Anzac and new and old friends.

This week has started out well. Starting with a fun remembrance of Anzac day on Saturday. A few of us got together at Heidi's and ate New Zealand snacks (thanks to her wonderful parents) and watched a couple New Zealand movies including Whale Rider. (not to be confused with the shoplifting movie star Winona Rider....) Whale Rider is an excellent introduction to New Zealand and Maori culture. After watching this movie i felt I could understand Heidi that much better.

I did my best to fit in by making a make-shift All Blacks Rugby Jersey. Not sure i pulled it off... but it's the thought that counts right?



Sunday was a beautiful day where a group of us teachers met a former teacher and were able to spend some time with her. Despite recent health problems she was still able to join us on the rooftop and meet with former friends and coworkers. Such a blessing for all who is around. Our Father is good to us.

After a somewhat productive Monday I am almost ready for the week of teaching and traveling. My parents will hopefully be joining me here next weekend so I have to make sure all my loose ends are tied up.

Sports Weekend 2009

It started with a brand new stadium, hundreds of marching students, and flag salute with several miscues....

That's right my first sports weekend in Tibet University! It was quite an impressive site. I have been part of sports days in the past, but with the new beautiful stadium filled with students and teachers. The beautiful scenic background which has become a normal part of my life I was very impressed.

The first day started out with the usual marching (which included the foreign students marching in their white polos and sweet hats circa 1984) and then moved on to some traditional Tibetan dancing. There were students who danced in yak outfits, traditional clothes, with traditional tibetan guitars knows as a damnyen. It has been ridiculously hot in Lhasa the last week. I can't imagine what it was like for the dancers inside the yak suit.

I started out just showing up to the opening ceremonies. But before i knew it a teacher asked me to take his place in the 100 meters. So I got ready, biked back to my house picked up my shoes and shorts. By the time I got back to the stadium apparently things had changed. So... apparently you have to sign up before the day of the event. And being that I was literally the only white person in the thousands of people still at the stadium ... it would be obvious that I wasn't the Tibetan man who signed up for the event. So later they offered to let me participate in the shot put (yea.. you can stop laughing now) but again they first thought it was okay... but alas, in the end the foreigner couldn't compete.

Today was day two. Today they said I could participate in the 4X100 relay. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, but I figured I would be willing to help out our department as much as possible. So after a morning of rock climbing with Craig and Sarah I headed back to the stadium. When I arrived, I sat in the teacher's tent ate some peanuts talked with the teachers and deans about some my experiences from Northeast China and American culture. Before I knew it, it was go time. And as far I knew, I was still in the race! So we walked into the stadium and sure enough, I was legit! My team of four practiced a couple hand offs with a water bottle to get the feel and then we were on the track.

All in all it was a great to hang out with the teachers. We ended up getting second in the race (the PE department smoked us!) But getting a chance to feel more a part of our department was worth all the miscues and waiting. So I think I would say sports day 2009 was a success.

April 1st... April fools day?

This may be April fools day, but it feels good in a different way. The town seems to have exhaled just a little bit knowing March is over. Craig and I went hiking this morning to some old ruins. It was a bit tricky at times but felt so good to be up there. Seeing the ruins of old monasteries are always such a pleasant site. I love the feeling of discovering something that used to have so much life and now is lifeless. It begs the question of why. Why did this get torn down? Why did it stop being used. But more so... it is a reminder of the temporal state of this world. What may seem here to stay can break down and crumble very quickly. This is why I am here, to live beyond the temporal. The crumbling strongholds of past are falling...