The fog and I are settling in

Today I got my first plant.  A shopkeeper gave it to me. Parsley.  Everyone thinks it is coriander but I am absolutely positive it is parsley.  They just do not taste (or look??) the same to me. (I took a photo but forgot my camera to load it up here)  My parcel arrived - could not remember what I had sent.  Was hoping for a stapler and magnets but got file folders instead.  Which I was looking forward to, however the paper size is larger here and the paper sticks out.  Also I sent 3 packages of file folders.  What was I thinking?  A copy of the Hunger Games.  Have not seen it here in the bookstores and the students have not seen the film.  

Walked down to Tsimisham where there is an ATM.  Another pay check deposited.  Wandered through my new quarters.  Still a bit away but the "geyser" or hot water heater has been installed in the kitchen.  I will not know how to cope with the luxury!!  Although I will not miss the ??mold?? that has started to grow like fuzz on a section of kitchen wall that is particularly damp.  It is whitish and fuzzy. I cleared it off last night and it is already a couple of centimetres thick tonight. 

On the walk Palden and I talked about her home in Paro.  Her 77 year old father is staying with her.  She brings him here for awhile every spring so that he doesn't work too hard on the farm.  He has had a very interesting life and she has always wanted to write his story.  We are going to try to write it together.  I am really looking forward to hearing it.  Although her father does not speak English, he understands.  He spent time in Sikkim and India and worked for the second King's mother if I understand the terminology correctly.

The mornings have moments of sun and are quite warm.  In the late afternoon the fog rolls in.  Thick like soup, or a spooky movie.  Supper was asparagus crepes:)  I bought asparagus for the vp who has been very generous with everything I need. 

My students all wrote tests on Friday so I will be busy marking the rest of the weekend.  Have a new desk from the old computer lab that I borrowed for my quarters. 

A Ramble

Good teaching week.  Am settling in, but am tired from teaching at the end of the day. (nothing new:) The ma'am ma'am is constant and the classes are so full I have not really found a rhythm that I like - found a rhythm but too teacher centred for my liking.  Will see what I can come up with. 

Today was our first Clubs day.   I am club co-ordinator for Media and Democracy.  Chencho Lham, a new English teacher, is co-coordinator.  It will be project based.  Many students signed up because last year there was a current events team that broadcasted on Saturday mornings. This year the literacy committee (of which I am a member) will look after that event.  After brainstorming, I discovered that the students want huge and broad activities:  school newspaper, compare the democracy of Bhutan to democracies of other nations, educate the public on what it is to be a democracy, dramatize a public awareness campaign, and on and on.  We will have to narrow down the field.  

A parcel I sent from Canada on December 3rd arrived today. Sort of.  It is in the vicinity.  The bus driver called but I was in my club.  So it went to Wangchu where the driver lives I think.  A teacher picked it up for me and will bring it tomorrow.  It is so long since I sent it, I am not sure what it contains.  Some school supplies that could be redundant or interesting. 

One of my big lessons here will be generosity.  I feel so stingy.  Me with all the stuff and wealth.  The Bhutanese with much less.  They do not eat, open or use anything without offering it to you and everyone around first.  Share. I stopped in at Palden's today to sort out phone calls re parcel and left with a pin for my kira, and a large bag of Japanese rice grown in Paro.  And I spent an hour on the internet catching up on emails. 

On the way home found asparagus in a shop.  Had steamed asparagus with butter and fresh lemon, red Paro rice and fresh tofu for supper.  I am certainly not suffering on the gourmet food front. 

Everyone is asking about my new quarters.  A week ago it was 5 more days.  Today it will be handed over from the contractor to the school within a week. Locals call it BST - Bhutan Stretchable Time.  Some people apologize for this phenomenon.  They do not understand that I am from the Kootenays where we have KST - although we just say "Kootenay Time".  So it suits me fine. 

Tuesday March 26th.

  I have been in Bhutan over 2 months and here teaching for 5 weeks.  Hard to believe actually.  Today I was freezing cold once again.  Everyone was talking about how cold it is and I was blamed for the weather, bringing it from Canada:) 

People here are tough.  The boys in their bare legs under the ghos, the girls in a lightweight dress with a cotton blouse under and a cotton blouse over.  I had a sweater over top, which is obviously NOT part of the uniform and I am waiting to get scolded.   My class 9 boys lost their basketball game against class 11 by only one point.  It was cold and windy and rainy.  Spectators had umbrellas, some wrapped themselves up in a player's gho. Getting ready, my players swapped their black school shoes for runner type shoes from the players who had just finished.  I noticed the boys lovely black knee highs that they wear with the national dress had holes in them. I often forget that the families must be poor and are probably making significant sacrifices to get their children to school. 

School Rimdro

Saturday was the annual blessing or puja at the school.  Wow what an interesting day.  The monks arrived early.  I was not sure what time to report but arrived just as two monks, two  mostly naked monks and the lama were starting the ceremony to chase way the evil spirits.  Unfortunatley my photos cut everyone's heads off.  I had dust and fire right at my feet and am hopefully purified. Then porridge with panner in it, chanting, beautiful altar, breakfast, chanting, offerings, lighting butter lamps, prostrating, sitting in the sun, lunch chanting.  The monks were chanting not me.  

I took the bus to Thimphu, wanted to go to the Paro Tshetchu but hotels were all full.  Shopped and met Dave from Pakshika near me, and Sarah Diamond my ex roommate from training for supper.  We brought cheap gin, tonic and limes to the restaurant and everything was yummy.  Western food, hot showers. I indulged at night and in the morning. 

This morning I got a taxi to Paro and watched the masked dancers.  Wow - as good or better than all of the photos I have seen.  Was a real tourist event but I loved it. Met Matt and Lucy (Australians I stayed with 2 weeks ago) and hung out.  Dave joined us for lunch in Paro after he saw Sarah off, and we hitched back together.  Got taxis mostly with great rides and timing.  Poor Dave gets to Gedu an hour south of here then has to find a ride down a 12 km back road.  He is not home yet and I have already had a yummy dinner. 

Asparagus is in season in Paro and although I saw it being sold on the side of the road, every time I tried to buy some could not!!! Drat.  I got real fresh home made tofu in Thimphu and had a delicious dinner with a green that grows in the forest here.  

Paro was warm and sunny.  Thimphu was sunny.  Actually everywhere 2 km north of here was sunny.  I arrived back and was walking up the hill and ran into a teacher.  "How was the weekend?"  I asked.  "Gloomy"  said he. 

school Rimdro

Nothing is predictable.

Next Saturday I have plans to go to Paro for the Tshechu.  Each Dzongkag (region, province) has a celebration every year. There are masked dancers, stories told through dance and the Thongdrel (large fabric painting) is unrolled.  It is a two to four day festival and a holiday for everyone in the province.  The festivities are held at the Dzong which is the local government seat and the regional temple and monastery. 

This morning (Thursday) the plans for our school annual Rimdro were announced. It seems that I will be praying, eating and participating in the puja or annual blessing of the school from 6?? or 7?? or 8?? am through until after dinner.  This changes my Paro plans. What seems to be the most predictable thing is that plans will change. 

All this being said, it is just the way it goes and the way things are done here.  For western thinkers - those of us who may want to know what our responsibilities might be- we are very busy treading water and waiting to find out what happens next.  For the Bhutanese, it is just life. 

P.S.  No real sore muscles, neck or anything from playing basketball.  Hips a bit tight but I am amazed!! 

United Nations International Happiness Day

. . .  was declared a National Holiday in Bhutan.  It was unclear to me for a while if that meant we would be at school for a program or not.  But a Holiday is a Holiday here and it was fun.  I began my day with a long relaxation meditation , then a hour walk up and over to the Dzong and back, yoga and a nice breakfast.  Afterwards I washed clothes of course, and marked papers until one of the teachers, Peldon, called at my balcony.  The female teachers were playing basketball against the girl captains for fun.  I went out to watch and actually played.  Me.  Basketball.  Probably my least favourite game.  I had a riot racing up and down the court.  I actually scored a basket - almost a 3 pointer actually.  The ball just floated into the basket.  If there are assists in basketball I had a few of those.  Imagine me, Heather Robertson,  dribbling up the court and passing to Kelzang who pops it into the hoop.  Yup.  Me.  More than once. 

There was a lunch at the mess hall for the staff.  Nothing to write home about so I will skip it.  As we were waiting for lunch the volleyball was being tossed around.  I joined in.  Last week I volleyed with some of the boys.  However today it did nothing good for my neck.  Rats.  I had so enjoyed the running in basketball, and was very pleased that my old body had held up.  The men had been playing darts (Khuru) which involves a fair amount of arra, the local rice wine brew. 

After lunch I cruised through the market and picked up a couple of items for my new digs. I feel incredibly wealthy as I was paid 19,600 nultrum.  What to spend it on?   I will need some to install internet, 2,000 for rent, some, maybe 2,000, for pawer and a minuscule amount for food.  Oh Yes, I toured the apartment yesterday with the vp and it looks amazing.  I feel like a bit of a princess, literally and figuratively.  It will definitely be the nicest teacher quarters, competing with the guest house where royalty and high ranking officials stay during visits, and is very much the talk of the town.  The inside has been painted a lovely shade of my favourite colour . . . blue. 

I watched the men play volleyball against a group from town.  There was tea break and it was all fun.  They offered  me a spot on the team, but just because I can volley in a circle does not mean that I can play the game.  I was also beat from a short game of basketball :)

The rest of the afternoon has been spent reading and marking the biographies my students have written.  It is difficult deciding what to help them with in terms of writing and grammar.  The structure of the language here differs and many of the teachers, both Indian and Bhutanese, use some sentence structures that we do not.  I know it is beginning to sift its way into my speech.  Hopefully not into my writing.  

I have been creating some interesting meals.  Last night I wanted comfort food.  I opened the one tin of tuna I had bought and made a sort of mac and cheese with rice noodles and tuna and ketchup (Heinz).  Tonight I put the rest of the tuna into rice and covered it all with a veggie "curry".   

Yesterday my students had a riot gleefully wishing me a Happy Happiness Day.  And today I did. 

Nima Zangmo, Deki Lhamo Dorji, and Dawa Dem, 3 of my 9-B class just after losing the quarter or semi final.  Not by much mind you.  And yes, the teachers lost also - by one basket. 

Thoughts

     As I have struggled with my day to day life here and found myself to be unhappy at times, I have discovered that my struggles are the same as those I have at home.  They are physically different, but emotionally the same.  My need to keep moving, to be almost nomadic and my inablity to sit with what is. My need to be the centre of attention.  My way of putting off work that really should be done and distracting myself by visiting or going walking.  Right now for example, I really should be reading my students' biographies, but I am focused on me. 

     The great thing is that I am becoming more content.  I asked myself this week what I want to get out of this time, and did not come up with a true answer.  I promised myself to do more yoga, to read, paint and crochet.  So far I have done a bit of yoga; I do not know why it is so hard to come to my mat. I prefer to go outside and walk in the beautiful morning air. I have read some, and now have more books.  I have watched some movies - whoops - that is not on the list:) Lastly I made most of a hat on Saturday. 

     A few things that I have noticed:  

1.  I laugh as much as I can.  I help others to laugh.  I was too serious at home.  Intense or something.  Perhaps this is a process of letting go of some of that intensity.  Or maybe that just happens as I age.  Well maybe I am still intense, when I reflect on my garbage picking day - I was pretty furiously grabbing everything in sight, not able to give one of my pink rubber gloves to students because I was using both hands to collect every piece of plastic I could find.  

2.  I like being around people.  At home I have become a bit reclusive.  Here I want to be around people.  I thought in Thimphu that I would grow tired of the group, being with a collection of teachers that I did not know.  But I did not.  Here, the Bhutanese homes are busy, full of people and kids.  I love it and find it lonely to come back to my quarters.  ALTHOUGH  I think that I still enjoy my down time and would go nuts if I actually lived in one of those Bhutanese homes. 

3.  I am still the centre of attention as I walk through town, from my point of view anyways.  The "chillip" or foreigner.  Lots of kids say "good evening ma'am" as I wander through town.  Love it.  Almost like being famous. 

Night all

Thanks for following me on this adventure

Love to my family

Weekend in Chukha

Saturday morning we had a huge cleanup rally for International Happiness Day next Wednesday the 20th of March.  That day will mark 2 months here for me! 

All of the students, teachers and many townsfolk gathered with banners for a couple of speeches then went off to our respected regions with sacs (which one of my boys pronounces as sex with much teasing from the girls and this teacher :)  It was a warm sunny day and we picked up garbage.  Lots of it.  I enjoyed being out in the sun.  I worked in earnest, not sure about many of my students - they went through the motions.  I was disappointed today to see the refreshments (a lychee juice that I find awful) had been littered around the basketball court.  The infrastructure for garbage collection is weak.  Trucks followed us on Saturday, but some of the bags are still on the street.  My class 9A girls had basketball and won their match. They were about to play their quarter final match when the heavens opened.  It went from a warm t-shirt day to 3 layers of clothing and the heater on. 

     Saturday evening there was a baby shower.  4 months old.  At this time the parents invite everyone and have a feast and drinks.  It was a work one so a collection is made and a gift is given in the form of cash.  It was a nice evening - more Bhutanese singing and dancing.  Funnier this time as those that really know the songs were not there. 

As usual Saturday is wash day and in the afternoon everyone is out scrubbing and hanging their kira and gho.  Sunday The boarders do work in the hostel.  Cleaning the outside, gardening, then washing hair or clothes.  They have study period in the morning and evening and a two hour reading time.  Sunday afternoon they are free, but not free to leave. As I walked to the picnic grounds I saw the people who work all week busy collecting wood, chopping wood and doing clean up.  I cam across a gaggle of kids having their bath in the sun.  Outdoor tap, plastic tub and lots of laughter.  In town, plastic tubes were out all over the sidewalk and the public taps were busy.  

I made a Thai curry for supper tonight and cannot wait to eat it. I brought Thai spices, including kaffir lime leaves and galangal root, from Thimphu along with one tin of coconut milk and some rice noodles. 

Queen mother's address for International Women's Day

The following speech was beautifully read by one of the students on March 8th. 

Good Morning, 

I am very happy to be here today to celebrate International Women's Day with our young students. 

The 21st centre has witnessed significant progress int he protection and promotion of women's rights.  The journey has been long and difficult - filled with many sacrifices made by women form all corners of the globe. 

We celebrate this day to pay our tribute to all the selfless and courageous individuals who have toiled to fight for equality and justice. While we celebrate our accomplishments we must not be complacent - as there is still much to be done to ensure that women all over the world enjoy the freedom to live in dignity. 

Over the years nations and international organizations have drafted and enacted legislation and resolutions to enhance the rights of women.  We have pledged our unstinting support - and yet there still remains unacceptable inequality.

It is perhaps for this reason that this year's global theme is "a promise is a promise".  It is time to act - to ensure that our young girls have the opportunities to pursue their dreams without the obstacles of gender bias and discrimination. 

On 14 February Bhutan was one of 200 countries that took part in the One BillionRising.  We pledged to put an end to violence against women - a promise we must keep. 

Governments and international organizations can pass laws and regulations, but they alone are not sufficient.  Therefore, it is vital for every stakeholder to proactively strive to overcome the years of bias - that have inhibited young girls from living meaningful lives.  We need to change attitudes and perceptions that have kept women from realizing their true potential. 

Sonam Choden, the teacher that has left to be a VP, wrote the following speech which she read at the assembly on March 8: 

International Women’s Day

“Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity...
If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior...
If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women...”

Mahatma Ghandi

International Women's Day is observed in many countries around the world. It is a day, a moment “when women are recognized and remembered for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political” (UN WOMEN). It is a day for us to look back on past struggles and accomplishments of women. More importantly, it is an occasion for looking ahead to the unexploited or untapped potential and opportunities that wait our future generations of women.

It is a time for us to reflect on progress made, to call for positive change in attitude and action towards women and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of countries and communities across the globe.

Since the theme for the International Women’s Day for this year is “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women”, it is an occasion for us to reflect on what has been overcome, where we stand and the obstacles that still remain. One of the most violated and deadliest violations of women’s right across the globe is violence against women. Violence against women not only harms families but also communities across generations and reinforces other violence in the society. The continual violence against women is due to the persistent discrimination against women across all borders.

Violence takes many shapes and forms – physical, sexual, psychological and economic (Ms Irina Bokova, UNESCO 2013), which are interrelated and affect women at all stages of their life.

Physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner is the most common form of violence experienced by women. It includes women getting beaten up, coerced into sex or abused otherwise.

Sexual violence including early marriage is also a common violence committed against women. “It is estimated that one in five women worldwide become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime” (UN Department of Public Information, 2009). Sexual violence in conflict is a serious crime affecting mostly women and girls. It is not unknown to us that woman as old as grandmothers and as young as toddlers have suffered violent sexual abuse at the hands of military.

Other violence against women includes female genital mutilation, dowry murder, honour killing, human trafficking, and violence during pregnancy and discrimination. 

According to RENEW (2007), in Bhutan violence against women exist at different levels - violence against women within the family which, consist of intimate partner violence and violence against women in the community which includes sexual violence by non-partners and sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, educational institutions and in sport. 

To reduce and overcome violence against women, laws alone are not enough, we must support each other and women in particular in becoming leaders in all fields of human endeavor, including education, culture, communication and information. We must do whatever we can to empower women and ensure equality. This can only be realized if we challenge every form of violence against women when it occurs. Let us unite to realize the declaration “Promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women”. A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand. So let us unite for this common cause.

Prepared by 

Sonam Choden

Things I never thought I would appreciate

Dustless chalk
full sentences
good grammar
double or queen size bed

all is well today  A beautiful sunny day to start with a ripping thunderstorm to finsh the school day.
No parcels yet - A freind in Punakha sent a registered parcel to me 10 days ago - it is only a 6 hour drive and the parcel has not arrived yet.  I guess the mail is just not moving very quickly these days.
this weekend we have a big clean up day on Saturday for UN Internationa Happiness day on the 20th of March.  Then there is a baby shower on Saturday night.  I have lots of planning and marking to do so will settle into that for the weekend.

I have 2 International Women's day speeches I would like to post.  Will get to it ont he weekend perhaps.  Night all. You will soon be waking up.

Volleyball

      
 I hope the pictures tell the story.  Class wise volleyball and basketball began this week.  Each class sends a team of volunteers and there is a mini-tournament.  This week it is boys volleyball and girl's basketball.  Something changed for me on this day - I believe it was Tuesday - still lonely but my heart is with the students.  9B is my class - perhaps the movie will load and you will be able to hear the girls shouting "9B".  The refs are in their gho's.  The knee socks re part of the school uniform for the boys, and men.  there will also be house volleyball, there are 4 houses, a volleyball team chosen from these activities that will be sent to a regional competition and a volleyball club.  On Wednesdays we have clubs for an hour after classes.  I have the Media and Democracy Club.  Today we had an assembly to campaign for our clubs so that students know what is offered and can sign up. 

 

 

Personal Challenges and Progress

      Today Jamyang invited me for a yummy lunch. The host or hostess cooks and the guest is left in the sitting room. I got to watch BBS news channel. I have not watched the news for ages . . . I assume the Pope died as the cardinals are voting.

After school I said good-bye to Sonam. She had packed her house and there was not much left. I am making a new friend, an English teacher at the K to 8 school. Unfortunately she will be leaving for Australia in April as her husband has a scholarship to study. They will leave their children, who are about 3 and 5, with her parents. I am going to get to know the kids and spend time with them when she leaves.

The lopen who was deemed to be a reincarnation of an important lama in the past couple of years wants me to help him with his English, as he may be travelling and studying with an important rinpoche. Not sure of all of the details but will be teaching English to a monk. He already speaks English as do all of the teachers.

Teaching seems to be going well. I discovered today that I have one class that is very weak. They had to fill out simple forms with name and parents name etc and I was getting really frustrated until I realized they truly do not understand. They are my homeroom class and much weaker than my other 2 classes. I really want them to have good results and am trying to find a way to really motivate them to work and to learn English.

During the assembly one of the teachers wanted to play with my hair and she braided it. It felt wonderful. I will trim my hair on Friday as it is an auspicious day for cutting hair, nails, fabric and perhaps other things too.

This evening I hand washed clothes, which I do at least twice per week. It takes forever and I am exhausted.

I restarted my yoga routine this morning. I am determined to practice and walk in the mornings. Saturday I hope to begin my Dzongkha lessons with 2 senior students. I also hope to walk can.

 on the mountain.

I do not have access to the internet in a solid way right now so will post when I can.

 

I just spent a half hour uploading volley ball photos movie andpost and deleted with one small error.  aaaarrrgh

One day at a time . . .

. . . and it was a good one.  

International Women's Day March 8th.  Big Assembly. Speeches. Banners.  Great.  The Queen mother has an organization to support women and a female student read her address to the assembly.  Very nice.  Sonam Choden wrote and delivered a speech and so did the principal. There were posters everywhere and a board for students to write their thoughts.  

banner - writing is in chalk

     
     It was a beautiful sunny day that started out cold and windy, as usual, but got warmer and there was no fog at the end of the day.  Very little wind.  My students told me all day that I looked beautiful.  Perhaps because I washed my hair and left it down, who knows.  Sometimes I think they are teasing me and I have no idea.  Good teaching day. One teacher told me he can always hear when I am teaching.  When I asked him to elaborate he said that sometimes it is very quiet in the classroom the classroom and that I have an obvious lust for teaching.  I think I may need to explain the difference between lust and passion.  
     I went to the market at lunch for classroom decorations, i.e. curtains. The main street was full of people and teachers in the nice weather.  Worked on SUPW in our class garden with the students.  It was amusing.  We have a beautiful garden with a peach tree that is in bloom. This evening there is a farewell event for my friend Sonam Choden.  So sad for me.  Off to the event.  Night.

Progress on my new digs.  Check out the beautiful painting around the windows!

My Morning Walk Today

View of hospital from the main drag

Main Drag a store/hotel 

The Dzong in the next village Tsimisham

Residence for hospital workers

The large apartments behind the school

A view from above

The back yard of the store/hotel

A view from above

The lower half of the main drag

Sun and Frustration

Rain all evening and woke up to a glorious sunny day  It already looks as though it will be raining by 4 again today.  Snow on the mountains.  The air can be hot and cold at the same time: warmed by the sun and cold air driven in from the mountains. 

I think I am going through the disillusionment stage I read about in the guide to cultural shock or some such thing. So frustrated with teaching.  Wondering what I am really doing here.  How can I contribute?  How to teach the curriculum?  Teachers giving notes:  they hand out 3 copies, post the notes and 40 students are to copy. "The Nature of Language".  "Arbitrariness"  Written in flowery language where I can barely decipher the meaning. 

      It is all so up and down.  I have been invited for dinner on Saturday March 9th to celebrate my friend Sonam's departure.  Birthdays are not celebrated here. I am at her house right now.  She is preparing a speech for the assembly on International Women's day. Am also talking with another Bhutanese teacher about going to a remote Bhutanese  village to help with elections. 

The Bhutanese call their country "Land of the Thunder Dragon".  I now understand why- the thunder is bigger than the biggest at home. 

Confusion

I spent the night feeling very lost and lonely and wanting to go home, get out of here, find familiar faces and comforts.  I thought that I would give up.  My feelings had to do with the fact that the noise and light and lack of warmth were closing in on me.  I still struggle with living in a noisy, bright, rowdy place.  Fluorescent lights flicker endlessly.  Music blares all day Sunday and last night the hostel was playing music too.  Not what I had expected for Bhutan.  And certainly not what many of my colleagues are experiencing.  The local families retreat to their television illuminated homes.  Sunday smoke of burning plastic garbage filled my house, thick poisonous smoke. 

Advantages:  I can buy whatever I want - almost- in the local shops.  Thought I was going to let go of consumerism.  Now am thinking about my new house and how to decorate. Another advantage - I almost always have power and will connect my new house with the internet - pretty fast service. 

 Here is my struggle - it's not why I came to Bhutan.  I have lived without streetlights - in the dark, so to speak - for well over 20 years.  I really dislike the light and the amplified noise. 

I have a full body rash - it is immune system related, along with a cold sore.  Discouraged. 

This morning I got up, did my yoga and went to class.   I enjoy the teaching and being busy and forget about all of the above.  So will see how it goes.  One day at a time.  Live in the present.  Face the dark, cold rain that has blown in over the past 10 minutes, looks as though it may be here for awhile. 

ps.  Upside: I downloaded about 10 movies from a friend last night so watched Julie and Julia. Again, not what I expected, imagined or hoped for when planning this adventure.  But it is what it is.

Teaching is teaching. Kids are kids. Wherever you are.

I have 3 classes of grade 9's.  Most are the same age as our grade 9 students in Canada, however I discovered today that one boy from a village is 17.  We do have repeaters also - if they fail English, they repeat the year.  One of the teachers at school told me his story of repeating today.  Sometimes when they are day scholars their parents will send them to boarding school to repeat, as the boarding day is very regimented with lots of extra study time and students do not have to work on the farm or around the house. 

Today my lesson bombed with one class and was amazing with another class.  Discipline issues in the one class.  No different than at home.  I always say to myself that when I am struggling with a class at the beginning, I usually love them by the end. The balance of students in this class is more day scholars.  Also the grade 9 students who are strong become IT students- and this particularly class is not an IT class. 

  Today I am struggling with being here for a year.  The town is noisy and bright.  I have not lived anywhere with street lights for well over 20 years, and there was blaring music outside all day on Sunday.  Tonight the hostel or something had music too.  I find it quite exhausting, and not at all what I expected here in Bhutan.  I sometimes feel as though I am living downtown Mexico City or some strange metropolis. 

Just an update.

Sunday I slept in and read in bed until 10 am, re-reading Jamie Zeppa's book "Beyond the Sky and the Earth".  She taught in Eastern Bhutan in 1989.  so much has changed and so much is the same.  I laughed and cried this time through the book.  Then I hiked up the mountain behind town for 3 hours.  I think I made it to the top of s something.  I was surrounded by trees and could see the next height of land behind the hill I was on.  The hills roll out one after another.   There was a rhododendron - bright crimson - in full bloom. There were some other bushes that had a beautiful perfume. 

     I wish I had brought the Kindle full of books.  What was I thinking?? I just received a text from a friend, Andrea in Punakha who is sending me some books:) Hooray!

I taught all day today and it is going fine in the classroom, although I do not know if the students think I am crazy.  They are accustomed to rote learning and I am teaching experientially.  I am trying to get them to interview a partner and then write a short biography.  They were having a difficult time coming up with questions.  So I role played an interview of myself, changing hats every time I changed roles.  They had to write down one of four questions as I said them, then get together in groups and create a larger list of questions..  Hilarious- the chaos it creates in the overcrowded room. 

     Questions in regards to my success with the cake - I used buckwheat flour which I find to be delicious but needed more butter/eggs I think.  Also my tiny inexpensive rice cooker would not stay on so I could only cook on "warm" instead of "cook".  I find the banana bread quite edible especially if I worm it in butter in the fry pan:) 

New Start for a New Block Block

Consecration of the Science Block 

Teachers keeping warm by the smoky fire.  Cypress leaves are burnt for incense. 

More teacher pics. 

     This morning at 7 am we met dressed in our finest with kabney and rachu to greet the lama and monks that were to perform the puja for the consecration of the new science block.  It is a building that was constructed with JICA funds - from Japan.  there are 3 science labs, a new library and reading room and a computer lab.  The monks performed the ceremony and then we ate breakfast which consisted of suja - Bhutanese tea (like Tibetan tea, salty) and a rice dish, eaten with our hands.  We then went to class where I think I was the only one teaching.  I did a speaking game and when the bell rang my students made me close the door and continue, as they were enjoying it.  We rushed out the door to assembly where classes were divided into work teams to shift the old labs to the new ones.  With the hundreds of workers it took about an hour and a half.  My class had SUPW: socially useful and productive work.  We picked up garbage around a prescribed area of the campus.  The students and teachers have other words for SUPW that generally replace useful with useless.  I do not find it useless personally.  I like the concept of cleaning up.  My first round 2 Saturdays ago was toilets,  which is not pleasant. 

Although it looks like an unclear photo, it is the smoke. 

    This afternoon I "wandered" picked up some vegetables and baking soda.  I am going to try to make cake in a rice cooker.  They tell me it is possible:) I also watched the men play soccer on a field where I would instantly break my ankle -blobs or rock hard soil with holes between.  They were covered in mud as there are sections that are puddles all year round. 

For the library - I would love to have a way to increase the readable books for the grade 9 students.  Perhaps we could start a campaign to send books; both "high interest, low vocabulary" and great reading books for grade 9 students.  The collection here is large but dry.  There are so many good books available that these students do not see.  I think it is expensive to ship books here.  Perhaps someone could investigate how to purchase and send books at a low cost.  In Thimphu there are great bookstores, I could go there on a buying spree if I had the funds.  I would also love if someone could purchase subscriptions to some youth magazines.  Soccer and basketball are both popular.  There is not a culture of reading, although many students are good readers.  I would like to turn them on to some interesting reading.  When I think of the books in our library at school and in my classroom, both fiction and non-fiction, I drool.  So if you have any ideas, please let me know.  

Recovery

      It turns out several teachers had this fluey virus that hit me.  Some were pukey-er than others! I had a lovely bath in the sunny afternoon, then Sonam came to check on me and we went to her house to use the internet and have the mandatory cup of tea.  Another teacher, Jemyang took me to her house for more tea. I was saved from drowning in caffeine by a call she had to whip to Tsimasham (next village) to go to the bank. So I took a rain check.  My English department head called to check on me too.  I wandered to the market to buy some veggies and met at least 4 teachers who were all concerned.  I am getting used to everyone knowing about me and my life and kind of like it.  There is very little silence, kids and dogs everywhere.  Yesterday while I was sleeping in the day there was a constant, rhythmic sound in the apartment below me.  I figured it might be weaving and Sonam confirmed it. 

The beautiful blue sky filled with fog this afternoon.  Spring and summer bring rain, fog and leeches.  I am enjoying the clear blue skies and dry air while I can.  So are the other teachers, when they have a free period, they are not at their desks they are sitting out in the sun. 

    Next morning:  I just ruined my FAVOURITE t-shirt that I wear under my Kira.  I turned on the heater in my room without looking, I had placed the t-shirt on top of it earlier this morning.  Now it stinks in my room and I feel so absent-minded.  Lesson in impermanence:)

Here are photos of my home class. I had a good teaching day today and REALLY hope to connect my 3 classes of 40 students with classes at LVR.