Happy Birthday

My heart a full cup

And the water keeps pouring

So generously

For my 26th birthday, I threw a fundraising party for my trip to Bhutan. By I threw, I mean with the help of my family and friends. My mom and I trekked to various grocery store to get the chilies, cheese, tea, milk, and rice to make Ema Datshi (the national dish of Bhutan, which a friend at the party described as "Bhutanese beer-cheese soup, without the beer") and vats of chai, making a pit stop for my last Japanese Encephalitis vaccination. Camille, the chef extraordinaire, baked about 60 superb chai-spice-with-honey-frosting cupcakes. Art, jewelry, and vintage findings from talented friends flowed in the door, donations to be sold at the party so friends could have something beautiful in return their generosity. Right before the party, Kim and I spent some time reverting to our middle school days of poster-boarding, creating two boards to showcase Bhutan in print and picture, as well as to inform about my job and the Bhutan Canada Foundation.

Guests arrived, and as each person entered my parent's house, I felt their presence was the gift. What beautiful, loving, and fun people my friends are, and what a joy to see them assembled in one place! Looking around at everyone, I decided that this, the presence of "my people", is also the support that will help me get to Bhutan and live there successfully for a year.

And, the party accomplished it's fundraising goal. We raised the $1,200 I needed. Along with the generous donations that came before the party, the money I had saved, and the $500 scholarship BCF gave me, I was able to reach the $3,500 required by BCF for airfare, health insurance, and other costs that are required for getting to and living in Bhutan for a year. It is a huge relief to have all the money squared away. And it is in no small way due to the generosity of my friends whose intentions and love are now woven deeply into this trip. I feel the immensity of what it means to ask for and receive support.

Bhutan in print

in storied travels
truths and perspectives mingle
for a snapshot view

My cousin Elsie sent me this article from Condé Nast Traveler's Magazine.

http://www.cntraveler.com/features/2011/11/bhutan-or-bust

It's one person's experience as a tourist in the Land of the Thunder Dragon, and it does have quite a lot of information about the country. I am sure I won't be staying at the swank hotels he mentions.

Send Iman to Bhutan!

It is official
preparations to depart
in need of support...

Finally! I have been waiting so long for the final stamp of approval since I got accepted as a teacher by the Bhutan Canada Foundation. After the king's marriage (http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/201110116298/king-of-bhutan-wedding/) my application was approved by the Royal Civil Service and the Ministry of Education. I will be a "volunteer teacher" in Bhutan for 2012, departing in January to begin my post in early February.

This is a gigantic leap in my life. I will be giving up everything I know to do this. But I am unwaveringly excited. I am excited to live in a new place, to learn to adapt to a lifestyle and culture I have never been a part of, to be in an incredible part of the world that few people have the opportunity to experience, and to give of my time and talents to the people I will be serving. Currently Bhutan is facing a shortage of teachers to implement their universal education system. So not only am I going for myself, I am going to give of myself.

I have been thinking of my motivations and meditating on what this might mean: to give of myself. I know I can do this wherever I go, if I stay put in Minneapolis or not. But there is something that happens to us when we step out of our comfort zone- you have the chance to encounter your true self, the one that is not attached to place or things, the one that you would choose to live by if no one had expectations of who you are. I see this as a chance to demonstrate integrity, to leave what I know to enable myself to grow and embody my essential self. In doing so, I hope to also learn how to be of service. To discover what the people I encounter need of me and to give the best of myself to them.

And as I prepare, I realize I too need support. I saved what I could of my teaching salary, but it has come up short. I am facing the daunting reality of raising an additional $1,500 for my ticket, insurance, and start up costs. Once in Bhutan, teaching, I will be making enough money to cover my living expenses and my educational loans (unfortunately I can't defer all of them!). So I have sent out a call for support to those close to me, and already have received a generous response. I am also hosting a grand birthday event: Send Iman to Bhutan! It will feature live music (by my wonderful boyfriend Joe Silbershmidt and kid-extraordinaire brother Georges Glen), information about where I am going and what I will be doing, an art sale featuring pieces donated by my incredibly talented artist friends (Hans Early-Nelson, Liz P., Linnea Maas Doyle, Lauren Strom, Jayme Moseng, and David Cunningham), and food and drink donated by my loving parents and gourmet chef sister. December 1st, 6pm, at 405 Main St NE. I am looking forward to sharing the excitement for this endeavor! Look out for a facebook invite...