The training program for painted tankas, or ceremonial Buddhist paintings, takes three years. Students learn how to prepare the canvas, measure the figures exactly (the Buddha's proportions were measured from his reflection in a body of water, and no depiction of him is considered auspicious unless it conforms to those proportions). They then learn how to make all the colors (which were originally made out of rock) and do these gorgeous, really detailed paintings. There are also woodcarving and metalworking students, but my favorite is the fabric applique tankas (pictured).
People cut, glue, iron, and sew all the separate pieces to make the tankas. The tanka in the temple at Sarah is a huge fabric applique one, and it was so awesome to see them in the process (the nun sewing the pieces places all of them together so I could take the picture).
After lunch, during which I practiced my Tibetan with Geshe-la, we wandered around. Their gift shop sold painted tankas, bed sheets, stuffed animals, and gold Buddha statues. They Oslo took credit cards (when you see that weird charge, don't worry about it, dad!)
At night we had dinner in the guest house dining hall with all our roommates. It was a lot of fun to eat together, practice Tibetan and english, and make a lot of jokes. There was one particularly funny moment when I was spelling something in Tibetan to Hong Kong. One of the Tibetan letters is pronounced "ah," and after I spelled it, Hong Kong made the same noise, which we often do when we understand something. Her roommate then cracked up since it sounds the same.
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