My name is Ngawang Palden. On 2nd March 1987, I was born to a semi-nomadic family in a small, fertile and lovely town called Nyalam in the southwest of Tibet, which is set in the wooded valley at border of Tibet and Nepal. The mountains above cover my home town by different kinds of medical plants and thick grasses. A big flowing river leads into Nepal. The people living in my town are both nomads and farmers. The staple food of its people is wheat, flour and tsampa, which is a kind of barley meal, meat and butter.

Their drinks are butter tea and beer called "Chhang". There is a significant custom of helping each other whenever a family is in any difficulties is the proud of people in my town. At the age of five to eight I was disobedient. Even if I was scolded, I tried to do things negatively. I liked having fun with my neighbor's children. Sadly the joyful and beautiful childhood of mine disappeared as fast as a rainbow. I was sent to primary school when I was nine years old. At that precious period of my school time I couldn't study well because of environmental influences, my negligence and lack of inspiration and advice from parents and teachers. After my graduation from primary school, though my parents refused I insisted on my parents let me go to secondary school. I couldn't keep on secondary school because of my friend's negative influences and my own careless behavior. As Tibetans consider that if the eldest child is a boy who has to take the main

responsibility in his family. My parents expected me to become the head of my family because I am the eldest child in my family. I worked farming and as a nomad for almost three more years. ther to worry about me by seeing the

In fact, to be educated is most important so as to achieve the goal of each one of us in our very short moment. If we aren't educated in our life we will be in trouble and our next generation as well. So therefore, having a sympathetic inclination to be of assistance to those poor people, who lack of facilities, will be a question. It is our turn to take the responsibility for those poor people since we are members of this planet. For me it would be very sad if I didn't get the chance to study and didn't have the opportunity ofhelping hands of others but I have got the opportunity because of kindness of those dedicated sponsors.

In 2005 I started my journey in secret, on foot through the Himalayan Mountains although the way to India was very hard and unsafe. The Chinese government spreads armies at the border between Tibet and Nepal. There are plenty of army camps at the borders. The soldiers are always guarding the borders. If the people who are crossing the border are arrested by Chinese soldiers, there is no choice for those people except to imprison and

sentence. With fearfulness I crossed the border and by the kindness ofsome acquaintances I safely arrived in Nepal. After our arrival we, the new arrivals, were picked up by officials of the Tibetan Reception Center in Nepal. There were many teenagers and adults who fled from Tibet on foot through Himalayan Mountains same as me at Tibetan Reception Center in Nepal. For me that was the first time to see brothers and sisters of the three provinces of Tibet. On 15th June, I was sent to India and admitted in Sherab Gatsel Lobling which is also known as Tibetan Transit School. Tibetan Transit School is only for new arrivals from Tibet who must be eighteen to thirty years old. There the students study Tibetan, English language and Basic Computer. Students are provided with great facilities by generosity of those compassionate sponsors. Tibetan Transit School is my first home school in my exile life. I experienced the way how to communicate with others well and also I discovered the importance of education and its value to us, the human being. I was encouraged and enhanced mentally a lot. I am proud of being a student of Tibetan Transit School in my life.

To improve my English and Computer standard for my future objective to be a computer professional, I keep on my studies. On 15th June I joined in Educational Support Tibet before my graduation from Tibetan Transit School.

Therefore, under the gratitude of dedicated sponsors I am able to keep on my studies. In E.S. Tibet we the students are given such a golden opportunity and provided great facilities by kind and dedicated sponsors. Really in this modern century, a person without education seems a bird without wings. Each and every one of us has one's own destination. Until today we fight well against all obstacles to reach our destination through step by step.

If we are not given the valuable stage of education
To live means to suffer
Thus we the human beings have to
Spend ignorantly our moment in darkness on this bright earth.

Thanking you

E.S.Tibet Student
Ngawang