Charming Men

The men in Bhutan are very charming indeed. It is not unusual to have men stop western women and tell them they look very beautiful in kira. In fact, it’s not limited to men either. Many women also stop you to say you look very nice. I think it just shows how important their culture and national dress is to them, that they encourage others to wear it.

I must say tho’, the kira is quite a nice national dress for women. It is very elegant, ladylike and you do feel feminine wearing it. Today I had one of the senior health staff stop me and say I look much better in kira than in my suit. This is not the first time this has happened. He said if I were to wear it every day I would take his heart. How lovely is that? How many times would that happen in the corridors of your workplace?

Some of my female Bhutanese friends have been very sweet and said to me ‘I think you should marry a Bhutanese man, so you can stay here in Bhutan’. The closer I get to leaving, the more that say it. So little do they know about me.

My work colleague Pema often jokes about it ‘Ahh.. Michelle…she likes her own species..’ which is great. It gets me off the hook without offending anyone.

Tashi Delek

Dasho, Rinpoche and Yak

Last week I had dinner with Dasho Kado. It is Carolyn’s boyfriends father. He is a Colonel in the Army, a business man, and sometimes an actor. In the movie Travellers and Magicians he was the ‘official’ and archer in the opening scene of the film.

I had met him once before at the Veterans Run, and not having met previously, he rang Carolyn to arrange a more formal dinner where we could met and have a chat. At the dinner, there was also a very revered Rinpoche from Bumthang, his consort (wife), and two senior monks to assist him.

The Rinpoche was great. He even gave me his business card. Classic huh? Where else in the world are you going to find monks that hand out their business card along with mobile number and contact details? He told us we are welcome to his monestry anytime I visit Bumthang, and am free to ask any questions related to Buddhism via Dasho Kado (as the Rinpoche’s English isn’t so good). I’m only sorry I didn’t get a photo with him – but I do have it on his business card ;-).

Dasho gave me a brief background about him, he quite openly told me that Rinpoche was an alcoholic for many years, going on benders for about four days at a time, then he gave it up a few years ago and now doesn’t touch a drop. Obviously tho’ he has an addictive personality as his teeth were basically maroon in colour from all the doma he chews, and his ‘consort’ was feeding him doma most of the night.

I had not seen maroon teeth before. Red and pink yes, but maroon.. well that takes doma chewing to a new level. I just can’t imagine how his wife manages to kiss him. YUK. Now I have his contact details maybe I should send him a toothbrush?

I must say tho’, dinner and all that day really was quite tough. The night before I went to a ‘dance party’ and basically danced all night. It was great exercise. We danced to old classics like ‘I will survive’, ‘dancing queen’, though to new music like ‘Hips don’t lie’ and even the latest Hindi dance hits. I’m getting used to shaking my hips like the Indians do in those Bollywood films.. it’s quite a giggle.

So on Sunday I was quite tired from all the dancing, and the millions of drinks I consumed, but none-the-less dinner with the Dasho had been prearranged and I wanted to go. I am glad I did. Carolyn and I had a great time. I’m going to miss the informal formal dinners that they do here.

Dinners in Bhutan are quite an event. They spend hours cooking and people serve you quite formally yet you sit around the lounge suite and it feels quite like you're having an informal bite to eat. It’s completely the opposite to how I do things. When I have people for dinner I usually go for a simple meal, but eat at the table with a good bottle of wine and have a good chat.

Oh well maybe I can integrate the two when I get home.. a Bhutanese meal around the table drinking red wine and ara? Who knows..more to the point.. who knows how I am going to integrate this life back into the life I live in Perth..

Tashi Delek

Working in Bhutan

This is just a short comment about working in Bhutan. You have to report at your 'station' by 9am, then you work till 1pm and have lunch until 2pm.

Everyone in the entire country takes the lunch break. So basically you can't do anything or access any services other than restaurants. It can make it quite frustrating for the Westerner, but now I'm used to it.

If you take the normal Western work ethic, lunch (if you have it), is usually the time you tear around doing all those things that you need to do during the working week that you simply must do to ensure your life is on track. It could be paying bills, dropping off the drycleaning, buying that emergency birthday present, buying groceries for dinner etc...

In Bhutan, where the world stops, you can do none of that. You can either 1) continue to work (and they think you are CRAZY) or 2) eat lunch. There are no banks open, most shops shut and nothing is accessable. So you have to do all the things you would normally do during work hours.

Crikey.. so much for productivity. So anyway.. it's taken me a while to get used to, but now I either eat at my desk and continue my work or I meet up with one of the expats and catch up somewhere.

Another quirky thing are the change in working hours. During summer you start at 9am and finish at 5pm. During winter you start at 9am and finish at 4pm. Classic. So as of tomorrow, the winter hours set in. I'll be finishing at 4pm (supposedly). What a giggle.

Maybe that's why they have gross national happiness before gross national product. If they were to change this situation and actually increase productivity, people would riot and they country would become very unhappy indeed! HA!

The real reason behind the winter hours is that the days get shorter. It now gets dark at 5.45pm. I guess finishing early gives people time to walk home safely without getting mauled by the packs of dogs that roam this town.

All I know is that I'll probably be radical and stay back to.. maybe 5pm.. then walk home myself. Ahh.. this is the life. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.. not long now until it's back to a Western working reality.

Tashi Delek

And the winner is...

I have just come back from the Veteran Run for Poverty to celebrate the 60 years of the UN in Bhutan.

It was a pretty miserably wet morning, and for a little while I thought I was going to be the only person I knew there! Marie had pulled out the night before, and after calling Verdell at 7am she said it was too wet for her. Well like I said, rain hail or shine I was going to do it, Thankfully Marie had a change or heart and joined me and brought Mag along as support crew.

So we arrived, registered and I was happy to say it was a very well organised event. We were given a t-shirt, hat and number and were ready for an 8.30am start. There were 105 competitors which is pretty good for a wet day in Thimphu where running isn't exactly the most popular sport.

So after the offical opening by the UN, all the ceremony that goes with doing anything in Bhutan, we were off. It was only a 4K event, so it was nice to have a quick morning run with others! There were about 80 blokes and only a few women, so the odds were looking good for both Marie and I to get a place.

Unfortunately for a UN event the representation of other nations were limited to Australia and France (Marie and I!), however we did come in first and second for the womens category so we were pretty pleased. [Yes, keen observers.. not too difficult considering the odds, the fact that it was a veterans event (Marie is 24) and it was a poor turn out.. but it's about participation right? ;-)]

For Marie it was her first ever running event and she had a great time chatting to everyone. I hope she gets into then from now on, I love them. I'm just pleased I could actually participate in an organised run in Thimphu. The irony is I usually do the annual Rottnest Run in Perth with my sister Maryanne which is also happening today. So I'm just glad I was able to participate and be with her in spirit while she was doing those hills at rotto.

So back to the organisation of the event - I must say I was impressed. There was a water stop (not that they needed it), traffic control, an ambulance and members of the Royal Bodyguard patrolling to assist people if they needed it. Well done Bhutan Athletics Federation for a well organised event. Here's to more of them, and more participation, particularly by the women.

I wonder if there is a bigger international running event that could be coordinated here? Hmm..something to think about.

Tashi Delek.

Missing Bhutan

I talked to Mathias today. He has been back in Switzerland for three weeks, and of course, I am interested to know what he is missing about this country.

He has left me some wise words. To enjoy my last few months here. I can proudly attest to aiming to do so,by enjoying each and every moment and opportunity that arises for me. Thankfully, as I plan to leave, there are still new opportunities that are arising for me - including a fun run tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning I have a fun run, which is excellent and I am so looking forward to. I wanted to participate in an organised run here, so I am glad to be able to say that I will be able to. Whilst it's only a 4K event, it will be right up my ally and I am looking forward to the participation and the giggle-factor as I think about comparing this to all the highly organised WAMC (WA Marathon Club) events I have been to. It's a shame it's pouring with rain outside, but as a physical activity advocate - that won't stop me.

I also wanted to join the ex-pat choir which is also becoming a reality. We have met for a couple of weeks now, and belted out a few tunes. It is great fun and gets the endorphins rushing. We are planning to have a 'performance' [Read - informal bash at someone's house] before I leave! Now.. that should be fun! I am so glad that I can do this before I leave.

So for me things are starting to come to a close. I have organised for a friend of mine to assist me with some last minute shopping of Bhutanese style gifts for people in Perth, and that for me is almost the last thing on my list. All I need to do is trek a couple more mountains, go for a few more bike rides, circumambulate the Memorial Chorten a few times and do my final trek, then it's all done. Apart from work that is ;-). Nothing like finally getting my priorities right - huh?.

So back to Mathias.. for someone who has lived here for six months, and is now back to the realiyt of life in the Western world.. what does he miss? What are the things I should be enjoying and soaking in before I return to my home town?

Well he mentioned the kids, the open heartedness of people and the open and ready smiles. He mentioned the dirty streets, the action on the street, and he even mentioned the dogs. Well.. I'm not so sure I'll miss the dogs (particularly at night).. but who knows. The fact is, I have gotten used to them.. and they are such a central part of this place.

So I guess I am doing my best to take in all those special moments that happen along the way. That happen when you walk the streets of Thimphu. Now I have returned my car, there will be more opportunity. More time to bump into children who say 'Hello Madam, how are you?', who are just aching to practice their English, and expect nothing in return.

It is such a lovely thing, and I want to soak up some of this positive energy to take home with me. I don't want this fervor to fade away, and become another one of those memories that you have, but over time lose their meaning. So in the time I have, I want to record the small things, in detail, so they remain vivid.

So over the next two months I'll be taking my own mental pictures. Absorbing the sights, sounds, smells and energy of this place and being exactly in the moment. It's the only way to remember things in the years to come - by keeping distinct pictures and moments conciously in your mind. Oh what fun mental photography to come.

Tashi Delek.

Tashi Delek

Brr Brr

Sheesh.. it's getting cold. It does give me crisp mornings for running, which I love, but it keeps cold for most of the day. Of an evening it's immediately into the ugg boots and time to fire up the bukari.

A bukari is a wood stove, and ours has river stones on it to radiate the heat. It is going to be so valuable in winter. I plan to be a real grandma and cook on it at some stage. I think Carolyn has other plans, like us having a few nights around it sipping whisky or baileys and wondering what life will bring us next. Both of us will be leaving Bhutan in the next six months, so life will be changing a plenty for both of us.

It is getting so cold here that it even snowed the other day. Not in Thimphu, but on the mountains surrounding it. I could see snow on the peaks of the mountains. It is spectacular, however it also means that the wind is icy cold and blows the right into your bones.

On my morning runs, I wear tracky daks, tshirt, polartec, beanie, scarf and gloves. It's pretty serious stuff, but the days are so clear and there are so few people about that it makes it all worth it. It's a magical time of the day here and even moreso when you see the scenery change around you.

Last year they did not get any snow in Thimphu which is not very 'auspicious', so with the onset of an early winter, they are tipping snow for sure in Thimphu this season. I seriously hope it happens before I leave. How cool will that be?

Could that mean that my year ahead will be 'auspicious' for me? Nothing like a bit of auspiciousness in the air to keep you positive, motivated and optimistic ;-).

So with my time coming close to an end, I am really starting to relax. Perhaps the gross national happiness that is starting to settle into my bones, or perhaps it's the thought of seeing family, friends, and finishing this project. All I know is I like it.

My goal is to take the happiness home, spread it around and keep it up. What a wonderful gift to take away with me.

Tashi delek.

One Perfect Day

Well my family have left, and I will post more about the wonderful times I had with them, but I must blog the day I had today...

Today was one of those perfect days in Bhutan. We are now in autumn so the days are clear making the mountains look stunning as ever and showing off all they have to offer. The temperature is warm with the sun shining, but not too hot that you feel like you are being burnt to cinders by the sun.

So I am glad that today was the day I had arranged to go cyling to Cheri Monestry with Verdell and Marie. Cheri Monestry is located just outside of Thimphu and is perched on a hillside.

I have walked up to it before with Mathias and Nathalie and it is only a very short walk and a very lovely place to visit. However, today we were only going to cycle to the carpark below it and return to Thimphu. All up the cycle is about 30 kilometres, but with all the mountain climbing it takes ages. Some of these hills are killers to climb, and going with the two fittest women in Bhutan, this was going to be quite a challenge for me.

So I borrowed my Marie’s partner Mag’s mountain bike, and we started out at 9am, we returned at 1pm, having had about a 45minute break at the carpark. When we stopped at the carpark some of the local children came out to see us. They were little ragamuffins actually. Dirty and scruffy but kids all the same. We gave them rides on our bikes which they loved.

The actual ride to get there was tough. In fact I had not worked out my lungs like that in such a long time, and they were hurting but it was great, I’m back on the road to fitness again. I’m just pleased I didn’t stop on all those hill climbs. Returning to Thimphu however was not so bad as it was downhill most of the way.

I was trailing the other two for most of the ride, and I put it down to my poor fitness. However after reaching home, and blaming my fitness for poor performance, I felt some slight relief as Mag sent me a message to say that his minor repairs from this morning were dodgy and would explain why I was trailing the girls. Phew.. still.. I KNOW I am not as fit as them. Oh well, there is always room for improvement.

So back to the perfect day… the ride was delightful. Leaves were floating through the air, the sun was shining, the fields were golden, the villages looked beautiful and peaceful, and the company of both the girls was just great. Whilst giving my lungs a workout, I did make it pretty clear that I just wanted a leisurely ride to enjoy myself, so enjoy and take in the sights, smells and sounds I did. Ahh… beautiful Bhutan.

After that it was back to Marie and Mag’s for a healthy lunch, topped off with some French coffee (she had just returned from France with some REAL coffee. Excellent) and a couple of Swiss chocolates. Then to top off this wonderful day, I returned home to a man cooking me dinner in my kitchen.

The man was Prakesh a friend Carolyn knows that we had hired to teach us Indian, Chinese and Bhutanese cooking. So the afternoon was spent preparing and learning how to cook Yak momos, Yak Curry, Rogan Josh, Manchurian Fish, Kewa Datsi, Bamboo and Mushroom and Chinese style mixed vegetables amongst others.

I’d love to be able to do some of this cooking at home, but finding Yak meat may be a little tricky. I’d also need to cut down on the amount of oil used.

We were all shocked to see how much oil was used in the cooking. Honestly my arteries were screaming while Prakesh was pouring it in. I was scribing the recipes down so it was Half a cup of oil here, one cup of oil there..in EVERY dish. It’s no wonder the Bhutanese don’t have high cardiovascular disease problems.

It was great fun afternoon tho’. I can barely believe that all this action happened in our tiny kitchen. Just toward the end of the marathon cooking session when I was in the shower, we had a power blackout. Thoughts of all this half cooked food being spoiled was creating momentary angst, but after lighting all the candles, and getting used to cooking by candle light, power was restored. Phew – dinner was saved!

To eat all this food we invited some Bhutanese guests over for dinner, and they were all so happy with the tasty dishes. It was an enjoyable evening topped with my favourite Bhutanese tipple - Ara with butter and egg. It’s another artery hardener, but it’s quite unique to this country and very potent.

So my perfect Bhutanese day was a sensory delight. Jam packed with exercise, sunshine, beauty, people, and cooking. For me, you can’t ask much more than that.

Tashi Delek

Teaching the Monks

A couple of weeks ago I asked my Canuk friend Verdell is we could join in on her class to teach some little monks English. She was stoked with the suggestion, as she is always looking for new material to teach them.

Teaching the monks at one of the Thimphu monestries is a volunteer role that quite a few chillips do here. As the boys become monks at a young age, they don't get such a great schooling and their levels of English are quite poor. For example in Verdells class, where she teaches those with the poorest English, she has students aged from 5 - 25.

But after witnessing what she does today, she is a marvel! Despite never having been a formally qualified teacher.

So today was 'The Brearley's plus Mish' Aussie English lesson # 1 at Dechenphadrang Monestary. It was one of the most memorable experiences I have had here.

As part of our 'lesson' (completely impromptu), we talked through a calendar they bought over with them that had pictures of Aussi animals in it. We did the actions associated with each animal such as hopping for kangaroos, created big flapping jaws for the crocs, Kookaburra laughs and other things and it was great fun.

These little monks don’t get much play and they have no regular contact with their mothers, so this place is lacking a bit of love. Many begin monastic life from the age of five, so while they are really cute, dressed in red, with shaven heads and with big smiles, they are also usually dirty, anemic, craving love and have no female attention. Poor loves.

So to bring some cheer, genuine smiles and laughter back into the lesson we played games. What a crack up! We played ‘If you’re happy and your know it clap your hands’ which is quite fun (and ironic with Gross National Happiness and all!), Cat and Rabbit, ABC, I’m a little teapot, and my favourite.. ‘Hokey Pokey’, Geez.. that was great! We also played a modified ‘Simon says’, which became ‘Dorji says’ which was great fun as well.

The kids had a crack up, and as is expected in Bhutan there were moments when we had to shoo away the cat and dog that happened to wander into class. I love these moments, and I loved that my family was there to see them too!

It was such fun to see the littlies interacting, having fun and just playing. For me, it was such fun to see my family enjoying themselves and taking part in this, and event so few tourists (actually none!) get to do.

I’m not sure how much English the kids picked up, or if they remember much about Australia, but they had fun. As Verdell says, having fun is her main mission when she goes to teach classes. If she can make them smile, laugh and giggle – then it’s mission accomplished.

It’s a far cry from the chants, structure and discipline they receive in the monastery, and I give her full credit, along with all the others that volunteer their time for doing it.

In Verdell's mind, giving one hour once a week to provide a bunch of kids a bit of light and loving is a marvellous thing. She says she gets more out of it than she gives. No wonder she wants to do it all the time.

Tashi Delek.

Looking for the silver lining

They say that every cloud has a sliver lining...well i've been looking for it here, and there are many many clouds to choose from.

Since my family arrived on Friday, it has been raining. Non stop. Rain, rain, rain, rain and more rain. The irony is today is 'Blessed Rainy Day' which doesn't really help the situation either.

It has not rained for three consecutive days the entire time I have been here. So the position I am taking is that the rain is here to show my family the 'diversity in weather patterns' this country has ;-) and appreciate the 'silver lining' that it brings.

To be perfectly honest, with all the rain comes raincloud and the raincloud makes this place look even more mystical. When you are up this high, there is cloud everywhere, and I know it is not going to last for the next two weeks, so it does give a different comparison for these guys to compare the future sunny days to.

Secretly I am hoping it will not rain on the Druk Path trek which starts on Thursday as no one likes camping when they're wet.. in any country! Oh well..I'll make the best of it if it does. There will be plenty of card games to learn, whisky and coffee to drink and time spent catching up with the family.

Maudie, John and the kids have been just wonderful to be with. The kids are just excellent. Well mannered, intelligent, respectful and just good natured. A total credit to their parents and their excellent parenting. 'Just go with the flow', has been the Brearley motto, and it has been just tops. I couldn't have asked for better guests.

They loved the accom I booked for them (which incidently was where I stayed for the first four months), and have just been absorbing and 'oo'hing and ahh'ing' for the past three days - despite the rain!

I took them to a 'flash' restaurant on Friday night, which I had been wanting to go to for a while, and experienced some really tasty Bhutanese cuisine. The next day, we hooked up with a very excited Tashi (Lobzang and Kinzang's eldest daugter) and watched her school performance. The school principal greeted us, and we felt like the chief guests!

Then it was an afternoon of momos, excitement at the vegie market, buying kira for Annabelle, memorabilia for Joseph, watching a traditional archery match, then to top it off the final of the district school dancing competition.

We saw all this traditional dancing done by the kids and it was great. Seeing all the littlies dressed in weeny kira and gho is so cute.

Today they did their own thing in the morning, then I drove them to Tango Monestary for a short hike, some mystical views and some rare encounters with squirrels and birds. It was lovely. Then I could show them to the BBS tower, for the best views of Thimphu and lastly dinner with Tashi, Tenzin and Ama (Lobzang and Kinzang's Mum). It was a great day, all 'round.

For me, the best thing about this whole time is having people that know me, seeing me here. It is the best. To see me outside of the context that I have for myself in Australia and seeing how life is for me here is so special. I really feel at ease in this country, and I know they do too.

John (bless 'im) doesn't want to leave, so it will be a little tricky for him to say goodbye methinks. I saw Mathias today and I can feel he is going through a similar thing, and he has been here for six months not three days!

My dear friend Mathias leaves on Sunday. One week today. We are going to have a farewell for him tomorrow night, which will be rather sad. We have had some pretty fun times and shared some amazing experiences, so it will be sad to say 'au revoir' and have the last three cheek kiss from my Swiss friend.

For me it will be another reminder that my time for the same is only around the corner. I know the next three months is going to fly. I'm a little worried and wonder if I'll get it all done, but I guess there is only one way to find out. Dive in and give it a go.

But first things first, I have family to enjoy, treks to do and Tsechu's to dress up for. Ahh.. such is life in Bhutan. I'll keep making the memories, and for the next few weeks so will my family.

Tashi Delek