We were back into teaching this week and with the new timetable, Monday was difficult to get into, for both the teachers and the students. Starting lessons at 8 seemed like a big difference but we got used to it after a few days. It was also strange to have no classes in the afternoon. With the continuing good weather, it meant it was good to have the time to do other things. I only really read or used the internet (we have got the connection fixed and it has been running better now). I've been downloading loads of free books but should stop as I've too many to read already!
We had Thursday off as it was the day to mark the end of the Tibetan new year period. The manager had asked me the day before if I wanted to change rooms. The one at the back of the house was free as the cook had to go to another room and the new teacher was arriving on Friday. I took a look at it and thought it could be better. It was mainly the noise that was the problem in the bedroom I have been using. I decided to change and used Thursday morning to make the move. It felt like home as soon as I got my things arranged. It's smaller and feels like being in students halls again (!) but it's noticeably quieter so I'm very happy with it.
Ashley arrived at Friday lunchtime and in my time, she was the first volunteer younger than me. She's American and in her twenties and I helped her settle in by showing her round the school and taking her up to the village to buy some things.
On Saturday, I didn't want to go away but there was another event in McLeod which was to mark the anniversary of Tibetan protests. Ashley and some students went and there were speeches. The Dalai Lama was there but he didn't speak. They then marched down to Dharamsala.
I got a lot of reading done and I have nearly finished the Tears of Blood book as well as reading some Russian short stories. I also wanted to repair the stone path at the front of the house as some stones had come up. It was good to be doing something like this again and I think I did a good job by laying stones deeper and wetting the soil to get it compacted. These are the before and after shots.
I looked around to see if I could do something else and noticed where they had recently burnt the paper rubbish so I used some stones and broken bits of our wall to make a simple fire area next to the organic waste hole I had dug in January.
I also went up to the shops and luckily still had my camera in my pocket so took a photo of my friend whose shop I always go to. He called me an honest friend because of that, and kissed my hand, so it's nice to know he respects my desire to help him out with his business. He, like many Indians, questioned me about getting married. It is usually one of the first questions you are asked here. He was persistent with his questions but I just told him I'll wait and see what happens!
I asked my students to write about their holiday for their week's homework, expecting them to tell me about enjoying spending time with friends or family members. Here are a couple of extracts from the homework:
“My brother came to India... I heard lots of news about my family. He also took some photos and videos. During the years they really changed a lot, changed everything. I can't recognise my childhood place because everywhere they have built new houses. I have a strong desire to visit but I am scared of the violent Chinese rulers.”
“I used to call my family during the new year but this time I was terrified to because of the Tibetan issues, especially my home town of Nagpa, which is controlled by force these days.” (This refers to martial law, which I have read about in Tears of Blood.
To give you another insight to the Chinese occupation, in 1960, Tibetans who were being held in the gulags (forced labour camps) described the conditions they experienced:
“Amidst famine, we lost our sense of shame and dignity... we ate ropes, leather bags... the men in our prison ate rats, frogs... some even ate the worms that were found in excreta... Another killed an eight year old boy and ate him... Within three years, two-thirds of the Tibetans imprisoned there were dead.”
If by now, you are thinking “Well, at least that is all in the past”, I'll give you more quotes over the next weeks. In fact, I will also write a post midweek as well as on Sundays.
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