Bigu Gompa- from Kels

Three Weeks at Bigu Gompa
Michael and I set off from KAthmandu three weeks ago feelingoptimistic and excited. We took a twelve hour bus ride, that includedgoats both inside and on top of the bus, the aisles and all spacespacked with people, a few naps, two packages of coconut cookies, 623switchbacks, and two stops for dahl baht (the staple Nepali food thatis eaten once, twice, or three times daily and is a combination ofrice, baht, and lentil soupy stuff, dahl, and a vegetable on theside). We climbed from the river, up and over a few mountain ranges,and descended in Singati, a small river village at the end of thebusline and at the start of our day hike up to Bigu. We spent a lovelynight in a guesthouse in Singati marking the last time we would sleepin a double bed for a long time, as well as the last night we would bethat low in elevation for quite some time. After rising early, bothexcited and trying to beat the heat, we set off up the trail along theriver that headed up the valley and into the mountains. The walkingwas beautiful. We felt strong with our packs, and enjoyed the earlymorning cool and calm as we climbed to our first stop for tea. I havehad more tea since being in Nepal than I have ever had in my wholelife. I love it. We actually had tea time every day at the Gompa.Amazing. Anyway, after our stop for delicious black and very sweettea, we started a fiercly uphill trudge for about two hours. The twoplaces we were supposed to stop for lunch, little shops along thetrail, were closed due to the coming holiday. So, finally afteranother few hours, we found a shop that would at least sell uscookies. The milk cream cookies are delicious. And they have smileyfaces on them! Mike went for the coconut. Feeling refueled, or atleast energized from the sugar rush, we took off again under theafternoon clouds. As we climbed higher and higher, the clouds filledin and, just as we were commenting on the nice break from the morningheat, the clouds opened up and started spitting rain on us. This wouldhave been fine if either A. we had put our raingear at the top of ourbags, B. we were not about to go straight down to cross a river, onlyto head straight back up hill again, or C. it did not turn very coldand turn to freezing rain. After about an hour of rain and frozenfingers, we found another little shop that served us tea and made usnoodles. We were only an hour from the Gompa, so we rested for a whileand then set out, this time in the most direct route possible,straight up the hill. Reaching the Gompa as wonderful. We went rightinto the kitchen and sat by the fire and they served us tea and hadwarm faces.The next three weeks consisted of much daily ritual, but so manysurprises at the same time. The nuns there practice Tibetan Buddhism,about which we learned a great deal in our time there. Michael and Ioften rose with the horns blown between 4:30 and 5am, then to followthe gong into the Gompa for Puja (prayer). We sat, mentally entraced,but physically uncomfortably, marveling at how these women satcross-legged for so many hours a day while our hips could only standabout ten minutes before needing to shift. The time in Puja wasamazing. We could sit there for almost two hours and either let ourminds wander, practice Om mani padme hum, the prayer for compassionfor all living beings that we would say as we moved through our prayerbeads, or try to meditate. Most often the nuns were chanting, whichwas calming and thought provoking. After puja each day we would eatbreakfast, and then we would teach an English/math class to a group ofeight nuns. We had the class that was thirteen to sixteen years old,mixed ability, and all very eager and curious. After class we wouldhave a break where we would either help out in the kitchen peelingpotatoes or cutting veggies (much less efficiently than the nunsthemselves), and then would take some time to read. I read five bookswhile at the Gompa, three of which were about Tibet, the Dalai Lama,and Tibetan Buddhism. It was such a treat to have so much time toread, but also to learn so much about Tibet and Buddhism while livingwith nuns. Learning about Tibet was horrifying for a few reasons.Partly understanding that I was completely ignorant about the subject,but mostly because of the genocide that has taken place in Tibetbecause of the Chinese leadership and that it continues today. TheTibetan people are beautiful and rich with culture. They live simplyand efficiently, growing and cultivating all that they need for theirfamilies.After an early lunch, Michael and I would then head down the hill tothe Sherpa school (while many people think of “sherpa” as someone whomight carry your bag, Sherpa is actually a group of people who oftenserve as guides and porters in the Nepal mountains because of theirexpertise and unique genetic make up that allows them to carry moreoxygen in their blood and therefore function better at highaltitudes.) The children were adorable! The first day we arrived atthe school we were greeted by each child saying “good morning sir,good morning miss” and each shook our hand. We went right intoteaching with little instruction of what to do, what they knew, orwhat had been done before. It took us a couple days to figure it allout, but then started on a role with each class. The most successfulwas the oldest class, I think about a second grade US classroom. Weconnected with that group and were able to do some good grammar workand practice speaking English. The youngest class essentially stagedmutiny, covered in snot and dirt, and started marching around the roomone day. Michael started filming it all, and I, both crying andlaughing so hard I wasn’t sure which I was doing, decided to just joinin the with the marching. For a teacher it was very humbling tocompletely lose any sense of control in the classroom. There is avideo that will follow of this event. Besides working with theincredibly motivated and grateful kids, it was also cool to teach withMichael. It did take us a couple of days to lose our egos and sense ofcontrol and really work together, but when we did it felt special tobe able to work together in our “profession” but in such a unique wayhalfway across the world.When we would return to the Monastary after school we were rushedright into tea time which was always lovely. We would then do variousactivities for the nuns before crowding into the kitchen for dinner.At first I ate slowly and small portions, but eventually I gave intoTenZing (the head kitchen nun) who liked giving big portions, andknew, better than I, that days and nights at the Gompa were cold, andI needed more food. The food was delicious – all vegetarian as ispracticed by many Buddhist nuns, and consisting mostly of potatoes,rice, and flour products. It was like the anti-atkins diet. It lackedthe many vegetables and protein I would normally like, but we drank aton of tea each day (made with the cows milk) to try and get someprotein.The other part I forgot to mention is that almost each day Michael andI would head up”the hill” which was a steep hill behind the Gompa. This hill wasabout an hour trek to get up to a place where you could see even thehills of Tibet in the distance, as well as the beautiful Rolwalingrange that lit up the sky. We needed to get our fitness back after amonth of not much fitness in the states, and it also helped us getused to the altitude. Mostly it was just beautiful, and was the onlyreally private time that Michael and I shared while at the Gompa.The nuns did let us share a room, which meant three weeks in a singlebed (college!) while both of us were sniffling and coughing because ofthe cold much of the time. This might seem like a private place exceptthat “grandpa” the old man that takes care of the electricity at theGompa, had to go through our room to get to his room. This meant thata few times each night we would exchange some awkward time with himwhen he would wander into our room and fumble with the lock on hisdoor, often standing for moments at a time just looking at us, andthen finally retiring into his room. I managed to never let him see menaked, but it was close a couple of times. We had to create a look-outsystem for changing.There are many more things for me to say about the Gompa – it was anincredible three weeks. The most life-changing parts of the experiencefor me were two-fold. One, I found that through my reading, and dailypuja, I felt reconnected to my spiritual self than I have felt inyears. I feel that I have found some aspects of Buddhism to be a goodfoundation for the faith that I want to practice, really building myown “religion” but through the guidance of the basic belief in “ommani padme hum” which is compassion for all living things. While Ifound that Michael and I were not as “close” while at the Gompa inmany ways (much because we lacked privacy and could not be publiclyaffectionate like we normally would be), I felt closer to him in aspiritual sense. We had some very powerful conversations aboutcommunication and our fundamental beliefs and how we want to see themin our daily lives. The other most powerful part of the experience wasliving amongst an incredible, powerful group of women everyday. Thesewomen carry hundreds of pounds of wood on their back up and downmountains. They grow their own food, they live life fully and totallyself-sustained, while also taking many hours a day to devote to theirlearning and spirituality. Needless to say, it was inspiring.I think this is enough for now. There is much I haven’t said, likecelebrating the Tibetan New Year on March 5-7, but there will be morestories to come.
Love and best wishes to all, Kelsey