It took 22 hours of travel to get to this place, and my senses have been on overload ever since we landed, but I am in a place that is not only beautiful, unique, and so full of diversity, but it is a place where so many cultures, religions, and regions come together. It's a virtual melting pot of society. There are western tourist, NGO's, Tibetns, Indians, Buddhist, Muslims, Christians, etc, etc, etc. One thing is for sure, it is a simple life here in "Middle Tibet". Leh is a very vibrant town that truly comes alive if you are just willing to listen and see past what many westerners may see as a dirty, poor, impoverished place. There is SO MUCH culture here as well as a rich history and a landscape painted with the colors of life. The Tibetan prayer flags hang from rooftops, trees, over the market streets, etc. The Buddhist temples look down upon the town and cast a sense of antiquity over this entire valley. As we walked through the market area today, the afternoon prayers could be heard from one of the two mosques in town. The sounds of horns blowing as the drivers weave in and out of foot traffic, dogs (more on that later) and the cows that roam the streets. The smell of incense permeating every corner of the shops we walk into. The sound of "Jule" as you pass complete strangers. It's a simple hello spoken in Ladakhi...passed between friends, colleagues, and complete strangers. The kindness of these people is overwhelming. They don't seem to have the burdens of our modern society. Their lives, while simple, appear to be lived in peace. We could learn something from the myriad cultures here in Leh.
The warnings of "bring your winter gear" were almost scoffed at. I'm from Colorado..the Rockies..I'm tough. At 11,700' above sea level, and sitting directly at the foot of the Himalayas..."cold" is an understatement. Our office/house is typical of this region. build with mud, and old methods, it is stunningly simple, yet beautiful, however you just can't get up and go turn the thermostat to 72 degrees. We have no heat and air. The water just resumed flowing as it is shut off to most during the winter (it is still winter, we got lucky). The power is intermittent and spotty at best. The food is as authentic as you can get and a pure delight (if you like tibetan food). The winds from the Himalayas seem to float over this valley, robbing it with any warmth that may have previously existed. There are "packs" of street dogs all over and I wonder how they survive. Tonight we huddle in our sleeping bags and read, or write in our journals via headlamp and candlelight. We prepare ourselves for the morning when we will go to the SECMOL school to meet our students and prospective guides. We are so blessed to be here, to have this opportunity. I've finally experienced "love at first sight". I'm in love with this place (instantly) and with the incredibly kind people. The adventure is mercurial at best and that is yet another wonderful attribute to this place. You don't need a plan. Each day is a gift and my time here is that and so much more. When I get home, I know I'll be marking the days until October when I return for our next project. Thank you to those who gave their precious money to see this happen. My gratitude cannot be expressed in words, only in our actions and the efforts we put forth. As the Tibetans say - "Thujiche" (Thank You).
Jim (IMLI Leh 2012)
