Author(s): Gill Winter

Travel Writing

The town of Dharamshala in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas is home to the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans in exile. When Kiwi Gill Winter went there to teach English as a volunteer, she was immediately drawn into the fascinating environment of 'Little Lhasa'. She heard brave stories of Tibetan refugees escaping occupied Tibet, watched monkeys leaping through the forest, struggled to fathom the intricacies of the Tibetan language, explored the mysteries of Buddhism and discovered the finer points of making momos. In this engaging community of constant surprises, a work gang of nuns took their turn on a building site, student monks sang reggae, and the foam on the morning cappuccinos read .... Free Tibet!