Butter Lamp Festival and Christmas

Butter Lamp Festival came and went. There were a lot of people and a lot of authorities. My fellow teachers said it was rather toned down from the years prior. Yet I was still quite amazed by all the commotion and amount of incense.



Christmas went quite well. We have a few parties with different groups of people. Some involved games, santa claus costume making, soccer, uno, ugly sweater contests and lots of food. It was a fun filled holiday season. The last party was tonight with the English Department Teachers. Tomorrow I start my long journey to Thailand going through Xining, Xian, Hong Kong, Kunming and finally to Chaing Mai Thailand. I am excited for the trip and maybe more excited for the sleep I am going to get on the long train rides. Hope all is well and Blessings to all this Holiday Season.

Butter Lamp Festival Is Coming...

In the US we have neighborhoods decorated in lights and we load up our cars get our coffee to go and set out. Usually singing or listening to some sort of Christmas Carol. Well here in Lhasa it isn't quite the same. Okay, well it isn't the same at all. But tonight there is going to be a special light holiday. It is roughly translated Butter Lamp Festival. Although I haven't experienced it before from those who have been here for many years told of the beauty of the lights throughout the city. So I won't load up my car, but rather my bike. Instead of Christmas carols there may be chanting. Yet I know who I will be thinking about this season; that small child who changed the world and showed us what it means to be a light in a dark place.


All of the stalls are empty in preparation.


Some last minute repairs in preparation for the Butter Lamp Festival

sk8 in Lhasa

exhausting.

a few days ago Heidi's student Tenzin Chile invited us to go skating. I was stoked! It has been forever since I have touch a skateboard. As i entered this artist's house (i am not even joking... he is a professional artist) he busts out a nice deck (skateboard) rollerblades, and one of those twisty boards. (no idea what they are called)

We head out to his work unit. His dreads held back with his headband. I feel cooler just walking next to him. Then we get there and there is a large lot of smooth concrete. (believe me this is rare round these parts.) And we start to skate.



I have never been so tired! I though basketball and running wore me out. I ollied just a couple times and I was winded. Man...

By the end of the day I actually managed a couple tricks and jumps but boy did I have to work for it. Then we were off to his house for some sweet tea and a little UNO. Good times. Skate or Die... in Lhasa.

Winter is here but so is the sun.

Lhasa winters aren't that bad at all. You know in the past I when I thought about Tibet I figured it would be one of the coldest places on earth. But this winter has been really nice. I can still go out and play basketball and be reasonably comfortable. The Northeast of China was much worse! And the reason you ask? Sure I am about 2 miles high, but I am at the approximate latitude of Tijuana Mexico. I figure the two miles up and the latitude kinda cancel each other out. The main factor is the sun! That thing is powerful here! The weather is dry and my lips have never been so chapped. But I do appreciate it, makes december very bearable.



Well I am pretty much finished with my semester. And its December 11th!?! So... I guess I have a little more free time then I thought. Classes ended fairly well. Only a couple melt downs during the oral exams but overall I think it was a pretty successful semester. A lot of differences with my school in the North East of China but it has been an amazing experience. I am excited for the coming traveling and another semester here on the rooftop.



I hope you all are having a blessed holiday season and find the time to enjoy all thats around you.

Bystander Effect

As I prepared for my student's final exam I found myself searching Wikipedia (again) for ideas and I ran across the an article on Tipping Point, a book by Malcolm Gladwell. As i read through the article I jumped to the "bystander effect" a theory that basically says the more people that are around, the less likely they are to help. I then went through my head of times when I have actually stopped to help and times when I haven't, mostly in driving situations. But then I thought about this Sunday. I was riding my bike to my house. My fellow teachers and I were about to celebrate a late Thanksgiving and my job was the mashed potatoes. So i had my front bike basket full (yes... i have a basket on my bike) and one hand on the handlebars and the other holding a sack of peeled potatoes. As I entered my school gate my little potato bag decided it had had enough. The Potatoes made a break for it...
Sure enough my potatoes were rolling all over the street. Now, I have dropped many things in the last four years. More often then not people around me are a little afraid to help the foreigner not knowing if they should pretend they didn't see anything so I won't lose face or are afraid of the possibility of trying to communicate with me. Today was different. There was a group of about 7-10 Tibetan ladies standing nearby who quickly came over to help and help pick up my potatoes. There was no hesitation, they saw a need and they quickly came over. It was a great start to my day, and something to be thankful for.