Yongdon: A Place to Rest

A Place to Rest

This is where I rest at the end of each long day. I am so grateful that I have been able to live here in India. I feel truly lucky to be near His Holiness the Dalai Lama. However it is hard to find work. I would like to go to the United States where I could live and work for a few years and try to get a green card. Then maybe I could apply for a visa to return to Tibet to help my village.

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.