Tibetans give a whole new meaning to hospitality! Friday evening Eric and I went with one of our English students to a basketball court near his house. It was an 80 rupee taxi ride, and without question our friend paid for the fare even after we insisted on paying. During basketball, a storm was brewing and the clouds were ready to burst with showers as our games came to an end. We still had a good 30 minute trek up the mountain to our apartment (or an easy 10 minute taxi ride, which, based on the horrific winds that the storm we experienced earlier in the week brought, we concluded that a taxi was the better mode of transportation). Our friend insisted that we splash some cool water on our faces at his home before heading up the mountain. I was thrilled to take him up on his offer because we would have the opportunity to meet his Auntie, whom he is so close with that he calls her, “sister.”
Our friend lives in the government district of Dharamsala, which means that on our way to his home we passed by the Institute of International Relations, a small hospital, and the new Prime Minister's, Lobsang Sangay's main headquarters. Then we made our way up some very steep, windy stone steps, partially eroded away by many harsh rains. After about 5 minutes of a steep climb, we passed their outhouse and arrived at his home. We were delighted to be greeted by his Auntie, a librarian who works at the nearby Tibetan Library.
Immediately, we were welcomed with open arms, and were brought in to be seated. Their apartment was small, but sufficient for two people. As you walk in from outside, you step into their kitchen, made of mostly stone, with all the essentials, stove, sink, and refrigerator. That's right, folks! Microwaves are not a common kitchen appliance where we're staying! And it seems like ovens are not common either.
We took off our shoes and sat on the floor of the only other room of the apartment, the bedroom/living room. This room was very neat, and was adorned with family pictures, books, and a High School Musical poster (Yup, Zac Effron and his teener-bopper phenomenons even managed to woo fans in McLeod Ganj with their talented voices and moves!).
By the way, sitting on the floor instead of chairs is very common in this region. Even the classrooms in which we teach have individual floor cushions so that everyone can sit comfortably on the floor.
Anyway, in an effort not to get too sidetracked from our new friends' hospitality, let's get back to the apartment... between the television and desktop computer was a small altar dedicated to His Holiness, the Dalai Llama. The altar was fascinating! Several pictures of the Dalai Llama were showcased along with a line of silver bowls turned upside down, and a fake orange flower in a pot. As a practicing Buddhist, our friend and his Auntie perform prostration every morning. From what we gathered, this means that they fill each silver bowl with water, light incense, and then bow to the altar three times by getting down on their knees and sliding their arms out to the side and all the way up over their head while praying in a “child's pose” (for those yoga addicts out there) to His Holiness.
Shortly after sitting down, his Auntie (who had no idea that we were going to be coming), served us each a glass of water, assuring us that it was boiled. Then about 10 minutes later she brought some of the best tasting chai tea we've had! (I had four cups of chai as the evening progressed, obviously forgetting the high caffeine content... thus the reason I am writing this blog at 2:30 in the morning, after tossing and turning in bed due to being woken by the need to pee THREE TIMES in the last hour.) Then, although Eric and I planned to stay for just a short while, his Auntie insisted that we stay for dinner. Honestly, we already felt that they were being hospitable enough, and did not want to take advantage of their kindness, but she insisted that she was already making rice for dinner and two more mouths would be no bother.
So our friend asked if we wanted to splash our faces with some cold water while we waited. We followed him outside to the faucet (and the dear guy even brought his face wash out for us!) The cold water felt wonderful after an exhausting evening of running around on the court.
We watched a cricket match between the Mumbai Indians (Real creative name, eh?) and Bangalore Royal Chargers while waiting for dinner. And when dinner came out, we were delighted to be handed bowls of noodles with chicken, vegetables, and broth with a pair of chopsticks placed carefully in the noodle bowls along with a salad of tomatoes, onions, and chilis sprinkled with salt and chili powder. This meal was fantastic! Quite spicy! So spicy that that pearly white skin of Eric's (which has gradually turned into to a golden shade of peach) turned BRIGHT RED from the heat of the chilies! hehe :)
After good conversation throughout dinner, we left their house that evening with happy tummies and inspired minds. Our friend walked us back to where we could find a taxi, ensured that we got the proper price for our ride up, and even slipped the driver the payment without taking money from us to cover the cost. So, he not only walked us back to the taxi, but then paid for it! Above and beyond any expected hospitality!
Also, keep in mind, it was 9 o'clock at night and the power went out just as we reached the taxi, so our friend's walk back alone would've been in the dark. Completely. Luckily, Eric convinced him to take our flashlight on his 5 to 10 minute walk back home.
Not wanting to leave any of their kind gestures of hospitality out, I want to highlight that while we waited for dinner, our friend insisted that he pour the chai for us, and when he heard Eric mention the heat, he started to wave the hand fan in Eric's direction, to help cool him off. Our Tibetan friend is a 20-year-old male! How many 20-year-old men do you know would be so kind to another male friend?? (Perhaps that kind of treatment would be reserved only for a woman friend, hehe) But see, what I mean... he and his Auntie go above and beyond the ordinary expectations of welcoming new friends to your home!
One of the first things that I said to Eric when we got into the taxi was that we should learn from their boundless generosity when welcoming friends to our home in the future. They simply stunned us with their kindness. This is one of many lessons that we will take home with us, to practice in our own lives.
Our friend lives in the government district of Dharamsala, which means that on our way to his home we passed by the Institute of International Relations, a small hospital, and the new Prime Minister's, Lobsang Sangay's main headquarters. Then we made our way up some very steep, windy stone steps, partially eroded away by many harsh rains. After about 5 minutes of a steep climb, we passed their outhouse and arrived at his home. We were delighted to be greeted by his Auntie, a librarian who works at the nearby Tibetan Library.
Immediately, we were welcomed with open arms, and were brought in to be seated. Their apartment was small, but sufficient for two people. As you walk in from outside, you step into their kitchen, made of mostly stone, with all the essentials, stove, sink, and refrigerator. That's right, folks! Microwaves are not a common kitchen appliance where we're staying! And it seems like ovens are not common either.
We took off our shoes and sat on the floor of the only other room of the apartment, the bedroom/living room. This room was very neat, and was adorned with family pictures, books, and a High School Musical poster (Yup, Zac Effron and his teener-bopper phenomenons even managed to woo fans in McLeod Ganj with their talented voices and moves!).
By the way, sitting on the floor instead of chairs is very common in this region. Even the classrooms in which we teach have individual floor cushions so that everyone can sit comfortably on the floor.
Anyway, in an effort not to get too sidetracked from our new friends' hospitality, let's get back to the apartment... between the television and desktop computer was a small altar dedicated to His Holiness, the Dalai Llama. The altar was fascinating! Several pictures of the Dalai Llama were showcased along with a line of silver bowls turned upside down, and a fake orange flower in a pot. As a practicing Buddhist, our friend and his Auntie perform prostration every morning. From what we gathered, this means that they fill each silver bowl with water, light incense, and then bow to the altar three times by getting down on their knees and sliding their arms out to the side and all the way up over their head while praying in a “child's pose” (for those yoga addicts out there) to His Holiness.
Shortly after sitting down, his Auntie (who had no idea that we were going to be coming), served us each a glass of water, assuring us that it was boiled. Then about 10 minutes later she brought some of the best tasting chai tea we've had! (I had four cups of chai as the evening progressed, obviously forgetting the high caffeine content... thus the reason I am writing this blog at 2:30 in the morning, after tossing and turning in bed due to being woken by the need to pee THREE TIMES in the last hour.) Then, although Eric and I planned to stay for just a short while, his Auntie insisted that we stay for dinner. Honestly, we already felt that they were being hospitable enough, and did not want to take advantage of their kindness, but she insisted that she was already making rice for dinner and two more mouths would be no bother.
So our friend asked if we wanted to splash our faces with some cold water while we waited. We followed him outside to the faucet (and the dear guy even brought his face wash out for us!) The cold water felt wonderful after an exhausting evening of running around on the court.
We watched a cricket match between the Mumbai Indians (Real creative name, eh?) and Bangalore Royal Chargers while waiting for dinner. And when dinner came out, we were delighted to be handed bowls of noodles with chicken, vegetables, and broth with a pair of chopsticks placed carefully in the noodle bowls along with a salad of tomatoes, onions, and chilis sprinkled with salt and chili powder. This meal was fantastic! Quite spicy! So spicy that that pearly white skin of Eric's (which has gradually turned into to a golden shade of peach) turned BRIGHT RED from the heat of the chilies! hehe :)
After good conversation throughout dinner, we left their house that evening with happy tummies and inspired minds. Our friend walked us back to where we could find a taxi, ensured that we got the proper price for our ride up, and even slipped the driver the payment without taking money from us to cover the cost. So, he not only walked us back to the taxi, but then paid for it! Above and beyond any expected hospitality!
Also, keep in mind, it was 9 o'clock at night and the power went out just as we reached the taxi, so our friend's walk back alone would've been in the dark. Completely. Luckily, Eric convinced him to take our flashlight on his 5 to 10 minute walk back home.
Not wanting to leave any of their kind gestures of hospitality out, I want to highlight that while we waited for dinner, our friend insisted that he pour the chai for us, and when he heard Eric mention the heat, he started to wave the hand fan in Eric's direction, to help cool him off. Our Tibetan friend is a 20-year-old male! How many 20-year-old men do you know would be so kind to another male friend?? (Perhaps that kind of treatment would be reserved only for a woman friend, hehe) But see, what I mean... he and his Auntie go above and beyond the ordinary expectations of welcoming new friends to your home!
One of the first things that I said to Eric when we got into the taxi was that we should learn from their boundless generosity when welcoming friends to our home in the future. They simply stunned us with their kindness. This is one of many lessons that we will take home with us, to practice in our own lives.
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