Why we must stand up for Ghandi

Gandhi, to some extent was labouring in obscurity, that is of course irrespective of the millions of other of Indians who followed behind him as he successfully squared off against British Imperialism. Not counting them, he did have comrades the world over and has inspired a linage of peace activists the world over, including Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, Nelson Mandela south Africa, Martin Luther king, Dalai Lama, just to name a few of the heavy hitters! But yes, OK, if you want to say obscurity, I can get on board because, I agree that it was relative obscurity, but that was then.

Now, now, Now we have a different power, more power, to wage peace on a global stage.

I propose, to reflect that change in agency, we must change our discourse, even Thomas Freedman presents the core-periphery, no longer describes the real “global structure". I suggest something like high speed-low speed, or broad band-dial up (any catchy ideas welcome). New obscurity is not locational but positional, and how an individual/organization/initiative integrates with new media determines there success /failure.

In our generation NGOs will champion crowd sourcing, solar power computers, CONNECTION!

The discussion of the power that I.T. has, and the opportunities that it can provide for connection. We need to focus less on the opportunity and we must live out our responsibility and Wage Peace! When will our generation generate its Ghandi, where is our MLK jr. and what will her twitter name be?

21st Century Dharma

25 September – Long Beach, California

Buddhist monks from the United States, Vietnam, India, China, and Tibet sat on stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, facing him were approximately 10,000 Buddhists and non-Buddhist, believers and non believers, men woman and children, from all over the world. Making his opening remarks for the two day teaching His Holiness the Dalai Lama made sure to point out that those in attendance would be able to follow along in four languages. His Holiness spoke in English about various religious beliefs and how the purpose of the various traditions is to give humans conviction, love, and compassion.

A Vietnamese-American woman sat on the upper balcony of the Long Beach Convention Center with her two parents, this was her first time to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama; she ordered these tickets at the end of May. They will attend the two days of teachings before driving six hours back to Arizona. "My parents saw him once before, ten years ago, but I was in school then, I am excited to see him now." The three listen to the teachings in Vietnamese through FM radios.

His Holiness said, "now especially is the time for mutual understanding and respect, so therefore some knowledge is useful; 21st century Buddhists must be full of knowledge." The modern crowd that he addresses includes a large number of Vietnamese buddhists.

Vietnam has been a communist state for 79 years, the government ousted religion. Still, there are six million practicing Buddhists in Vietnam. His Holiness said "Although Vietnam is outwardly Communist I know that inwardly, it is Buddhist; even in China is like that now, military personal outwardly are genuine Communist. But deep down they have mobile phones, and some high officials have my picture there."

Inside Tibet even a simple photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is considered contraband, under the Chinese rule. Reporter for the Tibet Post asked His Holiness, "What will your next course of action be since you have said that your faith in the Chinese government has gotten thinner and thinner." His Holiness said "I don't know." He also said that in the meantime he has never lost faith in the Chinese people.

21st century Buddhism is transmitted over the air waves, throughout convention center halls, websites, and sometimes mobile phones, but in His Holiness the Dalai Lama's own country, prayer is the only means. He said, "there are many sincere Buddhists, and it is my responsibility to serve them as much as i can but the political situation for the time being is difficult almost impossible, so the only thing is to pray."

The teachings are being held at the Long Beach convention center from September 25-26. Friday there are two sessions each lasting two hours. The morning session considered The Four Noble Truths, the afternoon teaching is about Amitabha Permission Initiaton and Saturdays teaching is on Medicine Buddha. All the tickets were sold by the 17th of July. The Geden Shoeling Center is hosting center organized and staffed the event.

Free Tibet

going home again

In the bottom of mail trucks there are large crates that the border police don’t check. Laying flat on his stomach below the mail, Sonam returned to his homeland Tibet. He went to see his family, and to act as a guide and smuggle individuals threatened by the Chinese government out of Tibet.

Last March the streets of the Tibetan capital Lhasa erupted into violence. The date marked the anniversary of the beginning of China’s occupation of Tibet in 1959. Now, the date marks the beginning of one of the most brutal periods in Tibet history, turning the roof of the world into what His Holiness the Dalai Lama has described as “hell on earth.”

On March 11 2008 Sonam tied a T-shirt over his face so that he was unrecognizable, he said, “I burned cars and broke windows I shouted slogans.” He was arrested; to get him out of jail Sonam’s friends gave a false alibi to the authorities, swearing that he was at home with them. Using knowledge he gained working as a tourist guide he was able to escape from his homeland and the Chinese authorities that hunted him. The other people that were arrested with him are still in prison.

In years past between 2,000 and 3,000 Tibetans made the dangerous crossing into Nepal to seek refuge in India where His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been residing since 1959. Since last March that number has decreased to a fraction; each month only 13 people arrive from Tibet.

Rikden a young man from Eastern Tibet, arrived in India before March 2008 and lived in the new arrival center in Dharamshala for two months, he said “when I arrived at the reception center everything was full there were people everywhere you couldn’t even go to the bathroom in the night without stepping on people. If you go there now you can see it is empty.”

Sonam said “I only brought four people, the situation is so bad since last March so I didn’t bring more, guides used to bring 20 or 30 sometimes even more than that.”

The four men that Sonam guided across the border are monks who had returned to Tibet to visit their families and had been unable to come back to India after the crackdown in March 2008. He said, “I did it for free because I brought my friends but other guides charge around 10,000 Yuan.”

“In Lhasa I have a lot of friends who took part in the uprising last March, they want to come to India but they can’t escape,” he continued. “I am scared to try again, I have friends in Nepal and friends in Tibet but the situation is so bad that I don’t know if I want to try again, it is too dangerous.”

an Indian summer

Shoe shine?

There is no town, temple, city, or street in India that does not have people begging for money on the fringes. There is a group of 12 year olds who work the streets in Dharamshala we have a daily routine worked out. They hold out their hand for money and ask “please madam” I take one of their cupped hands and say, “I would rather you went to school,” they laugh. Then Soraj remembers he has his shoe shine kit, looks down at my feet in earnest and tells me I need a shoe shine. I reply “Soraj I am wearing flip-flops.” He laughs and pretends to clean off my feet anyway, a big joke.

It is a small exchange that I am sure occurs across the sub continent, this is a poor country, and life is difficult—but India is not without a sense of humor.

momo mama

The sun sets around 6:30, as the sun takes a parting glance before it disappears under the Himalayas Sonam Lhamo’s sits on the steps of the small temple in Dharamshala, she was here well before sunrise and will remain here for another two hours. She said that the location of her momo stand is “not good,” ideally she would like to set up her stand at the bus stop or in front the main temple, but she has only been selling momos in Dharamshala for one month and is therefore allocated to these steps. “I carry the momos here early in the morning and I sit here all day.”

Her booth looks like all the other momo booths in town, her receipt is the same, and her prices match the others. Sonam Lhamo said “I sell momos because I can’t find another job.”

She said “The money I make is just enough to pay for my medicine and to pay my rent. I have a kid, and I only have one kidney. I go to the hospital weekly to get medicine, the doctor tells me that I need to go to southern India to have an operation, but I can’t afford that.”

Sonam Lhamo arrived from Tibet 8 years ago “ When I first got here I went to Tibetan Transit School (TTS) to try to study but it didn’t work because I had never been to school before in Tibet, I didn’t know anything so I quit school.”

She did not quit school before she met her baby’s father who she called “a big cheat,” she insisted that they are not married. She said “he told me he didn’t have a girlfriend and didn’t have a wife so I went with him and I got pregnant. After I gave birth his wife and his kids came from Tibet.”

Tibetan and international NGOs do not help her. The only help that she receives from the Tibetan Government is tuition free education for her child, a service provided to all in the Tibetan Community. She gets up at midnight t to make momos 7 days a week, she doesn’t have the luxury to make plans with friends or plans for the future, she said “I am so poor, and my health is so poor that I am just trying to fix problems, I have no future plans for my daughter I only hope that TCV takes care of her.”

Official speeches, formalities, underscore the importance of community, huge crowds and competitive football matches demonstrate the unity within the Tibetan exile community and between India that has hosted Tibetans for 50 years. The 10 day Gaylyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup commenced with an expedition match between Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV); "TCV united" and Himachal Pradesh (HP) police department. His Eminence Gyalwa Karmapa was the chief guest at the event, addressed the crowd of thousands gathered to watch the match “now Tibetan youth are facing difficulties in life, education and in work, in this tournament they have an opportunity to be free of these obstacles; freedom from these difficulties, if even for an afternoon is healthy and productive.”

The Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) organized an exhibition match between H.P police department “to show our gratitude to the government and people of India as Tibet experiences 50 years in Exile” an official press release said.

Before Chinese occupation in the 1950s in Lhasa, there were frequent matches between the teams and the Chinese military. These matches were popular events in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital city. The first tournament was organized in 1981 in memory of the late Great Mother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Since then it has been known as the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial (GCM) Gold Cup the most popular tournament in the Tibetan exile community.

This year 275 players representing 19 football clubs from Tibetan settlements across India and Nepal will compete. The executive secretary of Tibetan National Sport organization, Kalsang Dhondhup made the opening remarks, “through this game Tibetans from across India will come to know each other, experiencing new adventures.”

His Eminence Gyalwa Karmapa admitted that as a monk he knows little about football, but he is dedicated to his people, his religion and Tibet issue. He said, “Lots of people have gathered here for the tournament indicating their interest and there is a strong sense of unity and cheerfulness, I do believe this football tournament is not just entertainment it has significant purpose. Here we can see the strength of the community united behind a single interest. The Tibet issue can not be solved by individuals, but by a united community like we can witness here this afternoon. Every Tibetan must put priority on the Tibetan cause.”

Mom sent Levi's and ray-bans it was a very exciting evening.

I feel that it is acceptable 5 months in to make a list of 5 things that I miss. Aside from the obvious friends family, and Titan, here they are in no specific order.
1. I miss walking on flat roads
2. The ocean and seagulls
3. Wine and cheese
4. Bathtubs
5. Going barefoot

And a list of my favorite things about Dharamshala, again no specific order
1. The monks that chant next door in the evening
2. Pink mountains at sunset
3. “Chitty chats” with my roommates
4. Rushing places by motorcycle
5. Drinking lassi’s guilt free because walking through town = mountain climbing

Yak butter, Indian streakers, and impending monsoons

It has been a long time… Timmy came to Dharamshala and we went on a 2 week wild adventure to the hinterlands (within walking distance of Tibet boarder), travel permits and nerves of steel were required gear for the region that boasts "one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth." Like being in "real Tibet" there were 1500 year old temples, yaks, and monks. Unlike "real Tibet" there was Freedom!



I brought home real yak butter home for my boys and they were so impressed, after looking for it everywhere and deciding it was not Kosher to beg some from the monks, I finally bought it from a family (Thanks Tim). It was a very delicate operation that involved at least 3 middle men, and the a crowd that smiled puzzled at the two westerners who were buying 2 KG pure yak butter.

We had a great journey, I will catch you all up some other time

Yesterday was the Tibetan football world cup, but in accordance with tradition it was as you may have expected dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s mother who was, in her day a huge sports fan! The 15the Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Cup was attended by 3,000 people and the guest of honor His eminence Gyalwa Karmapa (some people say he will take over as spiritual leader after HHDL dies before a new DL is ready to lead). The 23 year old Karmapa is, or appears to be a big grump. Luckily, I am an overzealous klutz and tripped in his path and was able capture a fleeting (although slightly mocking) smile from the holy man. And so the games began.

Perched on the hillside with my roommates we cheered for the Dharamshala team, “Tibetan Children’s Village”, who were pitted a bit unfairly against the local police department. The game was temporarily interrupted by cows who found their way onto the pitch. This I thought was streaking, India style. We chatted, drank juice boxes, (a Dharamshala staple that I am thrilled have been reintroduced since the days of lunchboxes) and enjoyed a great Sunday afternoon.

Work it seems is never ending but I like that. The monsoons are coming every afternoon there is thunder and lightning that usually knocks out power for an hour or so, frustrating but still thrilling.

Oh, I officially accepted my Peace Corps assignment looks like Amman in Oct! Oh boy

Love from the Himalayas
Rah

Buddha Darma and fresh orange juice

Peak café was not considered as an option because, Yarphel explains, “if you call your place Peak Café it is like you are above all the other places in town and they will feel badly,” other ideas are proposed “yak café, yak coffee, goat tea shop” none of these names were appealing, owners Yarphel and Tashi decided to call their new shop “Rose Café.” Tashi said, “yeah it is a little too romantic for two guys, but the sound is nice.” With that Rose Café was painted on the side of the building and above the door, and Dharamshala had a new restaurant.

There are approximately 145,150 Tibetan exiles worldwide, and 101,242 in India, there are 35 refugee settlements in India, the home department for the Tibetan Government in Exile says that the refugee settlements in India “are based either on agriculture, agribusiness or handicrafts.” Agriculture and handicraft workshops can’t fully employ the 101,242 Tibetan immigrants living in India. Of the approximately 6,000 immigrants that arrive over the Himalayas from Tibet each year, a majority of them are young men from Eastern Tibet, a region called Amdo.

Rose Café’s two owners are both from Amdo, the eastern region of Tibet. “Amdo boys have a reputation,” Tenzin Tseyang said, “they are here, without their families, they are single, and they have free time, when something happens in Dharamshala they are usually involved.”

Tashi’s mother in Tibet is aware of the realities facing her son in exile, when he called his mother in Tibet to tell her that he opened a café in Dharamshala, “my mom was shocked since I didn’t even tell her that I had left school,” he said “she asked me if I had stolen the money or if I was involved in bad business, when I reassured her that I had honestly earned the money, then she said ‘well then good’ and she was very happy.”

Rose café is a meeting place for Yarphel and Tashi’s friends who order Amdo tea, (tea boiled in milk) and talk about their plans for the future. Jamyang, a young man also from Amdo, says “this is a big success for my friends, they have been very lucky to open this café; it is not easy here for guys like us.”

They have tried for a long time to rent space for a café but it was difficult to find a landlord who would rent to them, “I think this must be the sixth or seventh place we seriously considered, it is small and off the street, but at least we have it.” Tashi said, and he added “I am happy, but I am not satisfied, if business improves then I will be satisfied, then I will have a life and a business here.”

Yarphel doesn’t worry about business being slow “I am just worried about my cakes, if my cakes are delicious then people will come.”

One Day's Notice

We were evicted from our apartment. Although the details are not necessarily important or interesting really, our moving day was an adventure. May 1 at 6am we were awake, sweeping, packing our clothes and blankets into hobo bundles, attempting to fix the curtains that “inexplicably" fell down. At 8am we made our escape, first carrying everything and our propane tank up the hill then loading it into an Indian Jones jeep. The five of us climbed on top and we were off, laughing and joking about the curtain that certainly fell down as soon as we closed the door.

We drove up the hill in our rickety jeep the boys hopped out half a dozen times to put rocks behind the back wheel so the driver could shift gears without rolling backward. Ridding on top of the propane tank through the morning air I was surprised when a European man took a picture of us, then I looked around at my roommates, our jeep full of blankets, prayer flags, pots, and our rice cooker, and I understood his perspective, we are an unlikely—if not motley crew.

Our new house is wonderful, very homey, and I am happy to live in town and not have the ever present danger of falling down the stairs/hill while carrying the groceries. Last night when Rikden and I were cooking dinner the monks at the monastery next door were debating I the courtyard clapping their hands as they made their points. In the morning and the afternoon they chant prayers in the room just outside our window. HHDL’s residence is 500m from our front door and we can see his windows from our courtyard. Daily there are moments, like the European snapping our photo, or the monks chanting that wakes me up in the morning, when I am reminded how special it is to live in D/shala.

love from the Himalayas
rah

Just back from a fab. vacation with Mom and Dad. I promise there are tales of intrigue and danger (averted danger but still)to come... Hugs and kisses to Mom and Dad for coming to India and being such great troopers and momo makers!

Home for now and so happy

Thank You India

When I began working here I decided that I would not feel embarrassed when I make huge blunders- and find myself verbally incapable of asking the right/appropriate questions. I gleefully report that while I have made a fool of myself working here I have done so with pride and the conviction that I am learning. Bolstered by my novice status, and simultaneously weighed down by the voluminous Lonely Planet INDIA, I agreed to make the 14 hour red-eye bus ride to Delhi to report on the Thank You India activities.

March 31 marked the 50th anniversary of His Holinesses arrival in India. To commemorate the event he undertook a pilgrimage to 8 holy sights belonging to various religious traditions through Delhi. There was a small window of time between his visit to each sight, and although this is India and things typically don’t happen on time, I have learned that HHDL keeps a very punctual schedule. So, I resolved myself to the fact that because I would be traveling to each of the venues by auto-rickshaw (all the other journalists have PRESS cars with lights flashing and efficient drivers) I would make it to every other venue. As I was leaving the first venue and gearing up for the ever- enthralling auto-rickshaw ride a journalist asked me if I had the address of the next event--- I did, I had an overly official press release in my hand (and I had mapped all the sights the day before) he asked if I wanted to share a ride with him. For the remainder of the morning we tailed hhdl all over Delhi and it was absolutely the best way to see the city, zooming here and there yelling things like follow that BUS!

We were the only two crazys who made it to all the sights, honking and laughing we made our way through the city. All the while I was thinking India must be the very best place to learn journalism survival skills, here there is no such thing as a definitive answer or start time, this is a country where space invasion is a national past time, and a place where overreacting is a rule. The “India” factor coupled with the realities of being, what I like to call a “camera jockey” have really got me jazzed about my work.

Anyway, later the same afternoon there was a PC and, as my boss has taught me, I arrived ridiculously early (before all the chairs are set up) and sat in the front row center. When HHDL arrived I was no more than 5 feet from him. As he was standing to go he walked to the edge of the stage and put out his hand, stunned the only thing I could think was---MUST NOT leave HHDL hanging! So I shook his hand and he said thank you for coming, today.

From there I jammed to the final destination, the “MAJOR” event of the day, where hhdl addressed India’s bigwigs. I took some photos, recorded some statements ,then I was gone, into the Delhi darkness to catch my bus home to the Himalayas. I was happy I had escaped Delhi in such fine fashion.

A wonderful 3 days.

Current score, o I don’t know but I feel like I netted a 3pointer

Assigned seats

Very few of the daily life activities that occur in this country do so with any perceivable sense of order or premeditated intent. Imagine my surprise when buying a bus ticket for Delhi (10 hours before departure) I was late and got the last seat in the back of the bus. Truly I didn’t anticipate assigned seating on the local bus, or that anyone besides me would be buying a ticket in advance—just when I think I have the game figured out...c'est la vie, tonight at 6 pm I am headed to Delhi, on Hymachl bus, seat 31. I am packing my knitting needles--and trying not let on that I am just chick from the sticks.

sleep, eat, work

I mashed some potatoes with a water bottle in a wok, while listening to Tibetan music, and wearing a yak hair blanket--- oh life is good. I am working on getting some more photos loaded, but aside from official work photos I have been slacking off in the photo department. When mom and dad arrive in two weeks I have promised myself I am going to turn into a gadfly shutter bug.

I have been at the office almost constantly and in the last month have had two days off, it is really crazy to be as busy as I am here considering D/shala is one of the hippy capitals of the world and “chilling” is so highly valued.

Yesterday I spent 6 hours with my roommates registering them for their English language exams in June, it really should have only taken 30 min. India is fun like that. But, we got it done finally. Now they are all studying diligently to prepare, and I am doing the best I can to teach them.
onwards and upwards
love
rah

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
-

Current score FL 3: India about one million

You’re a journalist? “Sure!”

I am not sure what the deal is but I am owning this idea of “India time”, the problem seems to be that “Tibetan time” is more exact. It is fine I am usually just means that I have to run places. Yesterday I am late….again, and this time it is for His Holiness. Charging through the metal detector (pvc piping that sometimes beeps) I am ushered into bag/pat down room where they try to take my cell phone and camera from me. I explain that I have this card and the security guard asks me , “ you are a journalist, you should have told me that first.” I thought, well maybe I cold have told you if it had occurred to me, but instead said “sure, next time” and took the promotion.

Inside the temple I walked right up the main stairs to where all the camera jockeys were standing and pulled out my very mini point and shoot. From behind there foot long lenses I knew what the other journalists were thinking, but whatever, must start somewhere; so I snapped away and got some decent enough shots.

After the prays HHDL walks right past me, such a thrill then I get pushed from behind by this Associated Press (AP) Bit** and the action continued (journalism I am learning is a lot like water polo, pushing and pinching are allowed as long as the ref. doesn’t see). Following His Holiness through the crowd I look to my left and I am walking beside my student Rinpoche, he is so happy to see me “hard at work” he says. He asks if I will be coming into the palace for the religious conference, I say that I don’t think I have the clearance and go to get in the “press” line, just in case. They have my name on the list and I am correspondent #75, sweet! I go through an even more extensive pat down and bag check and line up against the wall with the other members of the press.

They are all in a bit of a GRUMP-- I decide that I should share some gum and make some small talk, they are mildly amused. Rinpoche walks by and gives me a huge smile and a high five, he said “Yeah you are here, you made it in.” Instantly I have some more street cred. They have telephoto lenses and cigarettes, I have a high fiving Rinpoche pall and bubble gum.

The rest of the day continues, in the usual manor, I stand 20 feet from HHDL as he addresses the high reincarnations and religious leaders---ya know.
I have changed houses, I moved down the hill into my friends apartment. I was sad to leave the family but living with my 6 friends, (all sleeping on one giant mattress) is too much fun to pass up, it is as we say “a sweet sweet time in our lives.”

That’s all from D/shala, I am healthy, not at all wealthy, and getting wiser day by day.

Love
Rah