Leaving Misithang

Once again I have to leave Bhutan, and it will be a long process. On Thursday morning I was asked to speak at the assembly: tips on writing book reviews. On Thursday afternoon, I gave a session to the teachers for their professional development. At the end of the session Catherine  and I handed out BC and Canada pins to the staff, they proudly wore them on thier gho and tego. That was the first set of speeches and thank you's. 

 Friday  morning Catherine said her farewells to the assembly. The men had erected a ( very) temporary flagpole for the Canadian flag. We distributed Canada pins to each student.  More thank you's and farewell letters. I made banana cake in the rice cooker and the staff ate it during interval (recess).

Friday after school Tashi, her husband and daughter took us the Tang valley. We saw a mill for the buckwheat, thingley, a plant that grows asort of Sichuan pepper which numbs your lips and leaves them tingling for about 20 minutes, and the primary school where they used to teach. When they arrived at that school, was no power and only a tractor road. Tashi had both her children there. 

We returned for a farewell dinner, with speeches, many, on both sides; a cultural program, dancing and singing on both sides and a lot of food cooked by the men. Shoo dates, fish curry, chicken curry, rice, red rice, dal, Emma dates and fresh fruit and veggies sliced and beautifully arranged. 

Saturday morning we will have our last assembly where there will be more speeches and exchanges of gifts, then we judge the debate and trundle down the valley to Chamkhar. After that a 2 day drive to Thimphu.