The spring is coming

A few years ago, one very famous Czech philosopher, Vaclav Belohradsky, wrote in his excellent essay about hearing the ice grow. It is beginning of March now, and we, people living in Kargyak, in the forgotten valley in the Himalayas, can almost hear the ice melt.

As the spring is knocking on the door, ice changes its form disclosing everything that was hidden under during the winter (the villagers for example are struggling with the dung-water from their animals flowing into their houses as it melts), everything is waking up, new different smells appear and there is also more and more time we can spend with the kids playing outside. And when I see there, in front of me, that beautiful Gomporancon mountain, I can’t take my eyes off it and everything in me starts to sing....

New cute lambs and baby yaks are being born but probably the most enjoyable time we have had here with the three puppies of Dolma which compete every day up the hill to the school to play with us.

So, everything is slowly waking up from the long winter sleep, the days are getting longer and longer and the children coming to school every day earlier than the other are letting us know that we will be spending more and more pleasant time together. Our “passive house” is not only a happy and stimulating place to live but it is also a place where the kids by their creativity and vividness every day give meaning to what we do. They are so eager to learn and so happy to spend their time at school! They show their joy of learning new things every day after school shouting the new knowledge almost everywhere. It fills me with fantastic feelings.

Some of you may think that the building is about to fall apart after the kids got a bit wild as the energy of forthcoming spring caught up with them but it’s not like it at all. The truth is that actually the building is strong as the Charles Bridge in Prague which makes me think that the builders must have added some local eggs into the mortar :) (for those who are not familiar with this ever-popular Czech legend - the rumor has it that the king Charles IV wanted to build the strongest bridge ever, so he made the builders add the egg yolks to strengthen the mortar used to bind the stone blocks). And the most incredible view of the mountains that I see through the only huge window every morning right from my bed, day by day keeps providing me an almost ecstatic experience. This view will be stuck deep in my memory forever.

Reports from two of our studnets:

Nydon, second class:
My name is Tenzin Nydon. My mother name is Yangskil. My fater name is Phuncog. I have four Brother. My brother name is Tolszagpo. My brother name is Lobsang. My brother name is Kalsaglash. My brother name is Kunzik. I have two sister. My sister name is Desal. My sister name is Pantok. I have eleven cows. I have six sheep. I have three horses. My house is good. My mother is good. My fater is good.

Desal, second class:
My name is Tenzin Desal. My fater is farmar. My fater name is Phutsog Dhondup. My mother is house work. My mother name is Tsewang Lhodol. My grandfather name is Nogdup Tsuha. I have for sister. My sister name is Tenzing Yonter. My sister name is Tenzin Song. My sister name is Sonam Dykel. My sister name is Lobsang Mkalden. I have seven cow. I have ten sheep. I have four horses. I don`t have dankey.

Have a great time everybody, and as for next report - one of our Tibetan friends is looking forward to sharing his feelings with you next time.

Joseph (Joe)

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