So, in the past few weeks I have managed the following ‘firsts’, (in no particular order):

First Saturday Teaching this term by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (the abbot of the monastery where we are studying), which was lovely.  We are very lucky here to have a class in Buddhist Philosophy given by a Khenpo 5 days per week and then Rinpoche’s teachings on a Saturday morning, which is aimed at a non-Tibetan audience and which he has been giving as often as he can when in Nepal for over 20 years now.

To clarify:  Khenpo is a term which is given to a monk who has studied in the monastery for 13 years and then completed 3 years of Buddhist teacher-training.  Only once he has completed these 16 years of training is he allowed to teach others beyond the basics, and this earns him the title Khenpo.   This is done to ensure that the teachings he gives are correct and proper so that they 1.  Benefit beings instead of leading them astray (as it were) and 2.  Keep his particular school of Buddhism pure so that future generations may benefit from these teachings as well.  It is a very intensive system believe me.  We often hear the young monks in their classroom near ours shouting out their spelling and the scriptures they need to learn.  It is very inspiring and humbling to hear 5 year olds happily shouting out almost the same sentences that you have been struggling with for hours in the Classical Tibetan translation homework!

Our classrooms are inside the Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery here in Boudhanath, which is known locally as the White Gompa, (for reasons that the photographs should make obvious)!  Here we study a fully-recognised Western academic degree program designed for lay people, but one that is infused with the knowledge and experience of our surroundings.  And it is a fascinating place to be, believe me!  This term we have classes in Colloquial and Classical Tibetan (which are just similar enough to be confusing and just different enough to be, well…confusing), Buddhist History and the Philosophy class I mentioned above.  This is the standard program for Year 1 Term 1 but there will be classes in Nepali, Sanskrit, Translation, Buddhist Art and many other exciting things in the years to come.  Needless to say I am really enjoying it.

OK, back to the ‘firsts’! 

First lessons with my fantastic Tibetan tutor Sonam.

First drum purchased.  A Madal, which is the local Nepali two-headed drum.  It is quite small and sounds good but I did pay too much for it so this leads to…

First case of getting really badly fleeced (that I am aware of!).  See above.

First spoken Tibetan sentence without deviation, hesitation or repetition (for those Radio 4 fans out there).  This earthshattering first sentence was:  ‘Those two water containers over there are the same’.  Hardly Shakespeare, or Milarepa for that matter (the Tibetan national poet akin to Shakespeare) but, it came out all at once with the right case, particles and pronunciation so hey I was (briefly) very PROUD!….

First case of a food-related bad tummy (only 1 day off, luckily and that is all the information you need I am sure! ).

First 1/20 for a test, ever.  Sob.  Oh well…

First experience of a Bandh, or strike in the Thamel area of Kathmandu.  This was pretty unpleasant actually and I was only on the fringes well before it started.  To explain briefly; Bandhs are how the local people here show their displeasure with the way the country is run (and before the democratic process it was probably the only way).  In the recent past, before the election, the Maoists used to organise these strikes.As far as I know this was the first one against them now they are in power as part of the coalition government.

This was last Sunday and I didn’t actually see the cars and motorbikes getting set on fire or the tear gas going into the crowds later that evening but when I was there the streets were lined with anxious-looking men and equally anxious-looking young policemen and army in their blue DPM uniforms, and the atmosphere was pretty tense.  All the shops, hotels and restaurants were shuttered up as it was clearly going to kick off quite soon.  This happened again the following Tuesday, which is a measure of how people cold be said to be getting impatient waiting for things to change.

First two weeks in my new accomodation, which is a nice twin room facing a garden with a bathroom and front door all of my own.  Works well for me as it is peaceful, as much as Nepal gets, and clean.  The family have provided furniture as well, which helps me travel light.

There are other firsts am sure but to be honest, I haven’t kept a list.  The best thing to say is that at the end of my first month and a half here I am starting to settle in, grumble about the lack power (see other post), and still really really love it here!

More as soon as I can, when the ‘leccy is on!

Namaste!