Remembering Old Times

My  Pry school

Did you ever derive an immense pleasure, happiness and often become emotional just by a glance of photos that are posted in the social media which has some connection to you in some way or the other? The photos speak louder than words! It happens to me quite often. Recently Dasho Pelzang wangchuk, the MP of Jomotsangkha-Martshala Constituency (my constituency) has uploaded some pictures as an update of the ongoing construction of farm roads to my gewog center. Lauri gewog under samdrup jongkhar Dzongkhag is by far the remotest gewog in the country and perhaps the last one to be getting a farm road connection. The place which the photo was taken has special connection to my childhood days, firstly I have lived most of my teen years at there, secondly the river-Jomri (dasanrri river) is one which would never be forgotten by my family because we have a gray story connected with it. I lost my own brother to this very river.

The View from door-like  rock of the small town Jompa

Anyway looking at the pictures, it seems the place and surroundings still look same but with the feeder road coming up, we can expect a drastic change in time to come. The confluence of Jomri, and the Marphayri (Marphay is a small village above that river) as we call was the main swimming pool of us as kids. Every Saturday we would go there and swim only to get scolded and lashings by the teachers back in the school hostel. As a kid who realizes how much teachers care about once in the school as much as we are cared by the parents at home? We often misunderstand this with capital punishment but frankly I am indebted for instilling in me the sense of responsibility with canes at school right from the primary school.

The Confluence of Rivers

The confluence of has yet another very special connection with me. Every winter vacation, I would accompany my dad carrying log of wood for the construction of buildings we can see at presents that are the heart of the small town of Jompa today. It was during those days when new offices for gewog adminstrations and new BHUs were just coming up. And I with my dad and some other folks like me would struggle hunting for some cash for the  school expense the coming year. We would carry the log, cross the river, and then climb back to the mountain top along the marphayri up where the logs were being cut, then do second trip down the valley to the confluence. We would have ice-cold packed lunch on the rock by the side of river and then continue carrying those logs to the site. Life wasn’t easy and particularly for my dad, winter season was the hardest because there was no source of income for my schoolings other than those that involved physical strengths like construction works. If we were short of luck, there wouldn’t be any construction works in winter and that was the worst, because then we had to borrow from those who had and that wasn’t easy as well because being same people from the same community who expects one to have? But anyway, my parents managed somehow and when times for the new academic sessions begin, I would be given enough. Despite the education being free in Bhutan, thanks to the visionary kings, it would still be difficult for people like me to go the school during those days and perhaps that is why, I had never even once thought about quitting school.

But life is changing rapidly now. The living standards have drastically improved in the community. More and more people buy and take white rice from nearby Assam markets, more people knows the value of education and admits their kids at young age to the school nearby and it is good to see that from one village only there are more than one candidate aspiring to take part in local government elections. And with the farm road finally knocking their door steps, we can only expect better. Will it make the life better? Will it come at the cost? Well, let’s see after few years down the line.

Picture Courtesy: Facebook, uploaded by MP

Being SORRY

 Do you ever realize how many times we tell sorry in a day? Who would have count anyway? But if we think, is it not the only words that may seem to keep us remain unruffled but never leaves us thinking like what have I done to get this or say this? What is wrong with me? Or something like did the ‘sorry ’really repaired the already damaged and gone-under water things?  Why say sorry when the damage is already done? It can never make dead man alive, one common sentence we often say. Of course it is a different story if we genuinely feel sorry ourselves and that we are ready to give a shot to redeem and change for ourselves; this is what I feel more important than just verbally convincing someone with the use of word ‘sorry’and hence I often hesitate to say sorry.  Otherwise I feel now days the word ‘sorry’ has become too casual and unrespectable in many ways.

Anyways recently there was an incident where I felt I should have said sorry to someone who deserves for he is older than me; whom I think I might have hurt his sentiment very much. He was full of complains afterwards may be because I was hesitant to say sorry because I felt the damage was already done and the word sorry would be of little help. Well, it wasn’t, perhaps because we all live in the world full of fake sorries and I failed to provide one. It was out of mere ego and I do regret for that genuinely. But like I said I am ready to move on with the new lesson I learned from that incident. Sometimes it is better to live without expectations you know, expectations breed imbalance in your sentiments which ultimately leads to feeling bad somehow and that’s where all problems arise.

But still I think the word sorry is rather an obstruction, and easy excuse for someone who is not genuinely ready to accept the reality. It hardly serves its purpose.  I mean when what has happened is already a past story why console with the word sorry instead of trying to contain the situation with other alternatives. But fortunately we all live in a society where it is OK to receive and give the word so easily, where it is OK to say sorry even after a disastrous failures.  Politicians give false hopes and it is OK to say sorry, social media out cries begging for sorry as if the sorry is so magical to turn the hands of clock. But like I said why say in the first place if you aren’t sorry after all?

Orana Animal Park on BiCycle

 New Zealand is a peaceful country and Christchurch is a beautiful city full of flowers everywhere; that’s why Christchurch is often called the Garden City of the world. Just roam in and around the city and you will be greeted by vast area of parks within few kilometers surrounded by various types of flowers and trees. The roads are also well-maintained with separate pedestrian path and bicycle strip by the side. People here often say that riding bicycle is the most dangerous thing and that the highest accidents are due to people carelessly riding bicycle. However, ever since I reached here, I have been relying on bicycle and it has been pretty much convenient. Thanks to almighty, there has not been major accidents albeit minor ones at the beginning when we were just getting used to it. Otherwise even if we take metro bus (to institute), we have to walk about fifteen minutes from the nearest bus stand and fifteen minutes is hell lot of time.

Anyway last Friday started our second mid-course break for ten days, we  five of us and Ugyen sir decided to take further the service of bicycle to Orana animal park (Zoo) which is about 20 km from place of our residence. Ugyen Namgay sir is the only Bhutanese who has PR here and works at here in Air New Zealand. He previously worked in Drukair Corporation Ltd. He has been here since 2008 and we are in fact very lucky to have met him. He is jolly and full of humor and has been very good to us. He has helped us with everything and we are indeed very much indebted to him. Last Friday he was day off from the work and he took us to the zoo and we decided to ride bicycle. It was a wonderful and memorable trip.

Orana animal park is a beautiful park and there are lots of animals of which most were the first time for me to see in real including the tiger, lion, giraffe, gorilla, zebra, cheetah, rhinoceros and most special one- the Kiwi bird. I was particularly fascinated by the stories of tiger and the Kiwi bird which I would like to highlight. The two tigers at the park are Sumatran (Sumatra Island in Indonesia) tigers which are listed as critically endangered species. There are brothers brought to the zoo at the age of two. It was feeding time for tiger when we reach and was such a good scene to witness how it walks and the way it roars. It was captivating to see how tigers try to defend their territory by urinating, a sign of the demarcating the territory. They live alone unlike lions who dwells in groups.

 Then it was the kiwi bird which has a special connection with New Zealand. Kiwis are the significant national icon; you know New Zealanders are called kiwis by the way. It is a small flightless bird which normally comes out at night (nocturnal) and is the only bird which has nostril at the end of their long bill. They have very strong smell that attracts dogs that kills them. So dogs are the worst threats to their survival. It is said like the kiwis hatch hundreds of eggs but only two to three percent of it survives.

We weren’t that lucky to watch closely the other animals as they all lazily busking sun after heavy meal, but still, it was a memorable and adventurous day. We came back exhausted and weird enough I was thinking if keeping animals in such way- captive as in zoos is any more good or bad I mean if one is to weigh between pros and cons? What do you feel? Seeing most of the animals lying under the warm sun, i thought like they are lucky in one way as they don’t have to hunt although their freedom is limited. Nevertheless I hope that people who visit such places will think beyond the adventure and fun to protecting the species some of which are critically endangered and others threatened.

some of the pictures I took in my mobile phone:

Lion

Sumatran Tiger

Giraffe

Emu

Rabbit

Gorilla

Tibetan Yak

Fun with Volkswagen Engine

Hello folks; Hope everything is going great. I have been good as well but sadly due to unavoidable circumstances, one thing that I love and care about so much- my passion for reading (and writing), my blog has been barren for so long. I don’t know but for some weird reason, for some time I have completely lost my interest in reading keep aside writing. But anyway here I am with another lines of rubbish after a long time

Now we are almost towards the end of the course, we are presently onto one of the most interesting course – Volkswagen engine overhaul. The practical is for nine days within which we ought to rip off whole running (working) engine down, in accordance with (IAW) the procedure (you know IAW is the most lovely word for aircraft engineers?) clean and inspect and then build up the whole bloody thing again to its normal functional state, in between carrying out all the necessary measurements to see if the parts are within limits or if not change with the new one. It is a very interesting class. More than how the car engine works, we get to know about how we ought to proceed in near future when we come across the aircraft maintenance. Instructors always say that it isn’t a race, nor are we given the training to know how that bloody car engine works, but the approach, the steps according to the manuals and procedures. Everything we do, we are to think as if we are working on live aircraft and we ought to take into consideration every bits and pieces of consequences and the effects it can have. So the past week has been very busy one yet full of fun and enriching as well and will be one of the most cherished moments of my life.

In other part, I really wanted to say what I have thought about the recent outcry of pilot de-boarding sick passenger which was very unfortunate. Well, this is not about who was wrong or who was right, that is totally up to the audience for we were all one. But as a matter of fact, what was very saddening more than the sympathy Bhutanese people were pouring out in the social media was the way Bhutanese people jumps to conclusion for any kind of incidents. More disheartening was when people whom we expect a rationale views try to polarize and make the situation even worse. To me personally, the captain who had to make that unfortunate and painful decision was never to be blamed. How can one jeopardize the life of hundreds on account of just one on humanitarian ground? I am quite shock that people without even thinking twice goes on to playing blame games. What is the end result if one have to sympathize one party and then think and say all the worst thing to another? Where is one’s humanity gone at here?

Nobody on the board than pilot knows the mechanics of flight. To the customers it maybe a pleasure, and adventure to be amongst the clouds, but to pilots and others who know about it, it is a different thing, safety comes first, the safety of each and every one of the passengers and crew on board. It is in the air and not on the ground by the way.

I personally feel it is always wise to think beyond humanity when it comes to professionalism because the price at the end of day, we will have to pay can be more than the humanity itself!

Oh folks, don’t be serious, this is but the game of life after all, and there are dark days as there are fine ones. And it has to go on no matter what. Play your part whatever you can while you can.

Mechanics of Love and Relationship

This past week we had Mechanical practical where we had three days of theory classes and three days of rigorous practical. We learned simple but very essential and basics of what we will do as a maintenance personnel down the lane of our life. The week taught us how to make rigid and flexible hoses used in aircrafts, although not often used in today’s time where components come ready made from manufacturers, how to maintain and service bearings by means of lubrication, how to safety and lock with locking wires, about nuts, bolts, screws etc which looks plain, but plays very important role. I particularly liked the practical classes for there was so much to learn about doing yourself and getting hand skills. It isn’t just the end result at the end of day, the way you approach, tackle and accept all count.

Anyway the point is yesterday as I was studying for today’s theory exam which disappointed me as a matter of fact for the questions were so simple yet unexpected and very much particular, I had this very weird thoughts. In the middle of revision, I visited twitter to refresh my bogged mind where I found some people writing about love and relationships. That instantly made me link what we have been doing for past week and before and how technically it is same after all. I mean you see maintaining aircraft is almost same as maintaining a good and everlasting relationship if not more risky. Remember if you made mistake maintaining aircraft, you risk the life of hundreds of people onboard while you just risk a life or two in relationships?

Nurturing a good, happy and sustainable relationship isn’t that simple! I don’t know how much relations fail and success, but there sure is hell lot of struggles to make it work, make it last long; after all who starts a relationship with mere aim to destroy and break at the end of day? It needs a good understanding first as to how it functions best, what is not compatible and how do we go about to an everlasting and happily-ever-after kind of relation full of love that is secure and safe?. Well, we ought to maintain so to say! We ought to safety wire and secure it by being loyal, faithful and honest to each other and there are different ways of doing. Some aren’t right and some are just not strong enough to resist the external oscillations and vibrations of temptations. When the initial torque and the fitness of nut’s or bolt’s thread of the knot no longer resists the current of ills and change of circumstances and situations around; even a small cut or kink of suspicion is enough to destroy that bond, that safety and the ultimate result: “catastrophic disaster!” We ought to lubricate regularly with frank and fair communication, be true to yourself and reveal yourself, or the stress and strain of this fast changing world is so easy to drift and swayed away, until you have nothing but constant shouts and fights even over silly reasons. There isn’t best solution or so-called perfect kind of relationship, but to care and maintain is right in our palms and that all boils down to how we look at it and how we act ultimately.

As a practice, we removed the wheels of an aircraft (small training aircraft), removed all the bearings, cleaned and inspected for defeats and faults, re-lubricated and reinstalled which is simple as that, but the main problem is how we overlook and take for granted with these simple things that becomes the most painful at the butt. Things like being passionate about what you are doing and making a habit of thinking twice over something you have done, to check once again or things like that are some fine traits that needs practice and not all of us are good at it. Yes there are prescribed rules and procedures to be followed but eventually it is us an individual as a team that works. We may have silly constraints and hiccups on the way, but we ought to accept the fact and try rectify and move on. At the end we have to trust each other which is the main drive and be sure what you are doing, be certain and be honest otherwise we not only risk ourselves of an untoward accidents and incidents but also disheartening repercussions in times to come. In a way, everything in life is about a maintenance; we just we to know the basic mathematics and techniques of how to do, what to do and why do we do rather than complaining and meeting with abrupt end to our shelf life.

Still than those who are enjoying a healthy and smooth relationships, don’t be too proud for everything has got date of manufacture and service life but for those who are struggling to make it work, be optimistic for there are always redundancies and alternatives to mend and apply.

Take care Folks…..

Weird Thoughts over Conversation

Hi! Hope everyone is doing well. As with me, life has been quite busy recently. With exams every week from practical and theory to computer based ones and at times working whole night, it has been quite a thing you know. Now that the three weeks of gruesome episodes are over, I thought why I don’t visit my long deserted blog. So many things are happening around and so fast that sometimes it is difficult to keep pace with. Anyway firstly I would like to express my good will appreciation and applause to the recently evolved blogger’s conference and the blogger App. It is an awesome and handy app which I like and since then I haven’t missed even a post or an updates from fellow bloggers. This is something I like to be part of although neither am I a good blogger nor have I the talent to be one. But like I always say, just to be part of it by merely following the ones who are and being able to read, learn and get inspired is more than worth being yourself you know. This is the power of so-called expressions- a simple combination of words and sentences; it grills and affects us in a good way. So it’s a way to go and please continue to do so. Meanwhile I have also read the pdf version of the Blogger community’s constitution which is so concisely and beautifully written. Thanks Rekha for sharing.

Well, you see time flies so first; I mean just within short span of time, it is already five months which means I just have five more months before I reach back Bhutan. I am extremely happy and obliged that life is treating me fairly for now and everything going just fine, but as a matter of fact, I have already missed my country, friends and family. I sometimes wonder as to why we as a people generally always crave for something we don’t have and how once when those cravings are fulfilled vanishes easily like puff and another thing rises to become one.

Well, anyway one evening last week, we friends were just having a little talk over varied things at our place. We were joined by Brother Tashi and his wife who recently came over here for studies. They were over our place for dinner. We talked about being Bhutanese over here and how life differs, how people over here are different and how Bhutan and Bhutanese could learn so much. We didn’t have drinks like earlier days for classes are still in full swing. Just then, our landlord reached from the work and greeted us with her usual smile and ‘Hi’. She directly went to open the windows. The fact is that for some reasons, people over here just doesn’t like the smell of Bhutanese dishes. No matter what curry we prepare, it doesn’t just suit them. So next time you are at New Zealand or Australia or anywhere, I presume the matter will be same (just an information) just know this..:P

We were having all the fun we could over conversation, reminiscing the moments back in Bhutan and how life plays so uniquely to bring strangers together. It is amazing you know how this short life has so much to give us. And how every episode is planned and kept in place. Anyway yes we could learn so much, I mean right from the dignity of labor we talk about so much back in the country. Back in the country, most of us grow up with the mindset that we study so we can get a sustainable and secured job, that too a white collar one. I wonder why there is even so called white and black color. At here nobody bothers whether you do what you do and this is kind of mind we ought to inculcate in the young budding minds. We need to learn to accept that whatever we do, whether it is on the chair with glaring screen of computer in front or whether it is something to do with broom in rain or sun, it is but a work after all and we ought to respect, and embrace with love. That is called dignity of labor. In fact at here people who work at construction site has more dignity, they are paid more for they have more risks and safety is another that is not treated lightly. An electrician or plumber or any other skilled labor has to be certified, otherwise you are not allowed to do any repair or fittings even if you are expert. There is equal division of skills and labor perhaps that is why there is little or no unemployment problem. Any grand dreams are the piles of little things and perhaps this is what Bhutanese must learn. I wonder how many Bhutanese rush and are ready to do anything in other countries and NOT when back. There are two mentalities and I think we really need to change.

 Like we often converse amongst us friends: “When we are here, we are students and there is nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be bothered about but back in Bhutan we are engineers and we ought to keep that standard” This is not only funny but wrong as well and sadly most of Bhutanese have this kind of mindset. Still make a note of it, it isn’t late..;)

 

One Night at Supermarket

Do you ever feel lucky? I mean life treats us mysteriously you know. No matter how much we say that life is what we make, I feel we are somehow controlled by some invisible thread which we fail to notice but mind you if we are wise enough and we happen to catch that very moment, we can’t do anything but to believe, appreciate and accept the fact that life is actually full of surprises. Life never fails to amuse us although unexpectedly, I may not have had the best times, but I also had not the worst, so life has been pretty fair so to say. I may not be born of to a well-off family, but life hasn’t been cruel either, I have had friends, the best of best on the rescue and I am very indebted to them. I have never forgotten the times when I have been lifted and rescued form some nasty and embarrassing moments for the only the incidents our memory can track of are either the worst or the best.

Anyway life has become pretty busy for me recently, we are going deeper into our course from the surface to the integral nitty-gritty parts which keeps us busy not just during days but night as well. But in between I wanted to share about an incident at a supermarket during one of my casual work. After vigorous work for about three hours, it was break time. I decided to buy a can of juice, a cup noodle and a packet of chips. I paid in cash but the beautiful lady at the counter was looking bit uneasy. I thought did I look that terrible not realizing that I was paying Bangladeshi rupee instead of Dollar. She blinked and said sorry to me. I did not believe her until I looked, my hand holding it. How stupid and embarrassing it was! Then I realized my stupidity; there was 20 note Bangladeshi rupee in my wallet which was given my brother and kept as a collection. Before I started my work, I decided to keep my wallet in the locker room and take 20 dollar cash instead just in case I needed. Instead of dollar, I put 20 rupee in my pant pocket and went to work. By the way, the currency notes are almost same in colour except in size. So there I was standing frozen in front of beautiful lady all blushed and trying hard to hide my embarrassment. When I was about to tell her that I will go bring my and then pay, another girl, a workmate came in for the rescue.

“I can pay for him” came the voice, the most wanted word at that moment and before I wasn’t even vanished of my red cheeky and hot ears, she paid, smiled and went on. I murmured thank you and sorry to the lady at counter, who reciprocated with an odd smile. I forced back smile and went upstairs (the rest room) to join crowds of workmates. The girl who rescued me was among them, my thankful eyes caught her glittering smile. Only if she could know how much grateful I was for saving me? I thanked her after the work and gave her the cash back, obviously she refused.

Although the so-called big things do matter in life, it is those little things that comes with genuinely with heart that has an impounding effect, thus my story. I treaded wondering what could have I done in the past?

The question of survival

Whenever I socialize and interact with friends in Facebook and other social Medias after usual exchange of hi and hellos, the conversations after telling them where I am right now usually turn into marking me as a ‘Dollar’ man, it is very funny you know. Some even asks me like how is dollar thing going on and how much dollar I am making as if I am here to make dollars. Well, first thing first, I am not here work and make dollars, I am here for training, to study sent by the company I work for. And my sole purpose and priority remains this: to complete the course successfully, go back and serve anyway I can. But as a matter of fact, because of ample time especially in weekends and during semester breaks, I have considered doing some casual and part time job suitable to this timings. Beside the course isn’t that tough for it is just level 3 course. And fortunately or fortunately I got in one of the super market as a casual Long life Assistant. I go to the work whenever the manager calls me, which is not just convenient but also a source to help me meet the expenses in this expensive country.

And considering the current situations, after hearing lot of hear says and emails, this searching and getting part time job has become some kind of necessity., because we just heard that our stipends from the company will be reduced by about one third of what we ought to get (which we were informed at the beginning) for the completion of course. The accounts division now says that in accordance with the finance ministry’s proposal, the people going on long term training to other countries are supposed to get as a monthly stipend and not on DSA basis irrespective of corporation or government agencies. We are already given almost two third of the revised amount and this leaves us in an awkward situation with the question of survival at here because the amount of stipend we brought along with us which is more than two third of the revised amount is almost already spent and we still have more than six months to stay and complete the course.

Any way the point is, it isn’t always as people see it form outside. Just because one live in dollar country doesn’t mean one get load of dollars just out of nowhere. It is that sweat you shed, the nights of peaceful sleep you sacrificed and the harsh climate any situations you battled.   I don’t know how much this part time job will compensate but we sure are in desperate situation; it is about survival here! I don’t know who is to blame, but had we been informed about the new changes and not given us these false hopes in the beginning before we were sent here, we could have had different story, we would have been wise to manage and adjust the living out here according to that. Five thousand USD is not a small amount! But again what can we do? It is water under the bridge and our only viable option is to try manage, survive and leave.

However, otherwise, the place is treating us pretty well and it is hell lot of learning, I wish to take maximum out of it. Happy weekends!

On Boring Break

Our life is most of the time a battle between the expectation and reality. Life isn’t a bed of roses, yet as human being, who gives up battling? Who doesn’t wish and try for that glory and beauty of sunshine? Every one of us have our own right to battle, to fight and we are so consumed by such battles that we don’t often realize even how the time fleets away. In reality we like to battle! When others around us fares well, we envy them and we feel bad. Thus we strive to equate, we dream big, we aim for perfection although the word perfection is often misconstrued. What kind of thing is perfect anyway? Why do we have to copy others? Why can’t we find solace in our self? The life really sucks sometimes, everything is driven by competition. Why can’t we live our own? We say one thing and does another. We live and built castles on virtual world of expectations, we are paranoid to notice until when realities set in, until we are back to the square one and the cycle just repeats. Yet life goes on…..

Anyway since 8^th July 13, 2015 it has been semester break for two weeks and you see there is yet again problem, I mean it is funny that we (I) don’t like either just the indefinite breaks without anything to do than to eat, sleep and stay glued with your computer, it is boring. I don’t situation is ideal? I have tried hard to bring back the interest in reading and finally today I am done with “The Ravine” by Robert Pascuzzi which is a good read about the evil, love, hope, forgiveness and the afterlife. It is a book full of inspirational sentences. It is a good antidote for stressed and depressed mind. Well, I ain’t a good reviewer, I leave it all for you to decide, but definitely I would recommend to read. Although it is most of it is to do with Jesus (the god), I feel the essence, and the message it conveys through a very captivating story is just applicable to whether one is Christian or not. Just read to know it for yourself.

My next book is “Three Marriages” by George Loukas. I don’t know how it is but this is yet another time pass for this cold winter semester break. What are you reading?

Happy days…….

Name and Fashion

Source: Google

We all have our favorite name which we like others to call us. If we go back and see, we notice that most of the names of our parents and grandparents are situation or date based. If you are born on 10 day of Bhutanese calendar, you are Tshechu something or Chenga something or Namang something if born on 15th or 30th respectively. I have a friend who was born on blessed rainy day and is called Babjey. There are others who are called out of love by their parents which seem to have become like something to make fun of. Are these not interesting? I mean at least we have reasons behind. My name was my great grandfather’s and i was named to remember him. This is yet another popular culture where Bhutanese parents wants their children to be named with by the names of their forefathers.

Bhutanese parents usually take their new born to a local Lama or Rinpoche to get names. But lately have you notice that the naming of new born are becoming a fashion to most Bhutanese parents. It is amazing that a fashion has this much affect. Every parents wants their child to be name with first, middle and last names. Why it has to be Karma Sonam Dema or something like that? I don’t know (I ain’t dad yet..lol) Did you know of our parents and before them who had more than two names? Well, very rarely as far as I know of and that too for some special reasons, but it’s like a new trend now. Bhutanese parents just doesn’t seem to be complete if their child is not named with first, middle and last name. I have a friend who recently had a child, a daughter and was named with three names because every parents have their child with three names and so was theirs. He said that in future when all are friends are called with long names she might feel bad and blame them. That may be true because even a small thing seem to matter. Our children are clever and smart. The system and society they grow up in makes them prudent and something like this would really matter.

This is something very new, some kind of transition happening to Bhutanese people if not really a trending fashion. Can anyone in census registration division find out the pattern of names our children are registered with? This is just out of curiosity and I am certain there will be a proof in there, I however like to call it a Fashion…:P

The Dollar Thing

The pasture on the other side is not always greener as a matter of fact. Often we are deceived by our own intuition that we are worse ourselves and others better, we are deceived by the notion that life abroad (particularly Australia) is always better, always lucrative and easy while the reality isn’t. The physical appearances that we often see on the social Medias like Facebook is just a show, a show that displays behind that broad smile and fancy dresses or delicious foods on table is an equal amount of pain, hardship and struggle. The dollar thing has become the word which I think is used too superficially. The Kuensel’s story about 20 Bhutanese being robbed and cheated says it all but not even a part of real story because the story doesn’t end after you reach there or after you get visa, it is just the beginning.

The unfortunate and pity story shows how we Bhutanese are easily influenced and easily driven by dollar thing and some good lip service. It shows how we become victim and are easily defeated by that temptation of wanting more and getting more. 90 percent of Bhutanese wouldn’t deny their wanting to join this bandwagon if opportunity knocks their door. After all who wants to get rot on the same chair and receive the same amount of meagre salary at the end of month when everything that really matters in modern world is money, comfort and wealth? But the sad thing is that the realities are different.

I study in New Zealand and considering the fact that Australia and New Zealand is almost same in all sense, I don't see and feel that life there (or here) is a blessing at all. Of course there are Bhutanese whom I know, living kingly life here. Their jobs are secured and honorable and so is their life. But that is exception and not the point. I have heard from reliable sources that in Australia there are too many Bhutanese that often there are cases like thefts, fights and commotions among themselves. It is a shame, which only indicate a strong wave of desperation. Even to get a cleaning job (which is perhaps the only option for most) is not easy, we ought to submit curriculum vitae, go through all the screening process and test. So if you are thinking about all these I say consider thinking twice. It is a different story about those studying on scholarships, otherwise I say back off.

Back to School

 Once again I am back to school days I mean back to teaching-learning season only difference that it is a different one. Waking up at 6AM, preparing pack lunch for the day, readying for an interesting day and riding on the bike for twenty minutes to the institute, I love it. I have always liked going to school as a kid, no matter how much beatings I got for doing naughty or for not doing well in studies, it never occurred to me that I will leave going to school.

As a matter of fact I still remember when I was six years old and my mom took me for admission to a nearby school (lauri primary school, year 1995) which was an hour walk from my house. The principal was Mr. Dawa Tshering (I don’t know where he is now) who rejected my admission after knowing that I was too young to walk in the morning and evening to and from the school as a day scholar. I remember crying like little baby, nagging my mom and resisting to go back home while my mother was dragging me out of embarrassment herself. It wasn’t just me, there was yet another, a friend and my cousin who was two years older than me. He was rejected too and he too was taken to by his loquacious mother. The problem with him was although aged for preprimary admission, he was short, and couldn’t touch his left ear over the head by his right hand and so he failed the usual testimony and hence rejection. We cried in unison till the gate of school which convinced our parents to once again request the principal to reconsider. In the meantime I also had another elder cousin brother who was in class six then.  I guess because of him, the notion that he might take care of us both, the principal was convinced and we both got admitted to school. I don’t remember how since then the time flew, but I have never in my life regretted and hated going to school. Going to school was so much better in many ways. As a day scholar, we were served lunch from the school and guess what, it was rice and dhal and Japanese tinned fish which was rather new for us and a kind of picnic ..:P

Going to school escaped so many things, from cattle and scary jungles, field works under the blazing sun and stormy rain and the worst ever- flour (Bokpi as we call in sharchop, I hated so much as a child, remember we were served with lunch at school?) I don’t know how that first year passed but I managed to get pass. Then when I reached class II my parents enrolled me as a boarder student since I had to walk more than hour to school. It was tiring for me and my parents after all it was better staying in hostel and frankly I liked the boarder life although the worst I can remember now out of all the odd is about the starvation. The food served from school mess was just never enough. Most of the time we (I) would go to bed with half-filled belly. Sometimes when rushing for second share, friends could get into that big mess pot! What a memory? And quite frankly who cares about education or passion as young kids? It was out of mere fear or something else that would drive us into studying harder. Who would have known all the rubbish about passion or ambition or logics behind the theories anyway? We just needed to get pass, that’s all.  But somehow it feels so right to have experienced it all because it is the starting point, the basic foundation.

Now when I go to the institute every day it is different, every day I go to the institute with the aim to learn something new, to with the aim to be able to do well so that when time comes I don’t have to think back and regret about all the bygone days. This is my passion, my love and profession after all, a trade that demands dedication, hard work, consistency, experience and exposure. Flying in the air is not a Joke and so is preparing to be able to do so. Every day I wake up with the wish that I take most out of this ten months duration of going to this marvelous school. Three months is already gone and it has been pretty fine so far, hope it will be the same for the remaining months as well.

Happy weekends…J

Evening's Rambling Thoughts

I was wondering how a little things in life give us so much joy and happiness, how a broken pieces of simple toys can have great impact in us and how even one step ahead or behind in life can make huge difference. Even being able to understand so clearly the basic concepts in class rooms can ignite and make you feel so contended and satisfied; it is like why didn't I realize it before? If only i knew it before?

Engineering wasn't really my thing, but somehow I ended taking that up by chance and consequently landed into a completely different industry-Aviation, an industry that works on trust, integrity and honesty and I tell you it isn't that simple. What is so simple without challenge anyway? Three months into doing basic course and i am already thinking like what have i learnt in one and half years as a trainee engineer? What have i learn doing B-tech for four years? Every day is a new stage, an unfold of new world and every week an exam day to assess.
The beauty that adds to this is the faulty we are taught by. We only know how much we could have done had there been a teacher in school life who really loved and cared about his or her profession. But sadly in Bhutan we have just too little teacher who are genuinely interested in their profession and who struggles to make go classroom out of genuine interest. I hate to say but there are just few.

I wish if only our teachers are bit more honest and mindful. When a student throws question, either the teachera take it as a challenge, get their ego hurt or the students are discouraged and embarrass in front hurting their self esteem. This results student confining to themself, feared and full of doubts. But this is just a generalization which I have noticed, I still salute to all the teachers whom I have been taught by. Fortunately I have met some of the best ones and I thank them.

Just some rambling thoughts, have a good weekend folks.
Cheers...!

posted from Bloggeroid

More than Education

In life it is not just the education that is very important than anything. It may be the engine that drives everything but without things like basics exposure and experience, there is hole and we end up getting tangled into the world of embarrassment and shame. It is not just the education that will take us through all the thorny road and the ladder of success and blessings but others like the simple social and modern norm, the culture and customs of a particular place equally supplement if not more and without these, life becomes rather awkward and one ends up hurting ourself.
There are certain things one ought to be aware of and know about, something like how one orders at KFC in a dignified manner, how an unintentional approach or a conversation in a circle can hurt someone near you; how a simple ignorance can blow up into flares of confusions nd disorientation. Ultimately it is about information, experience and exposure. Some way or the other, these are what our life is made up of.

The accent is one thing I am yet to get used to, I mean if you are some common people just like me (the mediocre) understanding even the language you learned as main medium and spoken can sometimes be very annoying. You just don't understand what the other people is trying to convince and at worst you just make the other more confused and lost. Although the instructors out here are most of them English origin, I am yet to catch the style of their speaking.

Anyway just remember that the widest gap ever imaginable would be between one's expectation and reality. There is nothing as free lunch, be prepared to face anything that comes for it comes with costs.

posted from Bloggeroid

The Battling Question

Life is but a battling journey

Every new day is a fresh battle for each one of us.

We fight for pride, for fame, out of jealousy

Out of need and desperation,

We fight for our own survival!

Be it a kingly luxurious one

Or that fearful hell for less fortunate ones

We fight and there is just never end

We create our own battle out of mercy

Out of frustration, temper and fallacy

We fight for internal peace, solace and redemption.

We fight for love, for care, for attention

How often do we realize this is something we ought to live with?

That this is just the part of life?

What matters at the end of day?

Age of Adaline

I watch lot of movies, in fact a lot of movies and television series because it is the only thing that drains my leisure time besides reading which unfortunately has left me doesn’t interest me for a while. Some movies no matter how much critics say is a waste of time, you never enjoy, I often watch movies after recommendations from friends or after reading reviews. A friend from Mauritius recommended me to watch this movie: “Age of Adaline” which I watched and it was just worth spending my leisure time.

It is a movie about a girl staring Black Lively who meets with a kind of miracle where she never gets aged after 29 years. It portrays the realities of life that we might have to face and how it is to live a big secret, the struggles, the fear, and the lies. It is a beautiful story with romance, suspense and surprises in between that totally glues you with the screen.

After watching the movie it was like really? What if that happens to us in reality? Sometimes we silently wish if only we could outlive, if only the good moments lasts long but imagine that wish is granted just for us miraculously.  Do you think it will be worth praying and wishing? Watch the movie how it might seem. I would rather wish living to the fullest knowing that life is uncertain.

Cheers…

Of Examination

Have you ever wondered as to why people tend to make mistakes even after thorough revision, even after one is fully convinced and aware that one is confident enough to get through and especially in teaching-learning process, this is a damn thing you know, because it is either a matter of pass or fail, a matter of division in the sense that once you are unable to reach a certain level, so-called pass, everything seem to look different, everyone seems to look differently. I wonder how an hour or two of an assessment or examination can really sum up or determine the very knowledge or the skills learned after a whole load of syllabus and subject? And I think learning is but a continuous process.

Well, failure may be the pillar of success, but if we take otherwise in other sense, I doubt if it is not the first step towards degeneration, towards timidity and cowardice and weakness, because it weakens the confidence level you have had, the zeal and even the attitude towards that particular subject. Failing just because you haven't learned enough or you were bit careless  is a different story but anyway after about 12 hours duration, we ended our first ever practical examination of the course, the tools and Equipment and equipment subject. we have practiced a lot for about a month and had made a bucking-bar, Rivet gauge, a soft face hammer and practiced methods involved in all these. As the assessment we were to make a 'false-jaw' out of a block of steel which involves all the basic processes engineering- filing, drilling, reaming and tapping screw,stamping and finish and frankly speaking my project did not go as wished. The last day screwed me up towards the end and it was like really? If you haven't failed even once in your life (in examination or anything) especially in your school days, you really don't know what it means to be that tensed victim trying hard to catch the hands of the clock even though your instructors may not be that strict about time frame, of what it means to be behind the mass; be cautioned that it is a nightmare! But the good thing is you learn a lot, you come out a lot more wiser at the end of the day and that is the beauty! we got to accept the fact that on the larger note  learning is more about how you approach and apply and little about finishing first, that is a justice in itself

At the end of the assessment, we had bit of fun arranging the sets of classroom, cleaning and with some photo sessions. we are the last batch to have studied in this old institute which has produced lot of aircraft engineers. Bhutan has a special link with Air New Zealand, some instructors who have been teaching  for more than two decades still reminds us of Bhutanese individuals who studied,  excelled and went back. From next week, we are shifting to a new institute which seems to be a lot more fun. Till then next time. Have a good weekend...:)

Story from New Zealand Part II

It is exactly two months today dwelling and studying in foreign land and despite very lovely place at here, I feel homesick, I miss my parents, my colleague, my work and my country; perhaps this shows how attached we are to our country and what we do no matter how bad, how harsh or how terrible it might look.

We have recently shifted our house after staying  in Chinese landlord's home for about a month. There was another Chinese flat mate who was full of complain. No matter how much we tried our best to keep the house clean or keep our noises low in the house, he used to complain and give us lectures. The internet was another thing he blamed about saying that it has become slow after we guys reach from the class in the evening although we were equally paying. Therefore since then we have been searching new apartment which we finally got one. She (our present landlord) is a nice one, as most New Zealanders are generally; the rent and the distance from the institute also a reasonable one although the rent did not include internet connection. we had to arrange our own internet connection which took us about three long weeks and certainly that was a night mare, to lead a life without so-called internet.

Well, the past three week without internet connection has made me realized something about the present generations of ours. It seems we have become too dependent own fast hand technology which are at click's disposal and it seems that without internet, we just can't do anything! I mean we feel like something is missing. Perhaps this is nothing more than an addiction which is sad. Anyway I have tried my best to do something productive and reading was one. And Khaled Hosseini's A thousand spledid suns have been a very good companion and pass time the past few days other than Paulo Coelho's Adultery. With just practical classes during the day at the institute and nothing like homework, it has been yet another plus point to stick into reading.

Just two months at here and I have learned so many things, things which will live with me forever. Apart from the normal classroom teachings, the good news is that I have learned to bicycle although have learned during college days in India, that was just the beginning..:)  W friends even bought each to travel to the institute.  It is an awkward and embarrassing moment when you don't know such simple things of life and especially coming from community where we have rather wooden trucks as toys, even knowing at this age is but a joy. Swimming is another that I have been practicing and trying to refine and for now it is doing well.

Apart from these, I have also met many new people, good new people perhaps the finest ones- teachers, companions and through them it has made me realize that there is so more to life than just eat, shit and live. Yet despite all these, something still seems to miss, there is this invisible, an unbound longing for someone out there. Is this just the homesick or more?

Story from New Zealand -Part I

The world may be too vast physically,  we may be too far from each other, from our loved and desr oned, but thanks to so-called development and advancement on the field of science, technology and communication we have every means to connect each other, we have various social medias apps on mobile phones that h connect helps us rejoin with our loved ones,  irrespective of the place one resides and provided there is mobile connectivity of course. And thanks to our service providers - Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Cell, we have almost every parts of the country connected by mobile connectivity. So no matter where you are, in which part of this world you reside for what ever purposes you can easily connect, talk, and see each other. We can also hear, listen and watch through live streams anything that are happening in and around the globe and this is yet another plus point besides huge ill impacts that comes with it along.

Source: Facebook

Anyway the point is that provided one knows the limit, provided we are aware of the negative effects, it is very much Ok because what comes with  just plus points anyway? Well, it has been almost three weeks in foreign land and contrary to what people say about life abroad being always a wonderful one with nothing to lose, I am beginning to hate my stay here instead. I don't know why but yes despite everything at disposal,  despite the fact that the country and the people over here being so generous and kind,  I am already missing my own motherland! I miss my parents, my siblings, my work in particular and the favorite - chilli.

So today I was just browsing internet, reading news and face-booking. It was almost noon here at New Zealand which means 6AM in Bhutan. Madam Tshering Dema who is radio presenter with BBS Radio pinged me to say hello in Facebook and shared me a link to listen the live stream of BBS radio. And to my surprise it is working so perfectly here! The sound is loud, clean and crystal clear. She even asked us to write a dedication (kathuen) for our parents, relatives and loved one's so she can read for them on her program. I wrote a short prose and even listened when her programme aired after 8AM news. I hope my messages has been heard back at home especially my parents where radio is still the main form of communication and entertainment. The mobile connectivity has reached there just a year ago and the electricity has just been released and inaugurated recently.

listening the the live streamed BBS radio in foreign land, it just pushed me back to my village as a small kid herding cattle with a radio on one hand. whether it rained with blankets of clouds hovered or under the scorching sun, it was this small piece of equipment, the radio which was the sole companion besides animals. The emotional songs of lopen Kezang Dorji used to be the most popular back then. It makes me nostalgic, oh I miss it dearly! What do we have now? Just the memories! but the memories such as these fill in the holes created by the disorientation, the fallacies and the ills that life often begets during our course of so-called living. such kind of memories make us realize that we don't really need anything so glamorous to define one's happiness, that the more you have, the more you want and that it is the moments that matters after all.

Till then happy Sunday and days ahead folks....

From New Zealand

In life, it is not just the education that is so important and take us miles to the path of success, other than education it is the exposure and the experience that is equally important if not more;  no matter how much educated one is, if you aren't aware of the basics that makes our day to day life, we end up meeting funny and embarrassing moments and that is when you really think about if education really helps? There are so many funny and interesting stories happened on the way, some of which happened after reaching here and which I will write about in time to come. Life is not always as we think it is. We think about people living in third countries especially in Australia or any other to be relaxed, always enjoying, having good time and making loads of money at the end of the day, but we know the reality only when we reach in that very place, in that very position which turns out to be the other way round and which is actually a mountain made up of mole by people.

Any way about New Zealand it is a beautiful country, everything is systematic, people here are all well-behaved, cordial, helpful and everybody knows their own responsibility and duty, which in a way is so very easy to live with. Even though the country has varied ethnic mixture, there seem to be problem at all. The atmosphere is  o serene and peaceful despite huge and heavy and busy traffics. interestingly we hardy hear an irritating horns of the cars and it is amazing to walk across streets without even getting our shoes enveloped by dusts. we don't find anything like garbage or waste on the streets or any other places where possible unlike in our country where the huge trees or a near by bush are our common places to dump our waste.

Another good thing here is the nature of people; irrespective of who or where one's position is, people are least bothered, i mean there are hardly so-called gap and boundary between two people . all are treated as equal. Just because one is an instructor and the other is a student doesn't mean we ought to treat them with all the respect. What is more important is how one behaves each other as an individual,as a human in general. Well, this is but a good part of the story and i wish to end my first post with a good note. There are lots to write about although it is not even a week reaching here.

Greetings from New Zealand folks....
Happy days ahead....

The other side of smile

Dema (name changed) lives in the heart of Thimphu with her husband along with two beautiful kids. She is a house wife, but weaves all day long after she sends off her kids to school and husband to office who is driver in one of the ministry. Thimphu is an expensive city for people like Dema whose husband’s salary is too low to survive. She has therefore resorted to weaving Bhutanese clothes to sell and supplement the expenses of their survival in capital. For now she has been doing well. She is uneducated; life has been cruel for her that when other siblings of her got education, she couldn’t because she is the eldest and had to help her parents.

Dema is from eastern Bhutan, from a large number of families. Her parents are both peasants. Everyone knows eastern parts of Bhutan are famous for producing baby-sitters and so was her village. At the age of 10 she was also taken to Thimphu as a babysitter with the hope that someday she will be able to help the family. The family with whom she stayed wasn’t welcoming. It was not just the babysitting but also all other house hold chores like cooking and laundry. The head of family- father who was like her second father began to treat her different after she became young adult, teasing and waiting for any good opportune moment to take advantage of her. His wife witness and catches this on the spot one day and the fate of Dema is then changed forever. She was chase out of the house. Luckily, as the fate has it, she comes across a boy, her present husband whom they fall in love instantly and decides to marry.

Since then the sun of happiness although dim started to shine on her life. This is blessing in disguise for her she now at least can shed tears of smile, although behind that, she does have a dark shadow that haunts her every now and then. Not all smiles come from that genuine happiness, some are just forced, the fake ones while some are just the reflection of pain inside. For Dema, her smile is not just her acknowledgements to the above for sparing and knowing her plight, but also the reflection of her past, hardships and struggles.

So you see there is nothing as free lunch in life, everything comes with price tag and some day or other we ought to balance or the nature will do for sure. A clear and clean atmosphere is always waiting after horrible hurricane. Happy day folks…..

Inspiring Blog award

First of all I would like to thank Langa Tenzin, Ugyen Tenzin and Jigme Zangpo and Sherab Pelmo for nominating me, it is such an inspiration for me. I am really sorry for the late response though. I will directly go to the seven facts about me.

1. I am originally from lauri, under Samdrup Jongkhar Dzongkhag which is one of the most remote place in the country. And I am the first to do engineering from my village. As a kid, I wanted to become teacher but after twelfth standard it got change after securing scholarship. I opted engineering and surprisingly ended up working in aviation company (Drukair Corporation Ltd) where I have to start right from the beginning. The fact is in Bhutan it is very rare where an individual chases and chooses the profession out of sole interest’ it very much depends upon the availability of opportunities!
2. I am most of the time silent but I talk too fast seriously, all my colleagues and friends advise me to talk slowly. I am bit introvert kind of person and I hardly start conversation with strangers and that is why friends have often said that I am too serious; it is just that I need more time get familiar with. 
3.  I started reading only after twelfth standard and was inspired by a teacher who always talked about language rather than his subject-science; but sadly I haven’t been able to keep aglow. I maintain diary as well and the funny thing is that if you read, you will see the most repeated word I use is ‘any way’. I noticed while I was once checking how I wrote in the previous years to save my boredom. Perhaps this is because the word consoles me somehow, don’t ask me how? 
4. I am too bad with kids. I mean I can never be friend and play around with little kids, and for the record, there is a nine months old child of my friend, who seem to have known me by the face; maybe I look so terrible that whenever I lend my hand or try to play with him, he just starts crying terribly. 
5. I also like watching English television series and my all-time favorite is “The Lost” and “The Friends” which I would watch again and again during college days. Now also I try to find time for these but life changes you know with time and with it your habits as well. 
6. I don’t drink much but whenever I am drunk, which is so very rare, I tend to become talkative and courageous revealing all the secrets. Onetime I was too drunk (during college days) that the next day was an embarrassing one for me to hear from friends about how acted and even confessed a girl of my crush! Since then I have never been drunk, and I wish never to be henceforth.
7. People say forget and forgive but unfortunately for me it is bit difficult. I don’t get hurt too easily but once I get, it becomes very hard to forget as well. This is where I try hard to change; I hope i can change with age.

well, about the nomination I don't think even one is left without being nominated for I think I am late, yet as a norm, i would like to derive inspirations from following who are not so frequent in the world of blogging and this is just to say that i enjoy every bit of your writings, please continue writing. 

1. Penstar 
2. Rekha Monger
3. Tempa Gyeltshen
4. Namgang chejey
5. Pema Wangchuk
6. Gyembo Namgyal
7. Maid of Astolat
8. Yeesi7
9. Ram Bahadur 
10. KK wangdi
11. Leythro's Journey
12. Symphony
13. Novice pen
14. My Page
15. Dechen

Happy blogging folks.......