The Mutual Learning Program provides Tibetan students with the opportunity to practice their English conversational skills while giving international volunteers a meaningful experience connecting with local refugees. Lha offers multiple English and other language classes daily, which focus on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. These classes are taught by long term international volunteers. Unfortunately, students rarely have the opportunity to practice and improve their conversational fluency. Through the Mutual Learning Program, Lha pairs students with volunteers, one-on-one for two to three hours per morning, to work on English conversational ability and pronunciation.

As an international exchange student, you learn more about Dharamsala and the Tibetan way of life in a mutually beneficial relationship which fosters a deeper cultural understanding. Each cultural exchange partner has had their life altered by the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and they each have a unique story to tell. The decision to leave Tibet is always a difficult one; life in exile has many costs as well as potential benefits. Tibetans in exile have religious freedom but must leave behind friends, family and livelihoods. We hope that through conversations with their Mutual Learning Program partners, attending lectures on Tibetan issues, and through participation in local projects, the international exchange student will learn more about Tibetan culture, the political situation in Tibet, and what life is like for a refugee.

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