Letter to college

Date: 31/10/2018

Royal Thimphu College

Ngabiphu

Thimphu

Subject: Gratitude for inspiring education in Bhutan and beyond

Dear College, 

Congratulations for completion of 10 years successfully, you have made it. We are proud of it. I am delighted. Happy celebration for a decade of inspiring education in Bhutan, and many years to go. Best of Luck in advance. 

Every letter usually begins with some anecdote, and end with some allegory but, today, I can't find a narrative to narrow my three years' worth of history into a metaphor for this moment. Thus, thank you for pardoning me. Not too long ago, 2012-2015, I was also enjoying the serenity of your campus and receiving the profound wisdom from mastered lecturers you have gathered. And now after spending the three successful years with you, I felt it istime to thank you.

I am scribbling to express my gratitude, and to express my love for you. Thank you for being a second home forme; you have provided me the best hostel, where I have learnt value of relationship, caring and sharing; clean classroom for better learning experience, and the lists go on. Thank you for offering us diversity of professors in my life which I had great conversations with them. You brought real life experiences, where I have put my passions into practice. Thank you for being the place where I have discovered myself. You have pushed me to my limits intellectually. You have pool of bright and quirky resources. You have helped many to grow. Thank you for the experience of a lifetime; I will never forget or take for granted.

Today, on this important occasion, I want to leave knowing the immense power and privilege I enjoy by being one of your graduates. I got chance to laugh through the embarrassing moments, cry during the stressful weeks, and celebrate when I have reached mygoals.

I am beyond blessed to have had the experience with you that I had. I love that I could come back anytime and be welcomed with open arms. I look forward to coming back and giving back to you that gave me so much. Thank you for everything.

The world is wrought with problems, but you, RTC has solutions; inspiring education in Bhutan. Thank you. 

Kadrenchhey, la and once again happy celebration and successful life ahead. 

Thanking You

Yours Sincerely 

(Geden)

Your Student

The Cultural Dilemma in Bhutan: Self Reflection

Disclaimer: I am neither cultural experts nor good writer; thus, I would like to inform the readers that the views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the text are not meant to go against any one. I have just written to short answer the question on “What is an urgent challenge in my country?”. Forgive me if my answer is wrong.

Photo: www.google.bt

Bhutan being sandwiched between two most populous nations in the world, her survival as an independent nation rests on its unique cultural identity.  Cultural identity is Bhutan’s shield against the negative and disrupting influences of modernization and globalization in absent of military might and economic power. Cultural is dynamic, thus, Bhutan’s cultural landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace. Yet, some of us ask what really constitute in Bhutanese cultural identity. And only few people are bothered about the changing cultures in the society and nation as a whole. The traditional animistic and Buddhist belief systems are now being replaced by modern scientific knowledge. Change is very prominent mostly in the urban areas, both in the form of tangible objects and intangible behaviors and beliefs. Therefore, Bhutan is at crossword of traditional and modern world. Do people of Bhutan know what really constitutes in the Bhutan cultural identity? Is Bhutanese adapting the modernization in right direction? What kind of Bhutan can one envisage in future in terms of cultural identity? The above embedded questions are still lingering in mind of people and globalization is in their own fast pace around the globe.

Bhutan’s cultural discourse cannot conclude only around the religious beliefs and celebrations. There are more to be considered; how we think, how we speak, how we dress and how we interact with people around you. Although, the current pace of changes in cultural identity are very fast but few people are bothered about declining the unique attributes of Bhutanese identity. Other than citizenship, people do share many similar salient features related to cultural and sovereignty. Most of people have knowledge deficiency in what constitute in Bhutanese cultural identity. And on other hand, people think of cultural distinction from others before knowing of Bhutan’s cultural heritage. Traditional cultures are mostly equated with life style of monastic life and some agency that are responsible for preservation of cultures. It is also perceived as the life of past days.  How can Bhutanese people contribute in construction of cultural identity when we can’t distinct from others?

Photo: www.google.bt

Bhutan is called by last sangrila in the region. The holistic approach, Gross National Happiness (GNH) is figured as developmental instrument in Bhutan. The country always seeks to balance between material development with spiritual wellbeing and modernity with tradition. And Bhutan is well known as the country who takes very serious about the caring of the traditional cultures.  Cultural Preservation is one of the four pillars of GNH and leaders and government of the day is aware of it. Yet, in other side, Bhutan’s cultural landscape is changing at unparalleled pace. The intense changes are seen today in the urban area obviously in street of Thimphu (capital of Bhutan) and Phuntsholing (one of the business hubs in Bhutan). In some case, one can see disappearance of traditional cultures because of its adaptation, alteration due to westernization and modernization. Let’s take living style of Bhutanese people today; a very few restaurant of Bhutanese traditional cuisines, more of the fast-food restaurants, most Bhutanese men and women love to wear other fashion dresses than national dress. National dresses are wearing only in offices and other special occasion. People are comfortable in communicating in English and other foreign dialects than national language. Most of the Bhutanese languages are in verge of extinction.  Almost half of the audiences in some local festivals are tourists. The examples will go on listing. Thus, the results of acculturation and McDonaldization of society are seen widely in the nation.

With rapid advancement in technology and lifestyle, preserving the unique cultures and traditions has become herculean task. Bhutan is also no exception. As cultural identity is made up of the myriad attributes like beliefs, food habits, dresses and other daily activities, Bhutan should also give regard on numerous parameters of modernization too. For instance, Youth are in commotion in accepting the tradition cultures and modern fashions. That raises the question of how Bhutanese cultural is affordable and attractive to present youth.

Photo: website 

And how many of us know the art of Bhutanese painting and sculpturing, how can we save spoken languages which are at verge of extinctions? What will be Bhutanese uniqueness in future? Bhutanese people are in cross puzzle nodal of not knowing the traditional culture and modern fashion. The experts in cultures have to intrude in the play field before it is late. Let us learn from past and pass to future. lets not regret. let us learn from neighboring nations. Although, there are many challenges around us, we are hopeful that blessings from the pursuit of Gross National Happiness will save us from losing our rich cultural.  Long Live our Monarchs. 

           Tashi Delek.

                                                                                           

   ---------------Geden----------------

         geden.oiiwaii@gmail.com

Memoir of a Parliamentary Researcher: My first year working in MP office

AROs with Labor Minister

I had never imagined that from 1^st August, 2016 I will be a part of the National Assembly of Bhutan as an Assistant Research Officer (ARO). The secretariat of National Assembly has recruited researchers for the Members of Parliament (MP) aiming to provide reliable and high quality information to the elected Members of Parliament. We are assigned to provide balanced assistance to the parliamentarians.

Though we are attached to MPs we are not affiliated to any political parties. We are civil servants and apolitical. A total of 34 of us have been recruited on “Consolidated Contract” and attached to Hon’ble Members of Parliament.

Training

During the Research  Training at Paro

To increase job satisfaction and to advance our skills the AROs were given a week long residential training on “Research Methodology, Secondary Data Analysis and Analytical Report Writing” conducted by Bhutan Institute for Training and Development at Paro. The training mainly focused on two most important lessons: research methods and writing policy briefs. The training at Paro has given us myriad lessons. It helped us to identify basic skills needed by researchers, identifying research problem, methodologies and analyzing findings from the collected data.

To summarize, the training has been very useful to all the AROs in་facilitating their respective MPs in ensuring the three core Parliamentary functions: legislative function,་representational function and oversight function.

Parliament Session

It has almost been a year as a part of the National Assembly staff.  We have attended two sessions of the 2^nd Parliament (the 8^th and 9^th Sessions). To sit in the gallery and witness the full sessions is a rare opportunity and we are fortunate to be able to do so. We have seen how sessions take place and how the Members debate while doing deliberations in the hall. In the session every first hour of Tuesdays and Fridays are allocated for question and answer sessions called question hour. During the time, I found the Opposition Members asking tough questions and demanding answers from the government of the day. Government ministers  responded to questions on the matters of public importance pertaining to their respective ministries. Witnessing the sessions enlighten us with many important information about the policies of the government.

Friday Forum

Assistant Research Officers (AROs) have initiated a common forum called “Friday Forum”.  The Forum holds seminars, lecture and discussions on diverse subjects every Friday and the speaker is a Member of Parliament either from the Ruling or the Opposition. The eminent speakers have been very persuasive and imparted wisdom which are very pertinent to our career and lives. According to the coordinator of Friday Forum, following three are the  main objectives behind conducting the forum:

1.       To acquaint AROs with Parliamentary functions and operations which will provide them impetus to their research works,

2.      To provide AROs a platform to clarify their doubts, seek help, share their own learning and acquainting with Hon’ble Members of Parliament, and

3.      To teach AROs essential life lessons and necessary expertise required in the world of work.

The few of topics that were covered are positive thinking, the three arms of government, leadership, Bhutan in the wings of the time, Bhutan’s foreign policies and Hydro power projects, leader in Me, Macroeconomics legal principles and issue and so on and so forth. The forum has given us a platform to be informed citizens and to build professionalism so that we can work better while carrying out our everyday duties. We have meaningfully engaged ourselves in the office and taken advantage of the resourceful and much learned individuals around us. 13 talks have been delivered so far in the  Friday Forum.

Committee works

“When the committee is at work, the parliament is in session,” has been said underpinning the importance of the committees. I have been attached to Nubi-Tangsibji MP so I attend meetings of committees of which Honorable is a member of and that is Good Governance and Social and Cultural Committees. Before the session, Honorable MPs gather many times to present their committee related reports to the session. For instance, for the 9^th session, Good Governance committee members met for a number of times to finalize the Annual ACC Report and Anti-Money Laundering bill to present to the session. Respective AROs have to help the committee secretary (if need be) and attend the meetings, take down notes and do necessary research for the committee.

Conclusion

Honorable Members of Parliament will have their own comments on their respective AROs but we have given our best services to them. Sometimes, we feel that AROs are a burden to Administration of Secretariat but I have learnt a lot and got ample of experiences about the institution of parliament.  Thank You, Hope to work in the same institution in future too. The challenge and opportunity are right in front of us, whether to carry on or leave it is at our own hand. I have enjoyed being attached with Honorable Member of Parliament of Nubi- Tangsibji constituency. I would be looking forward to work with him in future too. Youth always hopes to get helps from all our elder citizens to prepare themselves to be productive citizen.

----- Geden

 ARO to MP of Nubi- Tangsibji Constituency