24 – 30 March Bhutan Update

Things started to get into a routine this week. I will wake up at 6 in the morning, do my stretching exercise, wash up, watch BBC news, have my breakfast and get myself ready for school. School usually ends around 4 in the evening.  I will stay back to support the basketball tournament before I come home around 5.

Once i reach home, I will prepare my next day’s lunch, bath, dinner, watch a movie, do my reflection, update myself with BBS (Bhutan) news and then I huddle myself comfortably in bed by 10 pm. The routine is mundane but I am well-rested.

I got really comfortable with Ugyen and Karma, the young couple who stayed at my block as I interacted with them more. We will walk to the school every morning and chatted about everything under the sun. It is really nice to have someone around when I need help.  At times when I did not wear my kira properly, Karma will act like my “mother” and help me to adjust my “uniform”.

The school also started a new routine this week.  There is no morning assembly for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Instead, the first lesson will start 20 minutes earlier than the usual time and the day will have 5 lessons instead of 4.  There will also be a guest speaker every Wednesday to speak to the whole school.

All the regular Saturday classes are rescheduled to the weekdays to make time for teachers to attend the Professional Development Programme. I was very touched by Mr Tshering’s determination to have teachers developed and trained for the school to move up another notch.

Dr Wang was the guest speaker for the week. He set the “bar” so high that I got a bit “apprehensive” when I learnt that I am going to be the next guest speaker. I hope I don’t disappoint the school when I deliver my speech next week.  

My first staff PD (Professional Development) session started on 29 March, with an attendance of 27 teachers. It was a session to identify the training needs of the teachers and to analyse the gap between the present and future training needs. The session went on as planned and I was glad that the teachers participated in the session enthusiastically. I was blessed to have another teacher, Mr KD Yeshey and Ms Namgay to help me during the session. Though the session was good, I still felt that the 2^nd question should have been phrased more explicitly in order to gather the correct data.

General terms like “inspiring teacher” or “great teacher” did not help in analyzing the the training gap.

Anyway, what was done cannot be undone. I will make sure I don’t make the same mistake again.

Another thing that really strike me this week is the water rationing towards the end of the week. I discovered there was no water when I came home on Saturday evening. I was not alarmed by the issue anymore because the “no water” event happened on my 2^nd day stay in Bhutan. I did what was necessary and used whatever drop of water I collected from the tap.

I did not bath that evening. I just piled my dishes aside, waiting patiently for water tank to be “refilled” the next morning.  I told myself I will buy wet tissue, 2 big bottles of water to prepare myself for “future emergencies”. I truly felt that I had lived out the scout motto this week : “Be Prepared”.

I joined Karma, Ugyen, Tanin and Kezang for the Basic Unit Leader Training Course during the weekend. It was specially organized by the Ministry of Youth and Scouts, for teachers from private schools. About 30 teachers turned up for the course. It was  really nice to touch base with the brother and sister  scouts in a foreign land, where all of us are bonded by the Scout Promise and Law. Like the saying goes : “Once a scout, always a scout.” Though I have left scouting 10 years ago, it didn’t take me long to reconnect and felt the scouting spirit rekindled in my heart again.

Mr Ugyen (HOD Dzongka) and Mr Pasang (Assistant Principal) had been very helpful in getting me in touch with the student leaders. I held my first scout meeting with the students on Saturday. It was really starting afresh for both the students and me.  I should have a total of 8 sessions with them before their exam in June. By then, Ugyen, Tanin, Kezang and Karma should be ready to lead the troop as unit leaders. I believe RHSS will grow strong, both in academic and in scouts with the team of dedicated staff.

Things can only get better for me as the days pass as I continue my Bhutan journey, be it my inner self or impact to others.