Jhamtse Gatsal News

Face Painting –A Joyful Moment

HeatherB — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:30:47 +0000

It was Saturday and the kids were very excited about face painting when I announced about it in the morning assembly. Long before it got started they had already chosen what they wanted to be. As soon as cleaning got over I (Minoti), Yangi and Anita started painting their faces. The room was full of [...]

Being a Doctor is More Than Giving Medicine

HeatherB — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:30:42 +0000

We are Namgey Chodron ‘A’, Pema Drolma ‘A’, and Tenzin Drolma ‘A’, and our aim is to be doctors. We want to be doctors because in this region there are very few hospitals and few good doctors. The hospitals do not have good facilities. Many people in this area are afraid to go to the [...]

Prayers for Boston

HeatherB — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 02:30:54 +0000

. Audio recording of the Gatsal children chanting during our Tibetan Prayer Service (25 min.) Jhamste Gatsal is a long way from Boston if one measures by miles or days needed to travel from there to Lumla and Jhamtse Gatsal. But the distance between our hearts is not far at all. When we in the [...]

Quinoa Kickoff

HeatherB — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:30:34 +0000

We’re starting a new Experiential Education project here at Gatsal! We are doing an experimental planting of Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) — a super nutritious grain that comes from South America. The class 8 and 9 students have agreed to take on the project and integrate it into their curriculum, led by volunteer Science Teacher, Amma [...]

Life-Learning at Gatsal with Romina A.

HeatherB — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:30:12 +0000

A life-learning experience. That’s what the last year in Jhamtse Gatsal meant to me so far. It’s also been a self-discovery process, where learning how to ‘unlearn’ life as I know it is the first step towards a more comprehensive understanding of the other’s reality. I came to volunteer as an English teacher in Jhamtse [...]

Back to Class!

HeatherB — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 02:30:49 +0000

An interview with teacher, Tenzing Yangi, who teaches Bhoti (Tibetan language) and Tibetan music and dance. Tell us about how you felt on the first day of this year’s classes? Yangkyi: I felt nervous, in my stomach, like right before I take an important test. I was nervous about what I would teach, and what [...]

The Architecture of Learning

HeatherB — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:30:40 +0000

The Architecture of Learning Workshops are over! Dr. Washburn was a dynamic and knowledgeable presenter. His patience and enthusiasm helped motivate us to persevere through some tough new notions. We had six intense jam packed days of learning to design curriculum. Our teachers as well as the government teachers worked hard to align their teaching [...]

Happy Holi!

HeatherB — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 02:30:58 +0000

We took an afternoon to celebrate Holi Festival on the 27th of March. We regret that you couldn’t join us, and hope you can vicariously enjoy the fun through all these action-packed photos, taken by visitors Julia Washburn and Dr. Vindy! Maybe you’ll be here next year, yes?

A Special Visit from the New DC

HeatherB — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:30:37 +0000

On February 24th, the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Tawang, Shri Abhishek Dev, visited our community for the very first time. He was accompanied by the Divisional Forest Officer of Tawang, Shri B.B. Pawle, and Shri Mika Nyori, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Lumla – who is also a great supporter of Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community, along [...]

Educational Impressions from Jhamtse Gatsal

HeatherB — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:30:12 +0000

This is my third trip to the remote Himalayan area of Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community. I originally came here as an educator with experience in teaching, running schools and training teachers. The community was young and struggling to deal with 80 live-in students from the impoverished villages that surround the ridge that houses Jhamtse Gatsal. [...]