#6 Asia Update

And again, Greetings

I've got just a few minutes before a meeting, but wanted to let all know that we continue to do quite well -- all are happy and healthy, enjoying the cleaner air and wide variety of healthy eating available here in Dharamsala. Students have been engaging in different service projects - teaching English to newly-arrived refugees and ex-political prisoners, painting walls and tables for the preschool "school" in the slum project our monk friend Jamyang and his Tong-len organzation helps (we also designed some latrines that the students will be building for them next week when the college group picks up where the HS students left off), picking up garbage with an early morning group that goes out daily. And they've been hearing different perspectives on the Tibetan situation - from the Tibetan Youth Congress, HH's Govt-in-Exile's Department of International Relations, and from GuChuSum, the organization that helps escaped political prisoners adjust to life in exile. And they've each been on various trails in pursuit of their individual research projects - learning tons, making friends, exploring and growing.

The college group left yesterday morning on their trek - a gorgeously beautiful, sunny and clear morning that was preceded by a day of hard rain that gave them all pause as they considered the trek to come. But that day ended with the most amazing double rainbow, centered right above their trek destination spot, Triund, another couple of thousand feet above Dharamsala -- a great omen, as we all agreed at the time. After seeing the group off on the roof of a restaurant with a view of the entire Dhualadhar Range where they had a hearty breakfast to sustain them through the morning, Ted and I traveled to Lower Dharamsala with the highschoolers, who spent the day working at the slum. It was a great privilege to be bringing Jamyang's group a substantial donation to help with their work, and to be sharing the earnest intentions and hard work of our Spring Streeter with them. For us, one of those most amazing of days -- I'd guess it felt that way to all of our students as well.

So all continues to be well - we are all learning, growing, contributing -- and so grateful for the opportunity to do so. Thank you all for your support!

Best wishes,
Peg