Not so baby steps

I woke up and wanted to eat before I took on the marathon. Unfortunately I didn't want the biscuits in my room. I got ready fast and began the climb. 248 stairs, 248 very steep stairs from my room to the main street. I climbed up, only stopping twice to catch my breath. Then I meandered over to the Peace cafe and crunched on my favorite breakfast of Muesli yogurt with banana and Mango. My newly made friend Phillip from Austria was there, we chatted for a good hour or so. Then down, down, down 302 slug covered steps to the Tips Tse Monastery. There I meditated for 1/2 an hour. Then my friend Nyima, a Monk at the monastery, talked to me some more about the sand mandala upstairs. We have been talking about it a lot, because I am trying to acquire the tools they use to make it. Apparently the one I got in Nepal is nothing like the ones they use here. This sand mandala is like nothing I have imagined as they have managed to stack the sand 3 dimensionally. I said goodbye to Nyima and he double checked that I would be at the ceremony where they blow the mandala away. They only make it once a year so it is a special occasion. I told him I wouldn't miss it for the world then began the ridiculous hike back up, up, up the 302 steps.



I grabbed some 10 rupee momos (20cent dumplings) from the street vendor and turned down the begging mother who uses her child to get money. There is a place right up the street that watches children for free so that women can work, so I have minimal sympathy. After my snack I head to The Tibet Post, where I am volunteering. I spend a good 2 hours working on a grant proposal, which is a rather new experience for me. I read some stories about the Olympics in China and find myself wondering why the Olympic committee picked somewhere so corrupt and evil to hold the Olympics.

Next I get dinner at an Indian restaurant, Matter Paneer and Garlic Naan with Hot Ginger water, yum. It's starting to rain, as it often does here, and I realize that I left my big rainbow umbrella at the Tibet Post. I run down the hill as fast as I can to Gu Chu Sum, where I am volunteering in the evenings. Gu Chu Sum is a safe-place and school for Ex-political prisoners of Tibet. Each night I come and practice conversational English with the sweetest group of people you could imagine. Tonight was especially hard as Panden is explaining to me how China was forcing abortions and sterilizations on the Tibetan women in his community. He took a stand and protested the actions, a brave move that landed him in prison for 13 years. He told me about the torture, and how they tied him up from the ceiling by his thumbs and hit him in the stomach with a stick. 13 years later when he escaped to India they tortured his family for 20 days after. I didn't want to cry in front of him, it was a challenge. There are 20 students at GuChuSum, all with similar stories. On my way out one of the students, Choukyi, lent me her umbrella. Tomorrow I am teaching them all a Yoga class.


I am spending one month here, and this is a pretty typical day here. I am really glad to be here during the Olympics, supporting Tibet. I'd like to ask all of you reading to please keep your television tuned away from the Olympics. I don't support a country that denies the most basic human rights.

This place is amazing. Good people, good food, amazing mountains, and lots of chances to volunteer. It's also very humbling. I'm very blessed to know that my family and friends are safe and sound. I hope you all know how much you mean to me.

ALL my love