Dharamsala/Mcleod Ganj
Today has been my best day in India, so it is definately time to blog. I have been in India for 2wo weeks and McleodGanj/Dhamasala for 10 days now and the uneasy adjustment period that I expected seems to be over. Not that expecting it made it any easier, but the real exposure to what the Tibetans are currently suffering sure does make me feel a little less sorry for myself.
I also have dear Lincoln to thank for being there for me as well.
After a terrible journey from Kochi, to get to MG by the 10th, I discovered there were no refugees at the school where I wanted to work. Through the school I found a young man who wanted English tutoring, and soon I found work teaching an Englsh class for adults but it didn't start until the following Monday. This is all voluntary.
So I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs in this rather less than idyllic town 1700m above sea level, waiting for Lincoln to arrive and entertain me.
My second day here I was disappointed to find out I'd missed out on a very large protest march of Tibetans walking for 6 months to China, I saw some people's photos and couldn't believe I'd missed it, after all, the town isn't that big.
But by Friday more marches were beginning, Saturday morning Lincoln and I heard what had happened in Lhasa, and saw more marches, some peaceful, some louder. Sunday morning we saw the burning of effigies and a chinese flag in the town centre.
On Monday the marching continued all day long and hasn't stopped since. Except for the evenings, the Tibetans, and supporters are marching all day long, chanting up and down the steep slopes of Mcleod Ganj, passing the same places 8 times a day. Passing out candles, putting up posters on latest news in Tibet, waving Tibetan flags. The nuns are on a hunger strike and there are reporters everywhere.
Not that the Indian shopkeepers are benefitting much from all the visitors.
And today I flew the Tibetan flag to my bag, they've been hard to come by the last couple of days. because I could no longer stand and watch these people pass me each day, whom I am getting to know much better now through volunteer, and not let them know that I care about their cause.
Acually I even marched, because the school now has kids, and I now have 3 jobs to go too each day.
I also have dear Lincoln to thank for being there for me as well.
After a terrible journey from Kochi, to get to MG by the 10th, I discovered there were no refugees at the school where I wanted to work. Through the school I found a young man who wanted English tutoring, and soon I found work teaching an Englsh class for adults but it didn't start until the following Monday. This is all voluntary.
So I was sitting around twiddling my thumbs in this rather less than idyllic town 1700m above sea level, waiting for Lincoln to arrive and entertain me.
My second day here I was disappointed to find out I'd missed out on a very large protest march of Tibetans walking for 6 months to China, I saw some people's photos and couldn't believe I'd missed it, after all, the town isn't that big.
But by Friday more marches were beginning, Saturday morning Lincoln and I heard what had happened in Lhasa, and saw more marches, some peaceful, some louder. Sunday morning we saw the burning of effigies and a chinese flag in the town centre.
On Monday the marching continued all day long and hasn't stopped since. Except for the evenings, the Tibetans, and supporters are marching all day long, chanting up and down the steep slopes of Mcleod Ganj, passing the same places 8 times a day. Passing out candles, putting up posters on latest news in Tibet, waving Tibetan flags. The nuns are on a hunger strike and there are reporters everywhere.
Not that the Indian shopkeepers are benefitting much from all the visitors.
And today I flew the Tibetan flag to my bag, they've been hard to come by the last couple of days. because I could no longer stand and watch these people pass me each day, whom I am getting to know much better now through volunteer, and not let them know that I care about their cause.
Acually I even marched, because the school now has kids, and I now have 3 jobs to go too each day.
posted by x kel at 1:09 AM
1 Comments:
Wow Kellie - coup in Thailand, pretests in India; you are a trouble maker!:-)
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