I’ve been meaning to write this blog post for a long time…. almost a month now. But every time I sit down to write it, I lose my words. I stare at my computer screen for a while, contemplating how to start. Inevitably, I abandon the project without writing a word.
I can’t even seem to narrow down why I can’t write. In part, I think it may be that I know that I lack the talent as a wordsmith to capture what it’s like to live in Bhutan. Putting this experience into words seems an impossible chore, and has from the moment I arrived. It’s just so different in so many amazing and powerful ways.
Also to blame is the simple truth that I just don’t seem to want to spend a minute of my time here reporting on it, instead of experiencing it. Canada just seems so far away right now… sometimes I forget that there are people at home (and elsewhere) waiting eagerly to see pictures and hear stories of this place.
During our RTW trip, we diligently photographed everything we saw, and had no problems taking breaks from travel every once in a while to catch up on blogging and photo editing. We blogged for our families back home, but also for ourselves – the blog was our record. Our journey. But again, Bhutan is different. Here, I often leave the camera at home because I want to be completely caught up in the moment… documenting the journey seems far less important than living it. So much less important that it doesn’t even rank on my list of things to do. I suppose that’s quite appropriate when in a Buddhist country. You know what they say – when in Rome…
One of the photos we have taken… this is our village of Nangkor.
Nevertheless, here is what can only ever be an awkward and inadequate attempt to introduce you to our new life here in Bhutan and to explain just a little about why it is so darn special. It is in no way complete and it certainly lacks details, but hey…. it’s a start.
Bhutan is often described as the last Shangri-La, and it’s easy for me to see why. It is the most beautiful and unique country I have ever had the privilege of visiting. Beauty permeates everything – the landscapes, the architecture, the people, the culture, the rituals, the religion, the language, and even the smallest of interactions. There is an overwhelming sense of community in everything that is done – a culture of friendliness, respect, and hospitality. Gross National Happiness is not just given lip service – it is real and tangible. The people are warm and caring, quick to smile and have an intrinsic pride in their country and traditions. They value happiness over money, friends and family over work, and community over the individual. They are open and honest about their way of life and seem to have a good understanding of the problems facing their little nation (I only use the term “little” to describe the physical size… in any other measure that matters, it is grand).
Don’t misunderstand me. Bhutan is not Utopia. Of course, like any country, it has its share of problems. With the introduction of television and the internet in 1999, the influx of foreign-made items, the seemingly universal desire for Western comforts, a road system that connects new villages every day, and a young, rapidly introduced education system, there are plenty of issues in the new democracy. On a local level, litter covers the walking paths, health care is primitive (especially in the eastern part of the country), the highways are treacherous, and the mountains make comforts difficult to obtain. There is a growing unemployment problem as more and more youth are educated to a higher secondary or post-secondary level, only to find themselves in an economy that doesn’t need their newly acquired skills and knowledge. Bhutan has had a massive growth spurt over the last 15 years, and like any adolescent it is in the awkward growing pains stage.
Nevertheless, the good and the beautiful outweigh the bad. Let me share just a few things that I love about this place:
Starting the Day with Meaning
I have never been more awed than when I first took in the daily assembly at my school. Students were reporting for the first time that morning, and they lined up in perfectly straight rows by class and section with seemingly no instruction. As the assembly began, they fell silent. Student captains led the student body in their morning chanting. Perfectly in unison, the deep baritone of the older boys and the soft, melodic tones of the girls blended together in perfect harmony and filled the space between us and the mountains. I found myself listening from a place deep within. It was surreal, listening to their melodic chants and peering out over their heads at the peaks across the valley as the sun rose in the sky. The students did not appear to be bored or restless with the routine – they remained dedicated and engrossed in the task. It was a deeply spiritual, perfectly beautiful moment that has become one of my favourite parts of each day.
Preparing for assembly
Mandatory Staff Parties
Attendance at staff parties is required of all staff. I’m not kidding… for the first party I was invited to, I had to sign in duplicate that I would attend. As I would find out, attendance was not the only mandatory part of a Bhutanese party… a strong liver, huge appetite, legs that can take hours of sitting on the floor, the ability to say no when you mean yes, acceptance that even when you mean no you will be ignored and served more, a fondness for chilies (or at least the ability to grin and bear them as the tears roll down your cheek and mingle with the snot that drips ceaselessly from your nose), coordinated group dancing, and singing in Dzongkha. All mandatory. Oh, and for the fellas – the ability to open a beer bottle with your teeth.
Of course, attendance doesn’t need to be mandatory. Everyone wants to go anyways. Spouses and children are welcome to join. Community, celebration, and togetherness are the name of the game here.
Smiles.
Everywhere I go, people laugh and smile at me. I am the first white person that most of my students have EVER met. When I say “hi” to the shyer ones on a village path, they turn and run. But first, they giggle and smile. I have had a few rather excited and animated conversations with the elderly woman that lives in the next abode. I have no idea what she was trying to say, but she smiled when she did it. All these smiles are contagious… I find myself grinning like a fool all day. Honestly, I can’t remember a time where I’ve felt so much joy so often.
The only time I have a hard time finding smiles is when I pull a camera out. Most of my students get really serious when they pose for photos. We’ve been working on breaking that habit, so that their beauty and spirit can shine in the photos.
A few of my students… I can’t help but smile when I look at this
Community
Everything in Bhutan comes down to community and togetherness. In Canada, I can spend an entire day teaching without interacting with another adult in the building. Here, my desk is in a room with half the other staff. I am never alone in the staff room, and there is almost always a conversation to be had. People work hard, but they value their time off. If teachers have a free period and don’t need to be planning or marking, they’re not. I still use my free time to create work for myself. They use their free time to tell stories until they are crying from laughing so hard…. you tell me which one is a better use of time. After work or school, students and teachers alike can be found playing football (or soccer, for all you North Americans), basketball, volleyball, khuru (darts), archery, a table game not unlike airless air hockey, and a game with rocks that I have yet to figure out. And it’s always together. I have yet to see someone go practice archery by themselves, or go for a walk by themselves, or shoot hoops by themselves… when the sun is up, people are outside and together.
Perpetual Kindness
We live 10 km down the mountain from the nearest “town.” It takes 30 minutes by car or maybe 90 minutes of walking to reach Pemagatshel. I have yet to find out the exact length of time required to walk, however, because I can’t make the trek without being invited in for tea (by someone I’ve never met), being offered a ride (whether I’m hitching or not), or stopping to watch the monkeys and langurs playing in the trees. The other day, Mike and I went up to town to visit the ATM since we were literally down to our last dollar (no big deal… everyone at the shops will let us buy on credit). On our walk back down, a car stopped and offered us a ride back to Nangkor. The young man inside (whom we’d never met or even seen before) knew we had been to the ATM and were on our way back home. In any other country, I would be concerned about his intentions in picking us up. Here, the thought of malicious intent didn’t even cross my mind. At least not until much later when a friend mentioned it on Facebook.
My Students
I am just starting to get to know my students, but they are such beautiful people. Their respect, kindness, and curiosity make me smile everyday. In Canada, it was a rare moment to get a thank you from my students. Here, the class thanks me each and every day as I leave their room.
A few of my Class 9’s and me
I am so lucky to be here doing what I am doing. As promised, this post didn’t do Bhutan much justice… but, unless you came yourself, I don’t think you could ever truly understand. Maybe that’s why I can’t seem to explain it… it needs to be experienced.
Ashley, What a wonderful post on the beauty of the people of Bhutan. I would love to go there and live for awhile; it is definitely how you get to know the country. Keep enjoying it…and smile!
I think you did an absolutely beautiful job of describing it just enough to excite someone to go visit and see for themselves. The people sound wonderful and I think we need more places with truly happy people in this world. Definitely a place I would love to visit.
It’s great to see a post! We absolutely agree that it’s hard to post when you are so busy fully experiencing and immersing yourself into the Bhutanese culture but it’s wonderful to read – Nangkor looks lovely and it’s fantastic for you and Mike to be the first BCFers to arrive there!
Thanks for sharing! I got goose bumps reading this.
How amazing! I always knew I wanted to go to Bhutan but this certainly solidified it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ashley that was awesome! For not being sure about writing this, you did an excellent job. I would love to meet the people and see the country.
Beautiful, and definitely an eye-opener as I’ve never thought of teaching there! What a cool choice you made and a touching experience it seems to be!
[…] Mike have done an amazing job sharing what life is like for them in Bhutan. Her most recent post Words Fail Me (or What It’s Like to Live in Bhutan) proves that words have not at all failed her, though it is the experiences and people that have […]
Hey Ashley,
I was there in Bhutan last year with BCF, and reading your blog brought it all flooding back – you did do a good job of describing it and I know what you mean about wanting to just experience it, even though I did end up doing a lot more blogging than I thought I would. Once the decision was made for me to leave at the end of the year, the moments became that little bit more precious, and they’re still really vivid now. I remember the last few walks through the jungle to my school and back, thinking to myself… ‘take this in, take this in’. I half-felt I’d never experience anything as intense or lovely again, and maybe I won’t. Unless I go back 🙂 Enjoy it while it’s happening and keep the moments stowed safely in memory to return to later. Hope you have a wonderful year
You did do it justice. What a comprehensive description! But you’re right, it does have to be experienced. And it sounds like you two are doing that to the fullest!
This is so interesting to read. People rarely smile where I am. They definitely don’t smile at me unless they feel they know me well. After working together for two months, my co-advisor of our maths club finally smiles at me when I see her. I think I’ve seen our principal smile twice in two months. The kids only line up in straight rows with a lot of guidance from their captains and regular nagging from teachers. They are restless during assembly, and I frequently reprimand students for talking when they should be praying. The other ladies here have warned me not to be out too late after dark. Evidently, they think after 7 pm is flirting with danger. The young men are drunk a lot in the evenings and causing all kinds of trouble–at least according to them. In general, the kids are not very kind to each other. Bullying is a real problem, and the children often hurt each other’s feelings and hit each other. (The adults hit them, so it makes sense they hit each other. It’s their primary conflict-resolution skill.) The adults are also easily wounded–everything is taken personally–and it often seems there is constant conflict.
[…] “I have never been more awed than when I first took in the daily assembly at my school. Students were reporting for the first time that morning, and they lined up in perfectly straight rows by class and section with seemingly no instruction. As the assembly began, they fell silent. Student captains led the student body in their morning chanting. Perfectly in unison, the deep baritone of the older boys and the soft, melodic tones of the girls blended together in perfect harmony and filled the space between us and the mountains….It was a deeply spiritual, perfectly beautiful moment that has become one of my favourite parts of each day.” – Ashley Lenzen […]
[…] “I have never been more awed than when I first took in the daily assembly at my school. Students were reporting for the first time that morning, and they lined up in perfectly straight rows by class and section with seemingly no instruction. As the assembly began, they fell silent. Student captains led the student body in their morning chanting. Perfectly in unison, the deep baritone of the older boys and the soft, melodic tones of the girls blended together in perfect harmony and filled the space between us and the mountains…It was a deeply spiritual, perfectly beautiful moment that has become one of my favourite parts of each day.” – Ashley Lenzen: Traveled Earth […]
[…] Words Fail Me (or What It’s Like to Live in Bhutan) Ashley Lenzen tries to express how she feels about living in Bhutan, where she and husband Mike volunteered for 12 months in a school. […]
Wandered in from Nangkhor HSS page on FB – grew very misty-eyed about my six years in Bhutan (Gedu and Thimphu), teaching English Language and Literature. Miss my kids terribly… Bhutan too. Everyone must live in Bhutan at least a year…
Any plans to come again?
My kids want me to – hopefully, one of these days! Finding that life takes time away from the living of it!