Damak, Nepal here I go!!

Hello all!

So tomorrow (Sunday April 6^th) I leave my month long independent study (ISP). Similar to my Kenya experience where I went to Tanzania and worked with Seeway Trust (see previous blog posts) students from my program are doing some pretty cool things!

Here is a list of a few of the things students are doing:

Emily—trekking through lower Dolpo (google it…its beautiful!) and trying to understand how “compassion” is felt in medicine

Lulu—going to Rajasthan India and photographing doors and looking at the structure of doors in India

Mark—going to Bhutan and researching organic farming at the College of Natural Resources

Drew—going to Bhutan and researching Traditional and Allopathic medical ways through “integrated medicine” at the National Institute for Medicine in Bhutan.

Ben—Studying Remay philosophy of Buddhism in Dharamsala, India.

Joshua—studying Sherpa youth in Kathmandu

And as for me…I am going to Damak, Nepal (in the South East corner of Nepal…towards the Sikkim, India side). The objective of my study is to research the Lhotshampa population with a prime focus in the UNHCR Bhutanese refugee camps. I am hoping to be granted access into the camps…but am not sure how successful that will be! The Lhotshampas are the 100,000 Bhutanese citizens that got evicted from their homes in the 1990s. Currently 1/3 of them remain in the refugee camp in Damak, Nepal while the other 2/3’s have been resettled to third party countries (like the United States) see my St. Lawrence “Weave Blog”.

Although I do not know much about my trip…besides that I am getting to Damak on April, 6^th and leaving on the 1^st of  May…I will have limited internet access so may be able to update everyone. Please send emails!

Have a great month filled with happiness and great spring filled thoughts!

SEE YOU IN A MONTH!!

Wish me luck!!!