An inquisitive odyssey to Eastern Dzongkhag

I started my journey at 7 am from Zhemgang to eastern Dzongkhag. A week earlier I received a call letter from JICA Office stating that I shall attend HPE festival at Kidheykhar MSS, Mongar. Ms Kanea Aida from Japan who is currently working in our school as HPE instructor for 2 years accompanied me. My visit to eastern Dzongkhag was unfamiliar and it resembles with my counterpart.
I have decided to venture along Panbang highway which was newly constructed and it still requires final touch. I drove on bumpy road and straddled through deep holes resonating for quite sometime and such baffling road engulf more synergy. It was a mundane driving but sublime scene and elegant waterfall reinforced me to drive further. Place like Panbang which is popularly known as LK(Lower Kheng) is rich in biodiversity and it consist of the great Manas river and the Royal Manas Park.

Waterfall, Panbang highway

Travelling through Panbang to Nganglam isn't too long but treacherous and dampen road impedes smooth driving. We made to Nganglam at around 3 pm without any knowledge of many places and we were not sure whether we were treading the expected road. Listening to a mixture of old oriental and occidental songs added flavour which made us savour every moment.

After reaching Nganglam town, I asked vendors near by the shops about the road to Pemagatshel. The valuable etiquette such as taking off their hats and standing up when they talk with new people still prevail. I shall encourage my students to imbibe this value instead of practicing indolent demeanor. We even came across destitute families who had austere living

style when people in metropolitan drives luxurious car. We headed towards Pemagatshel crossing small Telung bridge which will be replaced by enormous bridge few years later.

The most daunting road was between Nganglam and Pemagatshel. It was constructed recently and I surmise the road was still not handed to the government. Since the road was made out of gravels, we failed to reach Pemgatshel on stipulated time. But sooner or later, this road will be the highway between Nganglam and Pemagatshel benefiting thousands of commuters.

When we were about to reach, we were confounded with multiple road diversions and waited for a miracle. Alas! I met a comrade who was travelling to same destination and he informed us to follow him. It was 9:30 pm when we arrived near new Pemagatshel Dzong which is still under construction. He parked his car near his home and said, "Where do you want to go?" I said that we are new here and heading to Mongar tomorrow. Tonight I want to stay in hotel. With a smile on his face, he said "There is no hotel to lodge and more over the shops will be closed because it's already 9:30 pm." I was shock to know about a prefecture without hotels and restaurant to quell hunger. I started seeking solace in dark alienated place. It was so kind of him to offer us his guest house and even delicious supper. Later he said that he is a project manager in one of the offices. I thought he was a God in disguise and in deed he was a philanthropist. Early morning we thanked him and his family for the salvation from winter chill and hunger even though we could not meet them because we started our jouney before dawn. We travelled through Wamrong which consists of few buildings and better shops than Pemagatshel.

                     

Khaling, Tashigang

Tashigang town is settled on terrain slope and it is too crowded for commuters to park their car. The traffic gets jammed in a short period of time. We were stranded for few minutes. Finally we reached Kidheykhar Middle Secondary School and met with participants from different regions and JICA volunteers. Mongar is one of the exquisite places in Bhutan and it has enormous clustered town. I would always wish to make second visit to explore and rejuvenate adventurous zeal.

Lesson learned:
1. Always prepare pithy itinerary before travelling.
2. Respect people regardless of their lure.
3. Help needy people if you are "Being Human."

PS: With an attitude of gratitude, I sincerely thank Project Manger and the family, Pemagatshel Dzongkhag for being so generous. I wish to meet you someday and create good memories together.
  

Reminiscing an odyssey to Kheng, Zhemgang

Zhemgang Central School - A

                                              On 1st March, 2013 after appearing RCSE, me and my wife headed towards Zhemgang from Thimphu. It was 5:30 am when we started from my sister's place. The moment I got placed in Zhemgang, my zeal to teach future generations diminished. But i had no choice then to move as if i was jubilant over my placement. But i was quite happy to have my wife placed in same Dzongkhag. The most baffling moment was that three of us (me, my wife & driver ) are new to those places after Trongsa town. We climbed up hills, crossed enormous by pass and straddled through mighty holes and treacherous road along the high way.

Zhemgang Dzong

 We came across exquisite views and also turbulent times through dampen and lengthy road. I thought that, now its very close to Zhemgang after reaching Trongsa town but we were still 5 hours behind when I realize now. We were looking at each other after every few hours and i could surmise from their faces what they were thinking about - reaching destination. I could see her eyes filled with tears and completely frustrated. It was almost 7 pm when we reached near Wangdigang and I saw a light perched on a hill and i couldn't distinguish between a star and a home light. It was a street light fixed behind Zhemgang Dzong. Finally we thought we are nearing but it took so long to reach Zhemgang town. Then we reached town after torment journey which took almost 14 hours.                                                            Sadly without a notice we were at the end of the town within few minutes.                                                          You can think of how big the town is.

Our turbulent times bestowed us with good memories and being placed in Zhemgang is a bliss. Inquisitive place has showered me with pithy discoveries and life long lessons. Now I am acquainted and fallen in love with this place, I will definitely have sublime memories to narrate someday somewhere. When I came to Zhemgang, I had agonizing and sorrowful feelings and with deep reverence when I leave this place i will have similar emotions.

Nothing Last Forever...

It was during midst of summer in Thimphu when Depa met with fatal accident on his way to Bumthang. It was foggy and a gush of wind could be felt through half raised window over slight acceleration of the car. The uninvited calamity, a menace intruded while driving back to home. He went Thimphu for a workshop leaving behind his wife who was conceived for six months. He left Thimphu unwillingly with enormous affliction because of his wife who was in dire need of him. He could do nothing but to accord.
An accident occured at Lam Pelri.
It was ten years back when Depa and Selzin got introduced to each other in one of the school sport meets. Since then they promised to have trust and faith in their immortal affair. Despite being in school, they kept on having excursions surreptitiously and relished relentlessly. They graduated from same college and they were transfered in one of the offices in Bumthang. Selzin considered herself as the most fortunate wife and prayed to have him in her life for all the generations she would be bestowed as human. They never had a quarrel that would hurt each other's sentiment. Their relationship was more of respect and integrity.
Suddenly she received a call from Depa's number. She directly said, "Depa... i have reminded you not to call while driving." To her surprise, it was a voice of a commuter who helped Depa to reach at hospital. "Hello! I am Tashi using his phone. I saw Darling in his contact list and called you. I surmise you are a wife of Depa." Tashi shared the incident and asked her to report immediately at JDWNR hospital. She could not believe it. She requested him to reiterate. After hearing for the second time, she broke into tears holding her bloated stomach, a womb that holds Depa's child. After travelling for 10 hours through treacherous and dampened road, finally she reached hospital. A security guard ushered her to an emergency ward.
She could not utter a word and being near him was an additional agony. He was drenched with blood.
Depa said, " Selzin...it's time for me to go and i feel i won't last long. We have planned too much to make memories together and the time seems too less to accomplish. Things does not go as we wish mosh...."  Upon hearing few last words, Selzin broke into tears. She wished, if she could turn back the time. Then he suddenly looked at her bloated stomach. He kept his hand on it and said, "it deeply hurts me to leave without seeing my child.  A child who will be born without a father." Drops of tear rolled over his cheek.
Since the pain started grumbling all over his body through spines, he said Selzin that, these few sentences could be my last voice of our insatiable relationship. " If you can, please do not go for a second relationship because i fret of not having a person like me in your life. Always think i am aside of you holding your hands to overcome hurdles in your endeavor. Develop a moral crusade of love and compassion which will enhance livelihood.  I know it will be a daunting task to raise a child with a single parent but i am optimist that you will love her as much as you love me. Are you listening to me Selzin..?" The ECG machine started producing beeps. His heart beat started waning. And could only say a sentence before he closed his eyes forever. " My dear, thank you for being a sublime comrade and i will pray to have you in all my generations together........i...i love you so much."

Expect the unexpected calamity...

I am in dilemma whether to narrate or not. In the midst of the class right after lunch, the weather started becoming gloomy and few minutes later the rain started to grumble heavely. It was for few moment and the rain has stop and i went outside to check whether it has really gone.
My epiphany of students making malicious gossip while teaching made me furious. The act of drop, cover and hold by the students astonished me during the instruction of an activity.  I thought, hell! What's going on with these students? I went outside and saw other students running towards evacuation site which was identified during mock drill. And i surmised may be it's a mock drill for an earthquake. If it was, how did i miss the blow of a whistle?
Then i decided to send my students to an evacuation site covering their head with a book. Enormous congregation of students and teachers were made along the balcony of classrooms. Sooner or later we witnessed lightening and thunder simultaneously, and followed by heavy down pour. The quake made me seek my lesson plan and text book for quite sometime. Later i realised, i left it in the classroom while trying to save from the unconditional hazard.
The unprecedented event also made me realise how vital it is to conduct mock drill in schools regardless of risk factors. The erratic weather evoked daunting visionary and carved remarkable memories in the heart of many paramount learners and altruistic educators. Thank you, it was indeed a great rehearsal and a reminder to expect the unexpected chaos.
Have a blissful reading...                  1/08/2016

In Quest to Quench and Quell

It's been awhile without writing a piece of note. Today I lie down with deeper thought to keep my writing alive. 

The value of a thing is best known when it is lost. The sense of need is pricked when it becomes shortfalls. Water is the most essential element in lives of every human kind. It's difficult to start a day without it. A place like Zhemgang which is considered as the least populated and developing realm is in dire need of water. Actually it should have enough water to quench thirst of all the households but it fails to provide even a bucket in a day. Can we imagine a teacher who stays in the school from 8 am till 5 pm and he/she needs to fetch water till 8 pm right after the school? But most of us in Zhemgang do. It's been 4 months without supply of water and accumulating has become a culture. The water at the source has dried up and we have no other option then to continue accumulating. I have been calculating the hours that I spend in fetching water. Its takes almost 3 hours in a day to fill all the empty vessels. In a week I spend priceless 21 hours. Actually these hours can be used in rejuvenating my profession which will directly benefit my students.

I do hear same issues being discussed in some places but the scenario is different. When we have a dinner it becomes 9:30 pm and after preparing lesson plan it stretches up to 11:30 pm. The moment i prostrate my body on the bed, it becomes 12 mid night. Teaching profession demands more time to explore and come up with daily pithy lesson planing which will help students learn better.  We need to prepare beguiling teaching learning materials which will keep the eyes of learners instantly. I have to compromise maximum intriguing plans and make sure I have my evening time with empty vessels somewhere else. It's quite baffling at times when a perished body needs to attend breathtaking moment right after the class. 

I heard, the hard work is the key to success but I am quite confounded that this hard work may lead to a failure if it prolong. Besides teaching, fetching water has become a list in my daily hustle and bustle.

Have a Great Day!

Remarkable Journey...

Japan is one of the most popular and advanced countries in the world. I have just dreamt about it and never thought of visiting in my entire life. I even heard people saying, expect the unexpected and it just flashed into reality. I was given an opportunity to attend young leaders program on health and physical education at Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

My stay in Japan for 20 days was like a day who belongs to a country that resembles a prefecture in Japan. But i know every country has its own beauty. Metropolis is well developed with technology and we can hardly see things that need to be done manually. 

I won't be fair if I do not share about the qualitities of Japanese. Punctuality and discipline stands at the top. Every Japanese understands about segregating waste. Every activity is well organised and systematic. If given an opportunity to stay for a year or two, i can guarantee that, our attitude and personal development would change rapidly. When ever i introduce myself as a Bhutanese, the first sentence they talk about is GNH and followed by;happiest country. My visit to Japan has given me a thought on my integrity and every step was worth walking. Personally i feel we have many more to learn and grow. The moment we stop learning, we stop living.