Last Day in Dharamsala

And its a wrap everyone. I'm officially leaving the wonderful Tibetan refugee community nestled in the Himalayans :( However, I will be embarking on an extremely busy trip throughout India within the next week and I'm anticipating the adventure. To top things off I just briefed myself a bit more on Ela Bhatt (founder of SEWA) and found out that she is best friends with Nelson Mandela, serves on the "The Elders" with Muhummad Yunus, Archbishop Tutu, and Jimmy Carter..just to name a few, AND received her doctorates from Harvard. Life just got REAL.

Ahhhh....don't have time to write I'm doing last minute briefing. Send good vibes please. Nervous.

Amritsar and Pakistan Border

I'm Back in Dharamsala! This weekend was nothing short of epic and I will hold all the memories very close to my heart.

On Friday evening I spent the nigh at Khadija's hostel which was located on top of a monastery. We spied on the young monks in the courtyard for an hour while they playfully debated and chanted. Around 10pm we attempted to fall asleep and get some rest for our long journey but miserably failed and talked/vented about life and how we arrived in Dharamsala until 4:15am, when Allison came knocking on our door asking if we were ready to leave. This is how the adventure began, no sleep and only peanut butter sandwhiches fueling our youthful spirits.

We finally arrived in Amritsar around 10:30am and took a tuk tuk to the Golden Temple. Words can't begin to describe how beautiful and breathtaking the entire cite was, let alone the Temple itself. If you click the following link you will be directed to an photo album I made of Amritsar on facebook:: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194454&id=530344024&l=4d57f44073.

There are also some pictures of the Indian/Pakistani border ceremony (yes I was at the Pakistani border). The ceremony was intended to build good relations between the two countries, however it seemed as though both sides attempted to out-due eachother with nationalistic marches, chants, and music. BUT the Indian women saved the performance by running barefoot to the border with Indian flags swaying in heat (not wind). There was also a portion where all the women went to the center of the stage and danced so freely and carelessly. My eyes were hypnotized with the vibrant colors of saris and smiles that accompanied them....so I snuck past the Indian guards with Allison and joined the festivities. We danced in the 100degree weather for 45 minutes then were escorted back to our tourist seats. At the conclusion of the ceremony both Pakistan and India opened its closed gates and lowered their nation's flags. This action was intended to be a symbol of respect and peace between both states but this is debatable.

That night we slept in the Golden Temple and it was absolutely stunning. The Temple NEVER sleeps and neither does its devoted followers. It was also amazing to wake up in the morning and wash with the Indian women under the sun.

Sorry can't go into further detail...this experience was simply overwhelming and I'm still digesting thee adventure, PLUS I have limited internet access. Peace :)

Trip to the Herbal Woman

Today I went to the Tibetan Doctor and was diagnosed with food/water poisoning AND jaundice. Lovely. Now I'm hooked up with Tibetan herbal medicine and 1 "precious pill" from His Holiness. The direct orders from the doctor were to take the "precious pill" on Sunday when it's a full moon so it can take its full effect. Apparently, the herbs, crystals, and minerals are picked in the Manali mountains by a select few Tibetan medical students once a year. The ingredients are then taken to His Holiness and made into precious pills in front of him. He washes and blesses them then they are digested by the lucky ones, such as myself. I'm excited for the vivid dreams :)

yay for traveling stories. ahhhhh Amritsar in less than 24 hours!!!!!!!!

Monks are EVERYWHERE

Last night felt like a typical school day at CAL. I stayed up late writing furiously with nothing but adrenaline and pressure keeping my eyelids from closing. I finally curled into my warm and wonderful bed around midnight (which is extremely late here in Dharamshala), excited for vivid dreams and rejuvenating slumber. HOWEVER, at 4am I was awoken by Ama-la and Gina rushing in my room turning on my lights, slamming cuppards (looking for God knows what), and opening the refrigerator (which filled the room with the smell of raw meat and I nearly puked). Then the dogs came in and tried to hide under my bed but Gina ran after them with a broom shooing them out. Also, I don't know if this was part of my dream of if I was actually talking to Gina, but I THINK she told me that Pa-La was performing some type of Buddhist ritual and I needed to get up, but my brain told me to go back to sleep...so I did. When I finally woke up around 8am I felt like there was something different about the house especially since it was silent. I was also greeted with droplets of butter on the floor and few smeared on my belongings by the fridge. This was by no mistake the doing of Ama-La who is severely senile and uncoordinated.

In efforts of de-stressing from the night before, I went for a run and returned home for a short yoga session. While in the midst of my bridge I opened my eyes and saw a monk standing two feet in front of me just staring. Obviously I was startled and ungracefully fell out of the posture. He just laughed and proceeded to the kitchen with a teapot. Gina informed me that Pa-La requested four monks to come and pray at the house for a full day in hopes of warding off all illnesses experienced by those living in the house. To have a monk in your home is an honor and explains why Ama-La and Gina were frantically running inside and out of my room that morning trying to prepare breakfast for the holy men. As I got ready for work I just listened to the "oms" and ringing of the gong coming from the monks in the temple upstairs.

There is truly no place like Dharamsala.

Oh...and ironically SEWA was in the new york Times today! An Indian woman once labeled as an "untouchable" is now selling her textiles in Manhattan for $6000. Check out her story: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/fashion/22Gimlet.html?_r=1

(everything happens for a reason)

Leaving for Amritsar tomorrow at 4am. I think I will be there until Sunday or Monday (or whenever we feel the need to return)....SO EXCITED! Can't wait to tell you all about my journey when I return. Sending love.

Truth Corner

I'm currently crafting TWA's official microfinance proposal that will be presented to SEWA's president Ella Bahat, whom I might add is India's leading woman in microfinance. Intimidating much? (no not at all....ahhh). She will be critquing the proposed model and offering up suggestions for a successful MFI, however since I'm the only person in TWA who knows anything about anything when it comes to microfinance, it's pretty much only my ideas and opinions that will be reviewed. To be completely honest, before coming to Dharamsala I thought I was simply going to observe a microfinance organization and decide if I was in favor or against the concept of microfinance. Since an MFI encourages capitalism and commercialization--rather than preservation-- of a culture (i.e. being taught how to make chile in order to simply sell it--making it a chore, a daily activity to produce an income rather than a time to share with your family or understand one's culture), I was leaning more towards hell NO. Yes, I know it's an idealistic/Berkeley perspective but I still stand firm on my stance and will defend it in a heartbeat (I think..). However, here I am now, crafting an official proposal in FAVOR of microfinance and swallowing my ideals. But I don't feel too bad...this will after all help Tibetan women refugees become economically independent in a patriarchal society. Viva la vulva.

It's going to be a longggggg night. Proposal is due tomorrow.

sending all my love to you all.

Oh Bagstsu

Last night a couple of the interns and I went to Bagstsu for dinner. Let me provide a mental image of this oasis. When first entering the Isralei/Mexican/Indian/American restaurant, you notice that it’s not your traditional Dharamsala restaurant where the monks roam. Instead, the demographic consists of Isralei’s, hippies, and us (TWA interns), so it somewhat felt like home (San Francisco/Berkeley) and I got all warm and fuzzy inside. You take off your shoes before entering the lounge area and plop down on the comfy cushions near the low tables. The lighting is dim, windows wide open and there is a small movie screen showing 7 pounds (with Will Smith) on the wall. Everyone seems to be in their individual worlds, playing chess/checkers, enjoying life and doing things considered illegal in the states. Ha. Then the menu comes and you’re overwhelmed by all the options. I had the hummus and fruit which was AMAZING and fresh. However as soon as my stomach began to digest the deliciousness, the aches and nausea began to kick in again. At that moment I came to terms with the fact that there is a living and angry parasite in my belly causing a raucous. As a result I’m fasting the entire day to minimize the aches/pains and will go the Tibetan “miracle doctor” tomorrow. He’s world renown for curing any ailments with natural remedies and served under His Holiness for many many years.

If anyone wants natural medicine let me know :)

In a Nutshell

There is A LOT to talk about. This past week I've been on a mission to squeeze in every possible activity Dharamshala has to offer! I've been to an Evangelical church service (random I know), lower Dharamshala, walked 4.5 miles through the Himalayans, ate a veg "momo" from a street vendor, went to a Sikh temple (even had to wear a veil to cover my head), digested Tibetan medicine blessed/washed by His Holiness (that caused some very vivid dreams), and now booking my bus ticket for a weekend in Amritsar. The last task is something that I'm looking forward to since it's the home to Holiest shrine of Sikhism-- the Golden Temple. Playing second to the Taj Mahal in tourist attractions, the Golden Temple has thousands of visitors 24hours a day AND offers FREE lodging in the temple for tourists. Thank goodness I will not be making this journey alone, I will have the wonderful company of two other well-experienced AND FEMALE travelers from New York. So I'm safe...no worries everyone :)

I would also like to share a special moment that I had with Pa-La this morning. As many of you know, I've become a BIG fan of red lipstick recently (don't know why), and in efforts of satisfying my female vanity and urge to feel "pretty", I lightly dabbed on the red and headed for the office. Ironically, I bumped into Pa-La on my way down the mountain towards work. Although we had said our goodbyes and hugged at the house only moments earlier, we embraced again and he reached for my hand and firmly held it. In the Tibetan culture, it is a sign of endearment and love towards a family member to walk hand in hand in public. So Pa-La walked an "Indian-lookalike girl" with red lipstick all the way to her work, holding her hand, and with a HUGE grin on his face. This scene was probably the first that anyone has ever encountered in Dharamshala, since Tibetans and Indians don't really get along. But Pa-La is well known/respected within the community, therefore we received no dark stares or words. We just walked together and enjoyed each others company.

Pic of the Golden Temple:

P.S.

Also just found out that the city I'm traveling with Woebum to within the next week --Azhemdabad-- is the birthplace of the Great Mohandas Gandhi. God does work in mysterious ways and everything DOES happen for a reason.

(I'm currently overflowing with joy right now-- Ghandi was the reason I entertained the thought of vegetarianism at the age of 8 and veganism at 21)

On a lighter note...

Today I learned 3 new things...

1.) I will officially be traveling in India on business in Late July! Woebum and I will be going to Ahemdabad, India to visit SEWA's central office and observe their operations. This will be the first time that TWA is visiting an MFI and will be using its experiences with SEWA as a reference when creating its unique MFI model. In preparation for our journey, Woebum and I are are currently surveying women in Dharamsala and asking them what they would want to see implemented in an MFI, this way we can tailor the program to their needs . We are also surveying men and participants in the S.O.T. program to get a better perspective about a woman's role in a refugee society (for research purposes). Perhaps with all this data, TWA can craft an MFI operation that will ease the transition for newly arrived Tibetan women into Dharamsala (because it's quite intimidating here with limited resources), and empower them to become active participants in the struggle for freedom against the Chinese.

Our journey will last for 7 days: 2 in Delhi-- where we will be visiting various Environmental NGOs and campaigning for a famous Tibetan environmentalist to be released from prison in Hong Kong-- 3 days in Ahemdabad and 2 days traveling on bus and train. The day our mission is completed is the day I leave for thee states. Everything always works out perfectly and I'm excited for the adventure.

2.) Update on the illness. A majority of you know that I am in LOVE with the Peace Cafe in San Francisco...well I found one here in Dharamsala!!! Since I can't really eat anything solid, I've been living off of the porridge here at the Peace Cafe and its AMAZZZING. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

3.) Food for thought. I met a musician yesterday named Karma (perfect name for the lesson I'm about to tell), and he shared with me the following: if you want to know your past then look at your present because that is a reflection of how you were in your past. If you would like to know your future than look at your present because this will determine the karma for your future. Got that?

Tashi Dalek. mwah.

Oppression from all sides

This is written in anger towards the racial and gender discrimination that Tibetan women refugees must experience while in areas labeled as "sanctuaries or havens" from political oppression.

As prefaced in my previous blog, Indian men are extremely forward and have no shame towards women. Today, Tenzin Woebum-- the director of the Environmental and Development desk also the young lady that I will be traveling to Azhembadad, India with-- was verbally and physically threatened by her Indian cab driver this morning on her way to work. It's monsoon season here, so it's raining hard and Woebum decided to take a cab--rather than walk-- to work. The cab driver was Indian and was driving 6 Indian men and 1 Indian woman to Lower Dharamasla, the same location Woebum needed to go. When everyone got off the cab the driver charged Woebum Rs. 20 while everyone else only had to pay Rs. 10. Woebum questioned why she was being charged more and the taxi driver responded, "you will just pay and not ask questions". Woebum was silent and paid the cab driver. However, when Woebum began to walk towards work the cab driver got out of the car, walked towards Woebum and began yelling with his fist in the air, "what do you think of yourself? Are you the landlord of these streets? I will knock you flat on this ground if you say one more word!". Woebum did not respond and began to run to the TWA office, because she knew that if she had said something the taxi driver would have surely struck her in the streets. I would also like to note that the shops were not open yet, no one in the cab did/said anything, and Woebum was the only female Tibetan woman in sight.

Its saddening to hear and witness this form of discrimination taking place to peaceful people and in a "peaceful land". Watching the women of TWA react to this incidence is also an great inspiration because they are refusing to remain silent and let this behavior continue. Currently some women at the office are consoling Woebum while she's hysterical while others are busily drafting letters for Chief of Police or making phone calls to the cab service.

Woebum and the cab driver have an appointment to meet with the Chief of Police at 10am tomorrow to discuss the incidence. I must also provide the detail that the Indian police are renown for their corruption and favoritism for Indian people when in instances such as these.

Please send your good thoughts and vibes for Woebum.

Taming the Feminist tounge

Hi Everyone....I'm back! The past couple of days I've been feeling quite under the weather and stuck in bed, but I'm here now and have a funny story to tell.

Today I decided not to be sick. I woke up did yoga and then walked 2 miles to Bagtsu, which is a suburb of Dharamsala. Here you have your elite Indians attempting to separate themselves from the rest of the tourists and commoners of Dharamsala. It's actually entertaining to watch them strut around in aviator sunglasses (mind you it was overcasted), large bellies, and popped collars. I would also like to note that I did this journey alone because it was meant as a form of meditation and self-reflection. Anyways, as you walk deeper into Bagtsu you see the typical shacks with jewlery, spices, herbs, trinkets, and clothes on the side. Then out of no where there is a GIANT pool, the catch is that only Indian men are allowed to swim here. By this time I'm internally hysterical and must have let a smile slip, because a young "Rico Suave" walks next to me and asks for my name. I lied and said Maria (ha). The next question was classic, he asked if I was married. Oh my, you can only imagine all the feminist comments swirling in my mind at this moment. He then proceeded to follow me up the 800 step staircase towards the Bagtsu waterfall, offering me sweets and compliments. I need to digress from the story here to describe the Bagtsu waterfall because it is absolutely brilliant. It was nestled between two green Himalayan mountains and is the main source of water for Dharamsala. On the left side of the mountain is a long outdoor staircase that leads to the source of the waterfall. It kinda reminded me of the Great Wall of China for some reason, dunno why. Back to the story. So my new biggest fan of Bagstu finally left me alone halfway up the staircase BUT then his group of 4 other friends tried to catch up me and we're yelling, "madam, excuse me, madam". I ignored them and heard one rather robust friend say, "omy gosh how is she running this?". Finally they reached me at the top of the waterfall and began to treat me like a celebrity, continuously asking me to take a picture with them and wanting to know every detail about my life. I responded with, "I'm meditating and in need of no male noise. Thank you.", and ran down the 800 step staircase (on the way back down 3 other male Indians asked for my photograph...wtf!).

Lesson? I will now turn these offensive situations into comedic opportunities and say that I'm a Pakistani lesbian who is engaged and practices Atheism. Wish me luck. ha. Now onto a cultural show with thee other interns. A Tibetan elementary school is hosting a performance with traditional dances and music.

Not for the Weak Stomached

Today I slept all day. This is not because I voluntarily wanted to but because I’ve encountered my first—and hopefully last—illness while here in India. You always hear of horror stories about people encountering some rare or odd illness while overseas, but never entertain the thought of it happening to you. Well yesterday before dinner I began to feel a bit funny, as though my insides were doing summersaults and about to purge from my mouth at any moment. Thankfully, Pa-La was feeling ill too and refused to eat, so I just followed his lead and excused myself to bed early. All night I danced between either having the shakes where I needed two heavy wool blankets or being extremely hot and stripping down to my birthday suit. My body was extremely sensitive to touch and I had to lie down in order to keep the room from spinning. On top of all this when I would sit up I felt as though I was about to simultaneously vomit and have a strong case of diaherra. At this point I was cursing life, Dharamsala, and foreign food. I woke up this morning and felt the same. However, now it is 4:22pm and I can somewhat sit up without the world spinning. I also refused to eat lunch and Tenzin-Dolma appeared to be in shock…her face was priceless. Pa-La was so concerned about me that he walked 2 hours to the nearest hospital and bought me some questionable medicine that had high doses of caffeine in it. I took it without hesitation and now feel AMAZZING.

I also want to note about my experiences yesterday before the illness. Tenzin-Dolma’s two older daughters came home from school yesterday and they’ve added so much love to this house. I also had the opportunity to experience a traditional pilgrimage to a grain mill 2 kilometers away. Grain (also known as “supa”) is a staple in the Tibetan diet and requires a 12 hour process of picking, grinding, and cleaning. I volunteered to help but Tenzin-Dolma insisted that I stay at the house because, “Americans aren’t use to hard labor like this”. Just in spite of that comment I grabbed a make-shift backpack Pa-La had created out of rope, 10 kilos of supa, and ran up the mountain with a HUGE smile on my face. I think Tenzin-Dolma has a new found respect for me.

We were also chased by a hungry monkey. Solution? Throw rocks at its head.

Gina has been keeping me company while I’m lying in bed. We even played dress and she wore my BRICK RED lipstick :) Ahh…I just want to pack her in my suitcase when I leave.

Food for Thought

Documenting a memory could be the best idea anyone has ever had. If we don’t transcribe our thoughts and experiences then they have no hopes of surviving the black holes of our beautiful minds. How many instances have you had where you felt as though, “this is the best moment of my life”, but then can't recall that moment when needed because of a bad memory or clouded mind? This is exactly why I’m writing this blog. Not only to keep everyone updated on my experiences in India but also as a physical reminder for myself of all the things I’ve experienced while here—good and bad—because quite frankly there is too much going on for me to remember it all.

Pinch me please.

So today I was apparently appointed as "Advisor" of TWA's microfinance department. Attached with this title comes the responsibility of educating all of the TWA staff on microfinance, assisting with the creation of their MFI model, and a trip to West India in late July to observe SEVA's (http://www.sewa.org/) micofinance operation. Over the years multiple organizations have suggested to TWA that they should initiate a micro-credit service, however there has not been sufficient knowledge or data about the subject. Last month H.H. the Dalai Lama personally requested that TWA begin a micro-credit service, so now TWA has no choice but to respect his wishes and take on this large feat. Ironically, I have some very basic knowledge of the subject (aka I've taken a couple courses at CAL and written a few research papers), but Dhardon-La feels as though I'm qualified to be labeled a specialist and advisor for the task. I'm almost in tears of excitement and fear at the moment.... I've also been given the task of launching their new merchandise line which will include t-shirts, purses, sweatshirts, and pins that have environmental slogans about Tibet (i.e. No Dams for Nomads, Save the Tibetan Plateau, etc). All proceeds will benefit the expansion of SOT and TWA....so everyone get your Visas ready :)

Oh, I also went for a run in the Himalayans again but went a bit further this time. On my way back I met an older monk named Tenzin-SukLan and walked/talked with him for a bit...I LOVE Dharamsala.

Yogis and SOT

Dharamsala is feeling more and more like home everyday....what can I say, I welcome change and adapt quickly. Perhaps it’s also the fact that this place is quite similar to home. Last night after dinner (which only included vegetables and NO starches :), the family and I were watching a televised program about His Holiness when ta-da, the weekly blackout arrived. At that moment I was thankful for the handful of times my mom and I became creative with puppet-shows and candles when the lights went out-- because now Dharamsala blackouts don't phase me. Tenzin-La and Pa-La got in a heated conversation about Tibetan politics in the candlelight, while Ama-La tended to her Buddhist beads. I just sat in the dark and smiled at the moment. It was absolutely beautiful and entertaining to see such passion arise from a typically jolly family. Pa-La had done some activist work when he was younger but now devotes a majority of his time to the Buddhist temple (which is common in the Tibetan culture as one grows older). However, this man could silence Tenzin-La with his knowledge and powerful voice-- which is saying A LOT! I should also note that Tenzin-La's older brother works for the Tibetan Exile Government.

This morning I woke up at 7am and went to my first yoga studio here in Dharamsala, it was called Om yoga. Imagine what a yoga studio in India would look like and Om yoga fulfilled that stereotype plus more. When you walk through an alley that looks quite sketchy and past two coffee shops with early-bird/eccentric tourists, you start to think....umm should I really be here? I continued to follow the signs labeled "Om Yoga" until it led me to a door that was closed. When I opened it there was an Indian yogi at the back of the room in deep thought, sitting Indian-sytle, and fingers pinched together in an "o" shape. His studio was filled with windows EVERYWHERE, overlooking the Himalayans and beautiful sunshine. There was colorful tapestry and rugs, light Hindi music playing in the background, and yoga mats already nicely laid on the floor. The yoga class consisted of four students (including myself) and the Yogi with the heavy Indian accent (I sometimes thought he would butcher English words on purpose to make us laugh). He continuously said, "be the feeling, love the feeling, know the feeling" when asking us to do ridiculous poses such as bringing our toes to our ears while wrapping one leg around our head. WTH? This was certainly different from Yoga to the People in Berkeley, but it was enjoyable..i think. ha. This entire week I think I will yoga studio hop and update everyone on my progress.

Today Dhardon-La gave me my BIG assignment for TWA, which is to help with expanding its microfinance sector and specifically its campaign called Stitches of Tibet (SOT). Microfinance is the new remedy for poverty alleviation around the world and it specifically targets women as its recipients (since women are “the poorest of the poor” in developing nations). Through microfinance women are able to receive small loans to purchase whatever can generate an income (i.e. cows for selling milk or sewing machine for textiles). Women are also taught new skills, given health education courses, and sometimes housing. Since 1995, SOT has provided an 18month intensive Tibetan embroidery program for newly arrived exile Tibetan women. This program gives these women a skill that can generate a livelihood for themselves and their families while also practicing a cultural activity. TWA also includes English, math, and health education courses within SOT. My assignment is to think of ways that SOT can expand and become more sustainable in the future (broad I know). Hopefully in the near future SOT can become an actual job for these women rather than a 18month program, so this is where my experience and current research of microfinance comes into play…

many faces of Dharamsala

After yesterday's therapeutic blogging session, I had the honor of witnessing how diverse Dharamsala truly is by conversing with two men about two completely different subjects. But before I begin, I would like to preface the experiences with a fact that I learned from a stranger, "there are only 3 things that naturally excite the mind, one being conversation. When you have a stimulating conversation with a stranger you're intrigued to learn more about that person because they evoked excitement, and lets be honest...we're all adrenaline junkies." That being said, while being alone here in Dharamsala I've been able to host very intriguing, enlightening, and intimidating conversations with tourists, monks, locals, spiritualists, and realists.

The first man I met was a 22 year old Tibetan named Tenzin and he had a passion for English Literature and philosophizing about life. We actually began our conversation the same way I've started so many here in India, "Are you Indian? From Delhi? Sikh?". However, Tenzin's response to my reply of, "no, I'm actually American but Half Mexican/Persian", was different than the rest. He stood there and thanked me for proving his judgement wrong and confirming that sometimes its best not to judge. Our conversation only lasted about 15 minutes but he taught me so much. During mid-conversation about Dharmasala's enchanting/romantic atmosphere he asked me, "so what's your purpose in life". I grinned so hard because that is the only question in the English language that I love/despise, because I have NO clue what the answer is. Since I was so ill-prepared for that question I gave the most naked and honest reply, "to be happy, make those around me happy, and to write". Thank you Tenzin for asking me that disgusting question. ha

The second and less fantastical conversation was with a Muslim street vendor from Kashmir named Altholz. His family is currently living in Kashmir and are witnessing mass murderings, curfew, and prejudice against Muslims. We discussed this topic in depth and I tried to detour the conversation with less darker topics but he would have none of it. Almost every word I said became a gateway to another topic of how Muslims were good and clean people. While he was talking I couldn't help but think that I was actually happy to engage in this conversation with him because he brought me back to reality, where the world isn't just about literature and love, but about war and prejudice. He taught me that, "one bad fish will spoil the bunch"; therefore one Muslim terrorist will cause the world to judge an entire religion and its followers. Please send Altholz good vibes.

I apologize for this paragraph but I need to vent (not complaining) and release frustration. Last night I forced myself to go to bed around 7:30pm in order to avoid the daily, extra-large, and carb-loaded dinner I knew would be awaiting me at 9pm. I'm a vegan and appreciate all food made for my special diet, BUT the Tibetan culture is ridiculous when it comes to portions. My plate is ALWAYS overflowing and everything must be consumed or its an insult to the cook (although I shower Tenzin-La with compliments and insist on receiving the recipes before I leave). Ama-La even lovingly hit me-- quite hard-- when I only ate one plate two nights ago. Mkk I vented..got that out of my system.

Currently I'm at the research office with the other 5 TWA inters. My first project is to transcribe a documentary that TWA had made on Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan and political activist. He was arrested in 2008 by Chinese authorities on charges of encouraging separatism with his documentary titled Leaving Fear Behind. This documentary included interviews of those living in Tibet and their thoughts about the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing. Follow these links to learn more about his story:

http://www.freetibet.org/campaigns/free-dhondup-wangchen

http://www.freetibet.org/campaigns/free-dhondup-wangchen

Dhondup's wife Lhamo Tso and their four children currently live in Dharamsala. Lhamo Tso bakes bread and sells it on the streets to support her large family.

Now off to enjoy the brilliant sunshine..uck it's monsoon season.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Bday/ Mock Elections

Picking up from where we left off yesterday... making announcements about today's mock election. Since Tibetan women are extremely modest they tend to typically down-size a majority of their tasks, i.e. announcements. Tenzin-La and I waited for our taxi to pick us up around 2pm and when I saw the taxi arrive my heart kinda dropped an inch. On the top of the taxi were 2 medium-sized speakers that were attached to a microphone system in the car. Tenzin-La smiled at the horrified reaction on my face. For 3 hours Tenzin-La and myself announced about the mock elections for the Kalon Tripa in Tibetan and English over the intercom, while the taxi driver begrudgingly drove us around every inch of Dharmasala. As mentioned before, the streets are very narrow and leave very little room for pedestrians and taxis to cohabitate; therefore as we made our announcements pedestrians would stare inside the taxi and identify who was making all the noise. Needless to say, I am now a familiar face amongst the Tibetans :) I was also asked to sign a bday banner for His Holiness' by a local grassroots organization in response to my announcements.

Today was His Holiness' 75th birthday and anyone who was anyone attended the celebration. To avoid the crowd Tenzin-La and I planned to leave the house around 7am BUT I set my alarm on U.S. time instead of Indian time (yes..its a Jazzmin thing to do) and we were an hour late...you could tell she was a bit perturbed but soon got over it. My luck turned around when I was at the right place at the right time and was escorted through the monks entrance--where it was less packed-- with TWA's president (who is kinda a BIG deal in Dharamsala). She told me to go upstairs where all the performers were and visit the temple. When I enetered the balcony where all the performers were I must have looked ridiculously lost/dumbfounded because everyone was staring. There were children, teenagers, adults, elderly, Tibetans and Indians dressed in their cultures traditional clothes. It was truly aesthetically overwhelming. After pretending to know what I was doing for a bit, I went downstairs to find a dry spot to see His Holiness speak (I forgot to mention that monsoon season has begun so it's raining and everyone is soaked). Unfortunately, I didn't bring my umbrella but a monk named Song-Nam let me share his :) He helped me squeeze past other monks to get a better view of His Holiness, since it was my first time seeing him. It was kinda supernatural to see His Holiness amongst a nation of his dedicated followers.

At the same time as His Holiness' celebration, TWA was hosting their mock election for their Kalon Tripa. They had the standard ballots, booths, and identification procedures-- just the way the actual election will proceed. At first only a few attended the election but after 2pm, Tibetans were flooding the booths-- anxious to have their opinion heard.

Tashi Dalek!

First Day at TWA

This morning I woke up at 5am went for a jog in the Himalayan mountains and just absorbed my new surroundings. For the past two days I've been in Dharamsala with my new host family, trying to learn the daily routine and customs. A majority of you know that I am a VERY active person, accustomed to a high-paced lifestyle and no sleep. I've got youth on my side so I'm taking advantage:) HOWEVER, I'm in India and it's a different world with different rules.

The moment I arrived in Dharmasala, I was greeted by a taxi driver paid by TWA. His name was Tenzin and he was an extremely eccentric person. He took me the scenic route towards my host family's home and we passed by tea plantations where I witnessed every shade of green. There was not a spot of bare land, and at 2pm the green scenery was peppered with brightly covered tunics that the tea workers were wearing. Needless to say, Dharamsala is the antithesis of Delhi and I'm in love. When we arrived in the main plaza I met my wonderful host mother Tenzin, whom relayed the message from Dhardon (the intern coordinator) that I was to rest for the next two days. My heart dropped because I wanted to dive in the craziness that had been promised.

Saturday and Sunday were the epitome of relaxation. All I did was write, read, eat, sleep, write some more, and watch the world cup. This was also the time that I got to enjoy my new family. I have a host mom (Tenzin La), grandma (Ama-la), grandfather (Pa-La), servant (Gina), and 2 dogs that chase the monkies away. A majority of you are probably stuck on the "servant" part of the last sentence. Well in India this common and Tenzin is actually helping a friend by allowing Gina to stay in her home free of charge. Gina comes from a very poor Indian family in Southern India and is 10 years old. She is absolutely beautiful and has such a curious spirit. Tenzin-La, Ama-La, and Pa-La treat Gina as though she is family but still require her to assist with the cooking and cleaning. Anyways, I've been able to spend the past two days with this amazing family and its been nothing short of wonderful.

So now I'm at TWA's main office and within the first 30 minutes of my arrival I've been asked to proofread a declaration about tomorrow's district wide mock elections that will be posted all over the city. Let me explain in further detail about the mock elections. As a step towards a democratic refugee community, his Holiness the Dalai Lama has ordered that particular seats in the Exiled Tibetan government be elected democratically. TWA is responsible for overseeing this process and is hosting a mock election tomorrow in preparation for the actual elections on October 3rd. I was also just told a moment ago that I will be following my host mother around Dharamsala while she publicizes the event to the masses and will be responsible for delivering the same message in English (Dharamsala is a large tourist destination for westerners). Yay...public speaking has always been a love of mine.

Wish me luck and sending everyone great beautiful vibes.

I'm in New Delhi

That's right ladies and gentlemen, I have arrived in the motherland and struck gold with the travel agency that has been assisting me with my travels. If anyone is ever in need of assistance when traveling in India please use Earthlinks Travel Agency and ask for Thupten (tell him Jazzmin sent you). This agency helped me locate a taxi, book a cheap/nice hotel room & plane ticket to Dharamshala, and gave me own personal tour of Delhi at no extra cost! We visited a bazaar today and I will post pics up later.

Ok got to go have an early flight out to Dharamshala. Much love everyone. Night (well goodmorning to you).

Get Your VISA!!!

Hi Again,

So currently I'm in a library at San Francisco waiting for the Indian Embassy to approve my visa for India. In order to get through customs when arriving in India, one has to fill out an application online and visit an Indian Embassy in his/her country of citizenship, which will then determine if a visa can be approved. This process takes about 7-8 days and I just realized this reality yesterday at 7pm. It is now 4:12pm.

As many of you know I am absent-minded but still possess the ability to lead a group of 16 UCB students to Panama and live in the rainforrest with an indigenous group. God does genuinely have a sense of humor when he crafted my mind. Since I've only traveled in Latin America, the procedure is as follows: get your passport, fly to your destination, answer a few questions at customs, and finally receive a stamped visa on your passport. This is not the case in India...and now I have flown back to SF to plead to the Indian embassy (because SF is the only place with an Indian Embassy in CA) that my plane leaves in 7 hours and I promise not be a menace to the Indian society. With teary eyes and a great BIG smile they allowed me cut in front of the already frustrated line, and file for a same day visa but cannot guarantee that I will receive it today...but there is a possibility.

So now I wait until 5:30 and pray that God finds favor on his creation that he made while perhaps slightly under the influence (of humor of course). Send good vibes send great vibes...please.

Mission Statement

Hello Everyone,

I'm Jazzmin and I will be traveling through India for the next 5 weeks with an organization called the Tibetan Women's Organization (TWA). I want everyone who's anyone to take part in my travels and live vicariously through me for a summer, so feel free to comment on any of my posts or forward this link to your friends, family, or loved ones...things that are posted on the internet are meant to be public :) And now to give you all a brief explanation and logical reason as to why I'm venturing to India solo.

My primary purpose for this trip is to conduct research for UC Berkeley on the subject of microfinance (I will explain this term in detail in a later post) in refugee communities, therefore I chose a small Tibetan community in Dharamsala, India. This particular community is home to his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and over 200,000 Tibetan refugees-- whom have all traveled the long trek through the Himalayan mountains in hopes of acquiring political asylum from the Chinese. Here are a few links that give a brief description about the current predicament of Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama
http://www.tibet.net/en/index.php
http://www.tibetanwomen.org/

While in Dharamsala, I will be working in the mirconfiance department with young girls that are attempting to become economically independent through textile making (more detail to come..promise). Luckily, I will also be interning for TWA during their annual women's conference and will have the opportunity to traveling with them for 10 days throughout Northern India. TWA is responsible for organizing the entire conference in which 100 of the most politically active Tibetan women will gather and discuss plans of action against Chinese oppression. Since TWA is a recognized and approved Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) by the Dalai Lama, their protests must remain peaceful and honor Buddhist teachings. An example of their political activity can be seen at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where 30 women from TWA peacefully protested outside of the Olympic games with picket signs displaying, "China out of Tibet now". All participants of this rally were beaten and imprisoned-- including my host mother.

On a lighter and more philosophical note....

I'm venturing alone to India not because I'm fearless or daring.. to be quite honest, I'm extremely nervous, anxious, and terrified (only human)! HOWEVER, I have this crazy curiosity of how I will act when forced to encounter a foreign place by myself. Thoreau encouraged absolute solitude with nature in efforts of truly discovering ones-self; well I may not be physically alone amongst trees and wild beast, but I will be alone amongst a jungle of new customs, colors, and cultures. I do not know the language nor the traditional practices like I did when traveling through Central America. My major at UC Berkeley is International Development-- concentration in Latin America, therefore India is quite left-field for current knowledge. But I am woman who appreciates change, spontaneity, and surprise so I have a a theory that I will become so hypnotized by the new-ness of my surroundings that instinctual feelings such as fear will be erased and replaced with an appreciation/ adoration for another world.


I just want to warn in advance (but all of you may already know) that I am a spiritualist, idealistic, and philosophical person.. these qualities will undoubtedly deepen with my travels through India, so get ready!