This post features student writing.
We are in Taksindu! Our rest day began earlier than usual—at least for most—at 5:30 AM. Many of us struggled to keep our eyes open on the short uphill walk to the monastery but we all quickly awoke during the Puja ceremony, a form of Buddhist worship and prayer celebration, at 6 AM. We entered the monastery and for the next hour sat silently and observed the majesty of the monks’ prayers. A symphony of horns, vocals, bells, and a lone drum rang throughout the hall while the monks chanted and all drank delicious tea. Afterward, we had the special privilege to join the monks for breakfast—it was silent, mostly, and we slurped bowls of egg and noodles in the morning light. The way the monks acted, all in unison, was fascinating. To conclude our morning we toured the monastery and learned about the various buildings and their functions on the premises. We then returned to our lodgings for some much needed rest and relaxation. Many students assembled for card games in the common room while others chose to make up for the early morning with a quick nap. In the afternoon, we returned to the monastery for a private meditation session, led by an elder monk. We learned about three different steps in a form of Buddhist meditation. Although many left with some hip or knee discomfort—turns out sitting still and upright for an hour is not easy on the body—everyone was thankful for the opportunity to learn from a monk. We even received blessed Mala beads from him!
To loosen up our tight muscles and satiated minds we played a few games outside of the lodge: Screaming Toes (the screams were rather lackluster), Birdie on a Perch, and finally Hot Potato. At 4 PM we had guests who came to the lodge to answer questions and participate in a small cultural exchange. Our guests were a monk from the monastery and the mother of Babu Chhiri Sherpa, the late sherpa who holds world records for the fastest ascent of Everest (17 hours—the climb from base camp to the summit takes most mountaineers three or four days)—and spending 21 hours at the top without oxygen. He climbed Mount Everest 10 times before perishing on his 11th trip up, in 2001 when he was 35 years old. He is very famous in Nepal and it was so interesting learning about his life and mountaineering experiences, as well as meeting his mother and brother.
After various questions from students and leaders, we began to trade songs, culminating in a well-sung rendition of “Lean on Me.” As Bill Withers faded away, we danced joyfully to Nepali music with our guests. The night ended with a feast of Sherpa Stew—a potato and vegetable soup dish which apparently gives us extra hiking power—and, after our nightly family meeting, played a group-wide game of Mafia.
— Jeff
