Briefly

I have a new thesis topic and advisor. New thesis: "The Place of Sacred Space in Constructing Tibetan Identity in Diaspora".

I'm loving my Buddhism classes ("Mandala: Visions of Tantric Buddhism" and "Buddhist Ethics"), except at this point they are all review. I'm trying to wait patiently until we get to the meat.

This past week I finally worked out the kinks and officially registered my independent study "Reading Classical Literary Tibetan" with my thesis advisor.

I'm still intent on returning to Mcleodganj in the spring.

Pieces, and the Places Where They Fall

So, I moved to the Bronx. It's ideally non-ideal. I'm renting a spare room in my friend's apartment, and he's only asked me to pay $200 a month. That is inexpensive enough that I can save up to return to Dharamsala following graduation. It's also so far removed from my usual social scene that I simply won't participate in it this semester, which is helpful for cutting attachments before leaving the city for good.

I ran into the Dean and Associate Dean of my college at school last week, and had the opportunity to talk to both of them together regarding changing my senior thesis topic so that I can continue with what I started in my final paper for the Dharamsala program. They were both very supportive, especially after I told them how much I appreciated the program and my plans to return. For once someone finally said there's no point in writing my senior work just to do it; that it should be relevant to my future research interests. So they're going to help me find an advisor, and lifted a registration hold on one of the classes I will need to take this semester in order to change my specialization from Literature and Religion to Buddhist Studies. Now all I have to do is wait and see if the professor they have in mind as an advisor will agree to work with me. Oh, I do have to write a new proposal, but it shouldn't be too difficult considering I already have an 8 page paper to work with and an abundance of sources from this summer. I plan on busting it out this weekend.

Also, I've been going to Cafe Himalaya up to three times a week for momos and milk tea. It is a little taste of Tibet in New York.

Otherwise, I have been doing some preliminary research into volunteer opportunities in Dharamsala. Right now it seems Volunteer Tibet is my strongest option, with numerous volunteer positions for English teachers and tutors in Dharamsala and other regions, including Sikkim and Kathmandu.

My tentative plan is to be back in Dharamsala by February or March.