I was very happy to join SINI as a volunteer this past January and February, and I’m excited to share some of my reflections on the experience. Having just completed my MA in Development Studies in the Netherlands, I was looking forward to doing something completely different for a while. I was interested in reconnecting with Buddhism, the religion I was raised with, and having an opportunity to learn from monastics.
Upon reflection, my time at SINI was a true immersion into Tibetan Buddhist monastic life and the spirit of building bridges of goodness to connect people from around the world. Throughout my time as a volunteer, I played many different roles. I helped with various programs and events hosted at SINI, including the monastic teacher training program, the Four Noble Truth pilgrimage program, the annual World Peace Ceremony in Bodhgaya, the Tibet Peace Ceremony in Sarnath, and more. I served as an assistant to our director Tsering Gellek and as an extra pair of hands in the SINI team. I enjoyed working in our cross-cultural teams, which include monastics and a global cohort of SINI staff and volunteers.
Having come straight from a semester of solitary MA thesis writing, volunteering at SINI was a welcome change that allowed me to step back into the real world of in-person collaboration and organizing events and projects. During my time there, SINI was a flurry of activity! It was exciting to see plans come to fruition. There was always something to do, another conversation to be had, another book to pick up from the SINI library.
Alongside my work, I had a chance to deepen my understanding of Buddhism directly through conversations with resident monastics. I spent many afternoons drinking tea and eating khapsay (a Tibetan fried pastry often made during the New Year, Losar) with the SINI students, learning from them and exchanging stories about our lives and opinions on global affairs.
Being at SINI also allowed me to explore Sarnath, the place where the Buddha gave his first teachings, and Varanasi, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. I spent time visiting different local temples and monasteries and meeting students at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies.
In retrospect, what stands out is SINI’s dedicated team to building bridges of goodness. I learned valuable lessons and made new friendships among Sarnath’s SINI team, monastics, and locals. If you have the chance to visit the Institute or dedicate time as a volunteer, I wholeheartedly recommend the experience. The experiences and memories of my time at SINI will remain with me throughout my life!