Our medical volunteering didn't work out because the clinic was less busy during the school holidays in February, so we have been working mornings at a preschool for very poor children up to age 6 and afternoons doing English language teaching. We are enjoying both; I am missing Clara's House (our partial hospitalization program) and my clinic kids less with seeing these little ones, and Pat finds that as soon as people hear he is a Doctor they have questions and concerns. Our English teaching is more like conversation circles, where people who are wanting to improve their English can practice speaking. We have met several monks and other young people and have appreciated learning about their journey from Tibet and other places and sharing stories of our home, family and friends. People here really want to have American accents for some reason ... so they like to have help with pronunciation. Henry Higgins would be appalled ...
So we are spending our days walking, learning, meeting interesting people, eating wonderful food prepared by Tenzin and Chuki, and absolutely freezing. It has been unusually cold and rainy here, and the homes and businesses are not heated in any way so you have to just dress in layers. With one suitcase each for six months, our layers are limited, so we are probably known as "that American couple who wear the same clothes every single day", but we're managing. Today our family invited a friend who is a monk and a yoga master, Ven Yeshi Gyamtso, to come to their home to teach us the eight strategies for healthy breathing and meditation ... we felt so honored by that. We all had a good laugh at Pat and I struggling (and failing) to get into a lotus position and then needing help to stand up after an hour and a half of the exercises!
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