Yongdon: School Holiday

School Holiday

These are my friend's children. They have a 2 month vacation from school every year around Losar, the Tibetan New Year. They attend the Tibetan Children's Village (TCV), a free school where they learn Tibetan history, language, and religion. At TCV, the children receive an education they would not be able to have in Chinese controlled Tibet. The TCV schools are an important part of maintaining our culture.

My Story

I was born 25 years ago in a small village in Tibet. I grew up in a nomadic family and spent my days looking after our animals. In 1999, I left Tibet in hopes of meeting our exiled leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I escaped by walking through the mountains with 25 people, most of whom were monks from Amdo. The journey was difficult because we ran out of food and were extremely hungry. At one point the snow and ice got in my eyes blinding me for three days. One monk carried my bag while another helped me walk. When we finally arrived in Dharamsala I immediately signed up for school. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn. My experience has taught me that without education we are truly blind. In the future, I hope to return to my village as a teacher where I'll be able to share my knowledge and provide the children with the opportunities I did not have.