 |
| "The
most important issue that I feel our community faces is that
our culture and our identities are in the hands of the younger
generation. " |
Q. Could you tell me your nameand where you come from?
A. My name is Tenzing Bhuti and I
am from New Delhi, India.
I was born in Sakya, Tibet and
raised in Darjeeling, India. There I
attended the Central School for
Tibetan in Darjeeling.
Q. How did you come to the US?
A. Well, I arrived here in the US in July of 1998. Q. What was
your previous occupation and what is your present occupation?
A. While in Darjeeling I worked in the Tibetan refugee self help
centre as a cashier then I was a housewife back in New Delhi and
at the moment I work as a nanny.
Q. Could you tell us what roles you have played in various community
organizations?
A. I am currently a board member of Tibetan Woman’s Association
[TWA] for the second term.
Q. What motivates you to do
community work?
A. It’s just the great feeling that it provides by doing
something for the community on my part.
Q. In a busy place like New York, how do you make time to handle
personal, professional and community service?
A. Well, I work Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm as a nanny. For the
TWA we usually make time either
after work or during weekends and
as for my family they have been
very supportive of my commitment
to the community service and
understand my somewhat of a
busy schedule. But in the end
somehow I always manage to find
the time for everything.
Q. What do you feel are some of
the main issues that you feel your/
our community faces presently?
What do you think some of these
issues could have in the near and
long term future on the
community?
A. The most important issue that I feel our community faces is
that our culture and our identities are in the hands of the younger
generation. The younger generation needs to get more involved
in the community — and not only them but the parents need
to get more involved in their children’s life because they
are our future. If not then there is a great possibility that
our culture might get lost in the midst of the western culture.
We must at all cost preserve our identity as Tibetans.
