(1/2) “Mother and father tell me that they had decided to bring us to this town because they did not want us to become like yaks, unable to speak our thoughts. They thought the life in the mountains would only bring us the same kind of hardships they had to endure. So they packed up their possessions and moved down to this town. I was two, they say. So I started going to school here, until the 9th grade. By then, I had already come to terms with the reality that not everyone in this life can become a “doctor, engineer or pilot”. Back then, I was a very religious kid, I loved going to monasteries and talking to the lamas about life and karma. I like the way the monks spoke, the wisdom behind their actions. And I also loved the birds and the insects. So I decided to go to a monastery in India to learn about my religion. My parents were against me leaving school but I had made up my mind. I stayed at the monastery for 9 years. There were people from all over the world. But I missed home and I also learnt religion does not feed people. And that money is necessary in this world. The monastery would only give us basic fooding but I could not do or buy anything outside of that because I had no money. I would watch the other Lamas buy things for themselves and eat in fancy restaurants during outings and I would feel bad. So after 9 years, one day I woke up and told them that I was leaving. I returned home and decided to do something that would earn me money. Then, I went to Malaysia.” – (Mingma Sherpa, Satdobato 1, Bhimsen, Charikot, Dolakha) ‪#‎StriveStrugleThrive‬