What should I expect?

I've just taken the path which not many people like to take it. Even if they do take, it is definitely their last and final option! The unwanted one, in short.

Yes, I am talking about the teaching job. What else can it be, right? Most boring job, perhaps? Well, it differs and it depends on how you the takers take it as. But sadly, so far I haven't seen much takers of it (teaching job) as a 'noble job', as it is being routinely referred to.

Throughout the course of my journey to this stage, I have hardly met anyone who actually 'encourages' to join this profession or at least have something good to say about it other than the ones already in it either by virtue or by fate. Worse enough, some even go to the extent of saying too many bad things, and put off the flames of patience that some possess.

...to be cont'd...

Off to the World of Work!

Excited yet nervous, pumped up yet tiring and heated up yet so cold. So was the state in which I gradually made my way through to the 'Peak of Learning' just three days ago. It was my first time to be in Sherubtse (now my work place), in fact, first timer to this entire Dzongkhag-Tashigang.

Having started my journey from Deothang quite late, I was welcomed by the chilly and darkened valley of Kanglung around 7:30 PM. As we made our way through the College main gate, all that I had back in my mind was 'how to find the accommodation' since the earlier accepted owner had reverted his decision and now wanted just the female tenants! I respect his/her preferences, no objection whatsoever, I just wish he had pronounced that early for that would enable me to find another room!

After dropping all the stuff at Mr. Sonam Tobgay's (new assistant lecturer as well) house, went to Ms. Karma Yangzom's (new as well) house for dinner, and finally went to a Mathang's house (a distant relative) house at Kanglung HSS campus for calling off the day. We were three of us, my two older brothers and myself. Felt quite uneasy to pose them a burden of accommodating all three of us, but had no options!

Early morning, after having a breakfast, we drove back to the College to report to the Director's office and to do some follow-ups. Having dropped me at the campus, my brothers made their way back to their destinations (Deothang and beyond). I felt quite sad as I bade farewell to my lovely and caring brothers. I choked quietly!

Next we were sort of escorted to the then unfamiliar buildings and offices by a senior lecturer. Firstly into the Administrator's office for the appointment, secondly to the Directors office for the briefing, thirdly to the Deans' offices and finally to the respective Department Head's office. In particular, the pain that Academic Dean took in orienting and introducing each one of us to the rest of the lecturers and staffs were very helpful and heartening! Thanks Madam Sonam!

As a final call, we were in the respective HOD's office, Department of IT/Maths in my case. Madam Sonam Wangmo looked so energetic and keen on orienting two of us (both for Maths) from the very beginning. Felt very comfortable! Despite the space crunch, she managed to find us a space at senior lecturers offices. That being done, we were briefed on the systems, and our task for the rest of the semester. Not surprisingly, she didn't assign any course to teach (since the semester is almost ending), rather required us to attain few classes "just to know how the senior lecturers conduct the classes..." Accordingly, we chose eight classes (totaling 8 hours) in a week to keep us engaged.

Frankly speaking, going to the classes ranging of 40-60 students for the first time was the most nerve-wrecking experience! Not to mention that most of the students look older than us making it difficult to differentiate between lecturers and students.

"That will do it for this semester, but be prepared to take the full module next semester," we've been reminded!

National Graduate Orientation Program 2011 (NGOP) in Session

Yesterday corresponding to the 10^th August 2011, some 1700 national graduates flocked into the Nazhoen Pelri auditorium, Thimphu. The briefing session that was scheduled to start at 9 AM couldn’t do so until much later as some of the graduates didn’t report on time and those who were on time didn’t take the seat properly. The committee members’ nightmare in maintaining the crowd was just too obvious.

With much hurdle, the graduates were accommodated into the packed hall and the session finally kicked off. The newly appointed secretary to the Ministry of Labor and Human Resources Dasho Pema Wangda gave an opening statement in Dzongkha, followed in English. “That’s the formality,” said he switching his speech to English. While we talk about diminishing usage of the national Dzongkha, and see the helpless state of Dzongkha Development Commission, I couldn’t help wondering how we couldn’t even conduct the ‘National’ session in our ‘national language’!

He clearly detailed down the main objectives of the NGOP session, while reminding each one of us to ‘derive the highest benefits’ from this program. He said that the online forums have seen disfavor in conducting such program, and that ‘given a choice, we would gladly stop’, but it has been felt by the highest authority that such a program be continued! Hence, yet again the NGOP 2011 themed “Meeting to Lead: Connecting our young Leaders”. 

...to be cont'd

Back to Blogger's World!

Finally, I am back into Blogging after more than a month. I have been busy: firstly graduating, secondly journeying back to my country Bhutan, and thirdly trying to settle down.

The month of June was the craziest of all, having to undergo a major transition! I landed on June 18th, in the Saturday afternoon on our second landing attempts due to 'unfavorable weather' at Paro. Coming home after nearly four years was a strange yet happy feeling.

Now that I am back, I am presented with so many things to address and attend to. Doing so keeps me away from this blogging world, and whenever I find time, the lack of the Internet connectivity makes it impossible to come. Oh, how I miss the broadband connection that I had there, lol. Unless I find an employment as soon as possible (where I can use the services accorded by the employer), I won’t be able to update or post any new articles here that regularly, so bear with me if you care (by the way, I hope you do care, lol).

Having said that, I will be preparing for the forthcoming BCSC exams (Bhutan Civil Service Common Examinations) preliminary examinations, which is scheduled on August 28, 2011, so wish me loads and loads of luck my dear readers!

A Lonely Journey to the US (Part IV)

(links to: Part III)

Cell phone glued onto my right ear, I aimlessly walked on the grassy land.

“Please God, let us talk for the last time again,” I said prayer silently. Luckily, she picked up the phone.

“Oye (Hello)!”

“Hello! Where are you, still here?”

“Yeah, at Paro waiting for the flight! What are you doing today?” I asked her in a subdued tone.

“Nothing; I don’t feel like doing anything. I am at home, can’t study,” she replied.

“Oh is it? Don’t worry my dear, we will see happily after four years. Do study well all right?”

“Hope you will keep all those promises you have made to me, but anyway I will wait and see. I started to miss you already!”

“Of course, don’t you trust me?” I answered with a question.

“So far I have never trusted anybody like I trust you. Don’t forget me!”

The conservation just got deeper and more emotional. I promised her I won’t forget ever and together we prayed for our healthy relationship. In the meantime, the whole Paro valley shook by the thunderous sound as the Druk Air plane appeared out of nowhere from the tall Mountains, and landed on one of the scariest Airports in the world-Paro International Airport. I learnt that only those specially trained pilots with sufficient familiarity with the local geography are certified to fly to this airport.

Knowing that my wait won’t be that long now, I called off my sweet heart. How saying ‘Goodbye’ was such a hard task!

My niece teased me about flying with that white aircraft which just landed.

“Khochung (Uncle), are you happy to fly now?”

I smile back, but I was actually so nervous and shaking like a sick person fighting with a dreadful Parkinson’s disease! The same lady called me in again to check my cabin baggage in. When I reached inside an abnormally cold room, she drilled me as to what and how to go about through the security check. I thanked her and headed to the left side of the terminal building. I thought she was following me, but she had others like me to attend to, quite understandably.

I saw scores of people in line going through the security check-one at a time. I followed the suit and walked past the x-ray machine when a guy stopped me suddenly. He told me to take off my handbag and put through the x-ray machine. I obediently took off the bag, and placed on a roller feeding the machine. By then the people who were in front had already been cleared and long gone. Feeling lost at that place, I looked around like a baby deer abandoned by his mother in a thick jungle. Soon a guy from the side of room pointed to the direction where I was supposed to be headed. I was about to step onto the next phase of the security check when a gentleman tidily dressed in a neat black uniform with round cap, like that of an Army officer, saluted upon seeing me!

“Kuzu wai! (Hello, Good Morning!)” He greeted me.

...to be cont'd

Bumthang ‘Charm-Fire’ (Chamkhar)?

Bumthang is known for its natural beauty blessed by numerous saints and lamas including the second Buddha Guru Rinpoche. From Kurje Lhakhang to Mebartsho, Bumthang indeed is a land of Charm. But unfortunately the charm is under attack by fire as of late. The Chamkhar town, which is now third in a row gutted down by the disastrous fire accident, has raised so many eye brows across the nation. The very first accident garnered a nation-wide sympathy, while second one raised a few questions/suspicions, and I am sure now this third one would raise ever more questions and eye brows!
Why just in the Chamkhar town? Is Chamkhar town electrified differently? Are people being stubbornly careless with electricity? Is our disaster management proactive or reactive or more importantly prepared enough to fight with such a catastrophe? If it was an electric short-circuit, are our electric appliances or wiring safe? So on and on…These are the very pertinent questions that everybody should be pondering on.

Electricity is a good servant but a bad master, we are being cautioned thus. Of course only if it was taken that seriously, neither does Gyelpoi Zhimpoen’s office have to be on toes (all the time) nor would the Chamkhar town have to be rebuilt thrice in two years! These unfortunate repeated fire accidents have generated both sympathizers as well as suspicions. The Opposition Leader has twitted, “1st fire in Oct. 2nd in Feb. 3rd this morning. All 3 started at abt 2:30 AM. Strange. Residents suspect arson caused this morning’s fire”. Yes its strange! Could the investigation team be able to come up with any conclusive findings that would be necessary to help better respond to such accidents in the future? Let us wait and see!

National Assembly is in session now, and I don’t know if they are going to discuss anything new and concrete, particularly on the disaster management. We often say we Bhutanese take things cautiously learning through mistakes. But we have already seen so many problems and mistakes, how long are we going to wait to correct the mistaken things and put some safety measures in place? It is high time the concerned authority raised the alert level, and framed a rule for a mandatory requirement of Fire extinguisher and the smoke detector in every house all across the nation. Accordingly, educate and train the people on handling those equipments, so that they don’t have to fully rely on the under manned fire-fighters and fire trucks. Fire accidents are preventable and we should be fully aware of how to prevent it!

Until and unless something drastic is carried out, there will be many Chamkhar towns in waiting across the nation. Hope this fire accident was purely accidental, but if the investigation team finds otherwise, justice should be prevailed and necessary action carried out!

May God Bless Bhutan, and my condolences to all the people affected by the latest accident!

A Lonely Journey to the US (Part III)

(Links to: Part I, Part II)

As our car accumulated more and more mileage towards the destination (the airport), the breathtaking beauty of Paro valley unfurled itself naturally.

“No wonder foreigners pay USD 250 per head per day to visit our country,” I convinced myself.

I was still challenged with my speech, though; neither did I scream for joy nor cry out loud for departing with my loved ones. I did that all by myself in complete silence!

Shortly into the Paro valley the Paro International Airport came to my sight-the green roofed terminal buildings, and the only runway running parallel to the road leading to the main Paro downtown. The gate welcomes us into the airport compound; this time even more welcoming as our car rolled in full speed straight towards the entrance. I remember and agree with how a tourist described his first experience on the road right after landing on the soil of Bhutan. Loosely paraphrasing, the tourist wrote, “The first half a kilometer or so of road from the airport is almost insulting (misleading?)…That smooth and straight road comes to an complete end…” adding that if you already thought the roads in Bhutan are wonderful going by that section of the road, you are wrong, the remaining journey are nowhere close to that; instead be prepared for a rollercoaster ride.

Like he said, the double lane straight approach-road provided us a finest approach to the airport. Our car momentarily came to a halt right at the entrance and brother Sangay quickly pulled my bag out from the trunk. Our driver was nothing like a regular cabbie; he not only looked professional in conduct but also was caring like my immediate family members. I thanked him for rising up so early and driving us till airport. Surprisingly he offered to wait for my sister, niece and my brother even if it took more than an hour or so. Basically he was going to wait until I took off.

While he was headed to the parking lot, a lady in a clean navy blue dress approached us from the building. Later I came to know that she is a good friend of Anna Karma who is working for Druk Air. My sister introduced us. She looked active and friendly. She took my only bag from my brother for check in. I shook hands with my brother, patted on my 2^nd grader niece, and Anna as I bade farewell to the final lot of my loved ones! My newly met lady friend had already passed the gate and was waving at me, so I followed her hastily like a baby running after an escaping mother. Breaking into a sweet smile, she asked me to hand her my passport and the ticket. I nervously unbuttoned my handbag dangling diagonally from my shoulder, and handed her the required documents she asked for. She placed my bag on the counter, attached a few papers on it and pushed into the scanning room. My big black bag rolled helplessly into the room. She came towards me and asked me to stay outside or inside since my flight was not until 10:00 AM or later depending on the weather. In fact, the Aircraft, which would take me, was on the way to Paro, she told me. She walked me out till where my brother, Anna, niece and our driver stood. They were little surprised to me again shortly after our departure (lol). We sat down on the green lawn in front of the entrance and created some last minute fun moments. Both my brother and sister advised me to be cautious while traveling alone and at the same time assured me that everything would be all right. I felt comforted in that moment, but how I so wished I had someone accompanying me.

Talking of accompanying, I had already begun to miss my girl friend. Running almost three years in a relationship, I have drawn comfort, inspiration, and happiness from her all day in and day out. We just cursed the cruel fate for making us lead into two different directions. Right then, I thought I should call her for the last time. I remembered the other day I recharged my cell phone worth of Nu. 500 so there should be some balance. I had used some minutes calling my friends, relatives, and family who were in my contact list. Just before I went inside for baggage check in with the lady, I had given my cell phone to Ata Sangay. So now I needed it back to see if I could get hold of my darling. I excused from them, stepped aside and dialed to the person whom I never get tired of talking.

....to be cont'd

P.S. Please leave your valuable feedbacks below, help me correct some grammatical mistakes or nonsensical phrases/sentences!

Our Royal Wedding!

HM & would-be-queen Jetsun Pema
Picture courtesy: Bhutan Observer

It was 2 AM, and I was on the bed when I suddenly felt like checking the twitter updates. The first thing I saw was just unbelievable. I couldn't believe for a while, but as I scrolled further, I saw few more similar updates-The HISTORIC update indeed about the "Royal Wedding"! Immediately the next prominent question popped up in my mind "who could be that future Queen?" A few more scrolls down, I found someone already twitted "HM to be married with a commoner Jetsun Pema..."

Normally I don't miss to listen to HM's speech and other important events on live BBS radio from the internet. Being away from country, I rely heavily on the online news for the updates about the country and the world.

But last night when I saw the updates, I had already missed the live speech! Because I didn't know that the National Assembly Session was beginning from yesterday. None of the new papers reported or provided hats up about the coming up of the Parliament session this week.

Although I can always find the recorded audio or video later on, you don't get the real feel as the live speech!

So thats my rant on the new papers! (lol)

But all in all, looking forward to our Royal Wedding and already excited about the month of October!!

In the meantime, thanks twitter for enabling us to share a real time news and events!

A Lonely Journey to the US (Part II)

(Picture courtesy: Google Images)

(Link to: Part I)

They were all seated at the back seat and kept the front seat for me. I gestured to my Ata to sit on the front seat to which he stubbornly declined without even a word. As I stepped onto the sit, the driver (Anna’s co-worker) turned the engine ignition bringing ‘our car’ into life in a roaring fashion. After tapping a few times on the gas pedal (accelerator) oozing out a thick smoke from the rear exhaust, it rolled to a full momentum meandering along the road above Zilukha Lower Secondary School. Just as it was about to make a U-turn at Chophel-Jungshina-Zilukha tri-junction, my phone beeped. It was from my long time friend Kinzang Chophel whom at that time was training for traditional physician (Menpa) at Institute of Traditional Medicines, the only institute in the country catering to people of traditional Tibetan diagnosis and medication. We have been friends since 4^th standard at Tsebar Lower Secondary School, under Pema Gatshel district. During our stay in Thimphu after being graduated from high school, we had spent time together here and there, but at the last hours, we couldn’t meet since we were both caught up in our own busy world. I assured him that it was okay and that I would write to him from the US after seeing him crying over the phone. I bade him farewell, and dialed again to my mom and dad who were already up waiting for my call at Khawar goenpa, a village under Khar geog, Pema Gatshel District. As I heard their voice from that small mysterious device, I broke down into tears but quickly realized that it was not good to cry. My dad, a clergy, informed me that the journey would be safe and peaceful for he had already performed all the rituals necessary to ward off the evil spirits and to please our protective deity. I called them off, and immediately dialed to my uncle Jangchuk and Aunt Pema. They were also up and like not taking anything into granted, my uncle (a clergy like my dad) was also performing a “serkem”-a ritual to please the protective deity for my safe journey to a place unknown. I could hear him reciting the prayer and in time also answering to my call.

Meantime our Maruti Taxi has already entered the Thimphu downtown through the Zorzin lam. The street was quiet, fresh, and clean unlike the normal hours, which becomes dusty, busy and crazy! Just about the first ever five-Star hotel in Bhutan-Taj Tashi, our car made a left turn cruising down hill till the roundabout from where it took a right turn and headed in a full speed. The town was still quiet and about to mature out of dawn that made us difficult to recognize those early risers: some logging and some merely walking along the street. But two men looked rather familiar to me, so I stopped our quiet yet very friendly looking driver. Two men who I later recognized as Khochung (uncle) Yongba and Khothkin Bogar, approached us seeing me waving at them. After we exchanged a few words, we hit the road once again; this time in full speed on the only expressway in Bhutan towards Paro. The chilly wind of the Semtokha valley drove my sleep away completely, and the valley offered a spectacular scene of Thimchu (wangchu river) snaking down the valley.

However, I can easily say that it was the most emotionally challenged and boring trip I have taken thus far. There was a total silence in the car except the roaring of the car and the hissing sound of the approaching wind! Time to time I looked back in quest to break the silence, but I couldn’t utter anything. I lost my speech, literally! All three of them were facing at the different directions as if to hide their tears or something else. Of course, that’s exactly what I had to do. Soon we were on a dusty and bumpy section of the road leading to the Chuzom checkpost. The road alignment and a work to upgrade the previous single-lane road to double-lane in preparation for the most important event in the history of Bhutan-the coronation of the Fifth King by Project Dantak was in full swing. The driver bravely maneuvered around, negotiated the turns and snarling potholes and in about 8 AM we entered the beautiful Paro valley.


....to be cont'd

Conversation with a curious eye doctor!

My eyes have been bothering me even more lately, however I couldn’t go for checkup until today. I was recommended to wear glasses during my first eye exam in 2009, subsequently which I wore glasses. But as of late it seems to give me more problems than solutions to my already poor vision. I get terrible eye pain often leading to dizziness and headache. Despite sensing the deteriorating health of my eyes, I had been forced to put up with the same old glasses and continue to push my academic requirements first.

Now that I am officially done with the studies, first thing that I wanted to address is my eye problem. So today my Peruvian friend Bryan took me to the ‘Eyeglass World’ store for check up. I had an appointment at 3 pm with the doctor. At the counter, I was greeted by a lady receptionist and escorted to the doctor’s room after doing preliminary exams.

“Doctor will be here in a minute,” says she as she returns to the counter with a file. I nodded and took the seat right next to strange looking machines (equipments for eye exams).

Shortly after, the doctor walks in with his eyes fixed on the file he was carrying presumably the information that I provided.

“Hello, I am Dr. Stein. Nice to meet you!” He introduces and offers me a handshake.

“Hello Doctor, nice to meet you too!” I responded.

Seeing me wearing glasses already, he asks me if it was okay to “take a look”. I almost immediately took off and handed it to him. He leaves the room with my glasses and returns after a minute wiping the lenses with a piece of cloth.

“Why are you here for today?” And he continues, “You already have glasses. Do you have other problem?”

“I got this glasses in 2009, so I am assuming it’s a time to change. Moreover I am getting terrible eye pain and headache.”

He nods as he assembles the equipments and places on me. As usual he makes me look through the lens and instructs me to read the letters displayed on the board attached to wall.

“Where are you from?” He asks me while he writes down the exam results.

“Bhutan” I replied. Seeing his confused look I added, “It’s a very tiny country between Indian and China”.

As expected he scratches his head with his right hand, mumbles and finally says, “Then this could be Tibet?”

“No, it is not, but we are neighbors,” I fired back.

He nods and cleans the lenses simultaneously, after which he directs me to look through the lens and tell him “which one looks clearer”.

“Look, what I am curious about is that why Tibet is under China now.” He continues, “Do you think Tibet was a part of China ever? Is that why China took it over?”

Not knowing how to answer that question given a very little idea about the Tibetan history or Chinese for that matter, I simply said “Well, I might be kinda biased with what I am saying, but personally I feel like Tibet should be independent because from what I heard Tibet was an independent country ruled by a dharma king for ages!” Of course, deep inside, I knew I had no concrete backings whatsoever to what I have just said. But he will not simply take what I just said; instead seem to have triggered him more.

“So your country has Buddha Monks?” he asks me.

“Yeah, it’s a predominantly Buddhist kingdom.”

“Oh Tibet is also Buddhist country, isn’t it? There are so many Buddhist monks!” He says as he scribbles down something on a yellow paper.

“Yes that’s true,” I supported him.

“But why all of a sudden Chinese decided to kill those monks and take over the country? What did those monks do that Chinese didn’t like?” He quizzes me as If I am a political analyst or historian.

“Honestly, I don’t know! But still today the monks are being tortured and killed by the Chinese government every year as per the news,” I answered him in concerned tone.

“I know right,” he agrees with me. “You are just next to Tibet, and you still don’t know anything about that?”

I felt so ashamed! Luckily there were only two of us in his room. At first I didn’t know how to tackle that, but soon I recomposed myself.

“I guess all those problems happened in 50’s, so its hard for me to know!” signaling that I was born much later in case he has doubted me for a 60 or 70 year man (lol). But as it turns out, that was not his concern at all.

“Yes it has happened in 50’s, but not that long to be forgotten!” Of course he is right. “Does Bhutan have a good relationship with China?”

“I think so, kind of.”

“Your country being just next to China, aren’t you not worried about China doing just like what they did to Tibet? If they could do to Tibet and get away with it, do you think they would worry about doing to any other countries?” He sounded genuine.

I saw myself dump founded for a moment with that question.

“I hope they don’t do! Of course other countries are not to be fully trusted either, just like how they react to the Tibetan’s endless pleas. They don’t want to mess up with China given its economic super power, so they don’t dare bring up the issue with Chinese government whatsoever even if they support Tibetan!”

With that conversation my eye exam has come to an end. He tells me to wait at the counter while the receptionist checks me out.

“That will be thirty-nine ninety-nine ($39.99), how would you like to make a payment?” says a lady staring at me behind a Dell computer.

“Okay, by debit!” I handed her my Bank of America card.

I still don’t know if my eyes are healthy, but that conversation keeps striking me even now. I think he is right in every sense and we should be indeed worried about our country. Several national new papers have been reporting about dispute over border demarcation, which is yet to be settled between Bhutan and China, so hope the two governments will settle it with mutual respect and truer wisdom!

P.S. This was written yesterday but couldn't post until today!

A Lonely Journey to the US (Part I)

It was 5 AM when I woke to a chilly weather of Zilukha hill, Thimphu, Bhutan on October 7, 2007. I was bound for New Delhi and beyond to the US for studies. My flight from Paro International Airport, the only airport in the kingdom of Bhutan yet, was at 10:00 AM. I could hear Anna (sister) Karma already in the kitchen preparing breakfast and doing the dishes as I tried to ‘wipe’ off my sleep. I stepped off the bed slowly without disrupting Ata Sangay who was slept just next to me. He had come the other day all the way from the border town of Phuntsholing taking a day off to reach me till Paro.

After I took a brief shower, I woke him and let him in to the shower. Anna Karma had already prepared the breakfast of rice, pork curry with several other side dishes.

“Khochung (“Uncle”; she calls me like her daughter would call me as), eat well now. You may not feel well in the plane otherwise,” says my sister handing me a plateful of rice. I could already feel my poor early morning appetite, so I made her reduce the load and settled with the half of it.

Countless thoughts ran into my mind as I sat on the couch waiting for everybody to get ready: how will I travel myself, how does Paro valley look like (I had never been to Paro until that fateful day!), what if I get lost at Delhi Airport, how will I stay with new people…so on and so forth. As I pondered over those thoughts, Ata Sangay had already started journey with my huge black luggage bag on his shoulder, soon Anna Karma and Baby (niece Karma Lhazin Tshering) followed. All three of them were accompanying me till Paro Airport. Finally I pulled my handbag containing travel documents, and shook hands with Khotkin Nima as I bade farewell to him.

Stepping down the staircases from the third floor I felt very cold and sad!

“A lonely journey had just begun,” I thought.

For the last time, I dialed to my girl friend who was then studying in Nima Higher Secondarly School and residing in Langjophakha, a valley overseeing the majestic 17^th century fortress known as Tashichhodzong, which houses the throne room of the King of Bhutan, the main secretariat, and summer resident of HH Je Khenpo (the Chief Abbot) and central monastic body.

I listened to the ring tone of my Nokia phone (my first phone, a gift from Ata Sangay for passing class 12 successfully) as it connected to my girl friend’s phone.

After a few rings, she picked up “Hello!”

“Hello Sonam?! I’m leaving…stay well!” I tried controlling my emotion.

“Aii! Safe journey my dear. Please don’t cry!” I didn’t know I was silently crying over the phone until she said not to.

“Yaya (okay), bye!” I hung up the phone seeing my Ata, Anna and Baby already waiting in ‘our car’-a yellow topped and white bodied Maruti Taxi.


...to be cont'd


P.S. I have just started compiling my journals, so please leave your comments and necessary corrections below. Thanks!

Finally Graduated!!

Shaking hands with the President Dr. Anthony J. Catanese

It’s been a long journey, both bumpy and smooth, but eventually I made it through

My alarm began to beep rather obnoxiously; it was 7 AM, Saturday morning of May 7, 2011-the commence day! I had to be 'checked in by 8:30 AM' according to the email received earlier the other day. In about 40 minutes later, I and my roommate (a grad student from Thailand) got checked in, and headed to the waiting room before we proceeded to the actual commencement hall. "What is your department and your last name?" stared a lady seated next to a bunch of files and ropes.  "Mathematical Sciences, Wangdi" I replied trying to spot my name on the check sheet. "Cum Laude!" says the lady handing me a little more than a meter long white-rope, "678 is your seat number". I didn't know what that rope was until a Chinese friend said "oh thats an award, congrats!" 

Moments later, I was in the waiting room flocked by soon-gonna-be graduates exchanging words and snapping pictures. I scanned through the neatly arranged rows of chairs looking for my seat and finally found my seat-at the very back (second last row). I greeted a very good friend of mine who was already seated a seat away from mine. Gradually more and more students in gown poured in and the hall packed. While some shy people like me remained quiet and silent, some seemed to have moment of their lives shouting and screaming at the top of their voice. A little overweight dirty blonde haired guy who was seated right behind me was the most vocal or outspoken. "Surprisingly, I am gonna miss you guys!" says he to his friends as a matter-of-factly and continues “Probably I am never gonna see you guys again!” An excited looking girl replies “I didn’t really like you guys that much, but surprisingly I think I am gonna miss you guys too!” A few laughs ensued.

In a meanwhile, a lady stepped on the podium and began to say something. I say ‘something’ because like many others who were seated at the back row, I couldn’t catch anything that she spoke. I could only hear someone shouting “Can you say that again?” or “What did you just say?” from the back.

The wait was so long that I already began to feel bored. My back began to pain, and at the left, I noticed my friend stuck in the same condition; her look conveyed it all. The situation couldn’t get any worse- sitting next to a smoker and putting up with his smoke-breath was awful. I am not being dramatic, but I felt dizzy seriously. My cheap Armitron watch registered the time as “10:00 AM” when we finally made a move in line: PhD candidates up in the front followed by Masters and Bachelors students. The sight of the train of graduates making their way into the commencement hall in line was so spectacular that I attempted to catch a shot when I suddenly heard a female voice “Hey, hey!” Disturbed, I looked back to find a red-haired girl smiling “Your shoes are very interesting-looking!” Not knowing if that was meant to be good or bad, I simply replied “Oh thanks!” without disrupting the move. On the way leading to the hall, we were greeted by professors and well wishers lined up along the path.

At 10:30 AM, we were in the hall seated on our respective seats surrounded by hundreds of people-someone’s family members, parents, friends, grand children, and kids. Shortly after the US anthem was sung, numerous speakers took their turn to the podium. One of the speakers, our university President Dr. Catanese informed the gathering “…today 1107 graduates are graduating in various fields…” and he went on to say some good things about university for the next thirty or so minutes. I didn’t have much complaint about him whatsoever, but the next speaker whom I didn’t even bother to check the identity bored everybody to death. His speech was not only long but ridiculously boring full of political issues. He even declared that “Obama is the smartest President ever to be seen…” crediting for cracking Osama Bin Laden! At one point I even wondered if he was campaigning for President Obama already. If it weren’t for a girl next to me who kept screaming, I would have dosed off into a deep slumber!

Of course, however, about an hour later his speech came to an end much to the relief of both graduates and audience! “FINALLY!” someone screamed from the crowd, sarcastically with the mixed of applauses. One by one the graduates were called on the stage, ‘Dr.’ title conferred to PhD candidates and others awarded the certificate. And the awardees made their way back to their respective seat. Unlike fellow graduates who had flocks of friends and family cheering and shouting their names when they were called on the stage, when my name was called, a complete silence ensued as expected! Sad! No ‘special person’ (as my friends like it to be put) for my graduation! How sad! Stepping on to the stage overlooked by thousands of people was both nerve-racking and exciting. “Great job!” the President, attired in a thick red gown and round black cap, congratulated me! On the way back I was made to pose several times and moments later I arrived back to my seat as a GRADUATE!

First ever trophy in my life!

"For the valuable contribution you have made! "

It is not the size of the trophy but the moment of it being awarded that matters

It took me these many years-16 years- to get a trophy! May be I have been around too many years that now they felt the need to give me one, probably? (lol) No, seriously I have not been recognized with any sort of trophies for contributing my hours to social activities until today. This marks the beginning, and hope it doesn't stop here! 


I did, however, have received a dozen or so of certificates for academic excellence since the second grade till I graduated from high school (12th standard). Sorry it sounds kind of showy; I can't help it (lol). But before you jump into a false conclusion that I am a "study freak", let me tell you I have engaged in co-curicular activities during my schooling days as much as I have engaged in studies. The only problem(?) though was I haven't won any awards or recognitions. May be they didn't really have such norm of awarding, or I would guess because in our schools, they expect us to contribute our time on activities no matter what. So it came to us as a form of daily routine job which we are expected to engage in- non deserving of an award/recognition so to say. 


But once we are in the university the things change, and everything in life takes a different turn-a turn that could lead you to a brighter side or to a darker side of the world. Particularly when you are in a big university, you are at lost; you don't know what is happening at the other side of the campus unless you explore and step out of your comfort zone. It took me a while to convince myself to get out of my cocoon, and get the feel of the society at large. I am still dealing with this problem (the problem of getting into the crowd), but I am relatively better now than I was a couple of years back. I have been trying to attend all the events that are organized on campus as well as off campus. Doing so presented me with a bunch of opportunities; opportunity to meet more friends, opportunity to gain self confidence, opportunity to share your own feelings, so and so forth. 


As the time passed by, I came into a close affiliation with the International Students and Scholars Services (International Student and Scholars Organization), and accordingly engaged in many activities that they organized. Now in the final semester of my four year degree course, I have become one of the most familiar faces to many friends on the campus. That in itself is a huge accomplishment given the fact that I am the only Bhutanese student on the brink of graduation in this university. Even more so, calling up front and getting recognized for the services that I have "rendered so far" is so inspiring and fulfilling in every aspects. Today coinciding with the End Semester Potluck Dinner, the Director of International Students and Scholars Services awarded me a "Rising Star Award" of the year 2010-2011. 


My special thanks to Ms. Shweta Patil, the President of ISSO, and a very good friend of mine for her support and encouragement!


Thank you so much ISSO! Go FIT!!


Note: Apart from a misspelt last name, the trophy was in fact quite nice!


Heres a collective picture. 

Do the best you could, there's always someone seeing it!

Just yesterday I have been recognized and awarded appreciation bronze certificate for Campus service hour and Community service hour! 


I feel highly honored!!

Driving through rough roads!

This week has been the toughest week in many years. Of course, final semester weeks aren't going to be that easy which I know quite well, but never expected to be that bad!

The undergraduate research (aka senior year research or senior design) was the culprit who took away every bits of my life. Just last Thursday, my research advisor Dr. Tenali, sent me an email about the research presentation which is to be held on the coming April fools day, and the poster was due today at 4pm. It was just a week's time frame to develop the poster, and necessary details. It was just not enough a time given the fact that I have other academic requirements to meet with six courses under my belt for this semester!

I ran to his office countless times by now, and I am already feeling pretty tired of seeing him (lol). All he does is give me the paper, and leave everything for me to figure out, which I did to the best of my ability. However when I get stuck, he is of very help to me. He was totally helpless with the very problem that made me sick. When it comes to coding, he is of absolute helpless. He knows very little about coding, and none of us know how to get the graph that is very crucial for the poster. I ran into his office only to get a few useless words, and whole thing left entirely for me.

With the little knowledge that I have, I wrote a matlab code, spend whole night on it-debugging-only to fail miserably. I sought some friends' help, but who cares about other's work? They weren't showing any signs of urgency despite my repeated requests. A couple of friends did, however, spare their leisure time on helping me, but at the end I was still with the same old problem-without a graph. I have never felt the time flying away that quick; it wasn't cooperating with me at all. While I waited for somebody to look on the code that I wrote, I worked on the abstract and the poster slide. The worse is yet to come. As the night falls, I left the college campus for my apartment to continue with it. Riding a bike alone at night is not a good thing over here with so many crazy people around ready to pounce on you anytime! There was just no time to cook fresh food, so had to gobble up the mirowaved-leftovers. Back in my room, I opened the Microsoft powerpoint to edit the slide that I left half done. How wonderful, the powerpoint kept crashing!! Only option I was left with was to ask my roommate to drop to the college campus, but he was not at home. My stress level rose thousand folds, literally! Everything just seemed against me at that moment. With no other options left at my disposal, I slept around 2 am after sending an email to my advisor.

Early in the morning, I was yet again accompanied with a soar throat coupled with a terrible headache! After a quick shower, drank a cup of hot water and off I left to school. Nothing seemed to be favoring me, I almost got hit by a car at the busy intersection! My heart froze for a moment! Had to move on though. I worked on with the poster slide and after confirming that I wouldn't be able to get the graph, I shot an email to the advisor about the problem. At least I got a little breather when I saw his reply "OK. Pema, its absolutely impossible to get the graph now, just include the theoretical part, and send it to me..." Thank God!

As much as I feel defeated about not getting the graph, I have had enough of this drama. I just want to get it done. So I sent my first draft and he was to send me the feedback as soon as possible. The time was running out, but his feedback was non-coming. I felt so dejected, frustrated, and stressed out to say the least!

Finally I caught him at his office for a few minutes, he suggested a few changes and told me to add some more. "And come back to my office". Just a couple hours left, and his office door was locked. I waited and waited at the hallway leading to his office for more than an hour. I am pretty sure some other students and professors might have thought I lived at that hall way after seeing me repeatedly since last week. In fact a professor whom I took a class in my sophomore year asked "You still here, have a big big exam coming up?" I smiled (such a hard job to break a smile in such moment) at him and said I was waiting to see my advisor. Lately as if to say that I wasn't having enough problems, my tooth which I couldn't afford to get a root canal due to heavy expenses started to bother me. It gave me a terrible pain! I almost broke down at that moment, but had to stand still, act manly and look for the brighter side although I saw none!

Finally he pops out from the door down the hallway, and gestures me to come to his office. I followed him wearing a fake smile. He looked at my slide, and instructed me to 'submit'! Sigh! Yes, I was waiting for that word-"summit"! Finally finally, I could get rid of this stupid shit!

Thank god, I survived!

A Little Gesture of Your's Means a Lot To Others

Funny enough, we had a plan like any other students for the spring break. I did bounce back and forth from the plans though; initially I was set to go for camping to Daytona with Indian and Caribbean friends, but had to withdraw due to the time conflicts and finally planned to go to Atlanta with Japanese and Korean friends. We were highly looking forward to it.


With those plans in my mind, a kind of incentive, I kept working my butt off to complete the assigned projects and homework before leaving for Atlanta. We were supposed to take off on Wednesday, the 9th of March, 2011. After submitting my assignment (with incorrect results!), I enquired the team coordinator (the Japanese guy) about our trip. What I received for a reply though left me in a complete surprise.


"It is canceled! Didn't Sena  (the korean guy) tell you about this?" And he continues, "Sorry for that!"


Sensing something strange about the whole thing, I replied "No its fine! What happened exactly?" At the same time I was worried that I might be the reason for the cancelation-for failing to contact them on time. However the reason that came forward was something I didn't even doubted.


"Sena says his leg is broken! Thought he told you".


Now I know why he had not replied to my earlier text messages; he was hospitalized! I thought of calling him immediately, but it was too late and I didn't want to wake him up. So  I assured the Japanese guy that I would call Sena the next day, and that I would go see him.


The next day I called him around 4 pm after getting back from the beach. He sounded exhausted! "I broke my legs!!!" was all he was saying. I promptly asked my Thai friend to accompany me. We cooked some noodles, boiled some eggs, and off we left to the college campus where Sena resides. We spent a few hours with him in his room, and left. The next day I went to see him again with some fruits that I bought from Wal-Mart the previous night. I could see how thankful he was for my little gesture.


"If you are not here, there is no one to bother about me and look after me. Thank you so much Pema!'' I only wish I could do more!


What I bumped into in Facebook was even more genuine. His girl friend has personally written to me all the way from Japan to thank me!

Sayuri Yamada March 10 at 7:22am Report

hi Pema! nice to meet you! im sayuri and sena's gril friend. i wanna say thank u to u! really thank u for taking care of him!! :D

Annual International Festival

A Belly Dance!

Today happens to be the annual international festival day, held on the campus of Florida Institute of Technology. Although the festival didn't kick start until noon, by default of being a member of International Student and Scholars Organization (ISSO) I had to be there since 8:45 AM to help put up the flags of the various countries.


The festival featured numerous songs and dances performed to  hundreds of people gathered at the college Pantherium surrounded by about a dozen booths representing various countries, organizations, and fraternities. The weather was so pleasant and the sight of fifty or so different flags flattering to the gentle force of the afternoon Melbourne breeze was nothing short of a spectacular. The audience which comprised of students, faculty and their family members, and people of the locality were treated to various songs, and dances notable of which was Indian dance performed by two young girls. As always the dance drew a huge crowd and if the applause they received is anything to go by, it really was something special which everybody was dying to see. Good job ISA (Indian Student Association)!!

People enjoying the show!

Despite my tight schedule (with a couple of mid term exams up for coming week, and few more assignments in line!), I spent whole day walking around and taking pictures with my recently procured Cannon camera. It was a good experience. Only complain I have about it is that once you have your own camera, its hard to take your own picture. You end up taking pictures of other, and at the end of the day you have just few pictures of your own. Well, anyway, I think I didn't waste my time that terribly-at least I got to meet some new people, and learn new culture. After all, every day and moment is now becoming to be my last and final ones, since this is my final semester. I barely have three months before I am headed back to my homeland-Bhutan in May or June.


For now, I gotta get back to business-studies!


Cheers International Festival!!!!

The Nicest Teacher?!

Ever since I moved out of the college dormitory after my freshman year, I have been living with Thai roommates. Every semester, a new student or two comes from Thailand and end up staying with their seniors who happen to be my roommates. So this semester as well, two students named Sanya and Sonthi came to pursue masters degree here at Florida Institute of Technology. Like all my previous roommates are (except one), they are both in Thai Army, Lieutenant and Captain respectively. They work as lecturer in the Military Academy in Thailand.

Generally Thai people are known for their friendliness, so I am not surprised to see them being nice to me all the time. In fact, I should say I am so glad to have them as my roommates. While they are all equally entertaining and inquisitive, Sanya, in particular, is very outgoing and talkative. Although they face hard time communicating in English, he talks nonstop to their friend's hysterical laughs. One thing I noticed about all my Thai roommates was-they are all good at cooking. They cook a lot. And Sanya within no time, became the head cook due to his outstanding cooking skills. (lol) Ever since he came here, he's seen cooking everyday. He would call my name, and ask if I am hungry, and he would cook for me. Unlike other friends, he would knock come in to my room, and ask if it was okay for him to talk with me. We talk about topics ranging from personal lives to careers to cultures so and so forth.

As I will be a teacher in near future, naturally, I asked how he feels being a lecturer and whole teaching learning thing. He says he loves what he is doing, and that he enjoys his life to fullest wherever he goes. But what amused me most was his grading policy! "All my students get at least C", says he, adding that no matter how bad they perform or ill mannered they are, he gives 'C'. Unlike in Bhutan, in his country the grading system is based on letters as also the case in schools and universities in the US. A-being outstanding, B-being very good, C-being good, D-Pass, and F-Fail. On enquiring about the logistic behind his generous grading scheme, he says:
"Let them pass. If I give 'F', they will have to come back, take the class again with me. It is wasting
both my time and their time, and government resources too. The government is spending so much
money on food, so by letting them pass, we can save food for other students. Else they will come
back and eat more food, and its a loss to the government!...."

His reasons are just endless. Not knowing what to say at the beginning, I kept laughing. But as I keep pondering over, it makes lot more sense. I couldn't agree more! I am sure he must be the best teacher of his students.

Now I wonder if I should ever try his ways, lol.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do”?

It says it all. Photo Source: Google Images

For those of you who visited my blog, and particularly read the article titled “Dinner with Linda Mom” would have no problem understanding what I will be talking in the paragraphs that follow. But for those who are new, I will try to refresh and walkthrough a bit. Last month, I with three of my friends (all international) went to have dinner with Ms. Linda. She is one of the hosts who help acquaint international students with American life-styles, and cultures. No doubt, they are doing a commendable job helping we the international students who are away from home, and feel home sick time to time.

So today’s article has connection to that dinner conversation. As we are all international students, Ms. Linda seemed very curious to learn about our cultures and tradition, to which we in rotation shared about our unique cultures and traditions alike. But she had one very particular incidence, which interested her the most, and needed our clarifications/opinions. It was aimed to Asian as a whole. Here is what she had to say: “Last year, I was attending a graduation commencement on invitation from one of my graduating international students. After the official ceremony, we were outside waiting for his friends. One of his friends, a female, approached him, and congratulated-‘Congrats, Uncle!’ I am still wondering why would she call him Uncle. Isn’t it so rude to say that?” Adding that she knew him so well that he didn’t have any nephew or wasn’t even married.

Almost immediately all four of us responded in unison. But later a female friend from India made it clear by relating to Asian cultures. As expected all of us had same reasons to offer-that in our culture we don’t address anybody older than us directly by their names. So she might have addressed him ‘Uncle’ considering the age difference, and that it is very normal, we said. I added that it was due to the very reason why we Asian students feel strange calling Professors directly by their names, which we feel is very disrespectful. She looked surprised upon hearing that, which eventually led to a small debate among us-Asian vs. American. LOL. But it was a healthy debate.

On enquiring what was rude about calling somebody older than us “Uncle” when they (Americans) were calling everybody, including their mom and dad, by their names, she gave us her reasons, and some insights of American cultures. “If we call someone uncle when he/she is not even related to you, its not okay. If you prefix ‘sir’ to their names, too, it gives them a false impression that you are distancing them away. The word ‘Sir’ or ‘Mr./Ms’ creates that gap. So if you use sir, he will think that you have either forgotten him or trying to be stranger…” she said in motherly tone. Although I was very shocked in my first year here seeing the students calling the professors by their names in class, I didn’t know until then that it would in fact offend people, when actually we are trying to be respectful!

So the moral of the story is- when in Rome, do as the Roman do! The culture differs, and we got to respect them!

Happy LOSAR!!

The whole World has seen and welcomed the NEW YEAR 2011, already. Champagne toasts have been made, wishes have been exchanged, resolutions have been set, kisses have been planted, so on and on. Those are typical visible scenes everywhere as people eagerly wait for the final ‘count down’.

'Sikkam'-Dried Pork!

But not quite yet done for Bhutanese people! This is because only today marks the official new year, according to the Bhutanese Buddhist Calendar. It is known as LOSAR, or to be specific ‘Chu Nyi Pai Losar’. The day is declared a national holiday, and it is a festive day. Family members gather, wish for the successful years, and throw a grand party. While elderly people settle over some dosage of locally brewed alcohol called 'Ara' and 'Banchang', after the lunch, men normally engage in playing some games like Archery, Khuru (darts), Dego, etc, as their female counterparts engage in dances and merry-making.

The day is particularly significant in a sense that everybody gets to meet and spend a quality time together. As the night falls, the young boys and girls go around the villages, singing and dancing. After doing a few rounds of dances, they would proceed to other houses, and eventually call of-which usually doesn’t happen until early in the morning. The day is normally followed by series of games played between villages. The festive mood sustains for about a week.

But I have been deprived of such merry-making festive moments for quite sometime now, as I am away from home. This is the fourth year since I am away, which means I have missed four such events. I do really miss such occasions, and looking forward to enjoying next years’ LOSAR. However, this time I thought of doing a little bit of a Bhutanese-thing. Last week I went to an Asian grocery, and bought frozen pork.  I cut them into thin layers, and hung on the window pants to let them dry. With that I got what we called as  ‘sikkam’. I recollected what my mom and dad used to do while I was with them back at home. They would start preparing dishes a night before the actual day. So here too, I cooked the Sikkam last night, and kept readied for today. After waking up quite late, (which is very untraditional for such occasions?), I celebrated LOSAR in my own ways!  Happy Losar to everyone!

Ready to Eat; my Losar!