On a trip in India years ago, on one of my final days in Kolkata, I had only one thing left I wanted to accomplish. That was to check out the flower market. Â The evening before I had decided that if someone tried to talk to me, I would make an attempt to be open …
On a solo trip to Kolkata a few years back, I was picked up at the airport by a representative from my hotel, cheerfully awaiting my arrival. Â She escorted me to the car where the driver was waiting for us. Â When we pulled away from the airport she turned back to face me and said …
One of my first 'big' solo trips was to India and Nepal a few years ago. Â My main intention was to go to Nepal, where I would be spending a month volunteering at a Buddhist Monastery. Â I decided to add on a month in India beforehand to see some areas I had never been to …
"India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Â Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only." ~Mark Twain India is unlike any other place you will …
Not to be confused with loser, Losar is a celebration of the Tibetan New Year. I had no idea what this was but was very fortunate to find myself at a Buddhist Monastery in Nepal for this occasion. I cannot tell you accurately the history of Losar, or any factual significance of the different traditions, …
My time in a Buddhist Monastery taught me a lot. Â I learned about the very real struggle of Tibetans and the evils committed by the Chinese government. Â I learned what it feel like to be a vegetarian and eat so much rice it literally felt as though it was coming out of my pores (seriously …
If you visit Nepal, visiting Bodhnath Stupa and it's surrounding area is a must.  As one of the major sights to visit in the Kathmandu area, I had already made a trip before starting my time volunteering for a month at Rinchen Parli Monastery.  It is full of tourists but is  a very important pilgrimage …
In my daily teachings at Rinchen Parli Monastery, one of my favorite experiences was my time spent with Khenpo Dhondup. Â Khenpo is basically the principle of the monastery, and has become a great friend. Â His has an incredible drive to learn English and we continue to be in touch via Skype all these years later …
Volunteering in a Buddhist Monastery.
I am about to write four words I never thought I would say: Welcome to my blog. Â I have always had a desire to write but was so intimidated by the concept of writing a blog. Â Write something for anyone in the world to read... Are you kidding me? Â Who would give a …
Journeys Through Samsara 