▁raised ▁in ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁family ▁in ▁L oh mar , ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁between ▁C ologne ▁and ▁Bonn ▁in ▁Germany . ▁During ▁her ▁child hood , ▁she ▁attended ▁church ▁but ▁grew ▁un inter ested ▁in ▁religion ▁in ▁her ▁te ens . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁she ▁went ▁on ▁a ▁back pack ing ▁trip . ▁Tra v elling ▁through ▁Israel ▁( where ▁she ▁stayed ▁on ▁a ▁k ib but z ), ▁Turkey , ▁Cy pr us , ▁Th ailand , ▁Indones ia , ▁and ▁Japan , ▁she ▁reached ▁India . ▁After ▁visit ing ▁Kol k ata , ▁Var an asi , ▁and ▁Man ali , ▁she ▁land ed ▁in ▁D har am sh ala . ▁She ▁had ▁planned ▁to ▁stay ▁for ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁weeks ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁start ▁university , ▁studying ▁medicine . ▁But ▁eventually , ▁she ▁stayed ▁on . ▁ ▁Con version ▁to ▁Buddh ism ▁She ▁joined ▁an ▁introduction ▁to ▁Buddh ism ▁course ▁at ▁T ush ita ▁Med itation ▁Centre , ▁at ▁D har am k ot ▁above ▁Mc Le od ▁Gan j ▁in ▁Him ach al ▁Pr adesh . ▁She ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁study ▁Buddh ism ▁seriously . ▁She ▁took ▁ord ination ▁as ▁a ▁nun ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁She ▁later ▁en rolled ▁in ▁the ▁traditional ▁ges he ▁curr icul um ▁( a ▁ 1 6 - year ▁course ) ▁at ▁the ▁Institute ▁of ▁Buddh ist ▁Dia lect ics ▁( IB D ) ▁in ▁D har am sh