I am Sonam Gyatso and I was born to a humble family in Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement. I have three siblings and I am the eldest. I was a bright student having excelled in both academics as well as extra-curriculums of my school. I was ambitious and had big dreams in life. I graduated high school from a private school in Ooty, Tamil Nadu with 81% in 2013 and envisioned to pursue further studies. However, life doesn’t flow its waves the way we want it to and I had to pause and change its course for time being. My parents couldn’t possibly have afforded a good education for all four of us. So as a moral obligation of being the eldest of the siblings, my dream to pursue further studies had to be sidestepped and make way for my younger sister’s education as my parents couldn’t afford the mounting expenses of higher education for us both.
Soon after I started looking for work and engaged myself in pursuing it with sincerity. I worked as a cashier in a supermarket in Bylakuppe for almost two and a half years and realised that working merely as a Cashier is not enough to support my family or myself. As such, I decided to pursue a short-term professional course that would help me gain some skills and I could start something on my own. After much contemplation, I decided to do a spa therapist course primarily for two reasons. Firstly, based on my own experience with my ageing parents, relatives and old elderly Tibetans in general, muscle, knee, back pain is most common apart from other ageing issues due to decline in motor capabilities. When offer massaging services, these pains subside and the elderly Tibetans heave sighs of relief however temporary it may be. Taking this major but often ignored issue into consideration, I chose to do a Spa Therapist course and hopefully, I will be able to make some difference in this regard. And secondly, I believe there are not many Tibetans working as spa therapist and I foresee better job scope and later an opportunity to own a business in the same.
The course that I wanted to pursue was being offered by the VLCC institute in Bangalore (closer to my home base) for a time period of three and a half month. Thanks to the support from Empowering the Vision (I was supported under their Fellowship programme after I made it through their selection process), I have started the course in May and learnt different massaging methodologies of six countries, particularly on stress relief, a release of muscle stiffness for people of all ages. I have been taught how to do Thai massage, Balinese massage, Aromatherapy, Swedish or classical
massage,Lomi Lomi massage etc apart from classes on Body wraps, pedicure, manicure, and use of different essential oils.
My personal experience hitherto, from this course has been wonderful, I didn’t even know that there are many kinds of massages until I started studying about it. I feel I have acquired enough knowledge about massage and I am looking forward to learn more through the course of this study. The best part of studying at VLCC Institute is that it helps all its graduate students with job placements and I am hopeful of a good one that will help me build practical and people skills. I couldn’t have opted for a better course. I would like to thank Empowering the Vision for their financial support.