April 2014
Update on the Tibetan family in Roberts Creek
by sponsors Jerry and Debbie Rolls
Tsering has started work at Studio 2545 in Sechelt. She will be working there three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 to 6:00. She will also augment her hours by doing home visits. She wants to gain confidence in hair cutting and she did a great job on Debbie's hair. For a 20-minute head and shoulder massage, a 30 to 40-minute facial, or eyebrow and full-face threading, contact Tsering at 885-6088. Appointments are by donation.Thanks to Rashmi Singh they now have a PC laptop. Tsering's English is getting much better. She watches movies and music videos with us – her favourite singers are Akon and Shaggy, black American artists who I had never heard of. They are also Skyping India regularly now, using Skype to Skype, which is clearer than WeChat which they had been using, and they have email now too. We have decided that cell phones are much too expensive and complicated right now.
Sonam has now started work at the Gumboot cafe. He works as a general helper and cleaner on minimum wage but he is interested in cooking too. We have told him that this will come in time. At present he just works on weekends, but next week he's getting two more days, Wednesday and Thursday I believe. He also has feelers out for general labouring work, so if the Gumboot doesn't turn out to be full time he may be able to supplement his income with this. Sonam's English is improving too. We are hopeful that this will improve more with time at the Gumboot. He is studying for his drivers test, and now drives our community truck, which is Japanese right-hand drive, as well as our own vehicle, with ease.We are looking for drivers to drive with him and explain the finer points of Canadian driving. Neither Debbie nor I are much good at this having learned to drive forty years ago and spent much our driving life in odd places where the road rules are pretty much made up. He has around six weeks validity on his Indian license before he has to pass a Canadian test.
Sangdon is attending Karen Gaze’s daycare in Roberts Creek four days a week now. Her confidence, which was always high, is still growing and her English skills are amazing now, after just six weeks in Canada. She loves playing with the other kids in the cohousing here, and with our grandchildren.
We share most of the cooking and housework, in fact they take the lions share of this. We are gradually coming to understand each other's dietary preferences, and happily share Indian meals of daal, rice and curries, which are similar to those we ate when we lived in Asia. They are cutting down on white flour and sugar, but it's a challenge for Sangdon and her parents to eat the quantity of vegies that we are accustomed to. Tsering and Sonam both enjoy trying new foods, and we did make a passable Mexican meal, although they aren't quite ready for the more exotic things like sushi yet. Both parents help us in the garden too, and Sangdon likes to help us in small mechanical tasks like adding soap to the dishwasher and handing me with screws when I work on the stairs to their cabin.
Both parents are lucky to have found tutors within the cohousing here. Three women have been giving them lessons, and Capilano University has found a computer fellow for them too.
We are so privileged to have them around. We really enjoy each other's company, and they are very grateful for all the support they have received.
Thank you everyone,
Jerry and Debbie
Updates on Tibetans