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.
Hi Heather! The swapping of shoes you described several entries back is so resourceful! I agree with you, all the 'stuff' in the world doesn't come close to showing kindness and generosity. (Although I disagree with you in that you are very generous – look what you are doing!) ☺
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