Rana, Dharamshala.

"About 20 years ago, I decided to buy this piece of land to work on it with my wife. Back then it was nothing and now we grow everything from litchi, pomegranate, grapefruit, apples, mango, bananas, ginger, wheat and rice. Our two cows are entirely grass fed because most commercial cow feed is full of rubbish. The results are great; we collect about 6 liters of milk a day from each cow. We are almost completely self sustaining. This is a 100% organic farm. We aways love to host people from all around the world looking to work here with us. This farm has changed my life. It really helps me and my family live a happy life. It is really good to know where your food is coming from, especially when you have planted it with your own hands. Happy Diwali!"

TIbetan Woman, Dharamshala.

"It's just natural that I'm Australian and Tibetan. I have western ideals like feminism. Very few of the girls at my school here talk to me because I like to speak directly and bluntly, I also like to play sports and to keep my hair short, so I end up being treated like a boy."

"It's frustrating to have girls take a secondary role. Most of the higher positions are held by men. There's only a couple of female teachers (and some of them are not even Tibetan). "

"People want to keep the status quo because no one likes change. Tibetans are very protective of the existing culture and are quite hesitant towards change. But sometimes change is necessary. Right now females have a great opportunity to spur positive change and create equality in Tibetan society. We need more able women in positions of power and we need the older generation to accept although it will be difficult."

Tenzin Dathul, Dharamshala.

I moved to India from Tibet when I was 17 years old. I wanted to see His Holiness Dalai Lama and study English. When I arrived to India I managed to see him – I could not believe my luck!

But you see I felt very sad and excited because I started to think about the situation. I felt sad that not everyone has the opportunity to see him or to even arrive to India safely, like I did. I know I am lucky.

It took me one month and fourteen days to travel from Lhasa. We walked for days without food and drink. We would survive on water from the rivers whenever we did come across one, and on fruit whenever we found a tree that would grow anything edible. On my journey I was very fortunate that there was no snow. But it was, like for others, very dangerous when we crossed the border. We couldn’t walk over the bridge so we had to swim – I didn’t even know how to swim but my willpower didn’t stop me there. I must have paddled like a dog haha. We met seven other prisoners in Budhan and continued our journey from there.

When I arrived to India I lived in a school for seven years but I got very sick so that I could no longer remain there. The thing is, I was not used to the climate and food, and so my whole system just shut down and could not comply. My body started to repel all the rice and dahl I had eaten every day for lunch. I have to take medicine now every day since then. You see it is not easy when one can not eat everything and has not got a good health.

I am grateful, however, that one of my teachers gave me shelter and food since I had nowhere to go when I could not stay at the school anymore. I live in Norbulinga and come to McLeod Ganj every day to learn English. I like living in India but I find it very difficult being alone here, not having a proper education or having a job. The salary here is quite low but I have to try and survive somehow.

What I love is to help others and to sit with my friends and talk or listen to each other’s problems. There is a sense of relieve whenever I do this. The best days here for me are when it is His Holiness Dalai Lama’s birthday and teacher’s day at school. He is such an inspiration! On teacher’s day it is also a massive celebration from morning until evening. We give gifts, sing, dance, eat together, and play sports and games.

I have six sisters and two brothers. We can only be in touch via WeChat, 2-3 times per month. My cousin lives in Switzerland so I would like to try and get a visa. If I get to Switzerland I would work so hard to be able to go back to Tibet and help my people by opening a school that teaches them English for free or any other skills that I pick up along my journey… That is my dream.

Tenzin Damdul (24)

Photo credit: Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares
Interview written & edited by Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares

Tenzin, Dharmashala.

"I chose to become a monk when I was 40 years old because it offers the simplest and most free way of life. While living in the 21st century it is important to try and meditate everyday for at least 5 minutes. Meditation calms the mind and enables us to observe our emotions and control our destructive thoughts like anger and jealousy. My biggest struggle is finding the confidence required to live within society."

American Dream, Delhi.

“We trust in God!”

“I also trust in God. I have been in India for the past 20 years. Earning money is a challenge in India. Therefore, I applied for a Visa to the land of God.”

“The process is difficult and long as well as expensive.”

“I bowered some money from my friend to take myself to the US. Of course, borrowing a huge amount of money is also difficult unless you know someone who has a lot of money and who is kind enough to lend it to you. In my case, I have many friends but hardly any friends who have a lot of money. So, I borrowed a certain amount of money from all of my friends. Sort of like crowd funding. My family is in a village thousand miles away, I can’t ask for a huge amount of money from them. “

“Since I have to take the steps transparently, I have been planning this for the past two years. I am lucky that one of my friends from US sent me an invitation. I have a good bank balance, which is not really my money at all. You know what, even I don’t have the bank pass, never mind using an ATM. My friend made my bank account look thick yet I am thin.”

“It is expensive. Now I am in MT so that I can apply for a US visa. I have been here for almost a week! Eating in a restaurant, riding the metro, staying in a cheap GH. Wow, it is like once you take a step out I find myself surrounded by expenses. “

“Getting an appointment itself is expensive. It is around 13000 INR. And this sum is definitely not refundable!”

“Wow, until the appointment day it feels quite intense. I couldn’t sleep the night before. “

“At the embassy it took a few minutes for the interview. They didn’t check any of my documents, which I have had spent a lot of time and money to prepare. I was rejected simply because I had never traveled before. Oh my god! At least, if they had looked at my documents, even if I was considered to be rejected, I would have felt better. Anyway, my American dream is shattered.”
Majnuka tilla/MT

Interview and photo credit: Kunsang Tenzing
Edited by: Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares

Wangdue, Delhi.

“I am the only one from my family who is in India right now. I arrived to India in the year of 1993. I started in the clothing business four years back here in Majnuka Tilla (MT). “

“Difficulties? Well, if you go one by one, then there are a lot of difficulties such as the small stall; Not having a proper shop is a problem in itself. I have to earn a living. I must save some money for my future.Everybody has some problems in his or her life no matter how rich or poor they are. It is a part of life. So, instead of problems that I have, I want to share what I am happy about.”

“You know that Delhi is famous for its heat and pollution. Then we have these seasonal diseases or virus, thanks to troops of mosquitoes’. Thus, what I am happy about is being in MT as I feel healthy and fit. That is what I am proud and content about. Above all, this place makes me independent rather than depended on someone else. I give what I have in my business and this place gives me an opportunity to do so. “

“Life here…. Well, I am sure that everybody has their own ideas and different points of view. So it is difficult to give a general presupposition. So I don’t know exactly what I should share as I hardly leave my stall, thus I don’t know much else to tell.”

Interview and Photo credit: Kunsang Tenzing
Edited by Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares

Phuntsok Tensang, Dharamshala

“Me and Soepa, we have a history of friendship for over 20 years. We both have been friends since we were very young. We both were monks in Tibet. We had our fights and make-ups in Depung Monastery in Tibet. Now, Soepa and I have been a monk for over 26 or 27 years.”

“I became a monk when I was very young. It was not my decision. My family sent me to become a monk. It is a smart and great decision, which I am always grateful for. “

“Now I am in Nechung Monastery. With the help of this page, I would like to tell people a little bit about the Nechung Monastery. It is near the Drepung Monastery in Tibet. ‘Ne-chung’ means a small important place as compared to Drepung Monastery. Many people think that it is the name of the state oracle. The real name of the state oracle is ‘Choe-Kyong-Dorjee_Dhagnyen’. I am sure that many people don’t know about this. It is the state oracle and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s private protector. “

“Being a monk, I don’t think we have any difficulties. Ahhh, but it is like if you really want to be a good monk, then the only difficulty is to understand the depth of the Buddhist philosophy. It is so deep and wide. I am still studying and trying to understand and above all practice it. “

“Yet nowadays, there are many monks who are more interested in soccer, cricket or TV. Maybe they are so called the modern monks. I wish these young monks would understand how important the Buddhist philosophy is and study it. Anyway, maybe everything is changing.”
“For my family, I am the best child among my three other brothers and sisters. I am so happy about that. Maybe this is the best gift that I can give to them. “

Photo and interview credit: Kunsang Tenzing.
Delhi
Edited by Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares

Call center man, Majnuka Tila/Delhi

"I came from Tibet. My parents still remain in Tibet and they are poor. I don’t want to depend on them. I want to be independent. So I finished my BA. But I am not an A-class student. With my BA degree I can hardly secure a great job.

I get up at 4pm. I ritually go for breakfast and have a chai, paranta and gold flake. This is how I start my day. Sometimes I have time to freshen up but other times I hit the snooze button all too often that I have to just get up and go- as the real me.

I get picked up by my BPO center. The car is congested and smelly especially when it is summer. I get an extra two hours sleep on there at least. Once I reach the center I go to the toilet to wash my face.

Then sitting on the same chair and calling people is the most boring part of my life. That is why whenever I hear a phone ringing, it kills me.
Sometimes you have good people on the other line but most of the time horrible people. So what I would like to urge here is if you receive a call from different companies, please be nice. They are not calling you because they want to, they don’t have any other choice, therefore please respond nicely. Just say ‘no’ politely. It really makes a huge difference to these peoples’ day.

I get lunch at midnight from the company. Then it is the same process. Pick up a call, answer calls, be polite, being shouted at and so on. It is such a mess. Seriously I am tired of this job. Then once I am done getting back home is another challenge. Wow! I can’t believe how I am living over here.

I know it is killing me but I do receive a better income than on average. However I feel like I am slowly dying while I am still living.

The place where I live in is one of the cheapest rooms I can find. I live with dogs barking nearby, ants everywhere in my room, crows shitting in my room, the loud sound of a fan is a part of my life. Wow, I don’t even know where to begin from and where to finish.

Yet with all of this, I am still ok. Of course at times I emotionally feel crushed but still I dare to rise again. Maybe this is my fate. Even though I hear that fate is not fixed, it is mixed with my past, what I do, what I choose, thus, I am looking for a better way to make money and make my family in Tibet proud.

When I send photographs of me in a shirt with a name-tag, with a desktop computer, my family believes that I am working in a big company, earning good money and living a great life. I wish that I could really make them proud by finding a good standard job."

Majnuka Tila/Delhi

Interview and photo credit:Kunsang Tenzing
Edited by Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares

Tashi Dhundup, New Manali.

‘My parents sent me to become a monk at the age of 5. I am 16 now. 

My family is quite poor and lives in a very remote area between the border of Tibet and India. They are farmers. I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters. They are all helping my parents in the farm. 

When I first arrived to the Monastery everything seemed quite challenging. I was way too young to understand the concept of what it meant to be a monk. I wanted to play rather than sitting in front of the Buddha statue and learning how to read the scriptures. I was craving sweets and not butter tea. I wanted to sleep late rather than getting up early. I wanted to watch cartoons and not gaze at the burning butter lamps. I wanted to be a kid rather than a monk! 

But now I know I am lucky. While my brothers and sisters are looking after domestic animals, I am here reading and going through these thick Buddhist texts. Brining my knowledge to another level. Debating about life, life cycles, Buddhism, karma and so on. My family respect me a lot, and have high expectations of me. I am the only one educated in my family. ‘

‘Yet, I still have a child's heart deep within but I control myself. You know, it is all about training your mind.’

‘I want to continue my studies in Buddhist philosophy. I will be a monk forever. I love being here. I like my monk friends. ‘

'Sometimes I just wonder what if I wasn't a monk. What might I be doing instead? Where might I be?‘
‘Anyway, this is my story. Ahhh, let me take the mask. I just bought it from the street shop near my monastery.’

Tashi Dhundup, New Manali.
Interview and photo by Kunsang Tenzing
Edited by Yasmine Tanwidjaja-Pajares