22nd January 2016
 |
| Some of my home class 7B invite me for a final farewell party |
There have been so many goodbyes as my year
in Bhutan has come towards its end, and all have been very difficult and much
more emotional that I could have anticipated. I would never have thought that I would make such strong
emotional connections in such a relatively short period of time.
Though, saying that, I knew from my
previous visit to Bhutan that there is something about the country that works
its way into one’s psyche. Maybe
sometime I might try and elaborate on that….
 |
| 7B class captain, Namgang Dorji. A lovely young man with real leadership potential |
In summary, the goodbyes consisted of an
attempt to say a few words to my home class on the last morning of classes
before exams; another gathering, at student request, of some of my home class
once exams were finished; the formal farewell bonfire for class 8 leavers; my
formal farewell from school; result declaration day; individual visits; farewell
dinners with my best friends and neighbour; the final distribution of unsold
goods to my kidu boys; leaving Kheni and saying farewell to the girls at
Gyelposhing.
My attempt at a few words during the last session with my class 7B home
class resulted in my voice breaking and tears in my eyes, which was only
mirrored by many of the class – nearly all the girls and many of the boys. So many from this home group have
become very dear to me.
 |
| 7B student Norbu Gyeltshen. A delighful "orphan boy" as he describes himself |
Students here write that teachers are like their
second parents. For the 26 boarders in my home group, they certainly see more of
their teachers than their parents. Some of them have been boarders since they were 6 year olds in class PP... and a not insignificant
number are orphans who live with siblings or grandparents.
I had many cards and letters
from these (and other) students throughout the year and promises of never
forgetting me. One of the most
touching written communication was from Norbu, who expressed the wish that we
meet again as parent/child in the next “generation” (reincarnation). Prolific thanks and gratitude were
expressed in these letters, the students’ gratitude is very real and makes
every effort and any hardship
worthwhile.
I spent some time setting up a student email account
and student Skype account and enjoyed Norbu’s delight in sending and receiving
his first email and having his first Skype conversation, albeit with me who was
just outside the door.
 |
| The farewell bonfire for class 8 leavers |
The next farewell was an unexpected request from my
class captain, Namgang, to come and meet with the class after their exams were
finished. I complied and about
half the class were present to give me a farewell party – juice and
“chocolates” (the generic word for any sweets) and a gift for which the
students had taken up a collection.
Namgang and Pema had gone shopping and chosen a pair of pretty covered
china mugs – a very kind thought.
I assured them that these would be packed carefully for my return to
Australia and I would think of them whenever I used the mugs. More tears ensued and I gave them all
big hugs. I really will miss them.
 |
| Class 7 students line up ready to receive the class 8 students for the farewell bonfire |
The formal farewell bonfire for the class 8 leavers
(not all of class 8, some had not passed a sufficient number of subjects and
would be held back to repeat the year) was held on the evening after the last
exam and was attended by classes 7 and 8 and staff. Namgang had asked me to help him compose a speech, and I sat
with him to explore some ideas and said I would check his final written speech
for him, but he was told that only class 8 students would speak. This young man has such amazing
leadership qualities, I really hope he is school captain for 2016.
The bonfire started as a large tee-pee shape and was
lit with the aid of an inordinately large
quantity of volatile fluids, a
practice that always makes me a little uneasy. The food and drink was much the same as for any school or
village social occasion, with tea and biscuits followed by alcohol for the
staff (discretely served in mugs to pretend it was only tea) then dinner.
 |
| Class 7 students seated ready for bonfire celebrations |
Dinner was followed by entertainment and words of
wisdom. It would have been nice to
know that staff, particularly teachers of class 8, were expected to each
contribute something to the words of wisdom and I could have been better
prepared and practiced to avoid emotions. My emotions did, of course, trigger a similar reaction in
some of the students, and some of the teachers – even those with whom I was not
particularly close.
 |
| Sangay Yangden from 7A invited me for several excursions |
I told the students that it really had been a truly
amazing year for me and gave them advice about considering carefully, in a
changing world, what changes they adopted and how they integrated this into
their traditional culture and practices – not everything new on offer is
particularly good or desirable in the long term. To always value their own traditions and culture amid the
change can be a cornerstone of sanity and strength.
Student spoke variously in Dzonkha and English, and
after the class 8 speakers, the floor was open to class 7 speakers. One of my smarter but more unlikely
students gave a farewell speech (in English) which one of my
colleagues kindly interpreted for me.
Namgang came out to give his speech, but lacked the confidence to give
an unprepared speech in English, although he speaks well publicly. He spoke in
Dzonkha – with apologies to me for doing so, which was really sweet.
I also wish I had been warned about the
entertainment….. all staff were
expected to contribute and it was with great reluctance that I took the
microphone for a poor rendition of “Advance Australia Fair”.
 |
| Thinley Jamsho from 7A A very intense and serious student |
After an assortment of students performed their
skits, dances and songs, the final farewell dance / song was performed – a
circle dance around the campfire – something that always challenges me to get
both the steps and hand movements coordinated.
Dear little class 7 Sangay, who had invited me on
excursions during the year, including visits to her grandparents’ village and
homes, had asked if she could visit before I left, so of course I agreed. She came with a farewell gift of a mug
and heaps of oranges, groundnuts and sugarcane and while thanking her profusely
I did request that she not spend any more money on buying me gifts. Her family is very poor and have
already been more than generous towards me. I asked that she visit again the day before I left Kheni,
and gave her my water filter – in the hope that this might help to maintain her
family’s health, particularly in the monsoon season.
 |
| Highly gifted Nima Wangchuk from 7A From a very poor family |
Thinley had also expressed a wish to see me again
after exams finished, and had said he would come and visit and sleep at my
house for a night or two (his village is 3 hours walk away). Not sure that I felt totally
comfortable to have adolescent male students invite themselves to spend a night
in my house, I told him I would check with the principal (entertaining students
at home is against the staff code of conduct) and subsequently suggested we
meet for a picnic lunch halfway between Kheni and his village. Note to self: when agreeing on a meeting point, it is
always useful to ensure one’s knowledge of the geography of the area…. I passed the turnoff meeting
point and about ¾ hour later, when I was more than half way to Jangphutse,
decided that I had cone too far, made some phone calls to confirm, and turned
around to come back. Thinley was
not at the meeting place and it was well past the appointed time. I thought he may have gone looking for
me, so sat tight and eventually someone passed who spoke English and confirmed
that Thinley was indeed on the path to Kheni.
 |
| Neighbour Sithar and friend and colleage Zangmo at my farewell |
 |
| A very thoughtful gift from the school: locally made and hand turned covered bowl |
My formal farewell from the school was a shared
farewell with one of the retiring cooks and was held in the school multi
purpose hall. Like all staff
functions, we gathered more or less at an appointed time and waited until
someone thought it appropriate to go inside. I was directed to sit at the head table with the retiring
cook – a bit boring for both of us with little shared language and only
non-verbal communications about how cold the draft from the door was.
 |
| Momo making marathon with Phub |
Tea and biscuits was accompanied by formal speeches
and the invitation to all staff to speak – Zangmo gave a most touching speech,
and then alcohol was served, followed by dinner and a most unusual departure
from the norm. Disco dancing. The previous evening had been a baby
shower, and the younger male members of the community had brought a sound
system and dancing ensued. I had
made a comment early in the evening that I would dance at my farewell if there
were disco lights and hey-presto, a small revolving device was attached to one
of the stage lights to provide disco ball effects! There were many expressions of surprise by Vice Principal
Kencho at this departure from village norm, he had not been present the
previous evening, and I did have to point out that it was not my
influence. Lots of fun was had by
all – more so by some than others as I observed those who seemed ready to continue
their entertainment privately afterwards!
The elasticity of the marriage commitment seems considerable – when the
cat’s away….
 |
| The view from the end of my road looking up the valley towards India |
Zangmo
suggested it was time to disappear around 11pm, as some were getting somewhat
inebriated and we did not feel the need to be escorted home….
I was absolutely rapt with my gift from the school,
a beautiful covered hand turned wooden bowl, a speciality of the Trashiyangtse
area. A lovely memento of my time
in the far east of Bhutan and at Kheni school – not that I think my memories of
that will fade for a long time.
Both Phub and Zangmo had invited me to farewell
dinners, and the diner with Phub was actually an impromptu one of momo
making. It was a most enjoyable
evening after which she gave me a farewell gift: a small and very beautiful statue of the god of health. A more formal invitation had to be
cancelled as her visit to hospital in Yangtze with her sick newborn turned into
an extended stay. I was so glad
that we had said farewells just in case this happened. I will miss her a lot.
 |
| From the end of the road: looking up towards the lakhang |
There was also a delicious dinner with Zangmo – she
makes the best ever snacks to go with drinks: crispy noodles are mixed with onion, chilli, coriander and
tomato. Very morish.
For my last night in my house, my neighbour Sithar
invited me to share dinner - an invitation which also included other
neighbours, and food was prepared as a communal effort by all. Very enjoyable. I don’t think I cooked dinner for
myself for nearly a whole week.
 |
| The view of Kheni cluster village from the end of the road |
Results declaration was quite an odd opportunity to
see the students again. I had
declined an earlier departure from Kheni since I had promised the students that
I would be at results declaration day on 18th December. Some students were uncertain of the
date (judging by the phone calls I had from students inquiring about it) and
others uncertain about the time – some arrived at school just as their name was
announced for their prize! Others
arrived after their position in the class was announced.
 |
| The path down to Zangmo's house |
 |
| Principal Gyelpo Sherpa, daughter Tshering and one of my favourite small boys, son Narwang |
After the final pack up on the morning of my
departure, I went for a walk for one last look at the amazing view from the end
of the road and to drop a few items at Phub’s house. As noone was home, I left the items with Sister at the BHU
and said goodbye to her and her son Tenzin – one of my home group students. She encouraged him to do something
about which he was hesitating: a
gift of a mug – this one a coronation mug. Apparently he had wanted to do this for some time but had
felt a little shy about it. He’s a
capable boy, but as a second child lives in the shadow of his very academically
successful brother and tends to work hard only when motivated externally by a
strict father. I have tried to
talk with him and ask him to think about what is going to motivate him when he
goes to boarding school in class 9.
Who knows how much that will give him food for thought?
 |
| 8A student Tendi Wangmo "Just one more hug Madam" |
As I left Kheni, Zangmo came to say goodbye, as did my very kind
school principal – along with his 2 children who brought me a gift of 2 shiny
Nu1 coins – a response to my comments earlier in the year that I had not seen
such items despite the maths text book referring to them regularly.
Hugs and farewells were exchanged all round, and
Zangmo’s admonitions of “don’t cry Lynne” became a bit of a catch phrase,
albeit unsuccessful. I have, over
the year, developed a very close relationship with her and will miss her enormously. I am so lucky to have 2 ladies in the village
with whom I became such good friends – subsequent discussion with other
overseas teachers suggested that some women have difficulty in forming close
relationships because of social structures within the villages.
 |
| 8A student Dema Choden |
I had trouble controlling my emotions all the way
from Kheni to Trashigang. It was a
most amazing experience and probably one of the best years of my life.
The final farewell with the girls from Gyelposhing
was also very emotional. There were hugs and tears as girls said goodbye to each other and to the staff. My newly adopted family members were there to say their special goodbyes to me.
I had
thought I wou
 |
| Farewelling the Kheni girls on the Tshencarla bus |
 |
| 8A student Lungten Dema with her adopted sister dance teacher Cha |
No comments:
Post a Comment