Tibet is truly a beautiful place. Many of the local Tibetan homes I visited were remarkably large—at least those of the people I treated. From the outside, these traditional Tibetan houses appeared to be two or three storeys high. Once inside, however, I would find an enormous covered courtyard extending through the height of the building. Some homes had seven to more than ten rooms, living rooms of at least 70 square metres, and spacious kitchens.

Some of these large houses had toilets in separate buildings outside. I wondered whether this might be connected to Tibetan religious or cultural traditions, although I never confirmed this.

Their heating stoves were also indoors. Dry twigs and firewood were lit right in the living room before being placed in the stove to make tea and warm food. I found this way of life very traditional. I once asked why they did not use electrical appliances when their homes already had electricity. They told me they preferred their traditional stoves—the atmosphere they created and the distinctive flavours of food prepared that way.

Every visit to the Tibetan regions left me feeling refreshed, peaceful and at ease. Many of the people I met seemed financially comfortable and could afford to build exceptionally large homes, yet they still preferred to preserve their traditional way of life.

My impression from these encounters was that some preferred to remain within their communities, marry within their ethnic group, and maintain their familiar customs. Despite their wealth, they chose a simple, traditional lifestyle. Some preferred to donate their earnings to monasteries, a generosity and devotion that I deeply admired.