Dharamsala is exceptional in many senses: It's a tourist town with few tourist attractions; its inhabitants are friendly and curious about tourists despite seeing scores of them everyday; it's not truly Indian, Tibetan, Israeli or Western and yet a little of all of these things.

The small two-street town is packed with souvenir stands, cafes, bookstores and opportunities to learn such diverse skills as Swedish deep tissue massage or traditional Indian cooking. While this may sound hellish to those who like to get off the beaten track, for me it was a fantastic crossroads of different cultures and ideas.

I came to Dharamsala in September 2005 with a view to teaching English as a volunteer and learning a little about Tibet. I was not disappointed.

In 1959 the Fourteenth Dalai Lama fled into exile and some 70-80,000 Tibetans followed him immediately. Nehru, then the Indian premiere, reluctantly granted asylum to the refugees and ultimately arranged for them to be installed in the hill post of McLeod Ganj, Upper Dharamsala in the foothills of the Himalayas.

To me, the town felt a little like a university town; there are ample opportunities to learn Tibet's version of recent history in the bookshops and mini-cinemas. Many cafes also have stacks of literature and staff who, communicating comfortably in English were eager to tell me Tibet's side of the story; stuff you will not read on activist websites. Volunteering in Dharamsala is of the old-school variety. You go, tell a few people your skills and how long you can stay and within days you can be working.

I've been curious about Buddhism since I first heard of the ancient philosophy and the Tushita Centre above Dharamsala gave me the opportunity I was looking for- a ten day introduction to Buddhism course that was a step above Buddhism for Dummies but a long way from the trials and tribulations of the Vippassna centre next door.

What fascinated me most about the town is that there are so many layers to it, mostly hidden to even the long term tourist's eyes. You can tell walking through the streets at night that all is not as rosy as it could be between the local Indians and the Tibetans. Also, there is a pronounced split between Tibetans born in exile and those who fled Tibet. Anyone who refers to "those educated Tibetans" is probably referring to this divide.

The best advice I can offer any traveler to Upper Dharamsala is not to be shy. Most Tibetans who can speak English are glad to know that outsiders are interested in their situation and will usually talk about it freely. Dharamsala is not a weekend destination. A long term stay, probing beneath the surface of this multi-faceted town can show just a hint of the many intertwining stories that make up the greater story of this little Lhasa.