Xining to Rebkong, by Romy
The group examines the appliqué thankas at the Museum of Tibetan Medicine in Xining
I am writing this from a smoky Internet cafe in Rebkong. Tomorrow we will be going to our home stays. I'm so excited and terrified. The morning began in Xining, a town three hours from Rebkong. We woke up and went to the bank. Then with one of Galen's Tibetan friends we went to a cafe for breakfast and had far too much wonderful breads and coffee. Then I wandered Xining and discovered a cute little clothing store. I needed a new pair of sun glasses because I gave my first pair away to a nun at a monastery we visited earlier (when an elderly monk asks for something you have its pretty hard to say no). Then I returned to the hotel at 12 and we took a bus three hours to Rebkong.
The Drigung Terdrum nunnery, hotsprings, and valley
The countryside is very beautiful. Upon arriving in Rebkong Berkley and I went wandering the shops so she could find a Mandolin (it is traditionally very common to play here). I have never been so intensely stared at! We drew a crowd in the little monk owned shop we were in. People wandered off the streets to stare at us. One man came right up to me to take a close up picture!
We were having a lot of trouble purchasing anything because of the language barrier and fortunately two South African women came into the store and translated for us (they were Afrikaner). They were in their 40s and had been friends for 20 years. The one woman lives in Rebkong and helps Tibetan students learn English and get scholarships.
After the store we all went out to dinner and ate so much spicy food I think my mouth was on fire. We wandered around a little and then came to this cafe. For our host families many of us have bought gifts. I have bought a nice bread loaf, candy for the kids, and two Katas (they are traditional Tibetan cloth used as thanks you-s). I think tomorrow I will also pick up some fruit.
Yesterday we visited a group of students taught by a very learned American man. These students are Tibetan and learn English so that they can study abroad. It was quite incredible to speak with them. Most of them speak at least Mandarin (Chinese), Tibetan, and English; some also spoke Mongolian and other languages. Two of these students attend foreign schools (one is at Duke the other is at a school in Prague). On top of being smart they were beautiful! Tibetans are the most fabulous looking race of people I have ever seen! A group of girls starved for male attention and we were swooning. I think we made them nervous as American girls tend to be more forward then Chinese or Tibetan. Even though we are majority girls, there are men among us and they enjoyed meeting the Tibetan students as well.
Then after meeting we all had dinner together at this wonderful Tibetan restaurant where they sang traditional Tibetan music and had Bollywood style Indian dancing. This area is very Indian inspired because many Tibetans have moved to India or go there to see the D.L. Overall the most eye opening experience had been getting to know actual Tibetans. I think we all had such a romantic idea of what Tibet would be and are realizing that people are people. They often wear Western clothing, nuns can giggle while chanting, and the art stretches far beyond simple Thanka painting and traditional methods.
Romy