Meet an Expert: Tibet

All photos: phishtopher

Long-time Matador member phishtopher, like many travelers, has a passion for things Tibetan.

But unlike most others, he’s chosen to commit several years of his life to understanding this flashpoint region firsthand, using his graduate studies to investigate “issues involving identity, memory, narratives, exile, and the ways in which Tibetans adapt to life in cities.”

Here’s a little more, in Ryan’s own words:

I have traveled many places in China, but most of my time is spent in the Tibetan west–Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan–and Xizang provinces. I often find myself staying with nomads on the grasslands and in mountain villages for research.

These places, regardless of whether they fall within the Tibetan Autonomous Region, are my favorites, as they offer the most unadulterated look at Tibetan culture available.

More on phishtopher can be found in his Matador profile, such as these tidbits:

Why I travel: to enjoy the creation of God, and to meet new people
Before I die I’d like to: set my heels to every nation’s soil and raise children who make a difference in the world
Let’s collaborate: i’m an anthropologist looking to travel, research and write about people. really i am an aspiring renaissance man, so if you need anyone trying to be too many things at once, that’s me.

To collaborate, inquire, or simply converse, click over to his profile page and leave a comment or shoot him a private message.

Community Connection

For more resources on Tibet, start off with Volunteering Opportunities in the Tibetan Community of McLeod Ganj, India and Student Travel in Tibet.