Orientation #2 - Tibet House (3/4/11)
On March 4, we were fortunate enough to visit the Tibet House located in Union Square. The Tibet House is the center of Tibetan culture in New York City and helps to not only preserve Tibetan culture but also to educate the public on this amazing, disappearing culture. Our visit began with a delicious introduction to Tibetan cuisine. Through a generous donation, we were fortunate to have our first taste of momos, a traditional Tibetan dish sort of like a dumpling. After our snack, the director of the Tibet House, Ganden Thurman, told us about Tibet's history, people, and religion. We learned about the Dalai Lama, Buddhism and Tibetan art. Compared to American society, Tibetan beliefs are extremely different! It's amazing how one can change his perspective on one object, idea or even the world, just from meditation. It was also interesting seeing how Tibetans visually represent their beliefs through art. We were also fascinated to learn about the process in which the Dalai Lama is chosen. The new Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of the previous one and Tibetan Buddhist monks have to look for a sign that the new Dalai Lama has been reincarnated. Although we were provided with a lot of information about Tibetan culture and art, we look forward to learning more about the conditions of the Tibetan people and culture now in present day. We can't wait to learn more!