Tibetannet

Tan Min is 25 years old, tall, with hair tied back in a ponytail, and when she speaks, the corners of her mouth rise up.

She is a very strong-minded girl. A few days after she received her college diploma, she got on a train to Tibet Autonomous Region, which was her dream.

She previously studied at Hebei Institute of Communications. Once, a professor presented the “University Student Volunteer in the West Program”, wherein this year’s university graduates volunteer in western regions for one year.

Before graduation, when classmates were all busy finding jobs, she signed up to volunteer in aiding Tibet.

The exam was similar to most work units’ recruitment exams, including a written test and interview.

The interview topic was very conventional: “Why do you want to go to Tibet?” Tan Min’s answer amazed the interviewer. She said, “The slogan of this program is: go to the west, go to the grass-roots level, and go to where there is the most need. To tell the truth, I am deeply moved by it.”

Tan Min is an only child, and her decision to volunteer in aiding Tibet was strongly opposed by her family. Tibet’s condition is poor, moreover, recent graduation from college is a crucial period for finding a job, and if she went to Tibet during this time, she would lose a lot of career opportunities. But Tan Min’s answer was, “I can always find a job, but opportunities to volunteer in Tibet are few, let me try it!”

After several days, she stepped onto a train bound for Tibet. What Tan Min did not anticipate was, even before she got off the train, she already felt the effects of altitude sickness.

After one week of training, Tan Min was sent to the prosecutorial office in Bomi County in Nyingchi. Her aiding-Tibet life had begun.

Clear sky, white clouds, bright sun, simple people… Tan Min grew to love being there.

"It was so spectacular to see our national flag planting on top of the roofs," Tan Min said that the houses were funded by the government, and in order for local residents to express thanks, they plant national flag on the rooftops. In her opinion, this was really nice.

The local transportation condition was not very good. On the Tongmai Highway section from Nyingchi city to Bomi County, the road is so muddy and hard to pass during rainy days.

Underneath the Tongmai Bridge is the Palong Tsangpu River, and sitting in a car looking down makes one tremble with fear.

On this stretch of road, she saw a landslide with her own eyes. “Our car was at the back, we looked on helplessly at the falling rocks, pounding down on the cars in front of us,” Tan Min said.

The roads on the mountainside are rugged and hard to pass. Once when Tan Min was cycling to the mountains, she wasn’t careful and fell, and her head knocked against a rock on the side of the road. When she was taken to Nyingchi City Hospital to get checked, she was found to have a mild concussion.

After one year in Bomi County, Tan Min fell in love with the place. Some students from Bomi County Wanquan Primary School use the same schoolbag and pencil box, which were given by Tan Min and other aiding-Tibet volunteers.

She also chose to spend some time in Kada Village to work. During those three months, she was like the village manager: if a household had a conflict, she would mediate; if there was a difficulty, she would help out. She dedicated herself to every issue.

Tan Min’s year of aiding-Tibet came to an end in July 2015, and she returned to her hometown.

“For several days after I came back, I dreamt of Tibet every night.” Tan Min said that being there for one year has given her a deep attachment towards the place, and if she had the opportunity, she would go to volunteer in Tibet again.