Welcome to Padmajungne Asian Linguistic Center

Many foreign students approached the study of Tibetan language with different purposes. One of them is their interest in Buddhism and another is their sympathy for Tibetan freedom and human right issues.
For those whose interest is Buddhism, most of them end up focusing mainly in textual Tibetan but are not capable to communicate and express themselves in a regular conversation. And it is true; you can learn Buddhism very well by knowing only textual Tibetan.

We think that this perspective is incomplete and mostly dry. Since religion and culture are always interconnected in society (it is true also for Tibetan society), in order to understand the first the second is the key. So, colloquial language becomes the bridge between them, because brings direct access to people’s feelings and emotions.

Colloquial language enables direct interconnection with the people that keep alive in their daily life the religious values that they so strong embrace. The expression of Tibetan Buddhism is related to the people and culture that approached it. The more you are able to communicate and understand colloquial language, the more you are able to participate in this living expression.

Secondly, for those sympathetic with Tibetan freedom and human rights issues, although at the international level the seminars and forums are conducted in English, nevertheless, learning the colloquial Tibetan language will raise the awareness and understanding of their task.

For instance, many new refuges, (some of them ex-political prisoners or families of political prisoners) that only speak Tibetan, find an interpreter can sometimes be difficult. So the ability to communicate in they own language enhance the possibility of convening empathy and trust in the new environment.

Overall, people appreciate the effort to learn a language, viewing that as a sincere and long term commitment with the issues surrounding them, often with beneficial effects on both sides.

Maybe you have been living in Dharamsala for a while, or you want to come here to study Tibetan language, so in both cases you will need to find out about the options available according to your specific purpose.

Some of these options are structured for long term commitment or require a far amount of time for experiencing the results. On the other hand, if you decide to do it on your own and manage to hire a private teacher, you may find sometimes a lack of structure or proper method applied.

For all these reasons, it is common to find students who have been studying  for many years getting stuck at a certain level and feeling frustrated by the lack of a place where they can continue their education. In some other cases, the students may have some fluency, but, definitely their accent does not “sound Tibetan”.

Taking all these facts into consideration, we came up with an alternative option which could upgrade the current student’s level, resembling as much as possible the sound of a native Tibetan speaker, in a very short amount of time.

Living with a Tibetan family is a way to practice the language at any time. It is the best place where you can feel relaxed to put into practice what you learned during the teachings, but basically is a place where you can feel completely free to make any mistake while speaking. You know that any member of the family you are staying with will be there to help you improve your skills. It is the best place also where you can learn how to imitate the correct Tibetan inflection.

For that purpose we have made contacts with some Tibetan families who are willing to offer their houses and friendship in order for you to make a difference in the way you speak Tibetan.
Tibetan neighborhoods can sometimes be a little noisy, and the students may be worried about their home work for the next class. Although this course is certainty graded as an “intensive”, the students must keep in mind that the way it is designed is towards the building up of a better fluency in colloquial Tibetan. Therefore the material for the students to review at home has the same practical approach.

Anyway we have somehow found various suitable places for the student’s comfortable lodging for at least two months.
In order to ensure a favorable relation between the student and the Tibetan host family, as well as to attain a successful and rewarding learning process, certain mutual agreements has to done previously in to avoid misunderstandings that later could create unnecessary problems for both sides.  Consequently, certain point will be stressed, as follows:

• The main objective for the student to stay with a Tibetan family will be practice and to acquire proficiency in the colloquial language and any other kind of interested like engaging in a busy social life in the meantime ought to be put aside.

• The students are requested to use appropriate dress and behavior code inside and outside the host family home. (Example: avoiding revealing type of clothes, like sleeveless tops, shorts, miniskirts and any other tight-fitting apparel).

• The students are request to refrain from the consumption of intoxicants like alcohol and tobacco smoking inside of the host home.

• Prior notice is requested to be given to the host family in the case of the students expending a night away or any other eventuality.

• Agreements should be made between the students and the host family regarding meal’s time. (Having breakfast and dinner with them is a great opportunity for communication practice too!)

These are young Tibetans trained and supervised by the course’s team in order to engage with the student’s drilling practice e about the material learnt in class, thus providing essential help for the course’s accomplishment, because it is through them that the students will train in their understanding and speaking skills and start imitating the different variations and inflections for an easier communication.

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