After first arriving in Lhasa for the first time you inevitably have many new experiences. The amazing view of the Himalayas and Mount Everest by air, your first yak sighting, or the first time you set your sights on the beautiful Potala Palace. This blog will be a reflection of my experiences in and out of the classroom in Lhasa during my time studying in Tibet.
The first time I saw the Potala I was passing by the centuries old home of the former government in the city airport bus with two other foreign students and both local Han Chinese and Tibetan passengers. The airport bus is a good metaphor for Lhasa today, a city progressing and developing at fast rate carrying along with it a great mix of people both in nationality and heritage. As a student in Tibet, I have the wonderful opportunity of being able to witness Lhasa's changing face and growth even if just for a short while. In my posts I hope to capture different parts of life and talk about my own experiences as well as experiences of others in this culturally rich city on the roof top of the world. I call this experience One year on the Rooftop of the World.
I am enrolled as one of twenty foreign/ international students at Tibet University (TU). TU is one of the most well funded national universities in the Chinese higher educational system having just completed a new campus in east Lhasa which includes a new science center, music department, sports complex, academic library, dorms, dinning areas, and student common areas. The student body here consists of about half ethnic Tibetan and half Han Chinese. I often find myself talking with Han and Tibetan students over a game of pin pong or on the football field.
I am the only American male among five American students in the program. There are also students from Germany, Austria, Australia, Brazil, India, Singapore, and Switzerland. I am in the Intermediate Tibetan language and culture program, taking classes in spoken and written Tibetan, Tibetan grammar, Tibetan folk customs, traditional Tibetan folk tales and Tibetan calligraphy. I am really excited about the elective course Tibetan Calligraphy because being an elective it starts this week. If you've ever seen the multiple Tibetan scripts (four in use today) you would probably share my excitement because they just look so cool. A sort of ancient cursive version of standard Tibetan script (that is quite old also) that looks like nothing you have ever seen. I will keep you updated on how it goes.
Our dorm rooms and classrooms are located within the same building on campus. Not having to travel outdoors to get to classes will make the cold Lhasa winter mornings a little warmer. At night I often use the chalk boards in our 3rd floor common area to practice my new Tibetan vocabulary words. Our common room has a TV and DVD player which we use for dorm movie nights. The other night we watched "Avatar" which was good and interesting to see. There is also a toaster which some people use to bake cookies or pizza. And on Sundays we have been having dorm wide potlucks where everyone brings a dish (usually from their home country) and we all enjoy a smorgasbord of different foods over a mix of pleasant conversations in Tibetan, English, German, French, Portuguese, and Chinese. Closing the week with a potluck as we sit together seems fitting as the sunset shines through the common room windows and we prepare for another week of classes.
The intensity of the program is quite rigorous with an average of four hours of class five days a week. Thankfully our student cafeteria makes up wonderful Tibetan and Chinese food which is the perfect fix each day after four hours of class. We have classes Monday through Friday 9:30am to 1:30pm, which allows use to volunteer and/or explore Lhasa for the other hours of the day. I have made a couple Chinese and Tibetan friends whom I go to tea houses or restaurants with as well as walk through the Bharkor markets or to the Potala palace. We will speak a mix of English and Tibetan, which always makes for interesting conversation. On Friday afternoons I volunteer at a Tibetan elementary school. This Friday is my first day and I will be assisting with English conversation in one of the classes. This too is very exciting because although I have assisted in school classrooms and helped children with English as a second language before, I have never had the opportunity to volunteer teaching English in an international setting especially with young Tibetans. I will definitely keep you updated on how it goes.
My inaugural post is now coming to end, please stay tuned for more about my experiences in and out of school. My future posts will be on food, music, and popular culture in and around the city of Lhasa. Ja ma jayong! (See you later!) The best is yet to come…