Dear Siddhartha Family,
This is Stanzin Angmo, from Yarmouth, Maine. I’m in my second year here at the North Yarmouth Academy, and as the holidays approach, I have been thinking a lot about my life in the US, and the many ways that the the Siddhartha School community has educated me, supported me, and helped me to succeed. So I wanted to reach out to you, the Siddhartha family, and tell you a little bit about my life.
The winter weather has been so pretty this year. My host parents told me that it is very unusual to have such a warm weather at this time of the year, but everyone enjoys spending time outside in such a good weather. I am excited for Christmas vacation and to open my gifts from Santa! Last year, I got a skate boots and some woolen socks. It is so nice getting to know and celebrate Christmas, this wonderful, auspicious holiday that I had only read about in books and heard in ‘Jingle Bell’ poems when I was at the Siddhartha School.
At the Siddhartha School, we learned a lot about western culture and literature, including famous celebrations like Christmas, Yom Kippur, and such. I was always very curious to know more and to experience the strange side of the world that I had never ever seen. My teachers at the Siddhartha School would attempt to answer all of the questions I had about Christmas trees, Santa, his reindeers, and Jesus’s birthday. I never thought that I would be able to experience this new world one day by studying in America. I already felt so fortunate that I was getting to study at the Siddhartha School.
My time at the Siddhartha School was one of the most important chapters of my life. Not only has it provided me with a terrific education, but it helped me so much to adapt to living in U.S. It would have been very hard to start school here in Maine had it not been for the confidence and knowledge I gained through my teachers in India . When I came to North Yarmouth Academy, I thought that it would be very hard to stand shoulder to shoulder with the English speakers. But, thanks to my Siddhartha School education, I was able to compete with them and even go above some them. I am always thankful to Khen Rinpoche, my sponsors, teachers and all of my Siddhartha family for their efforts and help to provide me with this grand opportunity.
When I was studying at the Siddhartha School, I loved sharing whatever I learned in school with my family. They were so surprised when I told them about Santa and his reindeers! They knew about Jesus and his greatness but they didn’t know about Santa. My father, who is now a retired soldier, would come home from army camp at this time of year, as we also have the Ladakhi Losar (New Year) celebration around this time. So at the end of each year I got to spend time with my father and my mommy. My mother is a homemaker, and she does all of the housework as well as all the farming. She is so strong and works 100 % harder than any woman I’ve known in my life. Although it is a hard labor, she never complains about it. We live together with my grandparents, who have the best stories. Everyday from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, there was always a Ladakhi program on television. My mother would finish milking the cows and feeding the cattle, my father would help my mother with her work, and I would make sweet tea for my family. My grandparents would settle down in front of the television, and at 6:00 pm we would be all together in the living room having the tea I made and watching the Ladakhi program. They would play Christmas and Losar songs, and tell the stories about both holidays. It was one of my favorite times of the year, and I miss being with all of them. Losar makes me feel so fortunate to have this beautiful life and to have such a nice family, friends, teachers, and sponsors.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! May 2016 bring happiness and success to each of us. Thank you so much for being a part of the Siddhartha family, and for your support of us!
Much love,
Angmo
