To live is so startling that it leaves little time for anything else.
-Emily Dickinson
This post is going to be uncharacteristically scattered. Just thought I'd give you a heads up.
- Emotional boxing match: I feel like this past week has been an emotional nightmare to beat all others. So much has been going on (schedule changes, student visits, field trips), I've seen so many things (more prayer flags, idols, and chains than I would ever want to count), been overwhelmed by so many things (travel plans, school work, even daily tasks), been frustrated by so many things (jacked up internet the number one cause)... the good news is I've come out of the ring with my arms up and only a few minor scratches. Victory for His children is not a wish, it's a promise.
- A mistaken goat and a fun bus driver: So I went with the crew to a little place about three hours east of Lhasa by bus. I never fail to be entertained by the wildlife, especially with the chance yak sighting. So we were driving along and on the side of the road I see what in all aspects appears to be none other than a mini yak. I didn't want my companions to miss this opportunity to view such a rare phenomenon and so I proudly pointed it out to them as we drove past. Turned out to be a goat. But it seriously looked like a yak, only mini. The bus driver (whose only English consisted of the word "sorry") was told my mistake and thought it was so hilarious that his English vocabulary tripled when he learned how to say "mini yak"... which of course became the name of anything with four legs in the street.
- For the love of students: I went out to tea with three girls from one of my classes. As always in the course of our conversation the question came up "Ms. Kelly, do you have boyfriend?" After assuring them that I do not, one girl said in disgust "why? Ms. Kelly... if I were a man I would to marry you!" I had to laugh hysterically for about 2.75 minutes.
- Picnics tell all: The group of people that we took to Teidrum (a small nunnery with a hot springs) turned out to look something like the United Nations, there were at least 6 nationalities represented by the fifteen or so that went. We had planned on having a picnic lunch... it was amazing to see what people brought. The most interesting turned out to be (not the oreos that a teammate of mine brought) but the plastic bag of semi boiled yak meat that one of our guests gladly shared with anyone who was daring. Wash that down with some weak butter tea... shimbodu (delicious in Tibetan).
- Hot Spring rules: My friend, quite helpfully, translated the rules for the hot springs: 1. Do not catch snakes or other wildlife in the hot springs. 2. Do not wash dishes or clothes in the hot springs. 3. Do not pee or poop in the hot springs. Apparently they were having some problems with these things... yikes.
- A little dusty: as we were driving through one of the many villages I happened to see one of the most mind blowing things. Picture a man standing by the side of the road holding his pants with one hand and beating the mess out of them with this huge stick with the other, don't neglect the fact that as he's beating his pants (which are still on his body) huge billows of dust are rolling off. Seriously, I understand maybe not wanting to wash your clothes (I mean the washers are all in Chinese after all and who can understand that?) but you'd think that taking your clothes off would be a prerequisite for beating the dust out of them.
- Finally, I just want to show you a video that just unnerves me:
Is that the flapping of flags that I hear or the rattling of chains?
