the dalai lama visits

The Dalai Lama is in Bloomington for six days. He and his entourage can occasionally be seen with their police escort driving through campus. While he's here, the Dalai Lama will be performing religious rites at the Tibetan temple, holding workshops, and visiting his brother who lives in Bloomington. On Saturday, he's giving a public talk. I got a ticket.

I went to hear the Dalai Lama speak in Boston when I was an undergraduate. I sat far up in the nosebleed section of the Fleet Center. The Dalai Lama was just a speck. But he was a happy speck, always smiling and laughing. I think that's what made the biggest impression on me - his good natured attitude despite being exiled and constantly away from home.

We talked about the situation in Tibet a little bit in the Intro to East Asia class I'm TAing. The Dalai Lama obviously came up, especially since this trip to the US has caused such a ruckus with China. The government of China does not like the Dalai Lama. They consider him a "separatist" because of his previous work to make Tibet a free country. In the US we hear about the areas of "regional autonomy" in China and for the most part can't see why China just won't let them be their own countries. They have different languages, customs, and histories, after all. But in my discussion section I have some Chinese students who just can't see why those people continue to insist that they have ever or will ever be a separate country. They have always been a part of China, after all.

It's a difficult discussion to have when both sides have such a strong reaction to the situation. I think that the Dalai Lama has handled his role as both a religious leader and a political figure very well, lately attempting to keep his political agenda just outside the spotlight. I hope that he will continue to work to bring about world peace, or at least peace between Tibet and China, with a smiling face.

I'm excited to hear what he has to say on Saturday.