Spent Less, Saved More –What an Interesting Resolution for 2021 by BBC

I wasn't surprised by this beautiful catchphrase "Spent Less, Saved More" on the eve of 2021 by BBC. It was intended for two good reasons. Firstly unlike other years 2020 was horrible with exponential spending. Secondly it talks about the importance of saving culture.

It also meant to caution people on eating habits, buying habits, spending habits, cooking habits, dieting habits and wasting habits. The limited resources are getting depleted overly in the hand of gruesome people. However, given the power of this mainstream channel, I am sure everyone must have realized the value of resources –both natural and man-made need care and need to be preserved. 

Bhutanese complaining on skyrocketed prices on consumer goods is a reality. As a dependent society we must realize that every material and consumer goods comes with heavy cost and sacrifice. Recently I came across two very interesting Kunesel headlines. One says 'CFM vendors fight for chillies' and other states 'lack of coordination amongst officials impacts farmers' '. I could see nothing but a rally for a very inefficient system in place for a small nation. Such issues have been going on for quite some time. It needs some serious change. We need good players on the ground that can bulldoze the change we look for and not merely in the office cubicle. 

Due to the pandemic, many developed nations, which are geographically blessed and laboriously powerful, were left bemused by the chaos of insufficient food supply is a lesson especially for Bhutanese people, who survive in the hands or sacrifice of our Indian farmers. It is a warning that the worst is not yet seen.

This is no joke. 

Therefore, we need to be extremely careful in every single grain we consume. We need to make sure no food we prepare goes to waste. Remember cooking, eating and storing the right amount would save others from starvation. 

So, let us learn to "save more, spend less" is more than the BBC slogan. 

Reasons why I Like Tshokey Tshomo Karchung

Tshokey Tshomo Karchung is a Bhutanese actress. She is particularly known for her beauty. She won Miss Bhutan 2008. Karchung is the recipient of various accolades, including best female actor in lead role in several movies. 

 

Over the years, she has become a very popular film figure and one of the best actresses in Bhutan. She has worked on over 18 Bhutanese films. Her first movie was "Lo Tay Hing Tay". Scharchokpa Zamin (2011) starrer by Tshokey Tshomo and Karma Chechung went on to become one of the blockbuster movies winning several national awards. The movie takes viewers through the typical lifestyle of eastern community and the fortune she looks to have in life. She is entertaining and flawless. She is a favorite amongst our youth.

Frame from Scharchokpa Zamin

I wish she had a bigger audience for her acting abilities. I wish she would share big screens with some international film stars. I find she is deemed fit for Hollywood or Bollywood movies. I have no doubt she can become Bhutanese version of Kate Winslet in "Titanic" and Katrina Kaif in "Tiger Zinda Hai". The international front would earn not only name and fame but also financial advantage and room for our younger generation. Someday, we hope to see our own Tshokey Tshomo starring in some international movies and make us feel proud. 

 

The veteran actress Dorji Wangmo is the best, but Tshokey Tshomo is on that level. She has all the requirements and quality to be on a bigger screen for an international audience. 

Tshokey Tshomo Karchung

Picture source: google

Nine 'A': A Class Beyond "Commons"

9A with Face Mask

9A without Face Mask

One important responsibility at school is a class teacher-ship. I already have had ample experiences with science students in previous years. They are the cream of the school. They were not only the finest in academics but also very disciplined. They are relatively easy to hoard. I wasn't put into a hot chair by any of them except by a few. 

 

I had thrown once again back to the old post –"class teacher-ship". I decided to take care of a young group of pupil's; newcomers from nearby junior school. I obeyed to take care of 9 "A", the junior most class in the school. I wasn't sure how they would behave in a new environment but ready to anticipate a yearlong journey with them. I am in-charge of 30 beautiful faces with many dreams and aspirations. The class was a good mix of students mostly with local dominants. Some had joined as far as TashiYangtse and few hailed from Samdrupjongkhar. 

Initially, it took a few weeks to put everyone on board. We focused more on leadership, team building and goal setting. However, some common issues were "late comers" and a few "shrewd" behaviors. 

With chemistry lessons, we shared many beautiful dreams together. Like their promises, they all have worked so hard till the very end of the year and made everyone feel proud. They were loving and adorable, special and kind. We have created a safe, conducive, happy and friendly classroom environment. No bullying. No discrimination. I remember most classes were fun-filled sessions. 

Besides equations, symbols, reactions and theories, our discussion used to be mostly about life and COVID reminders. More importantly, we have created "everyone is a leader" attitude. The role of leadership is what we have overly emphasized and discussed everywhere and all the time. I was very successful in my undertakings; it was all due to the helping hands rendered by two captains. I owe them for everything they have given and done for the class. They have exhibited an undying support that helped me push my mission forward so well till the last day of the school. They have never failed to show the highest integrity and workmanship. They were truly inspiring. 

In fact corona virus has affected everyone but not our relationship and learning, littering and personal hygiene. We've also discussed a bad inherited "toilet trait" of a Bhutanese citizen.

More than a Chemistry tutor, I helped them build hope and dream, waste management and nature, sense of ownership and financial independence, self-care and food values, time management and sports, power of education and reading, photography and trekking. 

We had a fulfilling and a memorable year altogether. More than a class, we became part of a big family. 

Educational Leadership More than Curriculum

 I was lucky to be part of the ongoing EduTALK organized by V-TOB (volunteer teachers of bhutan) from January 1 – 7, 2021. The panelists are mixed individuals from all walks of life. It is the virtual platform which brings in the voices from outside the current education system to share their experiences, perspectives and insights.  

From day one of the session, I have been fortunate to listen to different panelists on different topics –purpose of education, technology in education, curriculum, great expectations, teacher education and professionalism growth, transmission of values and tradition and social and emotional learning. I have gained a lot of different experiences and a strong message as a teacher myself. I wish this talk might have occurred earlier than this, somewhere around the 1950's, so that I would have got better opportunities than I had. 

Some panelists go as far as to share that teaching profession is the least opted or liked job option to any graduates –sad to learn that most people openly say teaching is an easily available job or rather a very cheap job to take up and beat around the bushes. "How proudly people say join the teaching profession if one can't manage another job". However, it was interesting to get repeated views from amongst the panelists that teaching jobs are different in rural and urban areas. The workload and prestige are seen very differently. Furthermore, social stigma regarding the teaching profession is really killing the hearts of anyone in the job or wishing to join the teaching force despite substantial pay rise and other reforms.

It was good to know that teachers are overloaded with work beyond teaching job– hostel warden, mess in-charge, health coordinator, attending students to hospital, developmental activities in school, classroom and agriculture are seen as the main hindrances in the current teaching profession.  The lack of teaching materials like working models, lab equipment, computers, labs, Internet facilities, adequate and relevant training for teachers also pose another dead log in delivering quality lessons. However, some pointed out that despite lack of adequate facilities and training, our teachers in the field have done a great job so far in shaping education as expected and as prescribed. It is also seen that teachers are always in a race the moment they are inside the campus to cover up the syllabus like a rolly-polly game. There is no single moment for teachers and students to explore of their own. Therefore, teaching and learning is overly losing its place and charm. Therefore, it is felt that proper training both in-campus and beyond various aspects is felt necessary –skills like communication, practical, language and subject matters are must and should come timely.

Teachers should be teaching only. However, since we cannot expect the education system or curriculum approaches to change over night. It is best to work on how we can improve on the existing ones with better and doable approaches and how we can adopt and enhance the skills and capacities of teachers to make learning more creative, interactive, fun, holistic and interesting. 

It is the leadership who either succeeds or fails the school, which ultimately fails our future citizens. Therefore, building stronger and vibrant leadership is seen and felt deem necessary and important. Also a shorter teacher training course and focusing more on school based training on subject matters would do more justice than spending awkwardly long on irrelevant courses in teaching colleges. 

A must watch movies for all teachers! 

     To Sir, with love

     Goodbye, Mr. Chips

     Dead Poets' society

     Schools among glaciers

     Lunana –A yak in the classroom

     Taare Zamin Par

     3 idiots

Let us question ourselves on how far this is true –"poor curriculum in the hands of the good teacher is the gold, good curriculum in the hands of a poor teacher is a disaster". 

However, the question of how to make teaching noble, attractive and set a high social status is still seen as an uphill task. 

I will remain grateful to the host Mrs. Sonam Norbu, Teacher, all the panelists and participants. Education is everyones business!!!

United -What?

Caption: 

Lhadar or divine flag: The power of unity. 

May the wind spread the good will and compassion into pervading space for all sentient beings. 

My Finger Chips Story

Out of blue, my 4-year old daughter asked me for finger chips early morning, signaling that she was hungry. 

As I was frying the chips, unusual melancholy feelings ran down through my spine like a cold ice tea I had in Busan. I had all the fresh memory of how my mother used to fry and sell the chips around the locality. For 10 small rings, she used to sell at Nu. 5. Since, besides cardamom there wasn't another source of family income. It used to be arduous for my family to end meets with many young and hungry mouths to feed on. With that little hard-earned money mostly through the sale of chips she spends the money very carefully on our education expenses. 

We had our education, through the little money my mother had gathered out of such hard labor –by selling finger chips and few other grocery items like Parle-G, chocolate, etc…carrying on her back going from village to village on any occasion. She is a woman who really cares about money and has the courage to earn it and knows the value of every single buck she has in her pocket. 

Occasionally, my father used to assist her when he didn't need to attend any fieldwork. My brother and I had the opportunity to go to school, while many of my village mates who dared so much for education couldn't – some due to endless family obligations while few due to labor issues. My brother and I are lucky amongst many back then although our parents had to undergo tough financial burden to support our education besides manning village work to keep everything going and making sure other siblings don't go hungry and unattended. 

Let me share Nu. 55, and a Bata slipper story. When I get time, I share this incidence with my science students just to connect two different times. 

I was in grade three. It used to be absolutely hard those days to enjoy good meals, forget about good clothing and footgear. My brother and I completed our primary education mostly in a makeshift bamboo hut nearby the school campus. For the food supply, we go home on Saturday after school and return back on Sunday morning carrying all the rations and vegetables needed for the week or so. It was during one of the Sundays. I requested my mother to give me some cash to buy a Bata slipper, which cost Nu. 55. I saw some of my schoolmates wearing it. It was beautiful. The long-lasting nature made this slipper so attractive and ideal to me. Nevertheless, I wanted to surprise my feet that only saw Gambot with brand new Indian made bata slippers. Before she was convinced thoroughly, I had to cry bitterly hard for several hours before I departed on the long journey back to school. After several hours, she assured me the money but came with a heavy warning that I will never be asking her for any money in future. It used to be extremely hard with money those days. She has to be careful of any bucks she spent on children and for the household. Otherwise, things would turn out ugly and unkind with nearby landlords with multiple interest rates on borrowed money. 

However, these days it has become easy with everything. Money comes easily and goes easily as well. Like no other times, money these days has lost its complete virginity. Therefore, lessons on financial management must be taught in school and at home well. 

The finger chips have always held a special place in my heart and in my family. Every time I see these chips, it takes me back to my mother.  It was the great savior to my family and our education. Our education came so costly with the sacrifice of our parents and our sweating. Perhaps, I have learnt that there is no free lunch in life! 

My father's constant advice and support have made all these differences in my life. In the companion of little drinking, he has the vessel of stories to tell. More importantly, unfailing love and care of my parents have made all the differences in life. 

Talking Tourism

"…entry to Bhutan was limited to around 3,000 well-off tourists, preferably in pre-organized groups, each year. The fees paid up front are set at $200 a day –for which someone could survive for a month in India or Nepal. But it is precisely to discourage mass tourism or low-spending backpackers that the Royal Bhutanese government has adopted this policy of controlled tourism. 

 

The rationale of this highly controlled approach was explained to me later in the capital, Thimphu. Look at what’s happened in Nepal. We don’t want to sell out to tourism and ruin the country, as they have, without drawing any benefits. 

 

A fair enough point; but this control syndrome…"

 

As I was reading a book by Jonathan Gregson on 'Kingdoms belong the clouds', I came across this very important piece of information laid by the author on the tourism sector of Bhutan. I was amazed but at the same time intrigued by the fact of one-sided tourism manning. With such an extraordinary Royal Vision for the industry we've somehow failed to promote our local tourism. Knowingly we've dug our own graveyard for such unprecedented times. 

With "high value, low impact" or "control tourism" policy, knowing the impact and the limited space to roll out we're horrible misguided by the fact that one day our domestic tourism would ultimately benefit the industry like no other backpackers. 

However, this pandemic has sunk the tourism industry globally, but not like ours, countries with strongly held local tourism in place may not have felt the pain and the risk. Besides the important role-played by local tourism, it is sustainable and reliable.

Should we have stronghold based domestic tourism in the country, we may not have faced this kind of acute breakdown of revenue and jobs.