Belgium Boy Banned from Becoming Buddhist Monk in India

A 15-year-old Belgium boy who wants to be a Buddhist monk, is to appeal against the youth magistrate's ruling banning him from leaving the country to start training in India.

Giel from Sint-Laureins in East Flanders attracted the attention of Ghent public prosecutors when he announced his intention on independent TV.

The East Fleming hopes to embark on training to become a monk in a monastery on the border with Tibet. The training will last for 15 years. Giel wants to make a radical break with western life. He told VRT Radio that this was his choice: "The idea came to me when I was six. I cried to have a monk's robes."

Giel opted to train in India and not in Belgium because he could then devote all his time to his studies. Lessons are taught in Tibetan, but that shouldn't be a problem because Giel is already busy learning the language.