Cow Blood and Dog Pee

May 8, 2008

We've been having a really interesting time here. The weathers great though it is the start of the rainy season, so we get some heavy wind and thunder storms some times.

Shawn and I have a new little friend named Ted. She's a fantastic puppy that some times follows us home. The Tibetan Charity, where we volunteer, has spayed her and de-wormed/de-flied her. I just found out how to get her back to the US but it is not going to happen as I need more time and money, though now I know how.

So this weekend Shawn named cow blood and dog pee. We were about to go out for the day. As we walked by a cow precariously reaching over the ledge to eat a bush, she lost her balance and went tumbling down the ledge. She rolled a few times and land on a path bellow but 2 of her legs were caught on a pipe. She was on her side. Shawn and an India man, who didn't speak English went down to help. Me and a old Tibetan lady, who also didn't speak English, stayed above and prayed. It was quite a scene. Finally with lots of help from Shawn and the man the cow was able to get off the pipe. At that point I noticed her horn was bleeding. She had broke her horn on the way down. So ran to the Tibet Charity to see if I could get a vet. Shawn ran to find a clinic near the Temple. I was not successful but Shawn was. When I got back there were about 15 people some above some below trying to get the cow to move so Shawn could clean and patch her horn!! The doctor at the clinic sent him with iodine and bandages and said he had to do it!! So some brave Tibetan women took control of the cow after she got up to the road. One literally took her by the horn. The whole time an American girl was video taping. Finally Shawn poured the iodine on the horn which was very bloody(afterwards we thought we should have poured some water over it) and wrapped a bandage on it. It was quite comical looking. So the cow left and we went about our day.

I went shopping and Shawn went to the school to study English(which is all he seems to do). As Shawn was coming in late, I walked to meet him and who did he have? Ted! This was the first time she followed one of us home. We didn't know if she would be missed but it just so happens the caretaker of the Tibetan Charity was visiting next door. He said to just take back which we set out to do just as it was getting dark. As we past on busy section of our walk out of no where came a pack of angry street dogs. Ted ran back. Shawn went to get her and discovered as he picked her up she was covered in pee and now so was he. Hence his title for the day and the title of this email Cow Blood and Dog Pee.

Today was a very special day. We saw the Dali Lama for the first time! He is doing teachings at the temple for the next 3 days. He spoke in Tibetan but we have to take a radio to hear the English translation. The teachings are very difficult and I often space out. When I realized that was happening I would try to meditate and I usually got more focused. There was a nice tea break in the middle of the teaching and a sweet old Tibetan man gave us cookies!! Shawn was soooooo happy.

The Dali Lama is quite funny and really cute!

So we're coming home in about 3 weeks. I am very excited about seeing all my loved ones but I'm not sure how American will seem to me. I am glad that I will be able to eat anything with out worrying. I am treating some amoebas in my system. They are not causing too much trouble now! The doctor is safe and cheap. The Tibetan nurse, who was went to nursing school in Maryland, from the Tibet Charity took me to see him. She's really amazing and her story is even more amazing. She was basically orphaned after coming to India and working on the roads. When she was 11 she entered the Tibetan schools and the rest is history. Her story is much more detailed but I won't be able to do it justice. Any way she was great she comforted me by embracing my head to her bosom when I had to have a blood test. It was the easiest and nicest blood test ever!!! So don't worry I'm healthy and I am on medicines.

See you all soon. I may not be writing too many more long emails.

Love and light, Tonya