Restaurant

Hotel Tibet

Typical scene Mcleod Ganj

Monks walking towards Bagsu Road

Life in Mcleod

2009-10-25T08:19:00.004-04:00

Having a tough time with picture uploads, so bear with me and check back later!

Last week was our first week at our new homes in Mcleod Ganj. The night before we left, on the 16th all of the Tibetan roommates put together a farewell party for us. They bought loads of cookies and soda, and invited us all to the third floor classroom after dinner. We shuffled in and proceeded to indulge in sweets, games, and good times. Everyone played classic camp games such as the human knot and duck duck goose, and all had a wonderful time. I took a break halfway through to have a Tibetan language tutor session with my teacher, Karma-la, and for a solid hour could hear the sounds of cheers, clapping, laughter, and the occasional fall of someone who tried to take those turns during duck, duck, goose a little too tightly.

The next morning some were milling about while others were packing and saying goodbyes. We rode up to Mcleod ganj, taking the now familiar roads to our new homes. Situated all throughout Mcleod the residences vary from two room apartments to two floor houses. Some have hot water, others only cold. Some have cable TV, others conversation. Some speak English well, some are learning Tibetan. Some have a private bathroom, others have to walk down the hall!!! Whatever the arrangements one thing remains the same -- nobody is underfed. It is Tibetan custom to offer food until one firmly refuses to eat anymore. This custom stems from the urge to make one’s guest feel at home, and to show that they don’t have to be shy about asking for anything, especially seconds during mealtime!

Classes are located at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics at the bottom of Temple road. Each student walks to class every day, the furthest being about fifteen minutes away. Class times have been rearranged so that nobody has to walk home late at night, and so that the students have the afternoons mostly free. Buddhist Philosophy and Peoples and Cultures of Southeast Asia continue in a small, traditional Tibetan classroom, with pads on the floors and low tables for taking notes on. Dr. Sidky looks especially distinguished teaching behind a golden Khata on a padded throne-like chair. The applied anthropology guest lecture series continues as well from the library of the Institute, Our most recent lectures there have been from the health department and the institute itself.

Despite being spread out all over town the students meet regularly for classes, and get together to socialize afterwards. Some miss their roommates at the Sarah Institute and have made the trip once or twice back down the hill to visit with them. One of the favorite local hotspots is the Tibetan-run Coffee Talk Café, where one can order a macchiato complete with a portrait of the customer’s face drawn in chocolate syrup on the foam. Another is the Norling Restaurant, which serves a fantastic bowl of the traditional Tibetan noodle soup, thentuk. Hotel Tibet has a great rooftop dining room and serves everything from peanut masala to thentuk, to meat and veggie momos, and other traditional Indian/Tibetan cuisine. If you are going for a trek then Osha’s breadshop is a great place to stock up on bread, cheese, nuts, and other nutritional snacks like hummus and raisins. They also sell some good dietary supplements and vitamin C tablets. It is owned by a middle-aged Indian man, and the bread is baked daily on Bagsu road. Better get there early or it might be sold out!

One can sit at any one of these places, plug into the Internet, watch the eagles and Himalayan Griffons fly by, do homework, listen to the multi-ethnic conversations that are constantly brewing around us, etc.. I’ve personally heard dialogue in Hindi, Tibetan, German, English, Gaddi, French, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, and those are just the few that I can recognize. I was told by my host mother that during the 1960s there were only one or two westerners that came here for tourism or to study Buddhist philosophy. Now Dharamsala and Mcleod are a melting pot for cultural seekers, scholars, students, travelers, tourists, vagabonds, philosophers, and adventure addicts from around the world. It makes for quite an interesting place.

According to recent news sources four Tibetans were executed last Tuesday for their involvement in the March riots of 2008. There have been candlelight vigils nightly, and a rolling twelve hour hunger strike is in progress. This is a heart-breaking tragedy to many here, and has worsened opinions that peace talks will resume positively in the near future. See the New York Times report here.

Tomorrow is a big day. We have an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Norbulingka Institute (linked on the right). We will have the chance to ask two questions to him, so we’d better make them good! What would you ask if you had the chance?

Thanks for reading!
Zack

Student Projects, Part 2

2009-10-16T05:51:00.002-04:00

Continued from Student Project, Part 1:

Stephen’s research deals with the Tibetan language. He has identified through research that language is central to the Tibetan identity. In His Holiness’ Memorandum to the Chinese government it is stated that the preservation of Tibetan language is the top priority. The dichotomy between written and spoken Tibetan makes it one of the world’s unique languages, and also one of the most difficult to learn. One of the most popular language learning tools for Tibetan is the Monlam Universal Tibetan Pronuncations computer software. This program allows users to hear pronunciations of all of the consonants, vowels, prefixes, suffixes, and character modifications used in written and spoken Tibetan. It also has an extensive vocabulary list, readings, stories, and explanations of the development of the language, and differences between informal, and honorific speech. Unfortunately it is entirely in Tibetan, which makes navigation and the readings difficult for English speakers. Stephen’s objective is to help make this Tibetan language learning tool available for widespread use by learners in India, Nepal, Bhutan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and even Tibet, where a non-political program would perhaps be accepted by the Chinese government. He would like to translate it into English, retool the program for ease of use, and find the means to distribute it internationally.

Jennie is interested in human rights issues in Tibet. She has found that the Central Tibetan Administration can only sponsor eighty political prisoners, providing food, shelter, etc. each year for a maximum of three years, after which a new group is cycled in. She is interested in sponsorships, grants, and donations that are available to help political prisoners not under the aid of the CTA. Her other main focus, in conjunction with Renate, is the issue of lack of treatment for political prisoners suffering from trauma. She is interested in fostering international awareness of their suffering, and will be working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst house in order to bring a trained specialist to Dharamsala to help train further counselors and treat the victims of torture. Jennie will be an intern with the State Department this Spring and will be working with them to write grants and proposals to create action and aid for those struggling here.

Drew is studying the political situation between Tibet and China. He has found that there are two camps within the community that have their own beliefs and opinions in regards to the Dalai Lama’s Middle-Way approach to Tibet-China situation. The first is comprised of those who support His Holiness’ approach of autonomy within the Chinese constitution and and who are willing to compromise with the Chinese government. The second, and according to his research, minority camp, is made up of those who believe that Tibet should have total independence from China. Drew has been asking his interviewees what they think the next big change is that needs to happen in order for talks with China to proceed. Their answer has been unanimous: China needs to be less stubborn, and make decisions based on a more democratic process. Drew has found that when there are still two sides (Middle-Way vs. Independence) it allows China to look only at the independence side and to use its existence as a way to justify their current policies towards Tibet. His focus now lies on discovering ways to reach educated Chinese with information on the Dalai Lamas policies, so that incorrect views displayed by the Chinese government can be remedied.

Liz has chosen the environment for her area of study. Throughout the research process she has been able to discern that there is a severe lack of environmental education going on within the Tibetan community. The students here at Sarah genuinely wish to help the environment, but haven’t been taught how. Liz’s research is aimed at giving the Sarah campus a more science based focus, and providing improvements to the waste system here. She has found that the garbage cans on campus are labeled according to whether or not they are for trash, plastic and glass, or aluminum. Each one is correctly labeled, but are done so in Tibetan using a script that many of the students are still learning. Part of her project is to add universal symbols - pictures - to the garbage cans so that their use can be clearly understood. She is also searching for scientific documentaries that can be donated to the college. Using the video editing studio at Sarah these videos can be dubbed in Tibetan and shown to the students, which she believes will help educate them and raise environmental awareness

Sarah is working with the monastic community here. Freedom of religion is one of the main reasons many Tibetans move into exile. As mentioned in the last update, Buddhist philosophy permeates almost every facet of Tibetan culture, and certainly has a profound effect on daily life. Thus, the preservation of religion is plays an important role in the preservation of the culture as a whole. She’s interviewed a number of monks on campus and has found that none of them have been supported by their families. She’s been researching the Department of religion and culture, which is set up to operate and maintain the monastic community. Like many of the students at Sarah, the monks under the umbrella of the monastic system also receive a stipend, but theirs is only about 200 rupees per year for a maximum of 15 years. Those not receiving the stipend supplement their income by have large prayer groups in temples. These group prayer sessions are often requested and paid for by sponsors. The money they make is redistributed amongst the monks, and can be used for a meal or two typically, but there is never any net gain. Sarah has identified another issue as well: a large number of the most proficient teachers are being lost to the western world, and there are only a fraction of masters (Geshes) left in Tibet. Her project will be seeking solutions to these problems in terms of international NGOs and financial support groups/sponsors.

These are brief descriptions of the projects that each student has designed. The work put into these projects far exceeds the justice I have done them in a paragraph or so. But the semester is only half over. Each student will moving toward having a real and positive impact on the Tibetan community here through their research and action, and we are all excited to see in which direction these

Student Projects, Part 1

2009-10-16T03:06:00.000-04:00

This week concludes our stay at the Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies. On Friday we will all be moving ten kilometers up into the mountains to the town of Mcleod Ganj, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes his residence. As mentioned earlier, the Tibetan Government in Exile is located here, and has strong concentrations of departments and offices located throughout Mcleod and Dharamsala. It’s been a busy couple of weeks. All of the students have been thoroughly engaged in independent research, and have each produced a needs assessment paper according to feedback they have received from government officials, their roommates, and the students and teachers on campus. The next step is to create a policy brief to be hypothetically sent to a congressman, state senator, or President Obama on what action should be taken to improve one issue based on the needs of the Tibetan community.

The purpose of this is that when the students return to Miami in Ohio they will be presented with opportunities to talk about their experiences here, and may be asked some difficult questions by both American students and Miami’s large Chinese population. What would your answer be if a student said, “I was taught as a youth that Tibet has always been a part of China”, or perhaps “The Dalai Lama is a separatist that only wants independence for Tibet, and is conducting his peaceful campaign under the disguise of the middle-way path.” These are difficult issues to address.

Each student gave a short presentation on the results of the first stage of his/her research during class yesterday. Here’s the minutes:

Justin is working with the members of the administration to create a promotional video for the Sarah Institute, that will be shown to many international organizations and donors to the college, as well as prospective students. Throughout the research process it came to Justin’s attention that one of the biggest challenges for the college was money, and his video is designed with this in mind. He has been working hard to find out about the significant role that Sarah plays in the Tibetan community. Like many students he has been interviewing the Tibetan student body here, faculty, and administrators to record life histories, the history of the college, classes and activities here, and their position withing the larger scope of the Tibetan community.

Emily is creating a traditional Tibetan cookbook for the Tibetan community in and around Dharamsala. She has found that most of these traditional recipes are passed down orally. Because many of the older generations stay in Tibet, and cannot afford to make the trip across the border into Nepal, Bhutan, and India, there are less ways for Tibetan youth to learn about their traditional cuisine. Indian cuisine has also had a large influence on traditional Tibetan meals, and a new wave of culinary art is being introduced into the mainstream. Emily has contacted Abbot Laboratories in Ohio, and is trying to work with them to get nutritional supplements and information to the Tibetan community. Abbot also has an internship program, and Emily will working on sending a Tibetan woman to the United States to attend the program. The woman would then be able to spread nutritional facts to the Tibetan community upon her return. She is working closely with Ryan on several facets of her project.

Renate’s project is centered around support for and awareness of female political prisoners. Throughout her research she has noticed a lack in counseling and emotional/mental support for women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has found that many women are horribly mistreated and tortured in Chinese prisons in ways that men are not. Upon her return to Miami Renate will be the President of the Association for Women’s Studies at Miami, and will take a proactive role in creating a partnership between AWS and the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). Through this partnership she hopes to bring awareness to the plight of the female political prisoners. To generate this awareness Renate hopes to include a spotlight monologue in the popular Vagina Monologues, which will run on a national scale. The proceeds generated for this on campus she would like to donate to the TWA. She is also planning on working with Dr. Akers and the Amethyst House in Columbus, Ohio to offer further support in terms of counseling and treatment to these women.

Ryan is also working on nutritional education within the Tibetan community. He’s come up with the B.E.A.N. program. The acronym stands for Breakfast Education Adds Nutrition program. Through interviews Ryan has been able to discern a real need within the community at Sarah. Many students complain of getting hungry at night, because dinner is early -- at 5:30pm. Most of them receive a stipend each month from the school to help provide them with certain needs, but it is only 200 rupees per month, or about four dollars. Buying snacks and sodas becomes out of the question. It is often the case that the only snacks available are salty and sweet treats like chocolate and chips. Through the B.E.A.N. program Ryan hopes to educate and implement alternate eating schedules for the students to provide them with a more nutritional, balanced diet. For breakfast most only have tea and toast, and according to his research, don’t have the opportunity to get sufficient amounts of vitamins and protein. He will see about moving dinner to a later date, and providing free healthy snack for the students each day, such as nuts or fruit. Simple things like switching white rice to brown rice could improve help when implemented on a daily basis. Coupled with educational pamphlets about nutrition he hopes to develop good eating habits amongst the younger generations.

Brian is focused on the economic stability of the Tibetan refugee system in Dharamsala. His interviews and research have indicated that financial support for the Tibetan school system is solid. Most of the funding for educational programs is facilitated through the government. But 40% of Tibetans that come into exile are over the age of 30 and can’t go to school, which creates problem and a need for job training. This is done through transit schools or the Institute for small trades learning. These institutes train adults to be tailors, computer specialists, restaurant owners, carpenters, etc. Brian has found that while programs for education are well funded, these other institutes are often left wanting. His continuing research is focused on exploring economic stability options and income generating enterprises like micro finance, and will be looking at the kinds of support that comes in from NGOs and international organizations in regards to them.

Alyssa is asking the question, “what does it mean to be Tibetan?” She has been in contact with numerous students on Sarah’s campus and is curiously exploring the multifaceted Tibetan identity. Because cultural preservation is such as large project outlined by the Central Tibetan Administration, it is important for an anthropologist to understand how the Tibetans construct their identity, and in turn their culture. She has found that through education many Tibetans play an active role in this preservation. Sarah institute is a primary educational institute in terms of language and religion, and as such is also one of the most concentrated research locations for fieldwork of this kind. Alyssa has also been studying what happens when groups of Tibetans are sent to America, and how they struggle with cultural preservation there.

Jackie is our art education specialist. Her interest here is on ancient Tibetan Thanke paintings and the Norbulingka Institute, where artists are trained and paintings are created. She’s been in contact with a Thanke master, and has been looking into transit schools and the Tibetan Library and Works for more information on the creation and preservation of the paintings. Through her research she has found that the 12 year training program offered at the Norbunlingka Institute is too expensive for many students to pay for to attend all at once. Currently the Institute has twenty-five students, but its directors may have to limit attendance to twenty students next year due to lack of funds to pay for facilities and teachers. Thanke paintings tell stories related to the schools, teachings, and practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Since Buddhism is so central almost every facet of Tibetan life, both for the monastic communities and the laypeople, the preservation of the art of Thanke is paramount. Jackie has considered splitting up the program into three year sections so that students could have a gradual payment plan, and could use their education after each three-year period to produce enough art to get by and pay for the next section of their schooling. She would also like to work with Glenn Platt of AIMS at Miami to work on digitizing important works for preservation. Another project Jackie is working on in conjunction with other students in the program is to put together a Thanke exhibit at the Miami University Art museum. The general idea is to raise funds to bring the Thanke master, or other educated Thanke painter to the United States where he/she would raise awareness through giving presentations at the Miami Art Museum, the Cincinnati Art Museum, OAEE, and other Ohio art education programs.

More student projects to come later today. Enjoy!

Concerning class and activities

2009-09-28T00:40:00.004-04:00

Before commenting on the students' classes and various activities it is worth mentioning the field trip we went on the weekend of the 19th. We began at the Tibetan Department of Information and International relations (DIIR) in Dharamsala, where the protocol officer gave us the rundown on the multifaceted nature of this section of the Central Tibetan Administration.

The DIIR handles information and publication of the environmental, political, and human rights conditions in Tibet. It is in charge of the education of the Tibetan community in regards to those things, and the publication of magazines and newspapers as well. We were given a tour of the DIIR complex, which handles the communications and publications in regards to the 11 offices of Tibet in New Delhi, Kathmandu, Geneva, New York, Tokyo, London, Moscow, Brussels, Canberra, Pretoria, and Taipei. The department also handles the publication of two Tibetan magazines and newspapers for the general Tibetan public. Below is a picture of the printing press.

After our stay at the DIIR we moved on to the library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which is an integral part of the preservation of Tibetan culture. Founded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1970, the library acts as a resource center for the promotion of the exchange of ideas between students and scholars. Since it's opening in 1970 the library has been active in acquiring manuscripts, artifacts, works of art, and books, and gives access to the Tibetan community to these things. It provides copies and prints of its holdings and is a reference center for such resources. The archives contain bibliographies and documentation of all of the artifacts and literature kept by the library, and is it's own publishing company as well. The colorfully shelved scrolls and Tibetan manuscripts were an impressive site to us, and really spoke of the rich heritage characteristic of Tibetan culture.

Today marks the beginning of the third week of classes here at Sarah. Languages offered are Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, and Tibetan. Some of the more brave students are taking two languages at once, such as Tibetan and Hindi. Buddhist philosophy is taught by Geshe-la Graham Woodhouse, an accomplished British monk who has spent over 15 years in the area. He began the course with a history of the development of Buddhism in Tibet, as it came to popularity over the previously practiced Bon religion. He has now begun to introduce concepts such as the four noble truths and the six addresses of rebirth to the class.

    As an added supplement to the class Geshe-la Woodhouse is running 45 minute meditation sessions every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Those interested have been learning the value of breathing meditation, and how it can provide a healthy experience to the practitioner through relieving the mind of judgment and overactive thought. Slightly more eerie, but equally as valuable has been the meditation on death! The first session was today and I think the participants left with a sense of energy and urgency to use their time on this planet wisely!

    Tibetan medicine is taught by Dr. Raj, a specialist in ayurvedic medicine and traditional Tibetan healing arts. He teaches about interrelatedness of all of the systems functioning within the body, how they can be affected by the outside world, and what can be done to restore unbalanced parts to their natural rhythms. Remaining in harmony with one’s environment and spirituality are important concepts. Students will have the opportunity to visit his, and other clinics in the area to observe these medical practices firsthand.

    Other courses being taken include ethnographic field methods, where students learn interview and mapping techniques, as well as research project design. Coupled with the applied anthropology course taught by Dr. Akers the students will have a chance to turn project design into implementation by completing needs assessment surveys with the local community. Each student is conducting research as if he or she intends to create a business plan for a Tibetan merchant, provide health care to pre-diabetic monks, or streamline the efficiency of the check-in process for newly arrived Tibetan refugees. This research involves conducting interviews and talking with policy makers, members of the Central Tibetan Administration, monks, and laypeople within the community here and in nearby Mcleod Ganj.

    Optional activities for the students have been a good source of insight, exercise, and fun. Students that are interested a more action-packed experience than what meditation has to offer have been attending pulse-quickening martial arts classes, taught by program director Dr. Sidky. Basketball is played daily by the Tibetan students on campus. Both men’s and women’s teams have formed, and two students have even played games against opposing teams from Dharamsala and Mcleod Ganj! For tight muscles and stiff joints a few of us have participated in yoga class, taught by a very skilled member of our group! After one hour and a half session I felt as if I was walking taller and with more energy than I ever have before. The list goes on. Carom board, ping-pong, chess, roof-top jam sessions, trekking the Himalayas (!), badminton, shopping trips to Mcleod, camping trips, and more keep everyone happy and busy, with the occasional short night’s sleep.

There are just three weeks left on the Sarah campus before students move to their homestays in Mcleod Ganj. Many have found their experiences here fulfilling, relaxing, or just plain comfortable, and wish they could stay the whole time! Others have been challenged by their stay here, have learned from it, and are open to the new experience that will be living with a Tibetan family.

One last note of good news: Our private audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been approved, and we are awaiting to hear of the exact date. Needless to say, we are all excited to meet the world leader, and to represent our school and country by listening to his words, asking of him questions, and showing our appreciation for him giving us his time and energy.

Thanks for reading,
All the best,
Zack

A Teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

2009-09-21T01:57:00.007-04:00

On Tuesday, September 15^th we were all given the unique opportunity to attend a teaching by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics temple complex in Mcleod Ganj. We were among the 1,400 foreigners that registered to attend the event along with 2,600 other devotees. The Korean delegation who paid for the event sat within the walls of the Dalai Lama's inner chamber. His Holiness sat next to large statues of the Buddha of compassion and Guru Rinpoche, and spoke with a well-articulated and measured pace. We were given am/fm radios through which we could hear an English-translation of the talk, which was presented in the Tibetan tongue. We were surrounded by monks from our sitting mats, outside of the chamber, which were positioned only 45 feet away from His Holiness. Through open doors and windows some of us were able to catch glimpses of him as he spoke. For security reasons taking pictures was not allowed.

For nearly an hour before H.H.D.L. appeared the Korean group stood and recited a series of prayers in unison, to the beat of a gock block. As the series of prayers came to a closing the Dalai Lama’s envoy appeared, with His Holiness in the middle, at the far end of the large open-air hall. Devotees on both sides of his pathway extended their hands and bowed their heads reverently as he passed by and entered the crowded inner chamber.

He began by greeting those that were in attendance, and those whose first time it was to hear a teaching. He explained that the teaching was from the Mahayana section of Buddhism, and offered some briefly profound statements about existence, one’s true identity, and the nature of emptiness. He went on to provide an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, which I appreciated, having not studied the subject for over a year. He spoke of the four noble truths, and described each in detail, particularly the part about cessation of suffering.

As he taught Tibetan flat bread, or palay, was handed out from buckets held by monks, and butter tea was served in styrofoam cups (a modern development that TESI – Tibetan environmental group – is trying to change.) I personally drank four cups, as apparently the beverage is an acquired taste that not all enjoy!

After describing the four noble truths he talked about his role as a teacher, and argued that one must have the proper motivation for giving a teaching. One must not be motivated by fame, promotion, jealousy, or competition. It was his testimony that teaching with these things in mind would cause the accumulation of negative karma. He also explained that the role of the student during a teaching was not only to listen to gain personal benefits, but also to have deep faith in the Buddhist teaching.

Much of what was taught after this point was above my level of understanding. At times it was difficult to understand the English translator. At times I lacked the knowledge of the religion needed to be familiar with certain references. From what I could understand a large part of the teaching was His Holiness’ interpretation of an Indian master’s commentary on a text of the Buddha’s word. From Buddha, to Indian master, to His Holiness, it is no wonder that some of the points were lost in translation!

When he left, the spiritual leader walked directly past our group, not more than five feet away. Even if we couldn’t understand every detail of what was said the students and I left the temple feeling appreciative of the experience we had all shared. It is remarkable that the program has hit such a high point so early in the semester.

2009-09-13T04:47:00.000-04:00

The first full day at Sarah opened with a hearty breakfast at 8:30am. Students were tired after traveling for so long, but arrived and ate. There was oatmeal with cashews, banana and apple fruit salad, pancakes with honey and peanut butter, and hard-boiled eggs. At 9:30am we all attended a brief orientation conducted by acting Principal of Sarah, Passang-La. He briefly described the history of the Institute, its purpose, student base, and founder, the venerable late Lobsang Gyatso.

After introducing our new living space Passang-La formalized a very basic set of rules by which we are all to abide by while living at Sarah: No drugs, no alcohol, no boys in the girls dorms, and no girls in the boys dorms. Straightforward and easy to understand.

The large concrete guesthouse resembles a dormitory more so than one might think from its name. It stands three stories tall, and stretches long enough to allow for six dorm rooms, and one special room on the far end of each floor. The dining hall sits on the ground floor, special purpose room on the second floor, and library/classroom on the third, each situated directly above or below the other two. The stairway continues to a roof access door, where students can dry laundry, relax to the view of the Himalayas after class, or stargaze at night. Not a bad break room.

After the brief orientation we were directed to a tea party in the lawn, across from the temple on campus. Students and faculty conversed over delicious chai and snacks, which were given as yet another friendly gesture of welcome to us all. Geshe-La Kelsang Damdul, the foremost contact for the Tibetan Studies Program, one of its program directors, and extremely well-learned lama, said a few words about his delight for the program and gave assurances for a good six weeks to come. We all refer to him as Geshe-La. It is a formal term equivalent to calling someone "doctor" who holds a PhD. A Geshe degree is earned after a rigorous program, which for Geshe-La lasted twelve years.

Afterwards Passang-La led a tour of the Sarah campus, beginning at the temple. Tibetan monks were receiving a teaching as we tip-toed past to view scriptures stored in beautiful colored wraps in the front, behind the altar of the Buddha. Many butter lamps lined the raised space at the front of the temple as well. The Buddha himself sits at over five feet tall, and offering of cookies and crackers lie at his side.

Passang-La also showed us the location of the library, which includes sections of both English and Tibetan books. Every year we make donations every year by buying our own books to give them in Mcleod. From the library we took the stairs to the roof. Passang-La pointed out both the girls and the boys dorms, and then allowed students to explore at their leisure. The rest of the afternoon we had free time to prepare for the official welcome reception at 7:00pm.

The students were then told that they were going to have the chance to perform a special song or dance for the Tibetans during the reception event. They were startled at the sudden glare of the spotlight, but resolved to put on a good show. They put theit heads together to come up with something worthy. With such a limited time frame, and equally as limited resources it was difficult at first to figure out what to do. In the end they decided to perform Miami’s fight song along with a re-written version about the Sarah Institute to honor them and show gratitude for being able to study amongst the students and faculty here. Other musicians in the group prepared two songs, one a duet, and one a group piece. Everyone practiced hard to be ready, as we knew that the Tibetans were preparing a show of their own, but we had no idea how amazing it would be.

The stage was set on the basketball court. A huge Tibetan national flag was hung across one of the hoops. It was at least twelve feet long and nearly reached the ground. Four spotlights lit up the width of the court from a few feet shy of the half-court line, all directed towards the shining flag. The light and sound table, off to the side, were manned by four Tibetans who were talking intensely, making small adjustments to their equipment, and doing sounds tests on the two center stage microphones on stands. There were at least one hundred and fifty chairs neatly set in rows. Half were red and half were white, split down the middle. At the front row several miniature coffee tables were set out at the base of the chairs, and a larger one spanned the front of the three chairs that sat directly in the front middle, which were reserved for perhaps the most honored guest staying among us: a nine-year-old rinpoche, or reincarnated master.

This particular child is so special because all of the signs that were followed by Tibetan masters pointed to him as the reincarnation of the founder of the Sarah Institute, or the venerable late Lobsang Gyatso, who was killed in the late 1990s by assailants of an opposing religious faction. I hesitate to write anymore about the details surrounding the circumstances of his death, because this issue is very sensitive, and is not one that I have learned enough about to publish here. What is important is that according to traditional Buddhist philosophy his soul was reincarnated as a human boy, was found by high-ranking members of the religion, and that he is now staying amongst us at the very place he created to preserve Tibetan language and culture. Amazing!

Following a warmly delivered welcome by Geshe-La we were blessed with the magnificence that was a Tibetan dance troupe. The opening act. These six guys, dressed in sneaks, jeans, white dress shirts, black coats, and fedoras, knocked our socks off with a dance to the tune of "this is your first time in India?", which to our delight was a bumpy techno rap with a catchy melody. Currently working on getting it up on Youtube, but because of the low Internet speed on campus I'll have to wait until we can make a trip into Mcleod Ganj. There should be a good Internet connection at a cafe there.

The rest of the event consisted of well-practiced cultural performances from many of the students at Sarah. Various regions of Tibet were represented through both dance and song, and the MC never missed the chance to slip in a joke or sly comment in between acts. The costumes were so well done they seemed authentic and historical. Three-stringed Tibetan drayuns, yak-fir boots and coats, beautiful flowing sari's for the women all showed well how rich of a cultural heritage Tibet has, and they were a harsh reminder as to what could be lost if Tibetan culture disappears. These reminders of history meshed in a strangely fascinating way with the ultra-modern in-your-face opening act we witnessed.

The Miami performance was done well considering the short amount of time the students had to prepare. The fight song went off without a hitch, and Tibetans clapped along during portions of it. The Sarah remix was celebrated with applause, and the musical encores, songs "Rise" by Eddie Vedder, and American traditional "You are my Sunshine" were also appreciated. The whole night was a great success and we all left the stage feeling good, and hopefully ready for day two!

On the Road to Dharamsala

2009-09-11T05:35:00.005-04:00

After staying two nights in the YMCA hostel in New Delhi, we began the last leg of our journey to Dharamsala at 6:00am, after a modest breakfast of hard boiled-eggs, jam, and toast. The drive would finally take us thirteen hours, three stops, and through three regions of India.

We began in the National Capital Region of India, or N.C.R., which is home to the nation’s capital, Delhi. Our observations led us to believe that this area is more densely populated than the neighboring region to the north, Punjab. For over an hour we drove through what seemed to be the city of Delhi, and only upon passing the gigantic and unsightly landfill on the outskirts did the walls of urban sprawl seem to shrink. Many students gazed out of their windows, contemplating their new surroundings while others, more concerned with reaching their destination, plugged into iPods and mp3 players, closed their eyes and let the miles pass them by. Still more played cards, or made new friends with their jeep’s driver.

Our first stop was at a roadside station that served chai and various Indian foods, produce, sodas and fruit drinks. While on the road we were split into five Toyota hatch-back sedans that in the states would be called cross-over vehicles. Once again together as a group at the fueling station we were able to discuss our observations. Generally, traffic was thought to be insane, pity was laid on the working children, and the many regarded as impoverished and crippled were regarded with sympathetic eye.

Our second stop was for lunch at a clean little place called the Water Lily, where we were served authentic Indian cuisine that mimics what most of us are used to in the States: saag paneer, tikka masala, lentils and curry, complete with healthy servings of Nan. Having just gotten over a minor bout of food poisoning myself, this meal was a welcome stimulant to my palette, and the best I’d had in three days. Other students agreed, and we filled our stomachs with firsts, and seconds.

Back on the road it took us just a couple of hours to reach the Punjab region, home of the ethnic Punjabi, as well as the religious Sihks, and many Hindus as well. From what we were able to observe, the Punjab region can be characterized by lush farmlands. It rained the entire three hours it took us to drive through the region. As the monsoon season is still going on (but soon to end) this was expected. Nevertheless it added an additionally nerve-racking component to the already harrowing driving experience. Between the green flora, the pouring rain, high speeds, and the five jeeps piled high with bags and people, we sort of felt like we were in a scene from Jurassic Park!

By the time we reached Himachal Pradesh I was ready to arrive. From what I heard though the students had plenty to occupy them on the way up and thought for the most part that the drive hadn’t felt as long as it was. Just as we entered the mountains south of Dharamsala, about 60 kilometers out, the rain broke and a rainbow hung in the sky for the rest of the drive.

It was actually uncanny, and a bit of a good omen that the rain bow held it’s position until the very moment before we pulled into the Sarah Institute. I’ve never been able to see the end of a rainbow so clearly, where the pot of gold is supposed to be, but on this occasion it was visible until we came within a hundred yards or so, and led us directly to Sarah. Myself, Renate, Jackie, and Tibetan coordinator Karma-La all laughed and mused at what we took to be a positive sign.

When we pulled into Sarah we were greeted by waves and smiling faces. Each of the Tibetan students held a piece of paper with the name of their American roommate on it, as well as a ceremonial Khata. A Khata is a thin white shawl that is placed over the head and draped around the neck of an honored person or guest, and is done so by the hosting person. It is a way to show gratitude and respect. Each of the Miami students was greeted in this traditional fashion. While the jeep drivers handled the luggage the eager students exchanged greetings and chatted excitedly with the people they will live with here for the next six weeks.

We were served dinner in the dining room on the first floor. Tibetan fair consisting of sautéed vegetables, bread, rice, and bananas. The students spent the rest of the evening conversing with their roommates and getting to know one another in their rooms. I went straight to bed.

2009-09-07T00:48:00.000-04:00

So far, so great. It's our last day in Bangkok, Thailand. Orientation is going well to the point of near perfection, as all of the students are readily sharing their hopes, fears, expectations, and aspirations for this semester, and are all actively launching themselves into Thai culture with gusto. Many students are looking to improve their language skills in Hindi, Chinese, and Tibetan. Others are looking forward to traveling, and the changes to one's comfort zone that travel brings. Still others are excited about living with members of another culture, and to being fully immersed in that culture. Students have also mentioned wanting to test their limits, learn about themselves, and form friendships with both members of the Miami group, and those existing outside. Some students have no expectations at all, and have chosen to go into the experience an open book.

Areas of study pursued by students include comparative reigion, anthropology, linguistics, Latin American studies, art education, political science, French, Chinese, and Spanish. Quite a diverse group!

More to come soon, with pictures and video,
all the best,
Zack

A taste of Thailand

2009-08-25T22:55:00.000-04:00

What follows are the musings of a student who was thoroughly entranced by his experiences during the Miami group's first full day in Bangkok, Thailand. It comes from a journal entry written last summer. The student who wrote the entry was in New Delhi at the YMCA Tourist Hostel when he transcribed his thoughts. His prose takes a spur of the moment, rapid fire personality:

Sitting on the balcony of a musty hotel room in New Delhi, India, putting together my thoughts from the last couple of days. The Hong Kong and Thailand airports were ultra cosmopolitan and modern. Shops catered to upper class.

Bangkok is huge. 5 star hotel, biggest breakfast buffet ever. Breads, muffins, danishes, donuts, 10 different fruits. Juices include guava, kiwi, orange, and others. Restaurant was on the fourth floor. Great view of the city. Skyscrapers everywhere. All streets lined with vendors selling knockoff souvenirs. Advertisements in Thai and English for domestic products and KFC, McDonald's, etc.

Started out May 12th at the holiest place in Thailand: Wat Phra Kaew, or the temple of the emerald Buddha. Crowds mostly oriental -- Whites the minority. Beautiful murals lined the inner walls of the square compound. All painted by hand -- took two years. Depicting scenes of nature, battles between fiends and monks, giant demonic tusked gods rising from the sea and eating people. A shrine at the entrance shows people in prayer kneeling, bowing repeatedly, chanting, praying, sticking incense in sand and in hard boiled egg offerings to statues of Buddha statues and the ox. Everything is played with golden squares, hand built. Shoes off to enter the actual temple. Took 3 years to make. Again, paintings line the inner walls. Scenes of fortified compounds, palaces, battles, agriculture, death, and birth. A monk sits in front of the rail chanting in the lotus position, reading scripture, checking his cell phone and bowing to ornately attired, in golden summer garb, the famous Emerald Buddha. He sits on top of a tower of gold plated majesty, and is about 3 feet tall in sitting position. Many people are sitting on their knees and praying. No pictures allowed inside. Offerings of the lotus flower and other symbols rest in collection plates at the front. The tour guide pays his respects, as do I. Might as well say yes to everything while I'm here. Might not ever come back and want to get the fullest experience.

After leaving the temple we go through a dense market. Tourist hunters fry and sell cheap threaded murals as a million smells of fresh meat being cooked and curry dishes steamed waft through the air. You can see inside the houses and into these peoples' seemingly poor, and to our eyes unorganized living spaces. Clothes hung up, pots and pans, people eating at dusty old tables or lazing on the ground or in chairs. Every now and then we see a big TV amongst the clutter. Very stark contrast.

Despite an obviously rigorous daily lifestyle, the Thai we have run into smile and are friendly. The market was one of the highlights of the day, even though it only took two minutes to walk through! This is because it was such an intense example of life.

We proceeded to a dock where we took a very long and thin boat to a narrow tributary off of the main river channel. Traffic decreased significantly and we were able to view more clearly what appeared to be the daily lives of the Thai. The riverside shanties looked to be of poor quality, but TVs, smiles, and waves from their occupants indicated that perhaps more value was placed on different facets of life, rather than on having things like cabinets stacked with matching plate sets and matching wallpaper schemes. The quality of life seems VERY rich here.

Some houses only have three walls and most are covered in a large drape that acts as a fourth. These fourth walls look like colored tapestries and probably provide just as much protection from rain and wandering eyes as they need to. Saw numerous monitor lizards, the biggest being about 6-7 feet long. They were just dozing in the sun, and children sat or played at water level almost beside them. Next to the shabbiest of shacks were 22 million (I asked) dollar houses made of beautiful brown wood, and constructed on stilts. Plant life is abundant. All residencies have numerous house plants on decks for aesthetic appeal and privacy. We passed vendors selling fresh greens, repairing houses, fishing, and sitting. Saw a couple cell phones. Almost everyone was waving.

That concludes this excerpt. I hope you enjoyed the delightful pictures and descriptive writing. More to come, thanks for reading,
all the best,
Zack

So it begins...

2009-08-25T22:19:00.002-04:00

Everyone is busy getting ready to depart. We all fly into San Fransisco from different airports around the country and then take off to Hong Kong as a group. There will be plenty of time en route for the students to brush up on their Hindi, decompress from the mad rush that is packing before a three month excursion, and to get to know each other. I am personally looking forward to the 15 hour flight for all of these reasons, most of all the third. Each and every one of the individuals attending the Tibetan studies program has something unique to offer to the group dynamics. I look forward to becoming well-acquainted with everyone and watching inevitable friendships form. Some of the greatest things we will all take from this experience when it is over are the relationships we form with each other along the way. We are coming together for the first time, some as friends, some as minor acquaintances, and some as complete strangers to conduct research, explore different cultures, learn about ourselves, expose ourselves to our fears, take chances, get into graduate school, make a difference, have fun, and the list goes on.

This program can be likened to a really good book in that once you pick it up you never want to put it down, and when you've turned the last page and finally finished it stays with you for a long time to come. If you're like me, you just might want to read it again.

There are so many fascinating connections that have been made over the course of a few years that the students draw upon for research and inspiration. Speakers from the Central Tibetan Administration (Parliment, Department of Information and International Relations, Supreme Justice Commission), Tibetan Children's Village, the Norbulingka Intitute for preservation of Tibetan culture, various NGO's (Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women's Association, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Tesi Environmental Awareness Movement), as well as experts in the fields of Tibetan medicine, Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan art, and many others. Each student's level of engagement can be as broad or as well-defined as he or she needs it to be.

The experience gained reaches well beyond classroom-style learning about the politics of an exiled government and powerful meditation techniques. While students will learn about and benefit from these types of situations they will also get hands on practice at conducting field research. During this process they will discover the intricacies of the interview, how to adapt to sensitive interview situations, new note-taking strategies, and how to be an assertive member of the academic and social community amongst their peers; Experiences that are crucial to one's success at higher levels of academia.

That's all for now. There will be more to come. Thanks for reading.
all the best,
Zack