【Humans of Taipei】雪域鄉愁

“Ruled by the PRC, our Tibetan religion and culture are destroyed and our people don’t have good opportunities, unlike Han Chinese or the children of government officials. My parents tried all they could to send my brothers and I, one by one, to India, where we can get our traditional education. I haven’t seen my parents, since I left Tibet when I was thirteen.

“One of my older brothers went to the US, and the other stays in India and got a doctoral degree and became a monk. Tibetan exiles choose countries like the US or Australia. I think there isn’t big difference in democratic countries so I chose to come to Taiwan ten years ago.

“In the beginning I couldn’t speak Chinese, so I could only find a job in the factory. There is no refugee law in Taiwan and there is no one single applicable rule to follow. So there was even one time I had to work illegally. Being alone for so many years, my homesickness gets worse. My dad died and I can only call my mom once in a while.

“Recent years, however, the PRC is trying to manipulate our most esteemed religion, interfere our lama reincarnation, and even planting spies in every temple. More and more Tibetans commit self-immolation and there are never-ending protests going on. Our outbound telecommunications are under surveillance. Now I can’t even speak my mind free when talking to my mom on the phone.”