Mcleod Ganj

I have now been in Mcleod for a little more than 10 days. I really love it here. There are too many foreigners, but in a way that's good too. It like a little subculture in itself. I have had many great experiences and have met tons of great people. I am at the point where I walk around and run into friends all over the place (tibetan, indian, and other travellers). I have been enjoying the yoga classes the most. I have been going every day (except today) and sometimes twice a day. Yoga here does not feel the same as yoga at home. At home we are so over-obsessed with working out and physique that yoga has taken on a totally different meaning. Here, the yoga is all about being mindful of your breathing, doing the postures correctly wo that you can reach maximum benefit, and minding your own practice. Maximum benefit in yoga here does not refer to loosing weight or being flexible, it is about maximizing the flow of energy in your body. I feel like I could stay here and take yoga classes forever! I took a two day Indian cooking course in hopes that I will be able to make some delicious Indian food when I get home. I have also attended a few other "functions". One was to listen to a tibetan ex-political prisoner speak about his experience, and another has been to volunteer in a conversation class with other tibetan ex-political prisoners. The plight of the Tibetans is something that we, in the U.S., know very little about. This town is filled with Tibetans seeking refuge and hoping to one day be able to safely return to their homeland. (though, I"m sure some want to stay here too) I have been increasing my knowledge about the Tibet but still do not feel knowledgable enough to be teaching. So, with that I say, go research Tibet and find information about what is going on there. Additionally, I have been reading a book called, The Jew in the Lotus. It has somewhat lost my interest now, but the first half of the book is very interesting. It talks about a dialogue between the Dalai Lama and some Jewish rabbis. It also compares and contrasts the Tibetans and the Jews.

The eclectic mix of people here is really amazing to observe. Every night there is people playing live music on top of one of the guesthouses. It is a mix of Indians, Israelis, Brits, and much more (korean, american, german, dutch, etc...). I started to learn how to play the drum ( i forget what kind it's called) with this Austrian girl. I want to take lessons, but at the same time I feel it is time to move to my next place. I am stuck with deciding where to go. Here are the places that I'm thinking about:
Leh is supposed to be absolutely beautiful and the ride from Manali to Leh is an adventure in itself. There is trekking up there and it is at a really high altitude. I have heard stories of people having a hard time with the altitude and also of buses getting stuck.
Manali is also supposed to be beautiful, it is much closer and I'll probably head there next, then decide...
Rishikesh is known for it's yoga and I have looked into a yoga ashram that includes yoga, meditation, and teachings
Kashmir is a place I've heard a lot about in reading about in India, but have only met a couple people who have visited. One guy told me he didnt' feel like tourists were welcome there. Its strange for me, realizing that I'm a tourist :) Anyway, I have made some friends from there and I could go with them to visit.

I will decide soon.....
The freedom to be able to go anywhere and do anything is really amazing. I was sitting at dinner with some people and these two girls just randomly decided to head to Bali together. It was awesome to watch the process and to watch their excitement grow as their realized they were really gonna do it!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE (sub kuch milega)