The Wonders of Tibetans in Nepal

I've just spent the past nine days working with Tibetans in the Lodrik Settlement in Pokhara Nepal. There's no way to appropriately express my feelings after working at the settlement. A team of seven from Global Citizens Network, a non-profit organization that organizes cross cultural expeditions, worked on replacing a corrugated tin roof with Tibetans for six days. The project is actually the vehicle for an interchange between travelers and locals.

We worked with three Tibetans, and interacted with the homeowners each day. Some spoke English, some did not, but it didn't make much difference. Their smiles, and ours in return were what mattered. We worked hard tearing off the roof, going to the lumber mill and hardware store to get the supplies, putting the new roof on, mixing cement and filling gaps between the supports and the roof. We took time out each morning and each afternoon for milk tea. We chatted, hand gestured, observed and listened to each other. I took time out to watch a man spinning yarn from wool, a woman weaving a Tibetan rug, the fieldworkers hauling rice or straw with straps around their foreheads, and made friends with the owners' dog and cat.

We "went upstairs" to the market daily for our food prepared by two cooks, upstairs meaning across a suspension bridge and up 277 steps. Fresh vegetables made so many different ways, and daal bhaat--so many different kinds of lentils. It's easy to see how one could be a vegetarian here. Tibetans eat meat once a month.

We hiked around rice fields and swung on swings hung from four bamboo stalks put up for 25 days during the Dushain Festival. After that, the swings are taken down for safety reasons. We hiked to the highest hill in the area, the one Tibetans go to in honor of the New Year's celebration at the beginning of April.

The mountains here arise mid morning when the sun finally breaks through the clouds. There's Annapurna and Machupuchare, among the highest peaks in the Himalayas. The snow capped peaks burst through in all their glory and majesty, making us stop in amazement when we take time to look up.

We heard stories from the people at the Lodrik Old People's Home about their escape from Nepal, how in the dark of night the Dalai Lama in the companionship of 35 guerrilla army, dressed as a commoner, left his home and spent 25 days trekking to India. Having some Chinese sympathize with him may have saved his life as their shots rang out around him, but not at him.

We had tears in our eyes as we served tea to the Settlement today, realizing how many of the people we'd crossed paths with this week. We've left our mark here, but more, they have left a permanent mark on our hearts. I know I will come back to share in the beauty of these people.

Now I go on a trek with the Nepalese. They are also beautiful people. I hope to take time to reflect more on my experience here, and be a better person as a result. We can learn so much from these people who enjoy life and each other.

Tashi delak.
Vicki