Step 10: Get Politically Active

Or maybe the step should be "go to a politically active and important place and eat chocolate pie while pretending to be involved in the cause."

We are in Dharamsala, or more specifically McLeod Ganj, a town where many political refugees from Tibet come to seek asylum from the Chinese government. This is where the Dalai Lama came when he escaped to India so many decades ago, though he isn't often here since he is always travelling the world, inspiring, and fighting the seemingly hopeless battle for Tibet to stop being under Chinese rule. This is a land of mountains and freezing temperatures at night (in winter). A place where people from all over the world come to volunteer for countless organizations supporting refugees and the Free Tibet movement.

All joking aside from our title and subtitle, being here is... emotional. The Dalai Lama is a figure that brings thoughts of love, compassion, inspiration to mind but its almost like his political activism, the struggle of his life and of his people is often forgotten. People spend large sums to hear him speak, and feel connected to his ideology and even his religion, but continue to buy products made in China and support the ongoing selling of natural resources to China because it economically benefits our respective home countries.

It is so peaceful here. A beautiful mix of Indian and Tibetan cultures all in a town of only three roads. The mountain air is fresh and all seems quiet and joyful. But there is an underlying sadness here that is impossible to shake. The other day we were walking to find some dinner when a parade of people singing, holding candles and banners commemorating another person (age 29) who set himself on fire (self-immolation) in protest of the oppression of the Chinese government, and to demand the return to Tibet of the Dalai Lama.

It seems that Tibet has been ignored by Western media recently. This cause is no longer hip. But this is not because things are quiet or even close to peaceful in the occupied country - in November this year alone there have been 20 Tibetan people to self-immolate all over China, seven people in the last seven days, which means the numbers are quickly increasing. Many people are young, 18 to 30, most are monks.

Was this in the news? And this isn't rhetorical, we'd actually like to know. China has tried to keep this information from spreading by turning off the Internet though we've heard here that these actions lead to families and villages facing harsh punishment for this political defiance.

We've spent a lot of time here exploring the beautiful mountains and eating delicious food in Western feeling cafes. We're trying to absorb information like sponges and luckily people here are willing to teach and share, maybe because they know spreading awareness is one of the strongest weapons in a battle that is being fought by one side as non-violently as possible. Tonight for example were going to go watch a movie about the experience of crossing the border into India through the mountains and eat some momos (Tibetan dumplings) made by monks. Maybe this week we'll go speak some English at one of the many conversation classes around the city. In the end though we are here for a week and feel pretty powerless to do much but learn, which isn't much considering what is needed is action... enough to take on a country few seem willing to make their enemy.

Many more thoughts, still processing, nothing else to say for now...
a&a