September 12th, 2008 8:20 p.m.

Today after morning puja, Kunga, Anna, and I went to the jail that our 5 monks are being kept at. We took them food. Thankfully they didn’t receive any beatings and the police actually fed them. They were told they won’t be released for at least 3 days.

They aren’t being kept at a real jail, more like being kept outside across from the jail in another police complex. The jails are too full. From what I learned the Nepali police beat a kid to death and that is why there have been so many demonstrations of late.

It is against the law to have a demonstration outside of the Chinese embassy. So the police were prepared and just loaded up all the demonstrators into trucks without any sort of real fuss or even any demonstrations. 120 Tibetans are being held from yesterday’s non-demonstration.

Anna told me that here at the hospitals and the jails the people are not fed at all. You can die of starvation in either place if you aren’t rich enough to pay someone to get you food or if your family doesn’t bring you anything. But they were fed so that is good. The bad side is that they are cold, dirty, and becoming infested with lice and fleas. Someone is supposed to be taking them some clothes and blankets.

Today was sort of a risk. Anna said she would ask Kunga if I could go. Kunga is the master monk here. Kunga said I could go. I couldn’t tell Dechen I was going beforehand or she wouldn’t let me. I took my camera and covertly took a few pictures. It was cute as Anna asked me to take a photo of them and I had already taken a couple without anyone knowing. The Nepali police would confiscate my camera if they had known I had it. I’m good. Hehehe.

Today was a chakra-ban. No transportation at all. We had to take a taxi there and back which is very risky. During a chakra-ban if you are caught driving your car it is overturned and burned. Anna said, “its ok. If they catch us they will turn over the car, jump out, and then they will set fire to it.” Although she was pretty certain no one would touch the taxi car with me in it as that would be really bad to hurt a foreigner.

Our taxi driver was very clever and took all of the side streets that he could. We went in front of one demonstration on the way there and was able to avoid all of them on the way back. There were tons of Nepali police out with cement barricades holding back a huge group of people. Was a bit scary!!! Totally safe to walk around though, just don’t think about driving.

Sad thing is that many of these demonstrators are putting their lives at risk while trying to fight to get their country back. If they are caught and do not have a passport they are turned over to the Chinese. Dangerous!

I told Tim that I would not be going to any demonstrations! No way! I can’t even wear or display anything about freeing Tibet over here. Very dangerous for a foreigner.

I was a hit back at the monastery though as I had photos of the monks. Even Lama-la took a look at the photos. Though I don’t think he was the happiest that I went to the jail.

Today we received part one of the Chod empowerment and transmission. Tomorrow we will finish it up I believe.

It’s so cool here now. As I walk around town I run into all sorts of monks and nuns that I have met and they wave to me or stop and say hello. Some of them speak very little English while most speak none at all. But it is so nice to feel like I have friends here already.

Betsy Bergstrom, one of my beloved teachers, and her partner will be arriving in a week. I hope I get a chance to visit with them. I have never talked so little in my life. I feel a bit lonely here from time to time. It will take some adjusting to when I get home.

And I will have to remember not to throw my garbage on the ground! 17 days left and it feels like it will be tomorrow. In some ways, it feels like I’ve always been here and I cannot imagine living in any other place. Oh… I forgot.

Yesterday I hand washed my clothes. Other than a hand knit here and there I have never really hand washed clothing. I got all done knowing I did a really poor job and went and hung it out to dry. Yesterday the monsoon rains hit us hard. I laughed. Then last night a large storm hit us. It woke me up several times as it was blowing so hard. I wasn’t sure if I had any clothes left.

This morning I went to check on them and almost every single piece was lying on the ground and needed rewashing. So I got them semi cleaned up and re-hung and then an even bigger storm hit us. Only one piece of clothing was on the ground this time. I am hoping that the lightning storm that is touching down all around us (has been that way almost every night that I’ve been here) stays away long enough for me to retrieve dry clothing off the line!

I will not run through so many clothes before washing them again. If these clothes aren’t dry soon I will be getting desperate for clean clothes. From now on I will wash clothes every time I have an outfit or two dirty so that if the rains continue to come I will have a better chance.

Heya sweetie, just a note to say I love you and I so appreciate all your hard work! Thank you for providing for our family so awesomely! I love you super duper much!