Bumthang Bound

Sun finally warm

we bare arms, greedy for rays,

and cool in blessed springs

(haiku for a walk to Kurje Lakhang)

This last weekend I had the great opportunity to take my first trip east to visit Martin and Tara in Bumthang. My mother, I am sure, is wondering what “Bumthang” is. Bumthang (pronounced ‘boomtong’) is another district, or Dzonghag, like Wangdue, which is where I am. It is a tourist destination (as it is usually as far east as most tours venture), the home of many important temples and sights, and idyllically beautiful (“Bhutan’s Switzerland”).

Normally we’d have school Thursday-Saturday, but many of our students and half the staff (3 teachers, including the principal) traveled to Nobding (1.5 hours to the west) for the interschool sports competition. Thus, school was cancelled for lack of teachers and students and I gained a surprise holiday.

As traveling usually begins here, I woke up early, packed my things, and walked to Chazam to the hotel to wait for the bus or a ride, whichever presented itself first. While busy drinking milk tea and making paper dolls with Kinley and Singye (two of my Class III students), I overheard a man talking to Ajim Dema (owner of the hotel, mother of Singye) saying something about Bumthang. Ajim Dema waved me over and introduced me to A, a vegetable wholesaler who supplies her hotel and travels often from Bumthang to Phuentsholing (in the south, on the border with India) and back. He told me he had a seat in his truck and he’d be more than happy to add me to his load headed to Bumthang. We ate some breakfast and then jumped in his truck, a jeep-like vehicle loaded with 3,500 kilo of produce in the back.

It turns out that A was a tour guide for many years before starting his wholesale business and shop in Chamkar, Bumthang. He shared the history and lore of Bhutan as we drove and proved to be quite knowledgeable about the flora and fauna we passed as well (I had been wondering the names of the strangely beautiful plants and animals I've been seeing). Since he also divulged a great love for country music, I plugged in the flashdrive sent by my friend Dave (thanks!), loaded up with John Prine. 

Since we were transporting a load of Indian vegetable, we talked extensively about the proposed cutback on Indian imports, especially of vegetables and fruits. A transports vegetables from India, so the proposal will directly affect him. Indian produce is cheaper, and since it is further south, they can grow things that are not available year-round in Bhutan. But this has had some effects on the Bhutanese economy, thus the government’s proposal to cutback on the imports. A thinks it will take time for the Bhutanese growers to catch up to demand, that the prices will go up, and that less variety will be available. This is a big discussion, one that is happening not only here. I am reminded of the local food movement in Minnesota. There are things we cannot grow in Minnesota that people are accustomed to eating yet the cost of importing and transporting is not seen or felt immediately. Local produce encourages and supports the local economy and avoids the environmental and monetary cost of transportation. I am curious to see what the Bhutanese government’s policy will be and what affects it will have.

By the time we reached Bumthang, a 5-hour journey, A and I were still joking, talking, and bouncing our heads to the country songs. He invited me into his shop in town for tea with his wife and two small daughters. Tara arrived to meet me at the shop, which just happens to be where she buys produce. I greeted her with a big hug. After tea, Tara and I left, promising to return before the end of my stay to do some much needed produce shopping. This chance meeting resulted in an exchange of phone numbers so that when A travels to pick up and deliver produce (from India or Bhutan), I can put in a request and have it dropped off as he passes by my village. What luck! I will get a regular supply of fruit now, which we don’t get a lot of at my altitude.

Tara and I walked to Martin’s school, Wangduecholing, where he was watching a soccer game. We left together, walking to their home in Dekling town. Their house is on the 2^nd floor with a nice ladder-like stair leading to the door. Inside it is wooden and homey. Due to Martin’s ingenuity and talent with construction, they have made their home a home. I felt so comfortable, especially in their kitchen, which is how I’ve imagined a kitchen of my own to be (perhaps I’d have a bigger oven and stove….).  We made many scrumptious meals in this kitchen over the 4 days I spent there. I even baked chocolate chip cookies in the glorified toaster oven! (Martin uses it to make sourdough bread, a true treat). I also made a some Lebanese dishes: mejeddra (rice and lentils with carmelized onions) and loubyeh (cinnamon spiced green beans and tomatoes with rice).

Aside from cooking, eating, and talking about food—we all love good food—I took some lovely walks. The first was to Kurje Lakhang, which is a gorgeous monastery and temple with a holy spring above it (where Tara and I surprised some shaving monks). It also is home to a body print of Guru Rimpoche, and where the cremated remains of the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Kings are kept. Another walk with Tara, during my shopping excursion in town, led us to the dairy, which sells swiss-style cheese and apple products. I stocked up on apple cider vinegar and a few blocks of cheese. No honey just yet, though I am looking forward to this Bumthang specialty when I visit again in July. On my last day, we meandered among the fields and cows in the sunny Sunday weather. We found ourselves in the midst of stone and mud base houses just above Dekling town, the smell of rich earth and green growth following our steps.

Another treat was leading yoga classes at Martin’s school. Tara has initiated an exercise class for the teachers and others in the community and invited me to be a guest instructor for Saturday’s class. This was their first experience with yoga practice, and I thanked them for being open and brave enough to try it. I felt at home leading the women through a basic yoga practice. Seeing them moving, breathing, and relaxing was beautiful. They requested that I teach another class on Sunday, though they normally don’t have class that day. I gladly agreed. I have led yoga practices informally before, but there was something phenomenal about watching the faces of these ladies completely relax during the final meditation, to see them absolutely calm. I want to be able to cultivate that in people more often. 

Glad I get rides to my destinations... A man on the road near Rukubji (February 2012)

Morning Assembly at Rukubji Primary School, April 2012

The night before leaving Bumthang, we went to eat at the Farmhouse. It was my treat to Martin and Tara for sharing so generously with me.  We had a great Bhutanese meal, complete with momos and buckwheat pancakes (a Bumthang specialty), though it wasn’t as spicy and I am used to now… The owners/chefs sat with us on the floor like they would in a normal Bhutanese home. It was quite similar to the dinners I’ve had at student’s homes with their parents. Martin and Tara complimented me on my ability to follow the conversation in Dzongkha, but I’ve had a lot of practice. Hardly anyone in my village speaks English, aside from the students and teachers. Most people I meet around my village address me in Dzongkha, and so I’ve learned to understand and respond to common phrases. This is one of the most difficult languages I’ve ever learned, and I haven’t even attempted the writing system as Martin and Tara are doing in their evening Dzongkha classes.

We arrived home late and I readied for the early morning wake up to catch the bus at 6 am. I hugged my hosts gratefully and woke up in what felt like seconds later. I stood with Tara in muted light looking at the river, waiting for my taxi, tired but somehow rejuvenated. What a gift of true friendship. I had gotten to just be with Martin and Tara- to talk and laugh, to let things out, and let go. I am glad to have made such great lifelong friends, almost by chance, through this experience.

Back at school we have been celebrating the success of our students in the interschool competition. I am particularly proud that we won the Mini-Marathon competition, as I was responsible for training the team for this event. Last year, they took home no prizes, and this year they won 5 events! Noteworthy news, which my Literary Club will be printing in our first issue of Rukubji Primary News. Now, let's see how the students do in our Class-wise English Super Spellers competition that I am in charge of this Saturday...

For an article regarding the vegetable issue, see http://www.kuenselonline.com/2011/?p=31226