A Korean couple's Tibet dream

2014-04-21 10:14:00 | From:

Many local young Tibetans would go to "En Hui" (meaning grace), a café on Chumik Road in Lhasa city. The things that attract them there are not only the comfy and trendy fitment, but also the modest and hospitable Korean café owner, Lee Xiangxu, according to a feature story by Chinanews.com.

Lee often wears casual cloth with a pair of black-frame glasses and a baseball cap, and speaks very authentic honorific Lhasa dialect. Without a reminder, many customers would consider him as a very well educated Tibetan man.

Lee came to learn Tibetan language in Tibet University 15 years ago when he was learning philosophy in the United States. Though he came to the snow land out of a fever for the Tibetan culture, the coming across with his love Shen Enji made him happier. Then the love story of two Korean students began in Lhasa.

They got married in 2001 and returned to Tibet University soon after the wedding in Korea and decided to stay in Lhasa after graduation.

With a series of preparation, they opened a café with self-made desserts and café materials all imported from Korea, which appeals to many students and teachers from the Tibet University.

One year later, they received their first baby. While going back to Korea to give birth, Lee left his café shop totally to his Tibetan waitresses, whom he already considered as families.

Then they had their second and third children, and their café shop was also moved from around the Tibet University to the Chumik Road for bigger space and better environment to receive more customers.

At leisure time, the couple would visit at their Tibetan friends', chatting and drinking Tibetan sweet tea. Moreover, they would also bring their children to Lhasa during their school vacations, riding along the Lhasa River and visiting monasteries.

Obviously, the couple's love for Tibet is inherited by their kids since the children would introduce Tibet to their teachers and classmates in Korea and share the beautiful pictures of Tibetan natural scenery with them.

"My children are learning Tibetan now, and hopefully they might become Tibetologists someday," said Lee Xiangxu.

Now, Shen Enji also runs a Korean club to teach Korean language to those who are fond of Korean TV soaps and culture.

Lee said the most meaningful things in his life happened in Tibet and he could only express his love towards Tibet by staying and living in Tibet as long as he could. "All that I've got is like a gift by and grace of Heaven, hence the name of my shop, Enhui, which means grace."

Nowadays, more and more overseas students would like to stay and work in Tibet. Many newly-admitted international students at the Tibet University have started preparing for this application.

Your Comment

Name

Related News

    ;