Adventuring to Schools in Pokhara

Written and Edited by Soren Peterson & Richard Trinh

Walking to the Local Schools for Classroom Connection and Engagement

Shree Shramik Basic School

This is the playground/courtyard of Shree Shramik Basic School, which is a public school; this is new for us. Here, you can see us engaging with the local students in a few outdoor games.

(Photo: Soren Peterson)

Neighborhood Surrounding Shree Shramik Basic School

Here, you can see the school in the middle left of the image, with the surrounding neighborhood and houses all around it. The school is positioned on a river, right next to a heavily trafficked bridge.

(Photo: Soren Peterson)

Sunday, the 7th of January, our second full day in Pokhara, we took our first adventure to one of the two schools we will be engaging in; we will be divided into two groups of six, at each a different school. Shree Shramik Basic School was the first school we visited here. It is a public school. This differs from Shree Mangala Dvip, the school we engaged with in Kathmandu, which is a private school, started by a Rinpoche, and includes religious practices. By comparison, Shree Shramik Basic School is tiny: it only has about fifty students and seven staff members and was only started ten years ago.

We took a short twenty-minute walk from our guest house to arrive at the school, and we immediately got to walking around the grounds, entering classrooms, and speaking with the small staff. There was a challenging language barrier because the school doesn't have a lot of funding and experience to teach English to the children.

After engaging with the children in the classrooms and trying to sort out what we would be doing with them for the next couple of days, the whole school came outside to play a version of musical chairs, during which they passed a ball around the giant circle and whoever it stopped on had to enter into the center and dance; they were then out. The circle gets smaller and smaller until only two kids remain. After the musical chairs were finished, music was played on the speaker, and kids danced and played in the courtyard; it was a beautiful experience.

Most of us participated in musical chairs and danced with the kids afterward. We as a class have collectively noticed how polite, mannered, and compassionate all of the kids, and frankly, all of the people we have interacted with are here in Nepal. All the kids treat each other with respect and always look out for one another, trying to be as compassionate as possible.

Children playing at Shree Shramik Basic School

(Photo by Soren Peterson)

A classroom at Shree Shramik Basic School

(Photo by Soren Peterson)

After finishing school, we said, "See you later!" and headed back up the hill to our guest house. By my account, Soren here, I stuck around in the neighborhood, after everyone left, to explore and see what the area was like. Some local kids quickly invited me to play volleyball and soccer; I responded, "Of course!" I spent a few hours with these kids in the school courtyard since school was not in session, and we did our best to communicate while playing some sports. They gave me snacks -- an orange and Cheezeballs -- while we took a break and talked about America and Nepal; they also helped me learn some Nepali words. After we finished playing ball, they took me to one of the kids' houses, and outside, they played a board game called "Carrom." I sat around and watched as they played, trying to teach me, before I decided it was time to head back to the guest house before dinner. This was a unique experience, but I always enjoy making friends and exploring, and as the Dalai Lama said, "Go make friends everywhere you go!"

Dinner with locals at Karma Restaurant

For dinner, the guest house arranged for us to go to a local restaurant called "Karma Restaurant" in the Tibetan refugee settlement next to the guest house and monastery, which, to cut to the chase, was terrific. We walked through the settlement to get there, and when we walked in, it was two cute Tibetan ladies cooking in a tiny kitchen. Yet, they made the best Mo-Mos we have had on this trip (Even Larry said they were great, and he's had a lot of Mo-Mos!) along with being introduced to Shapale, a Tibetan form of an empanada. The food was much needed for the spirits and bellies of us; it was a significant change of pace. The food filled us all up, the tiredness set in, and we headed to bed. Tomorrow is another big day of seeing the school attached to our monastery.

Shapale!

(Photo by Soren Peterson)

Mo-Mos!

(Photo by Soren Peterson)

On the 8th’s morning and afternoon were the dharma talk by Lama Tsering Tashi and an introduction to the Pema Ts’al Monastery School. By my personal account, Richard here, I have been bedridden with bouts of the runs and accompanying stomach pains. If one were to stand outside my window, they would hear the recitation of the bodhisattva of compassion's mantra. Listen: om mani padme hum, and with those six syllables, may the Jeweled Lotus shine compassion upon all sentient beings, as I may need right now. You might ask why I begin with this: a lament on the human condition of sickness. It is one of the sufferings that Buddha Shakyamuni saw as he left his kingdom; however, I more so introduce with sickness to underline the taxing nature of this trip. In our travel, sickness had finally found us. Some of us experienced pains of the body along with expulsion of toxins, and COVID concerned our living for three days. Slowly, the situation has been improving, and surprisingly, the COVID warning we were given turned out to be a false alarm. The days will always be better so long as the sun rises.

In the afternoon, Lama Tsering Tashi gave a dharma talk on the topic of compassion and the five poisons. Since I did not attend, I took Soren's testimony and notes regarding the talk. It began with the statement that the mind never dies. Alongside that statement was a reaffirmation: that the root of happiness is compassion. To extend compassion to others’ mind and body will bring good back to you. Specifically, it can be identified as karma: there is a cause and effect to the good and bad one suffers.

On the topic of the five poisons, anger was main-stage. He stated to not make a decision in the heat of anger, as anger only prevents compassion. Like a bull that sees red, you will not be able to see how to be compassionate. Seeing another as a person and their perspective stops being a choice in anger. Rather, you ought to remove your ego from your decision making to make compassion an easier path to follow. Interspersed in his dharma talk were quotes from the Dalai Lama and his view of anger. The Dalai Lama was asked for his opinions regarding Tibet's occupation by China. Rather than fury, he redirects the intention inward, realizing that the destruction sought by anger will only destroy one's-self. In a paraphrasing of the speech, the Dalai Lama states “my anger would never destroy China, it only would destroy myself.”

Soren meets Lama Tsering Tashi

(Photo by Soren Peterson)

Approximately 1:05pm, a gracious classmate knocked on my door to usher me down. Our orientation for Pema Ts'al Sakya Monastic Basic School started. The overall schedule of the orientation was Lama Rigzin touring different classrooms so that we could meet and greet the schoolkids. From kindergarten to eighth grade, the schoolkids introduced their names, ages, and parents' names; we offered our names, ages, and our own studies and specialties. This was in class one. They learn three languages: English, Nepali, and Tibetan. They are very proficient, but Rigzin noted that they can be shy when talking face to face. Along with sharing their names, ages, and parents' name, where their family are and what village they are from were shared as well. I cannot transcribe them down well here, other than the Mustang region; Rigzin kindly explained that most of these areas are villages that are culturally Tibetan. Effectively, the school does its best to ensure that Tibetan culture and language continues in their population wherever they go, home or elsewhere.

In another classroom labled third grade, the students were looking over their exams. Every year, three exams are given; they are in their second exam cycle. The school body is 95 students, and they are extremely competitive; rankings of individual students and entire boarding houses are displayed at the end of the year -- showing how their dedication to their instruction shines in their active living when they are so far from home. Lama Rigzin will greet and joke with the kids, treating them like adorable little scamps. In the classroom are posters on sickness and health, visuals on the symptoms of ringworms, chickenpox, and malaria. They will receive Buddhist mind training; there is a clear intersection between a clear and healthy body and a clear and healthy mind. They learn what they want and need; as the Buddha suggests: teach what those want and need.

A small tangent: there is a dental clinic here, and Rigzin states that the village here behind the monastery receives dental check-ups twice a year. The wants and needs extend to all in the community, and the community often does come to the school. Some of the teachers, such as Mr. Dorje, lives five minutes away from the school in the Tibetan community next to the monastery.

Once leaving the classroom, there was a smaller dialogue with Lama Rigzin on expectations regarding the schoolkids' observation of Buddhism. They need to take series of vows to be at the school. At eight years old, they formally take their lay vows; at around ten years old, they take novice monk vows; and at 21, they can decide to be a full monk, staying here to complete their studies, or follow their own path. Being the first Sakya school in Nepal, they are serious about instructing further monks and scholars.

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