Tibetans

went to a section of China that has a lot of Tibetans and our tour actually arranged two seperate visits for us to learn more about their culture. one was a fake "home" visit where we were served drinks and food, and they danced and sang for us. the other was an actual home visit where a lady sat with us for an hour in her kitchen/sitting room and answered questions and their culture. some really interesting stuff! notes below:

Families live all together in a house. Kids aren't that valued; the most important person is the father. What he says is absolute. When you make money you turn it over to him and he decides what to do with it. A lot is donated to the temples. Temple monks make like bowls, vase things, spatulas, etc that they'll give back to families who donate a lot. You family's "face" is based on how much of these items you have since they can't be bought. Giving money is the easier way out tho; the best thing you can do is service. 

Yaks are traded for women. A woman's value is measured in yaks, and childbearing ability. Small waist, big hips = good for childbirth. No kids? You're fucked. Household's worst jobs are on you. Tho you can also go live in a monastery generating like 'piety points' for your family.  i didn't get the chance too ask what happens if the man is the reproductively challenged one... Stacking firewood neatly shows you are a diligent and hardworking woman.

Tibetans always keep their middle section warm. Cold legs, arms and especially belly is bad for fertility. 

After you die the village people come to vote on if you're a good person or bad, which will determine your burial (also a Llama will inspect your body). 5 kinds of burial, the worst being a ground burial. There's also water, fire, temple kind of thing, and sky. Sky is best for the common person. your body is cut into 108 peices and their up into the air for the birds gtoeat. Not because the Eagles take your soul into the sky and closer to god, but it's more of a circle of life thing. Eagles are sacred, but they don't have enough food ooh the plains of Tibet. So you give your body to them, to feed them. Which is also why Llamas inspect your body; don't want to feed the Eagles diseased meat. 

Mao is a big deal. They're apparently totally into him. Without him they wouldn't have houses or cars or other shit they also say they're not that into. "We'd still be herding yaks otherwise and living in tents on the grass and snow." but they're also like "Yaks are all you need. We're hardier than you guys cause we live with nature. All you guys care about is money. Your lives are miserable. You would be happier living like us."