New Adventure.....Japan!

It has been a year and a half since I've added to this blog.  I don't feel like I have much to share unless we are traveling or embarking on another grand adventure.  Another grand adventure is fast approaching.  Last spring I was substitute teaching at my old elementary school, when the principal ask if I wanted to go to Japan.  Florence's sister city is Yamagata City, in the Gifu Prefecture, (not the large Yamagata up near the nuclear mess). The Siuslaw School Dist. had an exchange program for high school students every summer for many years.  Unfortunately, due to increasing cost of travel and the group responsible to fund-raise for the Siuslaw students, disbanded, so the exchange became one sided.  Last summer when the Yamagata delegation came to Florence, the mayor of Yamagata proposed a new position in the city government's Life Long Learning Department. Therefore, after much paper work, complicated translations, and a very non-specific contract with the City of Yamagata, Charly and I are heading to Japan in two weeks, for a year.  

It is my fondest hope that my title "Coordinator of International Relations," (given to me by Yamagata City), will truly become a cultural exchange.  After our wonderful experience teaching in Bhutan, we are again wanting to immerse ourselves in another culture and be a small part of better understanding and cooperation in a global community.  I am trying hard to set up some project exchanges between our two school systems.  The Japanese curriculum is very rigid and I will have to be pretty creative to convince the Japanese English teachers that science, technology, engineering, math, and art are what our young people will need to succeed in this global economy and how cultural sharing is paramount in our planet's ecological survival.  As usual I go in with lofty goals, but I am smart enough to know that slow baby steps are necessary to make any lasting changes in an educational system.  Wish me luck!

Charly is going as my volunteer "every-man."   He has already been ask to read English picture books to pre-school children at the local library, walk our wonderful translator's dog, drive me around to the many schools, shop, garden, and explore Japan.  Hopefully he will draw and read which he doesn't seem to find time to do when we are at home.  

We are trying hard to learn some basic Japanese before we arrive, it is a slow process for our "old brains."  Below are some photos of the Japanese students who came to visit last week.  We had two fifteen year old girls and an English teacher stay with us.  They giggled every time I tried to speak Japanese.  Ah, well, I like to make people laugh.  

Pictures and blogs will come at least monthly while we are in Japan.  Doumo Arigato Gozaimas, Yamagata City, for this wonderful opportunity.  

Our visitors from Yamagata City

Yamagata delegation with Florence's Mayor Xavier

Missing Bhutan

As I sit by a pool in Krabi Thailand one month after leaving Bhutan, all I can say is how much I miss the people of Bhutan and my fellow BCF teachers.  Charly and I have been traveling since we left Bhutan in Thailand and Laos.  I know it is impossible to judge a people and a culture as a tourist, but I am definitely inclined to believe that the Bhutanese people are some of the funniest, kindest, and most friendly people in the world.

Charly is also telling anyone that will listen that the Bhutanese people are the best.....hands down.  As I read the blogs of the new BCF teachers, I am reminded of my first few months in Mongar.  There will be numerous frustrations, mis-communications, or no communication, large expectations that you know "everything,"  simple challenges in diet, cleanliness, and health, and consent awareness that you do not understand the local language, customs, and religion.  Hang in there.....it will all get clearer, more inspirational, and funnier after the settling in period.  All I can personally say is that it was truly the most rewarding experience of my teaching career and I am now wishing I could have stayed one more year, especially in "The Year of the Dragon," my year.

Kendra & Kiera

Meghann & students 

Me and two of my SEN girls

Julian teaching 5th grade 

8th grade boys at Mongar LSS

Shauna teaching high school English 

Vicky playing a game with her high school class

Scott with students in Yadi 

Shauna's Bartsham high school 

Jean Daniel's students

Charly teaching art 

Lisa in the classroom 

I am posting some pictures that Zane our son and my brother Dean took during their visit to Bhutan.  The intention was to create a fund-raising calendar for BCF, but we simply ran out of time to put together a 2012 calendar that fast.  BCF teachers please feel free to email me in any way that I can help.  I am now truly retired and will have lots of time to answer your questions.  Please enjoy the photos.  

Dean & Zane's Visit

One of the perks of teaching in Bhutan is we are allowed two family members to visit us during the year.  Many of us have taken advantage of this opportunity to show our loved ones what a unique and beautiful place Bhutan is.  My brother Dean and our son Zane recently spent three weeks crossing Bhutan and back.  Charly rented a car and picked them up in Paro and drove them back to the east where I joined them.   


I thank all the wonderful BCF members who entertained us and let us crash on their floor.  Zane and Dean were able to see places and experience real Bhutanese living that few tourists ever get to see or experience.  


The following pictures are just a few of the hundred that Dean, Charly, and Zane took during their visit.  They are not in correct geographical order for you that know the geography of Bhutan.  It was great having them both here and it also gave me a chance to visit places I hadn't been before.  Enjoy!

  

36th year of teaching / the most rewarding

Yes, it is true, this is my 36th year of teaching.  Teaching is the only career I ever considered, though at one time in my youth I thought I would become a P.E. teacher.  For me teaching is all about the students, not the administration, latest researched based curriculum, powers that be at the government level, or the lip service given to the importance of education.  Teaching is difficult and time consuming if you do it right, but it is also the most rewarding, creative, and fun job in the world.   I keep telling my Bhutanese colleagues that in all my years of teaching it never got easier.  There will always be change; new philosophies of education, societal problems that teachers are to solve, inadequate funding, overcrowded classrooms, testing, testing, testing, and administrations that are always asking teachers to do more, more, more.  If you truly don't love teaching, I tell young people to seriously consider a career change.

An all school assembly during "Reading Week"

This year in Bhutan has given me time to reflect on my teaching career in the States.  I am not saying that I was not happy being a teacher in Ohio and Oregon, but this year has gotten me back to basics, simplicity, and the joy of making a difference in a student's life.  Most of the BCF teachers will flat out tell you the best part of teaching in Bhutan is the students.  They are respectful and appreciative for the most part.  Education is of great importance to them, their parents, and to the country.  In a small developing country they understand that education is the key to their country's future. There are lots of problems with the educational system here in Bhutan, all of which seem to be overshadowed by the majority of the student's desire to learn, work hard, and grow into a valuable citizen of Bhutan.

Four of my class 8 students crowded around my desk 

I am working with 56 fourth through eight level students who need help with their English skills in reading, speaking, and writing.  Most of these students are not learning disabled, but what I would call ELL (English Language Learners).  The country is just developing a policy for special education and wants an educational system for "all students."  My school in Mongar is one of the pilot schools for special education.  I work with anywhere from two to seven students at a time, crowded around my desk in my office.  There are nine of the 56 whom I consider truly learning disabled and for whom I have written a simplified version of an IEP.  I am trying to pull these nine for more one on one instruction.  Most of my students seem to enjoy coming to my class.  Perhaps because they enjoy the small group atmosphere, or the supplemental reading program that I use with them which is at their reading level.  I do go into classrooms at the 5th through 8th level to help with  special English projects or to read an essay in their text.  I love going into a 7th or 8th level class and play,  "Peace Train" by Cat Stevens, or "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell, which are in their English texts and listen to them share their interpretations of the song.  Who would have thought that my MP3 player came to Bhutan with songs from my era which are in the current English texts.

"Let's Give Them Something to Talk About"

This last month has been filled with cultural shows.  My house, Pema House, was the first to perform our songs and dances.  Along with the traditional dances and modern Bhutanese dances we performed "special dances,"  which of course fell to me to choreograph.  I did a country western line dance to Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About,"  the "Cha Cha Slide," and a whole house number (all 48 of them) doing Bobby McFerrin's  "Don't Worry Be Happy."  The last number turned out to be a big hit.  My contribution to GNH.

"Don't Worry Be Happy!"

Mongar LSS is now in full swing to prepare for the upcoming wedding of the 5th King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to Jetsun Pema.  This is a monumental event in Bhutan and our school is   planning to build a special lunch pavilion in honor of the wedding.  The king and the future queen just finished a tour of Eastern Bhutan.  They did not have a scheduled stop in Mongar, but of course we lined the road going and coming back from the far east.  Charly got to meet him up close and personal while I was doing a workshop at a small community school.  So on his return trip I was sure I would have my chance to meet him since he searches out BCF members.  He is a great advocate of education and the students listen and admire his words about the future and the importance of a good education.  Unfortunately, it was dark when he reached Mongar and all three schools were lined up to greet him, so I did not have an audience.   I still hope to meet him before I leave Bhutan.  He is an amazing young man who truly serves the people of his country.

Charly & Friends 

Charly is on route to Thimphu as I write this, to pick up our son Zane and my brother Dean for a three week visit to Bhutan.  We are very excited to share and show them this unique and amazing country.  Zane is a photographer so I should have some amazing photos to share in my next blog.  Tashi Delek!

Living in the Clouds!