Chinese Dam in Kachin State, Myanmar

Ryan Libre is back from Burma, and his first report from Kachin State was just published on Global Post.

The article has gone popular on Digg.com and is generating thousands of page-views and much needed publicity for the struggle of pious people facing horrific oppression.

Please share the article as widely as you can. The people of Kachin need our help right now.

Here is a video of Kachin people singing Christmas carols last year:

On the way to the Yi village, near Lijiang, China

Who knew that a dance party was waiting for us in the Yi village? Here's Mara Karell's description of the cultural exchange...

Dragons Mekong Semester: Fall 2009

Three months ago I was on a night-bus to Tibet with 13 young men and women I barely knew. Now, I'm alone in Phnom Penh, soaking up the memories, wondering how those same 13 students are doing as they transition home to America.

Cue the Celine Dion, 'cause my middle name is Corny, but - gosh - I miss the Mekong Manatees with all my heart.



A full semester of rugged travel down one of the most powerful and remote rivers in Asia is an epic life experience any way you cut it, but in the company of intellectually and spiritually engaged gap-year students, the journey became even deeper, even more profound.

We did SO much. We learned SO much. We grew SO much.

And we made connections.

Connections between friends on the program, for sure. Connections between cultures and communities, definitely. Connections between students and home-stay families, yes.

But we also made connections between mollusks and the moon, between American consumerism and Chinese dams, between Afghanistan and Laos, between stillness and peace.


Our students now emerge into the world as young adults who are empowered and aware.

We need them. I'm proud of them. And I can't wait to see what they do.

....

Here's a link to more information on the Dragons Mekong Semester.

George W. Bush Does The Right Thing, For The Right Reasons

Bush and Congress Honor Dalai Lama

Well done, Mr. President. Please take the Dalai Lama's message to heart.