A Wanderer in a Distant Place

Swank, H. (2011). A wanderer in a distant place: Tibetan exile youth, literacy, and emotion. International Migration, 49(6) 50-73.

•      “According the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are over 110,000 Tibetan exiles living in numerous Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal and worldwide” (p.52).
•      “Since the founding of the Tibetan exile communities, divisions between Tibetan youth and their elders have become increasingly distinct. While much of the older generation has continued many of the everyday practices of historic Tibet, most youth have embraced the fashions, music and language of urban Indian youth. Most youth wear the jeans and casual shirts common among their Indian and Western peers, listen to Hindi music, and speak English and Hindi along with their native Tibetan.” (p. 53).
• According the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are over 110,000 Tibetan exiles living in numerous Tibetan settlements across India, Nepal and worldwide” (Swank, 2011, p. 52).  As mentioned previously, even though migration to India is not nearly as rapid as it was decades ago, people from Tibet are still migrating there every year.  Exile elders in Tibet seem to continue the traditional Tibetan practices, while the youth in exile have adopted some of the current Indian culture.  They dress in t-shirts and jeans, listen to modern music, and so on.  Also, it might be mentioned that the Tibetan individuals who grew up exiled in India have a better understanding of the Indian culture, English, and Hindi.  They also have a greater network of friends and people and abilities to get jobs and complete high school and college.  Tibetan refugees that migrated in their teens or later years seem to have a disadvantage in all of these realms.  They are less likely to become proficient in the languages, get an education, and gain employment.