03/05/2007

Back to India


With 20 hours of video footages from the 11 families back in Tibet, I headed directly to the refugees handicraft center in Dharamsala,in India. The past 3 months’ physical hardship through the Tibetan winter is now working as a midday dream in the Indian summer.
I told them that on my last stop in Tibet, I was looking for the brother of Tenzin in Balou. I had a telephone contact number but it turned out to be incorrect. I was running out of money so I could not have stayed much longer in town. So I decided to ask the people in the street if they know Tenzin’s brother. One of the many pool players in the street has pointed his finger towards the mountains and said, “Over there!”

I looked at the mountains that surrounded us and decided to walk on. Then I saw on my right there was a Tibetan tea house. For some reason I told myself that there could be a hint.


I entered. And saw a man. I walked up to him and ask him if he knows Jime Gonlu, Tenzin’s brother. He said, “ That’s me.”



When I told the story to Tenzin, he told me that was karma.
Families are bonded to gather.



Now with the Tibetan families’ videos shown back in India, the “reunion” was completed and we got to live the tears and laughter. If only the reunion was not by video but with physical presence it could of course have been much better.

But meanwhile, I've got the videos alright and maybe they are good enough to be put together.







3 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

Dear Alice, you are one remarcable woman! The journey you went through and the joy and hope you must have carried along the way make me shiver at the other side of the world...
Hope to read more from you,
Love,
Alexandre

dreamhunter a dit…

Hi Alice, this is Selina (丁燕燕), the translator your article for the ACCF. I came across your blog (par hasard)and got to know that you are in Paris. I am in Paris as well and wonder if you are still in Paris or in India at the moment. If by chance you got this message, perphas we can have a drink in Paris. Best, Selina

Anonyme a dit…

Alice,
My friend forwarded your site to me. It's wonderful, I hv been to Dharamsala and lived in India for 6 months too. The first thing that caught my site was the beggars with broken fingers. I was used to deliberate damage to their body for money since i was in India for a while already. But it just kept me wondered why everyone damaged their own fingers. Then i learned that it's amputated coz fingers are frozen to death when they crossed the himalaya from Tibet.
I really like your project, hope to see it in near future. Add oil!
Dora