Thimphu orientation

We have been in Thimphu for almost a week now, shopping, exploring, eating many new and strange foods, but a few highlights of the week have been meeting the Minster of Education and buying our kiras (women's long skirt),toego, (short jacket over the kira), and gho's for the men.

The Minster of Education greeted all sixteen of us in his office and delivered a very inspiring speech.  He has great hopes for the careful growth of education and the well-being of the people of Bhutan.  We are charged with helping English education in the schools and sharing the vision of GNH (Gross National Happiness) with our students.

Thimphu itself is a large busy city with many new places to explore.  The farmers market on Friday and Saturday is one of the best markets I've seen anywhere.  Charly (my husband) and about eight other teachers hiked up a mountain to a very large Buddha being built overlooking the city.   My knee was not cooperating with the hills yesterday so I did not hike all the way with them.  I need to do my daughter Caitlin's knee strenghtening exercises everyday because Mongar is not down in a valley but built on the side of a mountain, so there are very few times I won't be walking up or down a hill.

We are going to have a few lessons in  Dzongkha (the national language) tomorrow and the next day, but the language spoken in Mongar is Sharchopka.  It is amazing to me how many languages Bhutanese people know.  There are very few people in Thimphu who don't speak at least a little English and we have met many who speak English with great vocabulary and pronunciation.  They start lessons in English and Dzongkha at the same age as kindergartner's in the States.  So my former kindergartner's back at Siuslaw Elementary School would be learning to read and write in two other languages other than English.  Amazing!

I'm not exactly sure what I will be teaching in Mongar but I have looked at the curriculum guides for levels 1 through 6 in English.  The standards are very high and I look forward to sharing the strenghts and differences between students in Mongar and my old school in Florence, Oregon.  I am ready for the challenge
and opportunity to do something "totally different."

Charly and I are both very glad so far that we made this journey to a truly unique and interesting country.  I will probably not do another blog until we are settled and have started school in Mongar.  

Charly & I on footbridge near market 

Classic administrative building