Monday, March 23, 2009

the run down

It has been a while since I last “updated”, so I will summarize the last two weeks with bullet points.

-discovered that there is an entire “Tin Tin in Tibet” cartoon and have become completely engrossed by a comics at age 23.

-Invited to visit rural Nepal with two high Lamas, (if anyone can think of a reason why I should not jump at this opportunity right away please tell me)

-Learning to cook for my roommates, I think because they are 5 hungry guys my gastronomic experiments are more successful.

-Sent on my first “special assignment” i.e. hopped three busses and a cab to a Tibetan settlement 50km south of here to meet/interview Robert Thurman. On the way I learned several valuable lessons. 1. Knitting nettles come in handy for things other than knit goods, an older Indian women setting next to me on the bus used them to ward off interloping (intergroping) guys, when I caught on to what she was doing she thought it was hilariously funny.2. India is an insiders club and they keep it that way but not having a clear distinction between nodding yes and shaking no, basically when you ask a question simply proceed with what you wanted the answer to be--- you may be wrong but there was no way of knowing from the onset. 3. The more gods displayed on the dashboard of the bus; the graver the danger.

-March was busy but I survived, just barely. Two hours before a press conference with HHDL began, I was in my seat, determined not to loose out to the AP-pushy-French-woman (Katie you know my policy about being left behind, and jumping into cars ready-or-not). While my boss went to get lunch, and chat with friends, I saved seats (easier said than done), two hours later when HHDL entered the room I was front and center, and he answered my question. Although when he was addressing me I think I blacked out, I kept the recorder running, it was a pretty good start for my first press conference. I am counting it as a point.

-Mom sent me a package and it arrived at the central Dharamshala post office in no less than 6 weeks. M&Ms were a big hit with my roommates. thanks mom!

- I almost forgot, it rained so there have been plenty of showers recently

All and all it has been a pretty productive, eventful, thrilling two weeks. I think of you guys often, and as always----Love hearing from you!
Lots of Love
rah
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Current score FL 3: India about one million

4 comments:

  1. Rah,
    Enjoyed the update....sounds like things are very busy.


    Cool mornings here but bright sun and clear skys.

    L,
    D

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  2. I know your policy re: not being left behind the same as you know my policy re: how to alpha is all situations! Love you bug, I hope it doesn't take 6 weeks for my package to get there too!!

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  3. also p.s. - cooking? I will alert the Boston Fire Department in the somewhat off chance they might need to be called to India as re-enforcements! Wonder if your roommate would like super quickie fudge? Perhaps you've already impressed them with your Thai knife skills?

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  4. i think you're hooked on Belgium; not only do you carry a smurf with you but now you 'found' our national hero (tin tin that is)!
    hopefully i will see you're brother soon; I hear he's been dying to meet la famiglia.

    Keep up the awesomeness!

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