An urgent message home :)

Hello lovely friends and family. I am still here in McLeod Ganj (Upper Dharamsala) and will be leaving for Manali this evening. I have had a really lovely, relaxing, and mind-blowing first week in India. There was an insane hail storm today which trapped us in our favorite restaurant, forced to have a traditional Tibetan massage, eat cake, and play cards...it was really rough.

I sometimes don't even know where to begin explaining all the wonderful things I am learning. The most profound thing so far is learning about the situation in Tibet. As you may know, the Chinese invaded Tibet in 1949, and in 1959 the Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala. Since then, many Tibetans have taken refuge in India seeking safety and freedom. I have been volunteering with an organization that provides many resources for Tibetan refugees, one of the most important being English classes. I am always hesitant volunteering somewhere only for short periods of time, as oftentimes one becomes much more of a burden than a help, and just leaves with a few photos and a narrow understanding. When we found out that we could volunteer in the English conversation class, it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to meet people, learn, and actually be a bit useful. So that's what we have been doing, and it has been so incredible. All the people I have talked to just want to return home, be with their family, and be free to live as they choose. This has been made impossible by the Chinese invasion and many, many people are suffering. I feel incredibly lucky to meet so many wonderful people. A monk today told me about how much he trusts the American government to ensure human rights and democracy all over the world. I almost began to cry but instead just smiled with so many conflicting emotions inside. I know I have a lot to learn and much more work to do in this world.

I feel like I want to stay longer, do more, but I have decided that the first step I can take is just to talk to everyone I know and pass on the story of so many Tibetans I have spoken with. I promised each person I met that I will carry their message with me wherever I go.
In so much suffering I am deeply inspired by the smiles I continue to see. I was reading the other day, in a book called Fragrant Palm Leaves by Thich Nhat Hanh, about how he saw someone smile so deeply and so lovingly. He said that only someone who has suffered greatly could smile like that. How beautiful, how absolutely unimaginable that there exists joy in a world of such suffering.

Alas, I have uploaded pictures to the computer but this blog refuses to allow them! Well, imagine the most humbly beautiful thing you have seen, smile deeply, and perhaps that might feel something like the pictures.

Besos y abrazos,
Laurita

p.s. there are no accidents or coincidences :)