First full day in McLeod Ganj

My first full day in McLeod Ganj was exciting and lively. I met with the director of the VolunteerTibet to learn more about the hardships of the Tibetan people. Life has been difficult for those living in Tibet. They are facing persecution by Communist China. Living here in India has also been hard for them.

Most Tibetans speak little or no English or Hindi (one of the six most common languages spoken in India), so finding work is a challenge. Many people here sell handicrafts and have restaurants to make money. The town had only two buildings fifteen years ago. Today it has completely "grown up" into a bustling hill town. Many Indians come here on holiday, so that is a good way for the Tibetans who live here to earn an income. However, many are very poor anyway. (48 Rupees equals one dollar. A tee shirt, for example, costs 130 Rupees!)

A severe thunderstorm cooled and refreshed the air this afternoon. The mountain tops were shrouded in clouds. I visited a temple and watched people from all over India praying as the monks chanted and played musical instruments. After dinner, there was a concert at the Yongling School by a Tibetan musician playing traditional Tibetan music. He explained that Tibetans have learned play their songs for only five minutes like Indians do. In Tibet, they have to celebrate the New Year for more than one month because each song or dance can last for more than one hour!