Thank You My Teachers

As I write today here, and as I write about my Teachers’ Day, all that comes to my mind is ‘Thank you,’ ‘Thank you,’ and ‘Thank you.’ Today, I write words of excitement and appreciation. Words devoted to many great souls. This short note is in honor of all my teachers and professors and the life you all have made me. Truthfully, a million pages of gratitude are not enough.

I thank YOU ALL a million times, for what you have done is sometimes more than anyone else could. When I first came to the class, I was nervous and skeptical, but there was just this huge abundance of fine people who helped me to get my groundings. Thank you all for teaching, thank you all for guiding, thanking you all for showing a smooth path in learning and reading literature. You have been the best friend, a teacher, a guide, and a parent.

Thank you for all that you are and for all that you did, and for caring us. We know your work is more to you than just a job, it is a calling, and for that, we are so grateful for your sacrifices.

I have learned to read better. I wouldn’t have understood that the world is round, or there are many countries like ours, or who is me? What? How? Why? and etc, etc if it weren’t taught by you all.

You all deserve a huge congrats and thanks. Who could forget our amazing trip? Who could forget our noisy class? Who could forget the charming and angry faces, where you get annoyed with too many works and responsibilities? There are many good things to be remembered…

I probably can’t thank you all enough.

Thank you for everything, my teachers.

I am happy because while I cannot be with you all with me, I can at least keep the memories with me always in my heart.

Thank you very much, Mrs, and Mr. xyz.

Mass Cleaning Campaign

Out of many health activities in the school, mass cleaning campaign is one of the important activities in the school. On 28^th April, Darla school conducted a mass cleaning campaign. We called off the afternoon class, and students and teachers gathered in the assembly ground. The campaign begun with area distribution from classes IV to V. And the theme of the campaign was made loud and clear to the students. The theme was, “Clean Darla, Clean Bhutan. Clean Bhutan, Clean Earth.” The students and teachers went to the last point of the area singing the theme and requesting parents to come out and clean. The health club members also had various massages written and pasted on their back and front part of the body.

The mass cleaning campaign covered the town and villages of Darla. Many classes of students and teachers went as far as three kilometers from the school to clean and create awareness. We covered Darla bazaar, BPPL, Police gate, RNR, and Darla Lhakhang.

The presence of the public in the cleaning campaign was requested in the teachers-parents meeting, and for that, the health committee also sent letters to bazaar thsogpa, BPPL,and the Darla Gup. Except for a few shopkeepers for a few refreshments, a few people from Bazaar, no public came forward to clean on that day. Our main aim was to create awareness among the public. But we feel that we have created while we went out singing our theme loud. The presence of few public didn’t deter as we have huge numbers of students. Not only did our cleaning well but also have lots of funs. The cleaning campaign was a successful one as we collected almost 50 sacks of waste.  When we gather back in the school, a bottle of litchi juice was given to quench thirst from the scorching heat of the day. Below are some photos of the day.

TA/DA Rush

Teachers outnumbered civil servants in Bhutan. So, when small opportunities like invigilator duty come, there is a rush.  We had a selection for invigilation last time, and it was lots of hullaballoo. Everyone wanted to go - when it was time for getting, but when it was time for work, nobody wanted to do. This is the nature of humans and the nature of (especially) Bhutanese.

I didn’t go for almost seven years, and when I tell them, they have many reasons. I have my say too – many, in fact, but they wouldn’t listen to my stand, I know. I remain silent. And it is better, everywhere. To voice a voice is different here. One is treated like a bad criminal. SHIT!

There were some criteria, and these criteria are meant for breaking. Only a few follows, and most of the time they were broken by the heads. There were some teachers who got even if they didn’t qualify for any criteria. Within the same year they went out with lots of TA/DA, but that same teacher qualified for the game. I don’t understand if it’s due to their sycophancies or some sort. And it’s unfair.

I have observed that opinions and suggestions are never respected. They are taken as negatives and often sailing against the current. I only feel if an opinion either respected in the western countries. But here, it is taken as aggressive, and negatives, and looked down. I feel, to improve and better our relationships, it’s very important to listen to others. BUT who listens. EEERRRR!

Special Dedication Week to our Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

This week is celebrated as ‘Special Dedication Week’ to His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo on His 60^th birth anniversary in Bhutan.  Every day–for–a–week, we are having different messages and programs. We light butter lamps for the king which is arranged (a small altar) in front of the assembly ground. We sing Zhabten(a special prayer for long life). Many students’ speakers spoke about the fourth king in the morning assembly. There were also quiz questions based on the fourth king’s life.

We solemnize this week to our living legacy. We express and show our gratitude, honor, homage, accolade, commendation, felicitation, wish, pledge, gratefulness, thankfulness, appreciation, greeting and pay tribute, and we pray for his happy and long life. To honor the occasion, I recounted a short fact about the fourth Druk Gyalpo during one of my a week duties (Teacher on Duty)

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born at Dechencholing Palace, Thimphu on 11 November 1955, to the Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and Her Majesty Queen Grandmother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck.

                                                         

The mantle of leadership, when Bhutan was at a crossroads both domestically and internationally, fell on him, on June 2, 1974, when he became the king of Bhutan at the age of 18.

He married to the four queens, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck and Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, who all are daughters of Yab Ugyen Dorji and Yum Thuji Zam.

He brought many landmarks developments, like construction of Chukha Hydropower Project, road networks, decentralization of administrations, opening to tourism, became a member of many organization like WHO, UNESCO, World bank, IMF, SAARC, established RIM in Bhutan, established Gewog Yargay Tshochung, etc…

During his reign, he firmly established our status as an independent, sovereign nation.

During his reign, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck expanded diplomatic relations with many foreign countries. His Majesty foreign policy deepens Bhutan’s relations with many countries especially India. Bhutan also received many high-level foreign visitors including various Prime Ministers of India; Yasser Arafat; Prince Naruhito of Japan, the King Birendra of Nepal, Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh, and I.K. Gujral; and Prince Charles of Wales, to name a few.

The country overcame the militancy of the southern rebels in the 1990s. His Majesty led the "operation flush out" team against ULFA, KLO and NDFB militants. The well-armed militants from Assam and Bengal had illegally entered jungles of southern Bhutan and camped in some 30 locations while carrying out attacks back in Assam and Bengal. Our King personally headed the military operation and flushed them out in three days, which might have brought a security threat to the country.

The Fourth Druk Gyalpo, also drafted the Constitution of Bhutan with his people, providing the legal framework for a democratic, political system for Bhutan. The drafting of the Constitution for the kingdom of Bhutan is an exemplary stride towards democracy. In many countries, the changes in the system of governments were brought externally through revolution and public strife. However, the Bhutanese are fortunate since the change came as a gift to the people of Bhutan from the Throne. The Constitution was offered to the people at a time when the country enjoyed unparalleled peace and stability with total harmony and unshakable fidelity between the King and the people.

The fourth king abdicated the thrown for the people in 2006 and in favor of his son Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

A larger than life figure, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck is a national hero of different historic dimensions and aspects of national status and life. His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck is the creator of GNH (Gross National Happiness) and the Father of the Nation.

I also recited a short oath to our king which I have written very recently:

Our joy ring, we sing

Long may our land be bright

With freedom’s holy light

Great God, our king.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

United, peace and spring of development brought

Thank you.

Long live our beloved king.

May His Majesty enjoy many years of happiness and may the flag of Pelden Drukpa continue to flutter high under the reign of his son, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

Long live the Fourth Druk Gyalpo! Palden Drukpa Gyelo!

 

Not only me, our students also read so many beautiful messages and tributes to our king.

One of these messages is written below; which was read out by Mr. Dawa Thsering of class V B. I wrote this piece for him.

My King: The Jewel of our Country

My king, my country’s king. He is helpful to all the people. He worries about his country. He makes good decisions to help people when any problem comes.

I am glad to have a smart and brave king. He guides our small nation with great love and affection. He is guiding us to the realms of modernity without sacrificing our great tradition. He is our guardian.

My king is my parent. He is very popular everywhere. He has built many schools and hospitals, roads, electricity, etc, for his people.

I have my poem here for you, Your Majesty.

You are the bud of love

And country’s king

You are so special

You are the king of many great hearts

And jewel of our country.