Monks in da club

"All he does is grab, grab, grab. This man is bad for the Universe."
- Indian shop owner, referring to George W. Bush

Met a group of western volunteers. Seems like a welcoming, fun group. Niraj is moving out, so I'll be taking his room. Much cheaper than my current place, though the occassional large, furry, dinner-plate sized spider has been rumored to drop by during rainy days. Hoping he's just trying to scare the new guy.

Went with new volunteers to Tibetan / Indian dance party. Wasn't sure what to expect. Indian police padded us down at the door. Everything else was just like a club in Boston, except beer cost a quarter, and we were dancing among monks (in civilian clothes). Was not expecting to hear 50 Cent at any point during my time here.

Met Tashi (means "lucky"), a Tibetan student on vacation from school. Wants to become a vet so he can "help animals." Rock on, Tashi. Apparently he thought I was a good dancer because he mimicked me the entire night. Real nice kid, got his email, going to help him with his English.

Dance party ended when drunken brawl erupted, two Tibetans stabbed in knife fight. Very unfortunate. Spoke to many locals, learned that some youths "lose their way," get involved in drugs, alcohol, violence, and frequent use of American cuss words (for the record, I have yet to meet an unfriendly Tibetan). No surprise, as many children travel to India from Tibet without their parents to escape Chinese persecution, find work, etc. Returning home runs the risk of imprisonment: "Many Tibetans return home to visit family... Many are lucky, and only go to jail for a few days. Some go to jail for years."