Attention: Volunteering Opportunites

Hello! I am receiving many inquiries into volunteering in Ladakh this year and thank you for writing to us!

At the moment we are busy planning and fundraising for some reading rooms in other areas of the Himalayan region. It looks like we’ll require some talented people with art and language skills September onwards.

So if you are interested, please email avalokitesvaratrust@avalokitesvaratrust.org with the subject: Volunteer 2016 and I shall send you a volunteer form if we are interested in taking it further. It’s difficult to reply to each individual, so please understand that we shall be in touch on a suitability and availability basis.

We also may require volunteers with a design or architectural background. More news on that soon.

Thank you!

P.S. The best and preferred way to be in touch is via email

LITTLE BUDDHAS IN THE WOODS

Little Buddhas in the woods

Little Buddhas in the woods

On a magical sunny day, in the month of August (2015), we decided to spend a day with the young monks of  the Chemdey Monastery in the village of Sakti. Our friends, artist, Abhishek Singh, musician and drum-jammer Kumi Masunaga and her lovely daughter Aya, came with us to share their talents, their skills and to spread joy! We were also accompanied by my little daughter Samira, my husband, our Ladakhi friends and Sushil, a Mumbai-based photographer who captured some glorious moments!

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Assembling hula hoops

The young monks from Chemdey Gonpa school participated in ice-breaking musical activities that Kumi had designed for them. Abhishek introduced them to a few art activities, took them through the process of creating their group artwork and showed them stunning visuals from his comic book. Aya demonstrated how to ‘hula-hoop’! We also set up a book corner in the school.

The young monks were keen to learn and listened carefully to the process, enjoyed drawing and colouring, asked questions and at the end, proudly exhibited their artwork in the woods!

Kumi is a Japanese percussionist and a drum circle facilitator who lives in Hong Kong with over fifteen years of performing, teaching, and facilitating experience. She has worked with a range of ages and cultural backgrounds, designing, planning and executing programmes. For more- www.drum-jam.com

Aya is natural performer. She sings, dances and has lead her “Circle Game” playshop for groups of children at events. She has acted in youth musicals, theatre play and some TV commercials in Hong Kong. She speaks English, Japanese and basic Cantonese and Mandarin. Here engagement with the children we visited, has been both endearing very valuable!

Abhishek Singh is artist,animation film-maker and graphic novelist who currently lives between his studios in Brooklyn, New York and Mumbai. Whenever possible he retreats for a meditation trek in the Himalayas. For more – www.abhishekartstore.com

Photo courtesy, Sushil, Kumi and Abhigya

In the slideshow you will see- Chemdey Gonpa, the village of Sakti,  the monks at play and at work, receiving their Ladakhi copies of ‘Chuskit Goes to School’ , a group photo and more.

Avalokitesvara Trust creates reading rooms for children so for International Book Giving Day , we decided to start a book-collection drive. We received an incredible response from all over India. Books were carefully chosen, ordered and shipped to Dharamsala for the young readers of Norling Creche & Kindergarten. We are happy to have enhanced their little library with good quality books. To have played a role in encouraging the joy of reading and bringing smiles to their faces!

We got together to open packages of delightful books and celebrate International Book Giving Day at the Norling creche and kindergarten. A group of 15 volunteers, aged 8 to 10 years were very eager to create a new library upstairs. They happily carried all the old books and categorised them into small, medium and large books. We had a little contest to see which group ( red, green, yellow, blue, white colours of the prayer flags) could count the most books in the least time. It was chao tic and so much fun!! And they finished counting the books in 9 minutes (they’d decided on 15 minutes as the target) After this exercise, they realised that their existing books needed to be categorised into levels and broader subjects. So we created colour codes for levels of reading, for Tibetan, science and for teacher reading material. After four hours of activity we finally displayed all the new additions on to the empty shelves.

The next day, we played a few games. An improvisation of ‘Simon says’, became ‘Norbu says, Sangmo says..’ and the library room was filled with laughter! To calm everyone down, we sat in a circle and concentrated on our breathing. This wasn’t any easy task as a few of them were curious to know what was to follow but we managed to bring back our focus and recollect the activities of the previous session and the task at hand. Setting up a library is no small job and the children once again, tidied up the piles of old books. After all this work, they had a tea break and then finally, chose a book each and sat in a corner or lay on their tummies to immerse themselves in their new book collection. It was very satisfying to see them enjoying the books with quiet rapture. We added a few finishing touches and called it a day by taking a group of books for the little ones downstairs to create a small toddler library. Now that we’re ready, we’ll be inviting ALL the children from ALL the classes to their new reading rooms. We can’t wait!!

Blackjack vs Craps: Understanding the Odds Before You Play

Casino games can look similar at first glance, yet their mathematical structure can be very different. Blackjack gives players decisions that influence the result, while craps uses a range of dice bets with separate house edges. Knowing how probability works helps Australian visitors compare games without relying on dramatic claims or confusing payout displays.

The question of blackjack vs craps for odds is therefore less about finding a guaranteed winner and more about identifying which bets offer a relatively lower mathematical disadvantage. Rules, table limits, betting choices, strategy, and casino conditions all matter. A disciplined player should examine the house edge before considering bonuses or VIP features.

Blackjack is usually associated with a low house advantage when the player follows sound basic strategy and the table uses favorable rules. Craps can offer excellent odds on selected wagers, but the game also includes many high-margin propositions that can quickly change the overall cost of play.

For anyone researching Jackpot Jill online casino access, game information should sit alongside practical checks about licensing, Australian gambling restrictions, payment methods, withdrawals, and account security. Gambling should remain entertainment for adults who can afford the potential loss, never a way to fund essential expenses or charitable work.

Feature Blackjack Craps
Main outcome Player hand versus dealer hand Dice result against the selected wager
Player influence Decisions can affect expected results Bet selection matters more than personal strategy
Lower-edge options Basic-strategy blackjack at a favorable table Pass Line, Don’t Pass, and backed odds bets
Higher-risk options Insurance and some side bets Many proposition and one-roll bets
Skill requirement Moderate knowledge of basic strategy Understanding bet types and payouts
Key caution Rules vary between tables A busy layout can hide expensive wagers

How The House Edge Works

The house edge is the casino’s theoretical advantage over a large number of wagers. It does not predict what will happen in one session. A player can win several blackjack hands or hit a long-shot craps bet, but short-term results do not overturn the underlying probability.

Return-to-player figures are another useful concept. If a game has a theoretical return of 99%, the corresponding house edge is approximately 1%, although actual results can vary substantially. These figures assume that the stated rules apply and that a player makes the relevant wagers correctly.

Blackjack’s edge is highly sensitive to table rules. The number of decks, dealer actions on soft 17, doubling restrictions, surrender availability, and blackjack payout can all influence the mathematical result. A table paying 6:5 for a natural blackjack is generally less favorable than one paying 3:2.

Craps is best assessed bet by bet. The layout contains wagers with very different probabilities and margins. Pass Line and Don’t Pass are comparatively efficient choices, while many one-roll propositions carry a much larger house advantage.

Why Blackjack Rewards Careful Decisions

Blackjack gives players a series of choices: hit, stand, double down, split, and sometimes surrender. Basic strategy uses the player’s hand and the dealer’s visible card to select the option with the highest expected value. It cannot remove the house edge, but it can prevent avoidable mistakes.

Card counting is often discussed in relation to blackjack, but online games may use continuous shuffling, automatic dealing systems, or software-based randomness that makes traditional counting impractical. Even in live settings, casino policies and game conditions can limit its relevance. Promotional material should not imply that skill guarantees profit.

Side bets deserve special caution. They may offer attractive jackpots or themed payouts, yet their house edges can be much higher than the main blackjack wager. Insurance is also generally an expensive choice unless specific card information changes the calculation, which is not normally available in standard online play.

Players reviewing an online casino should check whether the blackjack rules are clearly displayed before depositing. A straightforward game screen should show the payout for a natural blackjack, dealer rules, doubling and splitting conditions, and the treatment of ties. Missing rule details are a reason to pause rather than assume favorable terms.

Reading The Craps Layout

Craps can appear complicated because several wagers are available at once. The Pass Line bet wins when a come-out roll produces 7 or 11, loses on 2, 3, or 12, and establishes a point when another number appears. After a point is set, a 7 loses the wager while the point can win it.

The Don’t Pass bet works in the opposite general direction, with specific treatment for a come-out 12 in many versions. Odds bets placed behind Pass Line or Don’t Pass wagers can have no additional house edge, but they are still exposed to the result of the underlying bet and may increase the amount at risk.

A practical craps approach is to learn a small number of wagers rather than treat every area of the layout as equally attractive. The following choices are commonly reviewed for their relative mathematical efficiency:

  • Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets
  • Come and Don’t Come bets
  • Odds bets attached to qualifying line wagers
  • Place bets on selected box numbers
  • Proposition bets with unusually high payouts

The presence of a large payout does not mean a wager offers good value. Any bet should be judged by its probability, payout, and house advantage together. Players should also confirm whether an online version uses a live dealer, a software random-number generator, or a particular ruleset.

Comparing Casino Access And Conditions

Game mathematics is only one part of a responsible comparison. Australian visitors should consider whether an online service is legally available to them, whether the operator’s licensing information is verifiable, and whether its terms clearly explain deposits, identity checks, wagering requirements, and withdrawals. Website blocking and changing access conditions can also affect reliability.

A guide covering Jackpot Jill may discuss registration, login steps, payment methods, bonuses, and VIP benefits, but those features should not distract from the conditions attached to them. A welcome offer can include minimum deposits, expiry dates, game restrictions, maximum winnings, or playthrough requirements. Reading the full terms is more useful than focusing on the headline value.

Visitors who are checking account access should use the published service information carefully, including the jackpot jill casino real money login, and should verify that the page is the intended destination. Unofficial mirror domains, copied branding, and VPN-based access can create security, legal, and payment risks. A login page should never be treated as proof that an operator is authorised for every jurisdiction.

Safer account habits include using a unique password, enabling available security controls, avoiding shared devices, and keeping records of deposits and withdrawals. Players should also set a fixed spending limit before beginning and stop when that limit has been reached, regardless of whether a session is going well or badly.

Keeping Probability In Perspective

Neither blackjack nor craps can provide a dependable income. Blackjack may suit someone who wants a smaller set of decisions and is willing to learn basic strategy. Craps may suit someone who prefers dice-based play and can ignore the many high-margin wagers around the table. In both games, the casino retains a mathematical advantage over time.

A useful comparison focuses on the exact wager rather than the game’s reputation. A well-structured blackjack hand can be mathematically efficient, while a poor side bet can be costly. Likewise, a carefully selected craps wager may be reasonable, while a visually exciting proposition bet can carry a steep disadvantage.

Before opening an account or placing money at risk, keep the following checks in view:

  • Confirm the game rules and payout schedule
  • Separate the main wager from side or proposition bets
  • Review Australian access, licensing, and account terms
  • Check bonus wagering and withdrawal conditions
  • Set a deposit, loss, and time limit in advance
  • Avoid borrowing money or chasing previous losses

Avalokiteśvara Trust’s work with children and young monks highlights the value of education, clear information, and access to constructive learning resources. The same principle applies to gambling decisions: understanding the rules is more valuable than following excitement, social pressure, or claims of easy winnings. Gambling funds should always be separate from money needed for family, education, housing, or charitable commitments.

The immediate next step is to compare the exact blackjack rules or craps wager you are considering, write down its house edge and limit, and decide on a fixed entertainment budget before proceeding.