New York Study Trip

In Summer 2021, I visited Tibetan monasteries and research libraries in the state of New York, such as the famous Kagyu Thubten Choling Monastery in Wappingers Falls and the Himalayan Library in NYC. I was surprised to meet so many western Buddhists during my trip, and was touched by the unique stories they told regarding our shared faith. Some converted from their Islamic backgrounds, and some traveled from the Netherlands to pay homage to the religious leaders on site only to end up studying there for years. This reminds me of one key tenet of Buddhism: an open mind for sharing with new people and new things, regardless of social class, cultural background, or even religious belief.