From last Sunday to Wednesday was Losar- the Tibetan New Year. Last year during this time I knew very few people so I wasn’t able to celebrate Losar in any cultural way. This year I was able to see Tibetan culture first hand. On Sunday morning, I received a call from a close friend who invited me to join her and her Tibetan friends at a festival. We went to the Tibetan refugee camp and enjoyed many indigenous songs and dances. It was amazing to see so many different people groups from Tibet all with their own outfits and dances. On Monday I drove my bike to the Tibetan section of town where my friend lives. She and I spent a long time talking with Tibetan friends, eating traditional food, and playing games (although the game was very American- Phase 10!). I had planned on being there for lunch and part of the afternoon but what I discovered was that people don’t eat and run in Tibetan culture. What I though would be a few hours ended up being 11 hours but I enjoyed every minute of it.

The chaos that Nepal is so famous for has been absent for a while now but it is coming back quickly. For a month or so a group in the south has been protesting and creating havoc to have their voices heard. They have used threats, blockades, and violence to get their point across. This radical fringe group is doing this to receive seats in the parliament and to eventually have the southern part of Nepal annexed, creating a new country. This demand is obviously crazy and the government has stood strong so far. To strengthen their stand, this rebel group has blocked gasoline trucks from entering the city causing a huge fuel shortage. Most gas stations are now closed and to get gas you can expect to stand in line for the good part of a day. This has been happening for about three weeks now and to make their point even stronger they are now threatening to shut down the capitol here for an undisclosed amount of time. I have no idea what will happen in the coming days but pray that God will allow this country to experience a freedom that has for so long eluded them.