Physical Therapy Work - Because of prior experience, I was asked to help with physical therapy at Jatson Chumig. I worked with approximately 8 children during my stay. Every weekday I would take 2 children at a time to the therapy room. They knew which exercises to do - working with the pegboards to increase fine motor skills, using the walker to improve gait, or using the bicycle to strengthen the legs. We often incorporated playing with a ball into the physical therapy routine.

 

Teaching English - Unlike most volunteers, this was not my official duty. The children however were eager to learn more English. I would often finish a physical therapy session by reading a book in English, pointing to the pictures and saying the English word. The children especially liked the English language books I brought which were about Tibet.

 

Learning Tibetan - While reading to the children, they would tell me the Tibetan word for each picture. I kept my Tibetan dictionary handy and wrote down phrases that I would often use: is good, yag po du, together nyam-du, or is OK di gi ray. The students were also eager to be the teacher. Tsedan Lhamo wanted to teach me the names of body parts - eyes, nose, leg, arm; Tsechoe Lhadon wanted me to count; and Rinjee, the real taskmaster, not only taught me many common words but also quizzed me everyday . There was more than one evening that I studied hoping to avoid her disappointed look while she gravely shook her head at me when I couldn‘t come up with the correct Tibetan word.

 

Time for Play - A favorite part of the day for many volunteers was the free time after lunch. This was the time to just hang out in the schoolyard with the children. I visited with the children, played, and watched them play. I also met other students during this time and watched the children practice Tibetan dance and song.

Handicraft Workshops - These buildings, located on the school grounds were an interesting place to visit and watch the workers sew or make paper. I purchased from the school’s gift shop: incense, hand-made paper items, thangas, even traditional Tibetan boots, all made in the workshops. I not only bought gifts to take home but in doing so I was able to help support the school!