Gettin' My "Boot-On"

                                                            “Booting”- Phase I:

Yesterday I was struck with what must have been one of the worst cases of food poisoning in recorded history, or so it seemed to me. I don’t know what I could have done to offend the Gods so profoundly, but the scourge and wrath brought upon my body indicated that I must have done something atrocious. My friend and fellow teachers Sarah and Tim also got hit and were thus able to share in the festivities that followed…

The rest of the group went hiking up to Buddha Point, a beautiful outlook with an enormous, golden Buddha (obviously), then shopped, bar hopped, and/or cavorted around merrily as I was crawling- literally crawling- from my bed, to the bathroom, and back. All day. I have absolutely never been in such excruciating pain.  My new pal Dave even came in my room, played the guitar and sang to me in an attempt to try to make it better (probably the kindest, most helpful thing that could have been done), but I was beyond relief.

After about 12 hours of this, my sweet roommate, Sabrina, and others thought it best to take matters into their own hands and insisted that I go to the hospital- with much reluctance on my part. 1.) I don’t like hospitals in general. 2.) I was embarrassed and didn’t want to be even noticed in this state, let along babied. 3.) I wasn’t sure I could even walk to the elevator and get in a car. But my caring friends Tara, Ashley, Sabrina, and our helper Neema helped me outside where the lovely hotel staff and owner were waiting to rush Sarah, Tim, and myself to get checked out. What happened at the hospital will make me forever grateful for Westernized healthcare. The following account is not meant to alarm anyone or to berate the Bhutanese medical system in any way, but I do believe writing is best done earnestly, so I will explain what happened, from my perspective.

Thumbs up for Bhutan belly!

The emergency room was a desolate lobby scattered with rickety old metal stools. To one side there was a little room with a lady taking patients’ blood pressure and symptoms. In the opposite corner of the ER there was a small booth, which was the pharmacy, and doors opening into a hallway that lead into two examining rooms. The lady who took my blood pressure listened to my account and wrote me some prescriptions based on my descriptions. She was not a doctor or nurse. She noted and was concerned that I had high blood pressure, but was not equipped with a thermometer or any other testing devices, so I was ushered into the examining room.

This is where the real fun began. It was shocking. There were cots lined up with people laying all over- people coughing, bleeding, kinds scampering around, no single stalls, no containment of patients (more importantly, their symptoms) or privacy. There were big blood splatters on the walls and the sheets were visibly soiled- footprints and smears of who-knows-what. The doctor, who I learned studied commerce, was impatient and curt when we asked him the name of the injection he wanted to give me. “Why would you even ask, you won’t know what it is, so why should it make a difference to you?”

A picture is worth a thousand words

“Then, no, sir, thank you. I prefer not to have any injections.”

“Fine. Up to you.”

I did not escape being stuck in the fingers twice, though, due to a failed attempt at testing my blood sugar levels the first time. Even this made me nervous as the nurse dropped the bloody test strip and put it in backwards. Poor Sarah did not fare as well as she had to have two I.V.’s and was there for most of the night. Since I refused injections or an I.V., I was free to leave. By this time the pain had begun to subside and I was on the mend. Whew!

All this being said, my fellow teachers, already dear friends, were amazingly helpful, concerned, and advocated for me the whole time, as was the hotel and BCF staff. My visit was swift, relatively painless, and absolutely free, which cannot be said of doctor/hospital visits back home. This experience has opened my eyes to the disparity in medical care between developed and underdeveloped places and it makes me grateful for the Bhutanese way of taking care of its citizens in a free and efficient manor, and Western technology and hygiene! All is well that ends well, though, and by the time I got back to the hotel I felt much better and was able to get some sleep; which leads me to the other “boot”…

Ashley got my prescriptions for me and kept spirits high!

                        “Booting”- Phase II:

Having had such a miserable time the day before, I was hell bent on making it out of my room and joining the group on a hike up to Tiger’s Nest, the oldest, most well-known Dzong (monastery) in Bhutan- the legendary birthplace of Buddhism.

"His Majesty" seemed to be quite taken with me despite my fanny pack!

I felt much better and attacked the mountain with verve, having a newly-gained appreciation for my health and body. Thanks, mom and dad for the great hiking boots! They really are fantastic! On the way up, I met Jangtrul Y Rinpoche, a Lama, who was referred to as “His Majesty”- very famous here. I told him I was a teacher and where I was going and he said that is where he was from. He wanted my number, but since I had just gotten a cell phone the day before and could not remember my number, so he gave me his.  I have to admit that this made me feel pretty darn special until I later found out that he told Sabrina he was from where she was going and gave her his number too! Ha! We’d been played like fiddles! Amazing…

Well said!

Tiger's Nest from afar

Almost there!

The rest of the hike was incredibly beautiful and the Dzong itself, miraculous. I have not felt such spiritual reverence as I did there. Once we came back down, I was feeling hungry for the first time in quite a while and had a renewed sense of vitality from the day’s adventures. I ate a good meal, and upon returning to Thimphu was even able to get some shopping done for supplies I will need at my posting. What a weekend- one of many extremes. Only in Bhutan, or should I say, “Boot-On”!

Warmest Wishes,
Reidi

Just spectacular!

"This Highway Is Not A Runway"

The above was written on an actual sign posted on the side of the road on our drive from Paro to Thimphu- meaning, I am assuming, do not fall off. As expected, driving is a dubious enterprise here; the roads twist and turn, carved into the side of sheer cliffs. This concept- stay on the road, try not to fall off- is an apt metaphor for my time here so far.

Statue in Bangkok Airport

The main leg of my journey

The last thing my dad said to me before I left: “You gotta get loose, daughter; start rolling with the punches, and be open to it all.” Truer words have never been spoken…or harder to heed. For as laid back and open-minded/hearted as I fancy myself to be, it’s painfully obvious I am still clinging to many of my Western concepts of being in control of my surroundings and the outcome of situations. Silly, silly girl…

Ashley, Sabrina, Tim, and I tired and needing showers!

The trip was just that- a trip. 35 hours of planes, airports, goodbyes, hellos. For the first time I experienced jet lag and the feeling of being surrounded by completely new, well, everything and half the world away from all I’ve ever known and loved. This in conjunction with the insomnia I was having the preceding week just put me over the edge. Breakdown. Had I not been so utterly exhausted, I am sure I would have started in on the long walk home. Sleep finally overtook me and, like a baby in desperate need of a nap, I awoke the next morning more emotionally stable and clear-minded. 

This is where I spent my first night in Bhutan

 

Awesome, in the true sense of the word!

I took this near Buddha Point, Thimphu

You can't help but to be struck by the energy of this place, no matter what state you are in. Flying in, seeing the Himalayas from above, I experienced, for the first time ever, what it is like to actually, literally have your breath taken away. Realizing that this is the culmination of my life so far hit me hard and I had to choke back tears of sheer awe and gratitude. We flew with His Royal Highness the prince (the king's younger brother) and for the first time in my life, as well, I was truly star-struck. The exquisite beauty here is utterly indescribable, almost painful, reaches into the deepest part of my soul with and reverberates in my every extremity. I look around and feel like I'm opening my eyes for the first time. 

It’s not all rainbows and prayer flags, though. The amount of littered garbage is surprising and sad, considering environmental preservation is one of the four tenants of Gross National Happiness. It's honestly pretty filthy, and the sidewalks are turned red by all the betel nut spit. It is hard to see so many mangy, feral dogs; they're everywhere. However, I think you can judge a person or country by the way it treats its animals and these dogs tolerated and ignored, rather than abused, so they are not aggressive and blend into daily life here. 

This doesn't even come close to capturing how many dogs there are

Thimphu, the only capital city in the world with no stop lights

such a great cre

To say that the other BCF teachers are cool would be an understatement. As expected, they are the most wholesome, generous, intellectual, and interesting folks I've had the privilege of meeting. It makes me pretty proud to be able to hob-knob with them as a contemporary. It is apparent to myself and others that I'm a strong, country girl; it seems to be a general consensus that if anyone can hack it out in the most remote part of Bhutan it will be me. It makes me proud of who I am and where I come from.

We met with the Minister of Education, Lyonpo Thakur S Powdyel. He was the most inspirational, moving and wise orator I have ever heard speak. (I realize I am writing in many absolutes- “the most this, or that,” but I truly do mean it…) He talked about how education can and should yield itself toward the development of the whole individual, the importance of enrichment and enlightenment of our students as sentient beings.

Minister of Education, Lyonpo Thakur S Powdyel

As educators, we are custodians to the world, and impart to our students not only facts and working skills, but a deeper knowledge and appreciation of humanity, and heightened level of consciousness. He spoke of this in terms of “moral greenery”- priming the mind and spirit of our students for growth and vitality. “The second we teach a child a new word for expression, a new note to play, a new thought to ponder, the world is instantly a different place”…what a concept…

His words resonated to the deepest part of my being and spoke to my inspiration and intuition of what teaching really is. Or should be. Idealistic? Yes. Possible? Also, a big resounding yes! This new educational paradigm is just emerging and is brand new in its development through pedagolocial practices. The concept, however, is universal. The energy generated by this dialogue coursed strongly through myself, added to that of others, and became tangible. 

Sabrina and I taking it all in

Paro

From this place of elation I once again came crashing down- became very distraught over my living/communication situation once I get out in the field.  Since I will be living on campus, rent free, I will be given the additional title of “Deputy Warden” (or something like that). This will add to what I know is going to be the most, hardest work I have ever done, and will further impede on what little free time and personal privacy I might have. I will be looked to as an expert and under constant observation: intimidating and overwhelming. Also, my school will not have internet connectivity, so I will have to use a data stick, which can be random and infrequent; so no downloading, skyping, or blogging. (Insert screeching brakes and crash noise here!) This second low point, though, has become an evaluative tool and has made me take a good hard look at my intentions and motivations for coming. If knowing these details going into this would have changed my mind then I shouldn’t be here. Time to get loose. Just try to stay on this beautiful, unpredictable road. I will.

Dzong all lit up at night

I thank those of you who have made it through to this point and actually read all of this. I will try to be more brief and concise in my following blogs, but as this is as much of a way to chronicle this year for me as it is for all of you, I didn’t want to leave anything out of this first one. I apologize in advance if my communication level takes a severe nose-dive in the near future if I can only blog when I visit friends in more urban places, if that’s even possible with my duties. I miss my family, given and chosen, more than I would have thought possible, but feel so blessed that I have that much love…

Until next time! Shoo  lay  log  jay  ge! (see you later)

-Reidi Ruth

The First Steps

Welcome to my new blog! As you probably know, I am starting this to chronicle my journey to and work in the Kingdom of Bhutan. I have chosen to move there for this, the auspicious year of the Dragon, to further develop my practices as a teacher and human being. So far, the process has been exciting and a tad bittersweet as I say goodbye to my amazingly supportive family and friends here whom I love so dearly.  I have already been pushed out of my comfort zone in grappling with how to get my affairs here in the U.S. settled for a whole year and getting my luggage weight down to 68 lbs! These little issues are so trivial, however, in comparison to the immense possibilities that lie before me. I am so grateful for all of you who have supported and encouraged me thus far; I wouldn’t be able to have done this if not for you…

Pictures of the Dragon Roots Hotel

I am departing from Denver early in the morning on Saturday, Jan. 21^st and will fly to Seattle, then Korea, where I will meet up with fellow teachers working with the Bhutan Canada Foundation, then from there to Bangkok, where we will spend the night, dog piling in the airport, then to Paro, Bhutan the next morning. I’m going to need some serious reading material for this trip! We’ll spend the night in Paro then the next day be taken to Thimphu, the capital, where we will be staying at the Dragon Roots hotel for the duration of our two-week orientation. The orientation covers everything from meeting education officials and trainings on the curriculum and Bhutanese educational system, to shopping in the local markets, and learning the customs of the culture. My excitement is palpable, and I feel like a child on the night before Christmas right now!

My little new home!

Then, after the orientation, we will all pack into a bus and drive across the Land of the Thunder Dragon, dropping teachers off at our postings as we go. I have been posted in Lhuentse, which is a province in the Northeast of the kingdom, so I expect I will be one of the last to get dropped off, which means I’ll get to see it all! Out of Bhutan’s 20 provinces, Lhuentse is the least developed, which means it is subsequently arguably the most pristine. At an altitude of approximately 7,500 ft., it really does look like Heaven in the Himalayas. Once I arrive, I will be teaching English Language Arts to grades 7, 8, 9, and possibly 10 in a village named Autsho, population 250. Autsho Middle and Secondary School is a boarding school and has roughly 400 students. I will be living on campus in the warden’s quarters in a single room with an attached bathroom. I will get all my supplies to set it up like a little apartment and partition off a kitchen and living space. I expect it will be quite different than anything I have ever experienced and I am so looking forward to having my own little niche to call home in such a far-away and awe-inspiring place… In my next blog I will be able to share pictures of all the new sites, people, surroundings and new digs that will be my home for the next year! Can’t wait!

Autsho Middle Secondary School

In terms of correspondence, if anybody would like the address of the school where I will be staying, it is simply Autsho MSS, Lhuntse, Bhutan. That’s it, no street numbers or zip codes to fuss with! Address all letters and packages to me. I will be getting a cell phone once there and will be happy to share my number with those of you who might want it. Until we meet again I wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy 2012!

Tashi Delek,
Reidi 

Provinces of Bhutan

Dzong in Lhuentse

Prayer flags are a common sight

(all above scenes from Lhuentse, Bhutan, where I'll be teaching)