I have finally started a blog. What spurred me on to do this? Well, the amazing experience I spent teaching in Bhutan the past year. I had initially thought about writing a blog before embarking on my journey there but one thing led to another. By the time I seriously considered doing it, the year had gone by. So now with time on my hands, I thought that it would be nice to do a flashback of the memorable moments of the past year beginning with my road trip to the school that I have been placed to teach.
Over the past month in Singapore, I had been sharing that I teach in Pemagatshel on the eastern part of Bhutan. A place so remote that many Bhutanese themselves have never visited. From the moment I received my school placement, I wondered what it looked like but the photos I found online (which were not many) could not do it justice. The only things that I could gather about Pemagatshel which I thought were important was its altitude and distance from the capital. It is located at about 1500 m above sea level and required a 4 day journey from the capital. Therefore, it being the furthest from the capital, I was the last teacher to be dropped off.
Together with other teachers, I traveled on the country's only highway on a bus filled with luggage to gas cylinders and refrigerators on stretches of unpaved road alongside the mountain edge. Sometimes, the single road becomes so narrow that it seems impossible to accommodate two-way traffic. Somehow, the skillful drivers always seem to be able to maneuver their vehicles past each other with inches to spare. Having traveled this road several times, it still amazes me!
While traveling on the highway may be a nail biting experience, the scenery is breathtaking. As tired as I was, I refused to close my eyes during the journey. I was afraid that I would miss the beautiful sunset, the mountains dotted with villages, pristine rivers, roaming cattle or the curious stares of the locals. I was soaking up the sights like a kid having its first taste of chocolate ice-cream. I recalled feeling blissful.
Now that I will be returning for a second year (and despite having to brave the bumpy 3-day ride to the East), I am looking forward to soaking up the sights again!
Over the past month in Singapore, I had been sharing that I teach in Pemagatshel on the eastern part of Bhutan. A place so remote that many Bhutanese themselves have never visited. From the moment I received my school placement, I wondered what it looked like but the photos I found online (which were not many) could not do it justice. The only things that I could gather about Pemagatshel which I thought were important was its altitude and distance from the capital. It is located at about 1500 m above sea level and required a 4 day journey from the capital. Therefore, it being the furthest from the capital, I was the last teacher to be dropped off.
Together with other teachers, I traveled on the country's only highway on a bus filled with luggage to gas cylinders and refrigerators on stretches of unpaved road alongside the mountain edge. Sometimes, the single road becomes so narrow that it seems impossible to accommodate two-way traffic. Somehow, the skillful drivers always seem to be able to maneuver their vehicles past each other with inches to spare. Having traveled this road several times, it still amazes me!
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| The bus with all our things! |
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| On the country's only highway |
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| An unpaved section of the highway |
While traveling on the highway may be a nail biting experience, the scenery is breathtaking. As tired as I was, I refused to close my eyes during the journey. I was afraid that I would miss the beautiful sunset, the mountains dotted with villages, pristine rivers, roaming cattle or the curious stares of the locals. I was soaking up the sights like a kid having its first taste of chocolate ice-cream. I recalled feeling blissful.
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A waterfall
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