2025 has been an eventful year for Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translation Program. First, there was the bittersweet moment of saying goodbye to the graduates of LRZTP 9, who in June received their certificates and are now continuing their studies in monasteries or training as interpreters in various places.
Then in September came an extremely sad and painful moment when we said our final farewell to Geshe Tenzin Wandak who passed away after his long illness. Geshe-la was a longtime teacher and the school’s main driving force as well as a very precious friend to everyone in LRZTP.
But a very happy occasion was welcoming a group of new students from all over the world who began their studies in the LRZTP 10 program in the second half of October. We are very happy to have eighteen devoted and highly motivated students joining the new 2-year intensive course of Tibetan language. During the next two years they will study colloquial Tibetan, classical Buddhist texts and train in interpretation of Dharma teachings. This way the school continues its mission and follows the vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who created the program in the late 1990s.
The students of LRZTP 10 come from: Mexico, Austria, United States, Canada, Israel, Brazil, France, Poland, Russia, Belgium, India, United Kingdom, Spain and Switzerland. The program currently has eighteen students and two who attend the first eight weeks of the course. The new program was inaugurated on 17th October and classes began on 20th October.
As in previous years students attend 2,5 hour classes in the morning to study vocabulary and grammar of colloquial Tibetan on Mondays and Tuesdays, classical/literary Tibetan on Wednesdays and have drilling, listening and reading classes on Thursdays and Fridays. Four times a week in the afternoon they attend one-on-one conversation classes (2 hours) with Tibetan native speakers, all trained professional teachers. Later in the program they will have lessons in Tibetan handwriting and in the second year will dive into studying Dharma texts in Tibetan and learn the interpretation techniques.
The LRZTP two-year course is famous for its effectiveness but also for its intensity. December is the month when the first major break is scheduled, so that everyone can come back to study with fresh minds in the latter part of January.
We wish all new students great success in this amazing adventure they have just begun! Additionally the school will soon announce a 2-month intensive language course for beginners. And as always we welcome anyone who wishes to have private classes with our highly qualified teachers at the school or online. Please, check our website to find more information.