Being part of Druk Thuksey Award

Its almost nine years since I first joined Drukair corporation Ltd. Yes, there has been some hiccups in between, some disappointments on the personal level; but it has also been a great learning experience; a joyous ride; being part of an organization that's the gate way to the outside world. Even though from that shadow of the wheels; in rains and in sun, I have got to experience some of the most unimaginable and valuable experiences and lessons one can ever get in life.  Life isn't always about the good days and memories, it's the other side also, the scars, the least imagined moments that often stays with you and when you look back, it's like how did you get through that and something that brings smile to your face! 

Drukair as a company has been flying high with number one priority as the safety; safety for the aircraft and the safety for the people for the last glorious forty years with no major accidents or incidents. Safety is and should be the priority for the Drukair for it will automatically bring in the other two "Ss" as his majesty the king often stresses: Safety, Standard and Service. COVID 19 pandemic did wreck the whole aviation industry world wide, Drukair being no exception; yet Drukair has been fortunate enough to have been able to to carry out its sacred duty. As a national flag carrier, Drukair has been able to operate minimal flights ( repatriation and Cargo -  mainly the medical supplies for government) in such rough and tough times thanks to the magnanimous guidance from the throne, the government's relentless effort to keep it at bay. Drukair has been able fulfill its mandate despite the wreckage left by the pandemic. Aviation industries are still running on losses due to pandemic and are yet to recover now that the new variant "Omicron" has come up. 

And in the midst of it all its such an honor when his majesty the king, our very savior, our godly compassionate guiding star  awards the company with one of the highest award- Druk Thuksey award along with other organizations: RHBSL, UNDP and BEAR. Its great to be part of the organization that receives it. It gives an immense sense of joy and an extra energy to rededicate  and improve our service. 

My personal take on this award is that it is an indication of not only recognition of the tremendous service performed by the organization in the last forty years as a national flag carrier that opened the gate to the people outside; for the showcase of "brand" Bhutan- the last Shangri-la to the outside world, thereby promoting  national sovereignty but also shouldering us and wishing us to do and be more. It is the Royal's hope to work even more harder, smarter and most importantly the royal's fervent wish to get up and get through the hard times that the organization is going through right now particularly due to the impact of pandemic. This cannot be the excuse for our failure. For us, as part of it, for the employee and colleagues, it's an extra responsibility to keep up with the royal wishes; to mind our own business and continue fulfilling our sacred mandate- discharge our services, as humble service providers.

It's a precarious road ahead for the aviation industry world wide, though it's slowly recovering. For a tiny airline like Drukair, it is even more harder and a challenge. Yet like I said before, by the grace of koenchog sum, summed up by the gracious royal guidance, Drukair has sailed thus far without having to lay off any employees unlike other airlines. Its such a wonderful time to reflect upon ourselves about the tremendous responsibilities that comes with huge recognition such as this and work towards keeping it up and maintaining that bar set up by the award such as this. It is the perfect time to leap bound and bounce back stronger. 

For a small airline like Drukair, we may not have luxuries and resources like others, but we have their majesties, our beacon of hope. The most important thing is to keep in mind the three "Ss" as our priority; our guiding principle like i said before and work towards upholding and promoting it. 

As the new year has already knocked on our doors, I resolute my self to once again to rededicate, commit and put on extra effort in my everyday work and be mindful of the his majesty's golden address on the 114th national day.

COVID-19 Vaccination

 Bhutanese are so lucky to have a king, people's king at the helm, who serves its citizens with all the love , compassion and care. As the world is been hit by COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutanese has been least affected. As a citizen being the recipient of all these, I have no words to thank. How fortunate and lucky are we to have such a boddisatva dharma king. Perhaps the best and only way is to do our own part of responsibilities and duties deligently. We have our own part to play and we must do that with utmost dedication and integrity.

As the whole world now are racing with emergency vaccination jabs, Bhutan also began its drive on 27the March 2021. It will continue till April 2. The uniqueness is that the government has chosen to do all the eligible people at the same time in one week's time. The monastic community did thier part of blessings and chosed the particular day, time and a candidate to be given the first shot. Today is the fourth day and so far, no serious complications have been reported. I did my jab on the third day. Seeing the number of people turning up to get the vaccine, I am overwhelmed that the public has understood it's importance, the government has done excellent work on awareness and importance. So Thank you my king and the government of day. Thank you doctors and the health professionals for your tireless work. Thank you Dessups for your excellent service. 

Regarding the side effects of the jab, it has been reported that some people had minor symptoms like mild fever, nausea, headache and pain and swell at the site. Some have even reported of their faces being swelled. I personally didn't experience all. I took my jab at around 4pm and by 1am midnight, I started to have a mild fever and as I write this, I am still having the symptoms. I hope it goes was soon. So as per my witness and experience, the real effect of the vaccine seem to come seven to eight hours after you took Jab. But not to worry, it's bearable. For the larger good, for the safety of yourself and others please get vaccine yourself.

Lots of gratitude  also to the government of India for providing us the vaccine despite sharp shoot up in the number of positive cases. May the whole world be normalised soon.  

Cooking and Remembering

Today is the 18th day of the nation wide lockdown  of Bhutan. Nothing special but today I decided to be the chef at home to prepare the native meal of my village, the native meal of sharchops, the Bokpi (flour) curry along with curd and butter as we have back in my village. It wasn't the best, but it was worth trying. It brought back all the memories from my life in the village with family and friends as a small kid. It brought back memories with my parents and memories about them. How I wish we could be together specially at this hours of time. The lunch that I prepared made me homesick and emotional actually. I gave a long thought about them. Life is always simple yet beautiful back at home!

Back at home as a small kid, this Bokpi from maize was never my thing, I never liked it though it is the main meal. I only craved for and liked kharang (rice was the top priority though, but wasn't easily available as we don't cultivate rice). I would just frown at my mom for always feeding us with this Bokpi. Most of the time I would just skip meals if it was Bokpi. But now, urban life has changed me completely. I like to have Bokpi more often than usual rice. How strange this life is, right? 

Back in village, everything seems to be normal. People are having their usual life. They are hale and hearty in their own way. They may not have much in terms of wealth, but they are contented and they have big heart. They are not well off like others but they have enough to sustain. They may not have all the luxuries yet they are always happy and they have this peculiar smile in their face which says it all. Thinking about all these, I miss my parents more, I miss their care and love, I miss their meals even if it was but a simple Bokpi and radish curry; I miss their genuine effort and care.

Anyways going back to those days when I was a little school going kid. I don't belong to a family with well-off parents nor do I have that able relatives. We are a middle class family. We had just enough to sustain, enough to go about with this so-called life. I had little financial problems during my school days, not because I had plenty, but because my parents worked so hard to arrange it for me and on my part, I was extra cautious to spend. The money that my parents gave in the beginning of year could be enough for the whole year.  Sometimes I just wonder how did I manage? They worked day and night, in sun and in rain to give me all that was necessary. In summer they used to work hard in the farm to collect crops for the family's sustenance and during winter when there was no farm work (when crops were all harvested), they used to do all kinds of temporary jobs mostly 'woolah' in return for some cash so they could send their eldest child to schooling which was me. I can't imagine my parents carrying heavy loads to earn some cash just so I could have that pocket money.  Where I come from is a remote place with no or little source of income, the only way to get some cash was to do physical work like carry load for the shopkeepers, ration for the boarding school and so on. I still remember me and my dad collecting and counting stones from nearby river,  a decent and good shape, which would fetch us one ngultrum per stone for a contractor who was constructing the Gup's office of the Geog that time. In a day we would earn about 1500/-. Fortunately, lots of construction came up those days (sign of development?) And it was a good opportunity to earn something out of it. 

That's why it wasn't surprising when I used to get good results at the end of each year, because I knew just well how much my parents were struggling to gather a decent money so they could send me school to get education which made me to work even harder. I put in extra effort to make them smile at the least at the end of year; to prove that their hard work hasn't gone to waste. If you look at the heads of my parents, you will still see the hair fall on the area exposed most to carry load and its most visible on my mother's head. 

Today I miss my parent a lot. Although I call them and talk with them every day, I feel sad thinking about all these. They seem to be happy knowing that their son has been able to stand up on his own; that their son has now a job and a family of his own; that their son is in so-called town enjoying the urban life. They don't expect much from you, because they know that life is much harder in town. They know it's all about money in town. I wish I can do more and be  better sometime. I wish I could tell its not just that.  I wish they stay and live with me some day (for now they just don't like the life in town). Even if they visit me, after a month, they are like 'i wanna go back to village'. I hope it changes soon. 

Here are some pictures of my cooking, and how a Bokpi looks like...:)

The Never Ending Thing

So the year 2019 is ended and I am like what did I did I do good for myself and for others? Well, it could have been better for sure. This Is but a life, a reality with never ending wishes, never ending desires and never ending routes of mazes. Yet again we never stop wishing for better, hoping for the best and for all the good things which often comes with hard luck and most time comes with price tag. Life iss but a plethora of never ending business; we have so many things at stake, so many unfinished business, so many to achieve and so many to do. We hardly realise that the time is but like a flowing stream under the bridge, never to return. And when the year ends, when a brand new year comes, when you regret over those things which could have been better for your own self, then do we realise the very value of those missed and wasted things. By then it’s often too late if not a complete waste. We are too engrossed with our own job firstly because that’s our bread and butter. Then with our family for family is the only thing that matters in times of unfortunate  and waning times. We hardly have time for our self, up until serious symptoms begins to show. Perhaps it’s time to pamper our self and be selfish, perhaps life’s yourself first and then other? I don’t know but I feel it’s worth a try! Because we tend to live in other’s life.

Looking back to the year 2019 and the decade back, so much has happened and so many things could have happened some differently and some definitely above the mark. From timid young enthusiast to now almost stagnant and boring adult. There are some moments which I don’t want to forget and there are some which I don’t want to remember at all and I feel that’s completely fine for an ordinary human like me. There are some areas which never materialized as a matter of fact and one obvious thing is the habit of reading. I had the resolution at the beginning of year to read and then try to write as often as I could but, that was a failure and I take it back. I have learnt some incredible lessons and values over the years. Maturity is not an age, but a habit that needs to be cultivated. Maturity is something you learn from the mistakes and try correct it; it’s something you inculcate over the time. 

I am grateful for all the good things happened and for all the blessings I have been endowed with. I am sorry for all the bad things, for all the wrongs doings that might have hurt others or myself. I pledge to become a better person, a better father to my kid, a better husband to my wife and a better son to my parents. Hopefully the new year 2020 will treat me well. I wish all a very happy, prosperous, good health and a wonderful year 2020.

Mother’s Day Special

My mother like other isn’t educated but she has the most wholesome education that anyone could have. My mother isn’t rich like others but she has richest heart, willing to give anything she has. She is not one among those fortunate ones to go school and get education. She would have wanted to study and be someone on her life, but the fate has something else in store. Her father passed away when she wasn’t even ten years old. Imagine growing up under the hands of a single parent? Keep aside the education, she have had tough  time even to arrange a day’s meal.  But this disadvantage has only made her stronger I believe. She never confide us the story about the tragic loss of our grand father. We would silently enquire father others about it; perhaps she knew the pain and that it was best to remain with herself. Perhaps her biggest fault was not to share the pain with us.

Despite these odds, she stood firm and today she is a proud mom of five of us siblings. Despite being illiterate, she has never failed to give me (us) the advices that are essential in our life, she has never failed to impart the important values of cause and effect ( ལས་རྒྱུ་འབྲས) and loyalty (ཐ་དམ་ཚིག), the importance of being honest and true to yourself and to others, the importance of being friendly and polite, in other words the education that are more important than that we get books. I am forever grateful.

I still wonder like what my mom would be had she the opportunity to study? Her plight for education hasn’t died even after 60 years of age. Her interest and enthusiasm to learn to read and write at least in Dzongkha is still afresh and burning. That’s why last year she decided to get enrolled herself to NFE ( non-formal education) despite the works back at village, so that at least she can do morning and evening prayers. For  now she is doing pretty fine. What can I ask more than this? I feel proud and happy to see my mom reading and writing whom she thought once was impossible for her thanks to NFE programme under ministry of education. 

There is one moment that I still remember to this day also although it’s bit unclear. I only remember the crying part for not being able to admit to school. It was perhaps when I was 6 years of age, when my mom took me For class PP admission. I was considered too young to be enrolled for the school and the principal denied my admission. My mom and her cousin  sister who also took her son was also rejected. They jointly threatened the principal (I don’t know how) that they will leave two of us at the school and then we both got admitted that year. That was the mother’s magic moment. Anyway, I don’t know if this was the reason that we both got enrolled to the school or  there was others. Had she not against the decision of school authority, I wonder where I would be now? I wonder if she would have  bothered to seek admission the next year (I know she would have).

 So thank you mom for all you did and are still doing.Thank you fir all your fervent prayers and wishes. Thank you thank you. (Thanks to dad also by the way ....:p ) 

When is life fair anyway?

I was wandering and wondering along the woods

Suddenly My mind crosses through the days of childhood 

When each girls dreams one day of being princess

When her mom is the epitome of All she wishes 

And her dad the hero, the knight in shining armour

When each boy dreams of that charming prince 

When his mom portrays all qualities he would one day browse

When his dad is but a friend, a guide  by his side

When little siblings are but their goal 

And the reflection of their soul 

When every little hope is watered by all kinds of effort and bite 

And when all the tyrannies are overcame with triumph 

When finally a day comes to reckon 

When the princess meets his Prince Charming 

Life has cruel and disheartening plans 

The boat they boarded capsizes 

On their maiden journey through ups and down   

Through the rugged terrains of high and low 

Dreams shatters to nightmares and begins to haunt 

Hopes turn sour and belittles their hunt 

In anguish and agony they stare above 

And utters Why us, why us?

Call with Dad

After tiring day at work, Sonam went straight home to take rest, to take a short nap, but the sleep was nowhere near, so he decided to call his dad back at village just to see if his mom and dad were doing good. At the other end of the connection, his father’s voice looked tired and exhausted. He felt pity! He inquired if his dad was alright. Well, his wasn’t sick, only tired from the day’s work. His dad has been continuously working in the jungle with the rocks, making piece of bricks to construct house for some people in return for some cash. Sonam felt real pity and told why he has to get involved in such heavy works at this age; that he can of help, now that he is employed and settled.  His dad is almost 60 years now. His father’s reply shocked and made the tears roll down his cheeks.

His father said: “How much and how many people will you help? Even you are not sufficient yourself; having tough time meeting the ends” Sonam felt wounded, filled with guilt like someone shot a direct arrow to his heart. “What have I done? Did I forget that parents should be the first priority for any child? Did I just forget that what I am today is because of them? Did I just make the biggest blunder by marrying too early and starting my own family too early” he wondered. That one sentence left him blank for some time until his dad at the other end said what happened?  Sonam said he was fine and that there was some glitch in the connection instead. He felt devastated with guilt. His dad wasn’t finished yet and said that he was going to try even harder when his strength can so he doesn’t have to bother him. Sonam felt guilty even more, the guilt of being a useless and helpless kid.

“Are you there sonam?” his father said.

“I am sorry, something came up, I have to go. I will call you back. Please take care papa and give regards to mom. Bye” sonam replied and disconnected the call.

Back on the couch, sonam wasn’t busy nor did something come up. He couldn’t believe the change life has brought about upon his life; he couldn’t resist the guilt, thinking what his aging parents has had to go through whole of their life for their sake - first bringing them up, giving education and now for their own sake when its time instead to reap their work with their children preparing for their next encounter- Death.

Is this so-called the cycle of life?  He wondered…..

13th October- Unforgettable Day

Life is strange you know.  So many things are happening and yet to us, it is the same and as usual. We hardly notice the change and the things that happen around us. Today is an important day for Bhutan and Bhutanese; a day to begin with prayer for long life of our king and queen; a day to celebrate over reminding ourselves that there is always hope with king and queen be side us at any cost.  I wish my king and queen a very happy wedding anniversary. May the land of thunder dragon always shine under your dynamic leadership and guidance!

Unfortunately it was a bad and sad day for me! I nearly escaped deadly accident. I don’t know how many has been lucky enough just like me today at the very same time. Some are just so unfortunate.  Just yesterday before I went to bed, I had this very disturbing news from Perth, Australia about a brother of mine by relation who is studying under government scholarship. There was this very disturbing note by himself on Facebook, a heart breaking confession. I really feel sorry. Compared to his, my incident is nothing. I just can’t imagine what has been going through his very mind after the doctor at the hospital told him that he has brain cancer. I can’t imagine how his single mom is going through right now back at home. The last time I heard about him, I am told he is still missing from his room in the college campus and the police are still searching! Where ever he is I pray that he is safe and sound. Brother, you just can’t give up. Sometimes I just wonder why it is just that only the good people have to be the ultimate victim of such diseases and why bad things often happen to only the good people? He is very good and a loyal son to his mother, a very dedicated student to teachers and a very promising career was awaiting his way. Well, life isn’t fair always you see.

Anyway after today’s incident I have learnt some very basic yet very important lessons.  Often we get lost to find our true self, we get what we give and sometimes we have to literally die as well to born anew. A kind reminder of bad dream and a second of delay or distraction keeps you alive. This shows how fragile our precious life is. An ill luck whatsoever is ought to happen no matter what and one just can’t escape. Yet if you still have a ration left, even a small amount, it takes you to that safe land as far as possible so you still have a day more to see the rise and set of sun, a moment more to reflect upon yourself of the real purpose, a minute more to differentiate who your true friends really are and what and who matters after all. At very critical times even a stranger comes forth with consolations like “Are you alright? It okie, everything is gonna be alright” and there is nothing more soothing and comforting moments in such in situations. No matter how greedy or money-minded one maybe, or broke one is, at times of emergencies and incidents like this, Bhutanese people flocks like sheep over to lend their helping hand and that’s the very essence of being Bhutanese. Humanity does exist you know. Of course there is another group, who just comes in take pictures instead and share in the social Medias but that is a different story which is disgusting actually.  I am very humbled by the show of such kind gestures and I remain indebted. Thank you so very much.

I have only heard before how people actually get affected not by the shock, but by the aftermaths of shock and just today only I have realized how true it is actually. People don’t die because of the actual shock, but because of the effects of shock!  

-13th October Diary, Time: 1030PM

The unusual Night

The other night was different one. For no obvious reasons I was frustrated, I was sad and I was filled with rage all over my veins. It was unusual. Lots of uncontrollable thoughtwere running and swirling my brain. I switched on the television screen to divert and calm my mind, flipped channels after channels only to aggravate my situation.  There wasn’t channel that could take away that devil inside playing and messing with my mind. The news channels were all about recent Brexit which has been the headline and breaking news since week back full of politics. The Hindi channels were filled with advertisements as usual which is 90 percent but lie and exaggeration. I decided to open my ibook in my mobile and continue the book I have been reading lately and that wasn’t the savior either. Then I opened the candy crush game which is my perfect time pass usually.But yesterday it wasn’t. The repetitive attempt and failure to go to the next level just added yet another load of frustration and made me even more impatient and irritated. Just then I received a call. It was my girlfriend. The following is the conversation roughly.

“Hello dear, how are you? How was your day?” said she.

“Yes, I am fine and it was good” I said.

“You seem different and unusual today, tell me what happened?”

“Nothing; why do you even bother?” I replied. It was bit harsh I realized.

“Why do you have to be that rude?I just wanted to know”

“What do you care anyway other than your career? Do you even think about ‘US’ sometime?  Don’t demand just because you are calling me.  I was boiling inside and the words seem very easy to come out of my mouth without even realizing what I was intending to say.

“What did I do wrong? Are you mad? From where are those words coming?”

“Yes I am mad, what is so special about us being in relationship? It seems to me that what we have is just for the sake and I am actually fed up! Do you even for a moment thought about life ahead? How will you because we are too busy with our own life.”

“That’s not fair dear”

I was so much into the conversation that I didn’t  realized what I was saying until I heard she was actually sobbing at the other end. By the time I realized, she had already cut off the call and I was talking out loud myself to my mobile phone. But then just like some miracle I was also feeling so light and refreshed after that very moment,I began to rewind back as to what I said just a while ago.  I tried to remember hard the exact words I said to her. I finally realized that I was literally shouting and barking at her for no reason. What did I do? How did I become devil suddenly?  I was hesitant to call her back. I decided to leave here message instead:

“Dear, I am sorry for being asshole. I take all my words back. Please don’t mind. You know lately I have been thinking a lot from my profession to yours, the near to impossible ladder we ought to climb, our relationship, family and siblings. I have been under lot of pressure and that has bogged my mind with lot of weights and it really is frustrating you know. I don’t even know myself as to what I have been thinking. The frustrations I have with in life is suddenly been diverted and you have become that unfortunate victim. I am sorry.And you know the long distance relationship actually sucks. And realizing this even sucks more. It pains me to know that nothing in life is without cost and compromises. But the bottom line is that no matter what, I am just me, that same innocent guy who you met five years back and I would just not change for some silly reasons like this.

With loads of love”

After waiting for some time eagerly, I finally got the reply:

“It is alright dear, I understand, but please don’t ever ask me how hard it is to be in long distance relationship, I know enough. Love you too”

Well, life is certainly uncertain. Sometimes the monster inside us rises and dominates us while at other time the saint inside overthrows it and a lot of good thing happens. Yet life goes on. Living alone actually sucks you know. Despite all that freedom and room to yourself you still feel something is missing. And this is the very plight of single man. Your mind becomes devils workshop at times although the good thing on the other hand is that you get to experience all the weird things that you missed in life..:P

Life and Death

Yesterday I was but a little kid, wondering here and there knowing not where I was going, knowing not what is really in store for me; life took its own turns and brought me to this very stage, I am a young adult now, pursuing and chasing my dreams, not knowing if it is even achievable but the mind insists and seeing others are at the end point, I also joins the bandwagon. The profession we chose often changes us; it energizes us, make us smile. It make us fill with ego at times and sometimes it takes us down into dungeon of hopelessness, but still life goes on. I like to think that I am a good rationale man but what wonders me often is am I on the right track? Did I miss something as a little kid and am I missing something even as a rationale human being? Am I doing enough preparation for things yet to happen? I don’t know. There are more questions than answers. And tomorrow perhaps I will be an old wrinkled man or will I even thrive today? Will I be become a dad sometime and then grandfather? What is in store for me from here? Can I change and control? Will it be easy and will I have the energy and determination then? Or am I tired now only? The list goes on and I am rather left in the wilderness wondering.

Just a few days back, a relative of my friend left his soul eternally at National Referral Hospital Thimphu. I also saw him once just a week ago who looked very alive and jolly. Although he was an avid drinker, he still he looked strong and nice physically. He was full of smiles and would go on well with almost everyone who came across him. You see life is really uncertain. Who would have ever thought that his archery match last week was his last? That the last bottle of drink he took was to take his life? And sadly we are fearless about the death, about the impermanence until we hear or witness someone actually going through. Today also on my way to work, there was this temporary shed built just in front of our office and some people gathered for someone’s soul has left its body  forever. That made me think so much about this life and how sadly we are tethered and swayed by all the ills (which to our mind is but luxuries) of the life. How much will this realization last with me? I wish I can think about this so often. Do you think about death and uncertainties often?

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!

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...:)

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…..

Marriage

Marriage is an important stage in one’s life. It determines not just the point where one is matured enough to take care of him/herself, but also make a living of his/her own. If we consider the life as geography, then marriage is an equator where one climbs from the bottom Antarctic pole to northern arctic pole. It is an important episode of one’s life, where one finds another soul to depend up on to sail through thick and thins of life, to celebrate every bit of good moments and tackle together every bit of hard and difficult times. For parents, the marriage for their son or daughter is a happy time for it means they are aged enough to resign from the busy life and witness and relax.

However not every marriage is successful in life. The happiest moments are short lived, the oath and promises that are kept in that very moment of every-thing-is- perfect gets broken and eventually the force of hard times and problem takes over and divides you apart; suddenly the good moments vanishes in the thin air. What is perfect in life anyway? I have long wanted to write about this; about how suddenly the life of an individual seems to change after so-called marriage. Well, I may be wrong and one-sided, but these are what I have noticed; People suddenly seem to become self-centered and narrow on everything; the way you see your life, friends, relatives and even your own parents. And did you notice that in life most of the parents prefer daughter over son to stay with? The reason is obvious, the daughters know how to show love, they have this natural trick of attraction, it is mostly the women who are head at home, she manages everything at home and deals with the matters inside the house and hence parents are comfortable with their daughters instead of a son. And to me this notion is where the problems starts. Most of the parents feel sidelined and burden to their children once they have their own children (grand children)

And one that wonders me is why a daughter in-law can’t show equal love to her in-law parents as she does to her own parents? Why can’t she treat same irrespective of hers or others? It’s not a blame game here, but just that whenever we hear or see about such stories; it is mostly about the bride doing that or this. Did you hear of an incident where husband is rude and is treating his wife’s parents or siblings so coldly? Well, very rarely! Of course there are some bride who are so very good irrespective of their or others. But frankly and unfortunately up till now I have only heard and knew of stories where the bride isn’t being good to groom’s people.

Just recently I got call from a cousin who talked sympathetically and was almost to tears in phone. I felt pity and even annoyed after hearing his part of history.  He has met an accident and is left almost paralyzed (he can’t walk for his half of body is smashed by accident). He was driver by profession and after accident, he started to lose everything, even his own brother (on ear to his wife) whom he supported with sweats during the school times started to shun him. His brother’s wife started to show her real color after a month of their stay together during his treatment until recently when he started to leave them back to home. Is this really the price for a happily-ever-after kind of marriage?

And my fear is what if I also meet something like this and become victim? What if I can’t live up to the expectations parents just because I am married? What if marriage change me into different one? This is something I have been thinking seriously but I wish to write my own story later in my life; a story that is not just readable but pleasing as well.

Update for 2015

Blogging has been very much part of my life during college days. There was time when I had ample time to read interesting and insightful posts of fellow blogger friends; when I had lot of time to learn even though it was just the beginning for me. To me blogging isn’t really about writing myself, it is about getting to know, to learn from other friends, and make new friends. But not everything in life comes as you wish. So many things come up and ultimately it all boils down to priorities. Keep aside writing, I haven’t even been able to read what others write. Once you change the phases of so-called life, you get entangled into the web of so many things which are often unfathomable and life isn’t simple as yet.

Anyway the past few days have kept me quite busy not just by the work, but also domestically and personally. 12 and 13^th of the month was one of the most important days of my life; some very important life decisions were made and I hope that I will be able to live up to it.  I wrote my first examination of the exams that are on the way of my career (for ab-initio training). My career is really full of examinations; I don’t know how but yes our brain can become so dull if we don’t make use of it time to time. Those concepts even the basics which were once on finger tips get vanished nowhere and it is funny that we can’t even solve some basic mathematical problems. Anyway it was all the more a lesson for the time to come and I only wish that I learn along the way.

For two days I had to visit Dzongkhag administration for some work and interestingly it was full of surprises.  One incident caught my attention so much so that I am sharing here. I was on queue to receive some forms and instructions; there was this elderly woman, perhaps at her sixties who was near a guy probably some assistant. By the look of that woman, she was bit tensed and hurried perhaps she had other works to do, but the guy was too busy with his computer.  The time was just past nine in the morning. The woman insisted him to do her work and he was telling her to wait, that he was busy while in the reality he was busy chatting (perhaps flirting!) on Face book. I felt pity for her lack of reading and writing, he was busy conversing and there were three pop-out chats on the screen of his computer.  I don’t know how much time he made that woman wait, but by the time I finished my work, she was gone. Hope she got what she wanted. That was when I thought how typical an office-goer can sometime be and fool someone little educated and how social media is a nuisance at times. I thought that the middle bureaucratic are not just productive, but also the ones where delays and problems for commoners like us are created, it is in the middle where the flow of work seem to get struck and missed at times which is but a bitter truth.

These days my dad is also with me and I have been trying hard to find time to spent with him and take him visits to important places around Paro and the capital. So far he has visited some important sites and I wish to take him more. Being for the first time, he seems amazed by so called modern life yet doesn’t seem to like much kind of life at here. For him, the days are too long and too difficult to end without something to do and he has already set a date to return back home. You see such is the nature of rural people they are never peaceful without something at hand or mind to engage with.

Still then until next time; have a good day folks…

Of Choe and sii

Wangchuk and Tshewang are cousin brothers from same tiny remote village of the country. They were enrolled to school in the same year. Wangchuk is a year older than Tshewang. They were brilliant students in their own way; it was two of them who would never give the first and second positions of the class every year. Unfortunately during their primary school years, Wangchuk had an accident while herding cattle on vacation which had his hand almost broken. After rigorous local treatments, he was alright. But he couldn't continue his studies and became a year junior to his brother. Wangchuk therefore decides to remain at home helping his parents in field with animals. Tshewang continues to study, although his very good friend has left him. But the road ahead isn't easy for both of them. When one toils in the field in the sun and rain, the other endures the cruel boarder life. But what kind of life is easy anyway?

Life continues as such for years until suddenly when Wangchuk decides to join monk-hood after several years as farmer. He joins prestigious shedra in India (Mindrolling shedra) as a monk, where he once again experiences and recalls his early school days as a little kid. By this time, Tshewang was in the high school. After twelfth standard, Tshewang secures government scholarship to pursue higher studies at a college in India. This is the second time two of them get to meet once again. But this is different from their usual meetings, it’s more dignified and elderly, perhaps both are grown-ups?

At present Tshewang works in a government organization, he is ambitious and arrogant, the meager salary he get at the end of a month is just enough for him to make ends meet, he is often troubled by the day’s work, by his family at home and he has too many obligations; while Wangchuk, who also completed his years of studies teach small kids back at village who have decided to give up material world for monk-hood like him. He is calm and contended. He looks young and peaceful unlike Tshewang who is ruined by the greed for power and wealth.

So this is it I wonder, the difference in power of Choe and sii, the difference between the Nangpai education and modern education? It seems like more the modern education, more the greed and arrogance, more ambitious and materialistic, in short more trouble, just the opposite for Choe.

If only Wangchuk and Tshewang are equally blessed by the road they took although different!

Of brags, blames and belittlements

In life we come across various kinds of people. Some come with load of encouragement and inspiration. We derive immense likeness and admiration just by the mere watch and talk. Some come with heavy prices, price tags and some teach us lessons that remain with us forever. There are others whom we find amiable and goes on to becoming the best buddies in life. Some are unpredictable; even if we try hard to understand and appreciate, they never reach the caliber of our conscience to be close or be causal, it demands cautiousness and distance. Some are just never compatible with our taste which is sad.

And there are some, who go on to bragging themselves about how much they DID (rather than DOING), how they were treated those olden days and how fortunate we (the present generations) are in our times. What does this matter any way to us? It is completely a different timeline! Does this mean they have all the rights to treat us the same way they were treated decades ago? Who cares about all these brags? Yes it is music when shared for the first time. Second time and after, it becomes noise! The world and people are constantly changing and perhaps these people are little aware of it.

Some incidents (of life) are indelible and remain with us forever. It is either the best or the worst. It makes us question and ponder as to what really and why that very incident happened? How do you react when you are reprimanded, and embarrassed in front of a huge crowd for some mistakes you did not commit and which is also very much mend-able? It was a moment like I just might launch F-I-R for me if there was any. Anyway who doesn’t make mistake in life? Who is perfect? Do we have no have erasers and do we not deserve second chance? Just because there is limited time or it is getting delayed doesn’t mean we compromise the work. There are people who do nothing and lead with mere service of lips. When you reprimand someone else does it not reflect the very nature of what you are? Does it not back fire the embarrassment and the hurt you have spelled upon the other? Is it professional ultimately?

That brings to how one chooses profession/career in life; certainly one that pays you handsomely (perhaps the first choice for most), the one that is respectable and one that we like/love, but sadly not all of these are present in one particular career. Some careers pays you well where working environment is horrible, some are highly respected and often these are not reachable. Most of us therefore end up with a career which is short of one of these and certainly with what we get, what fate has decided for us with. We end up sacrificing something for want of something else and I have been thinking like did I even make the right choice of career? It is sad, when you have to live and work where incidents that pulls you down and de-motivate are more than what you can be inspired from. Even sadder is when you are treated like some primary school kid, as if we are their very pie, as if the other is nothing. Any hierarchical organization is pyramidal in shape, there is one ultimate boss and subordinates till the base under him. This is certainly the most stable and strongest. Sadly there is the opposite hierarchical shape- tree/umbrella-shaped which has more bosses and less subordinates. The stability of such is very much unpredictable. There are more chaos, disorder and conflicts; there is ego, self-centeredness and all kind of blame games.

And if you are not prepared mentally, it really is hard. But I rather hope to learn more from such incidents for it is from the harsh and challenging situations that you learn most although incident such as this will remain with me. Till than until next time.