Scholarship Winners: Tsering Dorje

Tsering with Mrs. Vipond and Shirley Blair

Hi! Greetings from Tsering!

In the last two weeks, many things happened, most of them good. Shirley visited Mulgrave School and did her presentation to increase awareness about Himalayan kids among Mulgrave family. People loved Shirley; they would give rave reviews and talk sweet things about her.

When Shirley was in school, a young filmmaker, Michael Sui came to Mulgrave and took some footage for a demo of a future ‘documentary of SMD Students’. He took lots of footage of Shirley, my host family, and Mulgrave family, me included.

Reading has become my obsession, and I have been very addicted to it. I read couple of books in the last two weeks. The most powerful one was “Night” by Elie Weisel. It’s a book that deserves a reading. If you are thinking of reading it, make sure you have some tissue paper in your pocket to wipe your tears.

In my tests, I had good grades except for Chemistry, and it was C. When Shirley found out that I was having trouble with Chemistry, she asked me to write a “note,” a nice note, to the teacher. <Asking for help. sb> I did and the feedback was nicer. I had a test again, but this time I got A. The teacher also gives me extra attention in the class. I know, this will continue.

This is what I wrote:

Dear Mr. --------------,

I hope my note finds you in the best of your time and spirit.

This year, I have been having a good academic year except for chemistry and I have been having worse experiences with chemistry related tests and grades. This is partly due to my own limited commitment towards the subject, and partly I do not think I am getting the right instructions. I think I need the instructions in such a way that I could understand.

With all my heart, I do not want to quit the class, but I want to try harder and get better grades and pleasant experiences out of the chemistry class for the rest of the year.

I have decided to commit more time with passion. I would like to hear your comments as well. Therefore, can you please come up with some ideas about what can we do to improve the chemistry related experiences. Do you think I am a passive learner and I need to ask more questions? Do you think I need special instructions? What do you think should I do to break the mystery out of chemistry?

I am really looking forward to work with you in order to fight with chemistry related problems.

Sincerely,

Tsering

If you are having a same problem as I had in Chemistry, then writing a note like this one help you. Feedback is often positive…..

These were some of the good stuff that happened in the last two weeks. What about bad stuff? Well……… I don’t think there was a bad stuff. I can’t really remember.

Nevertheless, I would love to read notes and comments from you. I am eagerly waiting for one.

This much for now, but there are lots of interesting stuff coming following weeks. Stay “signed in”, I will be back soon…..

Lots of regards,

Tsering

Hi! Everyone,

This is Tsering again…. updating my opinions on what is happening with me in Canada.

Two weeks ago, we had a huge grad party- semi formal. Everyone was in their suits and tuxedos with shiny black shoe and belt. Remember, these are seventeen/eighteen year old kids, some of them talk about socialization, sex, upper class and sophisticated manners. I adore all of them. Everyone looked dazzling and dashing, in their best outfits, photographer took lots of pictures with different poses. Everyone was dancing and drinking, I mean drinking pops and water. The limousine ride in particular was as smooth as silk. Kids gathered around poker table, me included, started betting, some own goodies.

“I would like to take picture of Tsering holding lots of money near the poker table”, one teacher said and took bunch of pictures. Kids laughed and exclaimed some interesting comments because they found “Tsering holding poker quite cool”. There were some teachers, including our principals to chaperone us during the party which I thought was sweet of them.  

All in all, it was great. But, there were times where I would start to contemplate and say to myself, ‘what a different world’, very materialistic. When I say materialistic, I don’t mean bad. Materials are always good to have to that extent where you can make choices. I even believe that love of money is root of all good and lack of money is root of all evil. In our economic based society, you are valued by the size of your house, what you wear, drive, and who you hang out with. You are constantly valued with the amount of toys you have. Or, you should be smart and strong enough not to be intimidated by overwhelming upscale stuff around you. Instead you need to ridicule it, or at last act. Many youths are well versed with ‘one who dies with the most toys wins.’

More than a year ago, I read some books about schools, education system, drawbacks of education, school experiences etc. During that course, I got to read “Old Boys”, a book where more than seventy old boys of Upper Canada College – the college since Canadian establishment-- reveals what was their boarding/school life was like. How they were treated by the peers and their teachers. I think that book helped me a lot to understand the psychology of many kids relatively from affluent and dysfunctional family. Anyways, one thing is for sure, these things will always exist. The most important thing is to be focused on what one wants out of his life, something extraordinarily good, for self and others. I think monastery gave me a solid foundation, the spiritual foundation, because I have seen myself becoming tempted to morally what is considered to be bad, and I can control myself very well. Not only that, but also the discipline that are valuable for my life. I am always grateful for my monastery for that.  

Anyways, I am in the middle of what is called the most important phase in my life. I am in the middle of application process for my further studies. I am not worried about getting admission. But, I am most worried about getting money. That’s why lack of money is the root of all evil and the love of money is root of all good. I detest begging for scholarships, but I have no choices. I do wish that I had the ability to pay for my education and not worry too much.

Live you life sincerely, not seriously. But, it is completely up to you how you want to live. Either sincerely, seriously, both, neither, or other ways.

With best regards,

Tsering J