Saturday, March 22, 2008

Diversity Exploring Part II

A Few Residents from Asbury Overseas House
(Countries Represented include: India, Venezuela, China, Italy, UK, USA,
Congo, Egypt, Vietnam, Korea, Norway)


Since I’ve moved in, my Sri Lankan, Ghanaian, Russian, Korean and French floor mates have moved out and been replaced by an female Egyptian doctor, a Christian Egyptian, a Parisian man originally from Togo, his girlfriend from Gabon and a British woman who lives in the Ukraine.

The Egyptian doctor helped me find the local GP when I was sick. She also brought me a plate of veggies with mayo one night. She studies cardiovascular disease.

I’ve had several interesting conversations about ‘liberalism’ with the Christian Egyptian in our wireless internet room which prompted me to put stickers of Hindu gods and “save Tibet’ on my laptop which prompted him to give me a few interesting looks the next time.

I met an Indian family from Madurai living in my house. And another family that used to live in Chennai.

My sticker of Lord Muruga on my computer sparks lots of conversation among the Indian children when I’m checking Internet in the common room.

During a house potluck dinner I complimented the woman from Madurai on her delicious payasam in Tamil.

Several weeks ago my German classmate invited several of us over to her flat to watch the Eurovision Decision-England. As usual I was the only native speaker among Polish, Spanish, and Korean women.

On the bus to London I sat next to a Muslim Tamil-speaking man from Sri Lanka.

On the bus coming back from London I sat next to a man from Nigeria.

I went to a birthday party for a woman from Iran. She showed us pictures from her wedding and taught us Persian dancing.

Several days later she came to my birthday dinner and brought her Persian music—more dancing with women from Germany, Spain, South Korea, the US and Iran.

While my mom was visiting, several people stopped us in stores to comment on our ‘cute’ American accent. One woman had diamond and gold studs embedded into her teeth.

In the course of my moms four-day visit we ate pub grub, Bangladeshi curry, Persian chicken with tea for two, a Full English, and enjoyed a New York family restaurant.

I gave a presentation on “English as a Global Language” with a classmate who moved here from Algeria when she was in middle school and didn’t speak ANY English. She is now studying to become an Arabic-English translator.

This same friend from Algeria invited me to her house and baked me sponge cake, biscotti, and jam cookies. While I was enjoying tea and cake, we heard the call to prayer and she went in another room and prayed.

I was invited to an Iranian New Years dinner with students from Mexico, Indonesia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, the US and of course, Iran.

The next night I went out drinking with the above Iranians. At the table there were Americans and Iranians drinking beer, vodka, and whiskey while comparing international gestures of offense. If only the US President Bush and the Iranian President Ahmadinejad could have a similar light-hearted conversation.

I have had lots of great conversations about fundamentalist Christians with the American on my floor who is studying theology. We were kindly handed Easter ‘booklets’ by our British floor mate.

I attended the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the city center with the above mentioned American. In addition to the dance troops, bag pipers, and every other person with painted green faces, there was a Sikh drumming group and an African music group in the parade.

The rich international community and experiences I’m having in Birmingham continue to surprise me! It is unlike anything I have experienced anywhere in the world. The only sad thing is, I don’t feel like I have many British friends as part of THIS experience. Although I know lots of Brits from my three years in Japan so I don’t feel as if I’m missing out too much! If I had the money I could spend my days traveling the UK visiting them all…alas the funds have quickly disappeared and I’ll be living out my last weeks in Birmingham enjoying the diversity and multi-culturalism.

Save Tibet

The emails from my Tibetan friends continue. The latest round has included some video and photos. I'll post the link to the video below, as I think it tells a powerful story. I'm still deciding what to do about the photos...they are very disturbing images of bodies beaten, shot and tortured. Part of me wants to post them to show people the extent of the violence that is occurring. And part of me doesn't want to even look at them a moment longer because they are so horrific.

Please visit Beijing Wide Open to read about a Tibetan activist speaking out about the Olympics. This woman took the video that I've embedded below. The monk in the video was a student of my dad's and became a good friend. He has a powerful story to tell. Please watch.





If you are wondering what you can do to help please visit the International Campaign for Tibet website. There are links provided to send messages to the White House and your member of congress. Please support Tibet!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Save Tibet

In the last week my family and I have been receiving emails from the Tibetan monks and lay people we met, taught and became good friends with last November/December in Dharamsala, India.

I thought I would share some of their communications (anonymously) for people who are interested and want to hear more of the Tibetan perspective and voice in response to the recent violence in Tibet. They are eager to share their message with the outside world, and I am happy to help in any way I can.

______________________________________

Date March 15th

Here we are very busy at the moment. We are regarding this year a right or unique year for Tibetans living both inside and outside of Tibet. It is because this year Olympic is going to take place in China. Therefore, since the 49th uprising day of Tibetans, which was held on the 10th of this month, we are witnessing big protest going in every country where we have Tibetans living in it.

In particular, this time since this 10th March many protest are going in many part of Tibet, which we are seeing from our news mediums and specially from BBC, CNN and other renowned TV channells. These broad casting brings courage and confidence in the hearts of Tibetans to organize further activities. In Tibet, one of my monk friend also took part in protest and he tried to attempt suicide. He is badly injured and now he is in hospital under chinese arrest.

All in all every Tibetans are regarding these on going events as a door for a big change for Tibet and Tibetans and also for other small countries which are under chinese rule like our Tibet.Here in Dharamsala, we are organizing protest, hunger strike and candle light march almost everyday. I am also sincerely taking part in these moves. All the Tibetans taking part in this on going protest against china in both inside and out side of Tibet, we are demanding freedom for our national and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama into Tibet.

This protest will go on until the end of the up coming Olympic in China. With this i am requesting you and your close ones to stand for Tibet and take part in Tibetan protest against China going inside your country.

Thanking you!

One Dream, One World, Free Tibet! And Long Live HHDL.

With a big request, Your Friend.

______________________________________________

Written in response to the above email by my father:

To: My Excellent and Wise Student,

We are listening to the news each day and are very sad to hear about the problems in Tibet and in Dharamsala. I have a sign on the back of my car that says, "Support Tibet." We think of all of you and of all of your families and friends. We hope you are all well and that you stay healthy.

However, - - you know, that China is a very powerful country and there will be no immediate change in how they recognize Tibet. The things that you and all Tibetans do to make the world aware of the injustice is good. Everyone must know and remember the injustice. We should never forget and we should not let China lie to the world. The things that you do to keep the world aware are important and will result in change - - someday, - - but NOT today!

You are wise and you know that change will NOT be soon. Many people and many countries support Tibet, but you must know that no one will rise up in support of Tibet against China - - today. Many people in China are also very unhappy about the injustice, - - but they too will not rise up - - today.

As you and your friends help us remember, please, do not do anything foolish. I was a soldier and I fought in a war in Viet Nam. I learned that it is too easy for people to die for an idea. Many foolish people and many cowards can do that. It is much more difficult to learn how to live for an idea and to make it grow. I believe this is the wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well! The MOST IMPORTANT THINGS that you and other Tibetans do for Tibet are to WORK, LEARN and TEACH. It takes more wisdom and more courage to work for an idea in the long term than to die for an idea today.

Tibet is so very important! It must live and survive and be a part of a better understanding of all people in the world. But, Tibet IS NOT earth, mountains, buildings, and borders. Tibet is a people with a language and a history and a philosophy that is unique and valuable to the whole world. You say to me "Free Tibet." I ask you to free yourself from small ideas that tie Tibet to a place and to borders that China has violated. Tibet is not a place. Tibet is a people. Tibet is not a problem to be corrected. Tibet is a possibility of peace and love.

For Tibet to survive, Tibetans must be engaged in the world to help us all learn about whom we are and who we can become. For Tibet to survive, it must be as a people with a culture that is compelling and shared. For Tibet to survive, it may not be as a place, even if that beautiful place is sometime recovered in the future for Tibetans. For Tibet to survive, it will be because the beautiful wise people of Tibet see beyond the impermanence of place to possibilities for their people. As you help us all remember the Tibet of the past and the injustice of China, I urge you and your friends to stay focused on the Tibet of the future. We must all WORK and LEARN and TEACH. Tibet is so much more than a place. Tibet is an idea that we must celebrate and bring to the world. Please, help us all focus on this future.


I thank you for bringing Tibetan culture to my life. Your changes & growth can help us achieve "one world."

With regard, your teacher and your student

____________________________________________

Date: March 19th

Hello fd

this is what happening in my mathre land in Tibet.

Recent urgent Tibetan public peace protest against China in Amdo Ngawa on the 16th and 17th Morning of March, 2008

1) In this big protest whole of Amdo Ngawa rose up against china, which includes, Kirti monastery, Gomang monastery, Segon monastery, Mami nunnery, Suwa monastery, Tsen-Nyi Monastery Trotsik monastery, Adue monastery, Dogay monastery, Togden monastery, Dongri monastery and public of Amdo Ngawa, upper Ngawa, lower Ngawa, Trotsik and other left parts of Ngawa, Meruma,Chojyama, Charuwa and other nomadic areas and the Secondary Tibetan School of Amdo Ngawa. All in all around 13000 Tibetans took part in this big Tibetan public peace protest.

2) So far we have known around 20 death casualties including monks, nuns, students and laymen killed in this big protest. Our other sources states around 40 Tibetans got killed. Large number of Tibetans went lost in the protest and their whereabouts are still not known. The some known protesters who sacrificed their lives in the protest are: lhundup tso9student), Atisha(age 23), tsezin(age 33), Tashi(age 23), Gejyam, Lobtse.

3) Many were put behind the bars and when the Tibetans went to demand for their release from the prison, Chinese authorities didn’t listen to them and in return Tibetans turned violent and started breaking the premises of the police custody. Likewise, few other Chinese offices were destroyed by Tibetan protesters.

4) This recent peace protest in Amdo Ngawa, becomes one of the largest peace protest took place in Tibet excluding the protest in Lhasa. It becomes the largest number of Tibetan people took part in the peace protest and one of the biggest peace protest against China in which largest number of Tibetans got killed by the brutal Chinese policemen and the troops.Following slogans are of the recent peace protest taken place in Amdo Ngawa:

a) Long live Dalai Lama

b) Free Tibet

c) Stop torturing in Tibet

d) Release the Tibetan political prisoners

e) Release Panchen Lama

The three main reasons responsible for the outburst of this recent big public peace protest in Amdo Ngawa are:
Firstly, Tibetans have strong wish to see their spiritual and temporal
leader, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Secondly, Chinese government has
been always keeping silence about the peaceful dialogue between Tibet and
China. Thirdly, Chinese government is continuously applying harsh mechanisms
to control the Tibetans inside Tibet.

_____________________________________________

Date: March 19th 2008

its the time is very bad as from in the Tibet can start up to need freedom .so chine's police killed lots of the tibetan people .this is very much suffer . in the tibetan people told that we will get peace of the freedom and also democracies . if you want to look it the situation . you watching the BBC NEWS and also you search in the BBC ok i hope you now more than me

____________________________________________

Date: March 19th, 2008

ya.... more than 100 people were died in tibet and here in india.. total 80
people were arrested by the indian police and nepal so much voilence there.

____________________________________________

Date: March 18th, 2008

My resepct teacher i have some bad news. Did you see in B.B.C? Tibetans were protested Chinese everywhere in Tibet frome 10th of March until now. Many Tibetans were killed by Chinese. Yesterday i saw in T.V some dead bodies of Tibetan. That was very terrible. I am deeply sad and worried for my poor country and my family. I don't know anything my family's situation. I don't call to my family if the Chinese know whose are relationship with Tibetan from India they are must arrest. I am only know my uncle was arrested by Chinese he lives in Lhasa. Now i am realized i have no country and home i don't know what i have to do actually i want to go back in Tibet now it is became very diffuclt. Teacher please you give me imformetiom what i have to do. How are you and what are you doing now? Do you still in England? Take care beyyy

Ann...on the loose!

Until I have the time to write and post some pictures, there is a great update on my mom's blog, Ann...on the loose! about her whirlwind visit to Birmingham, my 30th b-day and all the adventurous in-between! It was a fabulous visit!!!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Another 4,000 written, 20,000 to go

Well, I've made it through another 4,000 word essay. They do seem to be getting much much easier. Or maybe I'm getting lazier. Since I'm on-campus I was forced into giving a power point about my topic several weeks ago. So it was much easier to write up after having organized all the information for a presentation! I have six weeks to complete 8,000 more words and then it's on to the last 12,000--the mighty dissertation!

For all you interested EFL/ESL nerds out there...for this essay I designed a teacher education course for volunteers in India. Maybe someday I'll actually get to use it!

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

A long long long time ago...

Well, it's finally happened. I've reached another age milestone in my life. And with each major milestone is the need to look back and see just how far I've come. Here are some pics from the baby album that my mom just sent to me. She'll be here in just a few hours to celebrate the big day with me--exciting! But hopefully she hasn't packed the whole album! :)








I still haven't learned to pack a bag and I still carry way too much STUFF!





Thanks for the pics and the first few years! Here's to many many more!