Today there was an opening of a new Lakshmi temple in the village so it's been an all day puja. (I'm expecting it to rain tomorrow). My latent anthropology tendencies have come out in full force so you can expect a soundtrack once I figure out how to add it to the slide show. The women of Desali are great singers and over the last couple months I've made friends with a few of them so they were very encouraging about taking photos...of course they are expecting each and every one of them to get copies. I also finally got a recording of the great gypsy-like band. Looking at these people I can really see that the gyspsies of the west came from around here. The married women wore their red and gold wedding dresses for the special occasion so it was feeling pretty festive. My battery power ran out before I was through with it all.
Until todayI was debating to leave the puker here or sell it....but now the power of technology is grabbing me...the possibilities in Ladakh are a compelling force for dealing with the weight of the thing.
Last night wound up being pretty funny as I left my key with the landlord so they could finish painting and I forgot. I got stuck on the puker at the office with skype so by the time I left for home it was later than I usually walk around here and all the lights of the family were out (though Satishe says he stayed up all night waiting for me.) The upside was that I went up and stayed with Pema and Gya Rikthar and once I broke the ice with the Bhutan riddle we struggled through a bunch of Tibetan riddles the one I remember was, 100 sheep one rope...what is it?
Of course there were allot of translation difficulties so allot of them went over my head. But there were obviously some pretty raunchy ones that could compete with the raunchiest of the american ones I'm sure. Sometimes we found some ideas in common...i.e. brown nosing, sticking your head where the sun doesn't shine...o.k. I know not riddles, but....there you have it and really I was trying to keep it clean...the answer to the above riddle....your mala.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
The answer was "W"
and from Bhutan:
a collection of guests sitting in a cave. What is it?
Today is too hot and truly I wish someone would start praying so the rains will come. Across the street one tibetan guy is wearing a fur hat, long sleeves with a sweater over his shoulders and shorts his friends are listening to an ipod and playing chess. Several older tibetan ladies scattered around at other tables in traditional chuba's appear to be asleep except that their fingers are moving at a constant rate across thier malas.
As I've mentioned lately the state of my dwelling is reminding me of the marina I left behind. In fact today they chose to enamal the door and window frames making the cool refuge a reeking pit. Every other day they say, "today is the last of the work" and I keep saying, "I've heard that before". Sincerely I don't resent them for it and it's still and inconvenience.
I may be spending the night at the office where normally I have an internet connection but of course as these things are that's on the fritz today.
Ladakh is looking more and more inviting in spite of the bus ride that will come with it and the fact that the work Gyarikthar and I were beginning will have to wait till another time and all of you waiting for the Amdo CD will have to wait too.
Pema and I have taken refuge for the afternoon here in the Internet shop our bare feet cool on the tile floor and the oscillating fan blowing cool our sweat. I've set her up with a skype account and she's talking to her family in Amdo who are about to head up the mountain with the yaks for 3 months and where I now have a standing invitation which of course sounds awesome.
In the meantime enjoy your summer and i hope you all retain your jobs if you want them.
oh and the answer to the Bhutanese riddle is: teeth.
a collection of guests sitting in a cave. What is it?
Today is too hot and truly I wish someone would start praying so the rains will come. Across the street one tibetan guy is wearing a fur hat, long sleeves with a sweater over his shoulders and shorts his friends are listening to an ipod and playing chess. Several older tibetan ladies scattered around at other tables in traditional chuba's appear to be asleep except that their fingers are moving at a constant rate across thier malas.
As I've mentioned lately the state of my dwelling is reminding me of the marina I left behind. In fact today they chose to enamal the door and window frames making the cool refuge a reeking pit. Every other day they say, "today is the last of the work" and I keep saying, "I've heard that before". Sincerely I don't resent them for it and it's still and inconvenience.
I may be spending the night at the office where normally I have an internet connection but of course as these things are that's on the fritz today.
Ladakh is looking more and more inviting in spite of the bus ride that will come with it and the fact that the work Gyarikthar and I were beginning will have to wait till another time and all of you waiting for the Amdo CD will have to wait too.
Pema and I have taken refuge for the afternoon here in the Internet shop our bare feet cool on the tile floor and the oscillating fan blowing cool our sweat. I've set her up with a skype account and she's talking to her family in Amdo who are about to head up the mountain with the yaks for 3 months and where I now have a standing invitation which of course sounds awesome.
In the meantime enjoy your summer and i hope you all retain your jobs if you want them.
oh and the answer to the Bhutanese riddle is: teeth.
Friday, June 19, 2009
And what did you do on your days off?
Well for starters....I fought with the landlord about my rent...but we're still friends, I think.
Then I got out the puker and read nearly all of a downloaded copy of Little Dorrit...funny to realize the dharma in Dickens. Does anybody know if they ever made that into a movie...? heartwrenching.
Finally went outside for some fresh evening air and ran into one of my students on his way home.
But today was an outdoor day and can I feel it. The hills here are deffinetly bigger than the ones at home. Went down to visit my friend Yobar who is studying thangka painting etc. You'll see pics of him and the other Bhutan temple monks in Bodhgaya, though here he's not in robes he's deffinelty still a monk. Then tried to take a class at the Tibetan Library finally only to find out they've changed to schedule...oh well. I did sit in the library and found the Bhutan review and read a most interesting article about Bhutanese riddles...which I'll have to copy for you later...it seems that riddling in Bhutan is going out of fashion with modern times. They have had a very sophisticated game around them where they were used for kids to understand the whole societal structure of the village. I'm sure that wasn't the only reason...o.k. I'll try to remember the funniest one...mmmmm I can only remember the english example of a riddle "WHATS AT THE BEGINNING OF A WOMAN AND AT THE END OF A COW?" I'll get back to you on that when I get the Bhutan riddle memorized. G'nite.
p.s. it seems my camera got a virus and even formatting it and the cards doesn't have any effect so I'm putting out a call for help to buy a new one. There is a Samsung 10. here in MCG, which means I wouldn't have to go to Dehli, for $160. One of my friends has already offered to send some help towards it's purchase...even if 10 people send $5 it'll really help. You can send a check or money order to sheyli johnstone ATTN: Macey Blue p.o. box 2692 sausalito, ca 94966 (I'm really gonna have to let her know this is coming!)hahahahah
Then I got out the puker and read nearly all of a downloaded copy of Little Dorrit...funny to realize the dharma in Dickens. Does anybody know if they ever made that into a movie...? heartwrenching.
Finally went outside for some fresh evening air and ran into one of my students on his way home.
But today was an outdoor day and can I feel it. The hills here are deffinetly bigger than the ones at home. Went down to visit my friend Yobar who is studying thangka painting etc. You'll see pics of him and the other Bhutan temple monks in Bodhgaya, though here he's not in robes he's deffinelty still a monk. Then tried to take a class at the Tibetan Library finally only to find out they've changed to schedule...oh well. I did sit in the library and found the Bhutan review and read a most interesting article about Bhutanese riddles...which I'll have to copy for you later...it seems that riddling in Bhutan is going out of fashion with modern times. They have had a very sophisticated game around them where they were used for kids to understand the whole societal structure of the village. I'm sure that wasn't the only reason...o.k. I'll try to remember the funniest one...mmmmm I can only remember the english example of a riddle "WHATS AT THE BEGINNING OF A WOMAN AND AT THE END OF A COW?" I'll get back to you on that when I get the Bhutan riddle memorized. G'nite.
p.s. it seems my camera got a virus and even formatting it and the cards doesn't have any effect so I'm putting out a call for help to buy a new one. There is a Samsung 10. here in MCG, which means I wouldn't have to go to Dehli, for $160. One of my friends has already offered to send some help towards it's purchase...even if 10 people send $5 it'll really help. You can send a check or money order to sheyli johnstone ATTN: Macey Blue p.o. box 2692 sausalito, ca 94966 (I'm really gonna have to let her know this is coming!)hahahahah
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Ahhhh...that smile, that wonderful smile
Just back from standing on the street with the tibetan masses. Luckily one of our office neighbors told me that HHDL was coming home today....so I went to pay my respects and got the lucky glance and blessing from the worlds best friend. I feel so lucky! Then to top it off Gyariktar gave me a beautiful poster/thangka of him. So now my house will be even harder to leave. My students of course will be happy the longer I stay the more practice they get. So many blessings today even my student from Shimla gave me two wooly blessing wrist cords that I'm sure have a name....but my tibetan is still lacking. Though now that I know that the computer has a recording device the Amdo dialect lessons are about to get recorded. Anybody interested in buying a CD can contact tibetanmeec.org but you better give us some time to actually record some classes. I'm sure I have more to say but class is about to begin.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
ok some frustration with how to lay out and edit the blog...but you get the picture...I think.
Last night I missed, due to a massive amount of tibetan grammar homework, what sounded like the concert of the season...Listening from across the valley to sounds that brought back memories of home....and younger years...Tibetans definitely understand the power of Rock N Roll.
But the good side was I didn't have that sleepy feeling this morning and was up early and trapsed down the mountain to visit the Nechung temple and the Men zhe Kang museum (medical).
Home by 1ish to enjoy the coolness off my room after the heat outside and a great lunch from my one pot cooking system of Zuke, tomatoes, garlic, celery and cilantro and soy balls.
Then to the office to show of how I got all my homework done only to find out "NO CLASS TODAY, SORRY" well it's understandable the kids go back to boarding school tomorrow. But I probably could have gone to the concert in that case. Ahh communication...when one doesn't speak Tibetan yet and the other doesn't really speak english.
I am however having a great time teaching. So far I'm only doing one on one classes and that is very gratifying. The progress is so evident and I can see with certain people I have a real talent for conveying the meanings of words and even grammar. So perhaps this will give me confidence for what I hope will be a summer spent in or near Ladakh teaching english at some monastery or nunnery. Where no doubt I will be working with larger groups.
Last night I missed, due to a massive amount of tibetan grammar homework, what sounded like the concert of the season...Listening from across the valley to sounds that brought back memories of home....and younger years...Tibetans definitely understand the power of Rock N Roll.
But the good side was I didn't have that sleepy feeling this morning and was up early and trapsed down the mountain to visit the Nechung temple and the Men zhe Kang museum (medical).
Home by 1ish to enjoy the coolness off my room after the heat outside and a great lunch from my one pot cooking system of Zuke, tomatoes, garlic, celery and cilantro and soy balls.
Then to the office to show of how I got all my homework done only to find out "NO CLASS TODAY, SORRY" well it's understandable the kids go back to boarding school tomorrow. But I probably could have gone to the concert in that case. Ahh communication...when one doesn't speak Tibetan yet and the other doesn't really speak english.
I am however having a great time teaching. So far I'm only doing one on one classes and that is very gratifying. The progress is so evident and I can see with certain people I have a real talent for conveying the meanings of words and even grammar. So perhaps this will give me confidence for what I hope will be a summer spent in or near Ladakh teaching english at some monastery or nunnery. Where no doubt I will be working with larger groups.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)