As I sat with two Tibetan refugees in today's English conversation class, I asked each the one question I ask all my Tibetan students: How did you get from Tibet to Dharamsala, India? 100% of the answers are, "I walked." the answer is softly spoken and usually with great a great deal of humility. Often I realize it is a painful question to ask, but as I explain to them the fact that they have the courage to walk across the Himalayas and reach freedom here in India is a feat not many in the Western World understand. And part of this plight, of Tibetans trying despartly to save their culture, their race, their way of life, is undertaken first by making that great step towards the West and their freedom. Some lose their lives, many I've talked to saw people die in their group. They understand the risk they are taking in crossing mountains so great and icy in places, that one slip and "swoosh! You go down!" as one Tibetan said to me, as he watched in horror as his friend fell to his death. Chinese soliders are on patrol too, surveying the routes, so Tibetans have to do most their travels at night. On mountain sides, in the Himalayas. IT is such extreme weather, that most experience some degree of frost-bite. There are many photos in the Tibet Museum here showing the drastic conditions most refugees experience when they finally make it to their beloved Dalai Lama here in Dharamsala. Photos of blackened appendages, fingers, toes and entire feet, that have to be amputated, and many of this on small children. It is becoming common for young people to be sent on the dangerous journey to freedom with friends or relatives going, as older parents know they can never survive the trip. These parentless children are also welcomed into the refugee family here, given medicine, food and care until they can placed in homes or cared for at the Tibet Children's Village, run by the sister of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. One monk I worked with told me his story in a voice filled with emotionally pain at the memories, just a few years ago. He was very happy at his monastery in Tibet, until the Chinese came one day and ordered all the monks there to write degrading things about the Dalai Lama. They ordered the monks to write things like "The Dalai Lama is a liar, he deceives his people, he is filled with hatred, he is a "wolf in monk's clothes." I think it would be easier for monks to rip their own hearts out of their bodies with their own hands then do such a thing, they are beyond devoted to the Dalai Lama and have such faith in his course of compassion,non-violence and peace in the solution for Tibet and China. So they refused. 3 times the Chinese officials came to demand they write and sign such papers, denouncing any loyalty to His Holiness. Each time they refused. Then one day they came back with soliders and threatened the monastery and the monks. They realized then they would have to flee Tibet to have any freedom from this type of persecution.
They helped each other walk out, in the cover of darkness, knowing they had only one hope-to reach Dharamsala and their leader, the Dalai Lama. They finally made it, after fasting for days, eating grass, hungry, tired and emotionally spent at having to leave family behind and go to a new land who's ways and language they did not know. The Dalai Lama meets with every refugee that comes in Dharamsala, and my monk friend said he met with him and his group. "What did he say? What did you say?" I asked him-"I could not talk-I just start crying," he said, smiling sweetly at me, knowing I would understand the flood of emotions that wash over anyone meeting His Holiness, but especially a devoted monk who spent the last two weeks in extreme suffering to reach his leader. "He placed his hands on my shoulder and asked me what the Chinese were doing now in Tibet, and I try to tell him, but all I can do is cry. He told me everything was going to be okay now."
It was all I could do to not cry hearing the sincerity of his words. When you are here, in "Dalai Lama land" the true meaning of what the Tibetan people are going through really hits hard, at the heart level. They are rebuilding Lhasa one temple and one store at a time, their culture is rising up in a new land, but they long for their homeland. Tibet was a place of their nomad tradition, their generations of family, their ancient Buddhist religion. It will always be home.
I sat at Tibet Hope Project, tutoring a young Tibetan "youth" of about 20 yrs., wearing very modern "western" clothes, right down to bluejeans and a cap slanted "hip-hop" style on his slick black hair. He looked all the world like a young "gangsta" from USA, and rocked back in his chair, body posture very hip and cool. But when I asked him my mandatory question, he leaned forward and suddenly looked all the world Tibetan to me. "I just came here 18 months ago," he softly said, and I saw such sadness in his dark eyes.
The Chinese are now reforming curriculum so everything is in Chinese, writing, reading and speaking. There is no Tibetan allowed. One village protested by keeping their children home-but the Chinese showed up with soliders and ordered the children to go to school and learn the Chinese ways. "I am here now," he said, "my parents are in Tibet. I walked with friends. It was very difficult, very cold, very dangerous and slippery. We have to hide from Chinese, we never have enough food to eat." And now? "I stay at the home for Tibet Refugees. I want to study English and work with computers." His dream is of college in computer technology in Delhi. right now, the Dalai Lama offices pay for education through Dharamsala, up to high school level. College-only if he can get some sponsor to fund it.
Other Tibetans also have the dream of a vocation and a career in their new homeland-India. Of course most would love to come to the dreamland-America. Right now, D\my son Danny and I are brainstorming ways we can help the Tibetan "youth" here-they are usually without a family, without a direction of how to proceed into their bright futures. There is a worry with older Tibetans that they will lose their Tibetan culture along the way.
One thing for sure-English can be a great starting point for all of them and they crave it, ask for it, are so grateful for any English tutoring you can give. Anyone interested in coming here to tutor and not sure how, please contact me! I can give you all the details and your help here is limitless in the inspiration and guidance you can give to the Tibetans as they arrive, daily, from Tibet. The fact that foreigners are here to help them and give them any tutoring at all is received with so much gratitude and thankfulness that you will be humbled beyond belief at their kindness in accepting yours. It is as the Dalai Lama says, "never give up hope!- Helping Tibet is not just about helping Tibetans, it's about helping our planet and humanity develop in a positive way as we learn how interdependent we all are."
If China succeeds in eliminating the Tibetan people and their culture, what does that say about the rest of us? It is a though I ponder a lot here in the land of the Dalai Lama. I prefer to think as His Holiness does, mankind is intrinsically good, and China will reform their ways and let Tibet be Tibet and Tibetans free to be who they are and always will be. And we can help-you can help! You can-just ask me!
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