Well i made it..all the way to Dharamshala. I am rather tierd right now, so the spelling and everything might be a little messy...6 years in college and I am still horrble with my grammar... Life is good here...it is much cleaner, safer and overall nicer here then in Varinase. I think that i am going to put up a Tibetan prayer flag up for Varnicase and my week that I spent there..working on not being jadded at this point in time...or as the buddhist would say,being 'mindfull' of my emotions and thoughts... Dharamsala if you do not already know is the home of the Dalai Lama and the home of the Tibetan Goverenment in Exile. So what does that mean...many many many many many awesome people live here and travel to this place...because it is the home of one of the leaders for the positive social change through peace movement...and it is a good place where one can learn about Buddhism and other spiritaul persuits. There is so much to do in this place...it is like a Bellingham kids dream land...so many courses and classes to take on natural healing and mediation...and the Teachers of these classes are Tiberan Lamas who have been forced out of their homeland to Dharamsala...so you have this pure ancient wisdom comeing out of the mouth of just the most beautful men...i am taking a cource of meditiaton 5 days a week, 2 hours a day from this very nice Rinpoche...the oppertunites for this are just not that easy to come by at home you know...so i am trying to make the most of my enviorment. I am also 'thinking' about teaching Tibetan monks english through this voluteer organisation. i just had dinner at the organisers house. Her name is 'Suman,' She is a refugee and spent most of her life in Dharamsala...She runs a good organisation for teaching...I am little nervouse about teaching english...I think that i will go for the 'beginngers' level, so that it will be hard to mess up my nouns and pronouns...tomarrow I am ging to the library to get further teachings on Buddhist philosophy...just so many possiblitles here... But most of all...when traveling....it is important to be Aware of what is going on in the enviorment that you are in...it is so easy to take the 'tourist' route through things...go to the nice restaurants and jump on the Tour busses...but when you come to place like this...Dharamsala...it is REAL what is happening...you see old Tibetan woman walking the street in their old and tattered clothes, they look as if they just treaked across the himilayans the day before...heck they just might have...Everyone has a story here...about having the flee Tibet and climb the Himilanys at Night so that the Chinese would not catch them...just so real you know...So be aware of your world and what is going on around you! the decitions we make, as who we vor for office and what we choise to affeliate ourselves with really affect the world...I find it hard to chose between what to support and what not too...i guess it all begins with educating ourselves...okay enough with my philosophy for now... Wow I am really tired...i think that I had the hardest bed in all of Dharamsala last night...changed rooms, so now I am living at a guest hosue that is in a monistary...very cool...very peacefull...and you can see all of the valley from it...speaking of this...i have to go, they might lock the gates!!! Dont want to get locked out you know... love you all...been a little homesick lately...lot of good stories when I return...hope you are creating some peace in your world...it all begins within... love, martha