I am once again struggling to
believe that the end of the year is nigh and it is time to wish all our family
and friends a wonderful holiday and break. 2014 has been a tough year for many
of us and now that the worst does indeed seem to be over, even if everything is
not yet resolved, we can only hope that 2015 will bring more laughter, more joy
and more fulfillment. We value the times we have been able to share in the past
and hope that you all continue to keep us up to date with your lives. Perhaps
our paths will once again cross in the not too distant future. Wherever the
upcoming year takes you may you be blessed with good food, good friends and
adventure, achievement and success as well as the ability to recognize the
blessings you have been bestowed.
Our time in Samtengang is coming to
an end. Exams have been and gone. Papers have been checked and graded by the
communal marking system that seems to be officially sanctioned despite its huge
drawbacks for both students and teachers. All the students I taught in the
middle school have returned to their villages and families and Ian’s little
friends make periodic appearances at school for National Day rehearsals and
Socially Useful and Productive Work (SUPW) in addition to the younger ones, who
live nearby popping in to visit Sir at home. They invariably go away with
skipping ropes or paints or something that will keep them amused and no doubt
inspire them to return again soon. Mine are more prone to Facebook and SMS
messages just to chat once they have ascertained that they passed and will be
promoted to the next level next year.
As usual we are wondering why it is
that we must remain at school making only brief and often purposeless visits until
after National Day on December 17th, more especially as we are now
receiving a constant stream of BCF colleagues and their family too in some
cases as guests and day visitors. Others seem to have easily escaped their
schools and are taking time out to travel and see some of Bhutan as they make
their way back to the capital. On December 18th those students, who
live near enough, will attend result declaration and I personally will be very
glad to see them one last time before we too make a beeline for Thimphu that
very afternoon. I guess we could have argued for being allowed to leave but it
seems unfair to expect this privilege when it is not possible for national
teachers. Although there is little left to do at school, having time to just
relax, take slow strolls through the local environs to savour the views and
familiar landscapes, cook in a frantic attempt to empty the pantry and just
unwind is certainly welcome.
There is no doubt that this has
been a difficult year in terms of the relative isolation and poor access of
this location and the often-antagonistic management style in my school in
particular. It was certainly complicated by Ian’s injury and subsequent
frequent visits to Thimphu to receive treatment but I have already blogged
about our final reflections on our schools and lives in Wangdue Phodrang
District so I will not repeat myself and instead assume anyone who is genuinely
interested will have already read the details or still can at http://intheshadowofthemountains.blogspot.com/.
We are ploughing ahead with plans
to work in Thimphu in 2015 and though the paperwork has still not materialised,
being old hands at the slow pace of Bhutanese bureaucracy, we are assuming it
will eventually happen and we must simply remain positive and move forward with
our own plans. Ian was approached by Deki School and met the husband and wife
founders, builders and directors as well as the principal and staff just after
the summer break. It proved to be less of a job interview and more a formal
invitation to join the team as he was immediately offered a position and wheels
set in motion for acquiring approval and visas. I hesitated to apply anywhere
for a long time and toyed with the idea of having a year off on a spouse visa,
before finally seeing an advertisement for the Early Learning Centre. The
reputation of this establishment is legendary and I had been advised to apply
to them by several friends and colleagues as they are expanding to include
junior high school and high school grade students next year. It is a completely
new, private, purpose-built school as is the one in which Ian will be employed.
I was wary about whether they would accept me or not but my fears were quickly
allayed after a brief phone conversation with the director, which ended in my
paperwork being forward and the approval process launched the following day.
Now yet again everything is in the hands of the powers that be and we are playing
the waiting game.
Time is ticking on and we are
eagerly awaiting the arrival on Saturday of a dear British friend, Katja, who
we met in Monduli, Tanzania. She will spend a fortnight travelling with us in
the kingdom and we are looking forward to having some time on our hands, the
road ahead and the wind at our backs, after the long hours and hard work that
has been required to complete this academic session.
Our brief spell in Thimphu is timed
to allow us to attend the final wind up session with BCF colleagues and staff
and the Ministry of Education, (Perhaps a personal plea to speed up that
approval process for our applications and visas for 2015 is in order), make one
more trip out to the orthotic manufacturer in Gidakhom, see the American physiotherapist
in the capital before his imminent return to Boston, view a possible apartment
in which to reside next year and hopefully sign a lease, as well as obtaining
the necessary road permit for Katja and us to travel. A busy 3 days there and
we will be off on our much anticipated road trip and adventure.
All that remains is to wish you all
a safe, healthy and fun-filled silly season and every happiness in the year to
come. Tashi Delek!
Peace and love always,
Vicky and Ian xxxxxx
