Discover Kham Tour

One of my students is arranging tours this summer, and I agreed to pass the information along. Dorje is standing in the background at right. His mother is grinning as she offers conifer branches to the buddhas. Cath Marsh, one of his former instructors, is helping him arrange the tours.

15-day Discover Eastern Tibet Tour
July 1 and Aug 1 2007

Dorge invites travelers to join personalized small-group tours to western China’s exotic Tibetan prefecture. The tour will begin and end in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, with ten full days spent in Kham (Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture), offering a glimpse of one of China’s largest cities, insights into Tibetan culture, outdoor leisure activities and relaxation in peaceful environs.

Highlights:

• Chengdu: Panda Research Base
• Kangding: Tibetan-Chinese border town.
• Tagong Village and grassland
• Tibetan monastery visits and introduction to Tibetan Buddhism
• Day-hike or horse ride to mountain hot springs and lake in the lower regions of Mt. Jara (5,200m)
• Tawu, where we will enjoy a stay at Dorge’s family home - a rustic Tibetan farmhouse built in the traditional architectural style for which the town is renowned.
• Zhaba: a remote village home to a small community of people whose unique language and culture are on the brink of disappearance.


Tour group size is 5-6 persons.

Kham is a developing area and though we make every effort to ensure guests are as comfortable as possible, this tour is not for the faint of heart. Facilities in the remote areas we visit are basic and hot showers not always available. Mild high altitude discomfort is also a possibility.

Tour dates: July 1 – 15 (book before June 8)
August 1 – 15 (book before July 1)

***Tour prices: We have designed 2 travel options and for each tour will arrange whichever there is more interest in.
Comfort Travel (4-WD Land Cruiser transport and 3 star hotels in cities)
US$1,350 per person
Budget Travel (Van transportation and hostel accommodation) US$850

Prices include Chengdu airport pick up, transport, accommodation,
interpretation and tour services, and 2 meals a day.

For inquiries and a detailed travel itinerary, please email Cath cathmarsh@hotmail.com.

little joys

since i was young i have heard about "the joys of teaching." lately i hadn't thought of that much, as i have been letting myself get bogged down by grading papers, teaching grammar, and formulating my first midterm. i also have to make corrections on each student's diary, which they write in two or three times a week.

this entry, written by a student whose English name is Nikki, reminded me of a lot of things. i've decided to leave it the way she wrote it, except where i think it's absolutely necessary:

"Miss

'The miss taste like a bitter coffee.' I can't sing any song but I can remembe this song. Because It likes [is like] my heart.
Today is a sunny day. But my heart is raining day. I left my grandmother and my relatives there is a miss in my heart. I want to fly into my home. But I can't what can I do? Please tall me what can I do? I hate times keep my grandmother and I part [apart]. I want to go back to when I was chiled [a child] I can't either.
I don't want to be the daytime and the night. When the time finish They need to leave. They can't alway daytime or night. [It can't always be daytime or nighttime.] I like the sky. it alway in there. everybady can see it. when I see the sky, maybe my grandmother see the sky too. Maybe I can convey my heart to its. Let it takes to them for my grandmother. If that [is so, then] I will be the sky look after my grandmother and my relatives of corse also my teacher classmate, friend and everything.
Next lifetime I will be a in frot of my home's tree, because after the tree grow a place then alway can't another place. [In my next lifetime, I will be a tree in front of my home, because after the tree grows in a place then it can't grow in another place.] So I will never leave my family."

i will finish the story of my holiday soon. suffice it to say i miss all of you; my old friends, flames, pals, and families.

yours,