Sam
Photo: Contact/Lha
Marhaba, friends. My name is Syed Tarique Ahmed, but many friends call me Sam. I was born on the first of August in 1995 in Medina, Saudi Arabia. I am the fourth child of a large family. I have two brothers and four sisters.
When I was growing up, I played soccer with my friends and my brothers on the street outside my house. I enjoyed school, and my favourite subject was English. My favourite teacher was Farhad, the math teacher, even though I never went to that class. I went to University in Riyadh where I studied for a Bachelor of Arts (English). Once I graduated, my mother promised that I could travel by myself for four months. I make friends easily and wanted to do new things, to see new places and meet new people. When I told my Mum that I wanted to come to India, she asked me why I chose India. I told her that it is because I wanted to come and experience the culture. Once I arrived in Delhi, it was as hot there as in Saudi Arabia, and I wanted to go somewhere cooler to live. I met a Tibetan lecturer from Delhi University. We became friends and he advised me that I could find both English and an interesting, cold climate community in Dharamsala.
Sam with his teacher and classmates at Lha’s English class
Photo:Contact/Lha
When I arrived in McLeod Ganj, I made friends with two Tibetans who became like a family to me, and I stayed with them whilst I lived here. I enrolled at Lha in Beginner Chinese and Intermediate English. In Dharamsala, I feel very good because I am always surrounded by Tibetans, from my very first days. I like that and when I joined Lha, all my Tibetan friends helped me to understand and succeed. The presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in McLeod Ganj makes everything feel calm and blessed.
Apart from my classes at Lha, my favourite thing in McLeod has been hiking up to Triund with friends. My favourite Tibetan food is Tibetan bread with salty butter. I would like to continue to travel and explore the whole world alone. When I am alone I make friends easily.
Thank you to everyone in Lha, I hope to come back soon.
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