Thimphu and the Red Hot 'Chilip' Peppers

February 4^th, 2015

       It’s the night before departing Thimphu, and I must admit the city has left me with a good impression. At first the complex network of concrete, wood, and wiring was bewildering, but as the days went on, as we shopped vigorously for our new and out-of-reach destinations, as we ate at every cuisine there was to offer, and as we walked around the town to see the sights, it all began to feel familiar. An admiration for the city and its peoples grew within me.  The restaurants, the smiles, the mélange of hipsters, monks, and stray dogs all sharing the same uneven streets—it is all so strange and yet in a way comforting.

       Despite having a modest population of roughly 100,000, Thimphu has a great deal to offer. Sure it won’t have that obscure food favorite from back home or novelty appliance, but the city has provided the essentials to get through my first year in the field. My focus in terms of shopping has been about stocking up on the basics—mattress and sheets, rice cooker and gas stove, a fridge and pans, water filters and boiler, and buckets for bathing and washing clothes.  Despite the long list, our organizers didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by the sheer volume of stuff BCFers have amassed. Between two buses, a pickup truck and a van, we should be able to fit all 17 of us and our goods—only of course by using every free inch of space imaginable. In the back of my mind a voice of worry mutters, “wouldn’t tying all those things atop a bus while taking tight turns over cliff-side roads increase the odds of a most frightful end?” I try not to think about it though. They do it all the time, I suppose.

       The most exciting aspect of shopping was selecting my ghos. A gho is a traditional one-piece robe worn by men in the country. Foreign teachers are not required to wear them, but doing so is a sign of respect and shows an attempt to engage in Bhutanese culture. I bought one pre-made gho that is a solid black color and had one tailored with red and orange vertical stripes. The woman at the store said that latter design is a very traditional. I have since been able to try both on. The first time I went outside in one, though, I was very self-conscious. I could feel people’s eyes on me the whole time I was out, my hearing acutely aware of their mutterings and giggles. I walked down the hill about 15 minutes to buy a few things and while I was in a shop the belt came loose, much to the amusement of the women in the store. My worst nightmare was being realized. Ghos are extremely difficult to put on properly and will take me some time to perfect so after a good minute of enduring their laughter, I humbly asked if one of the women could help me fix it. Fortunately people are so nice here and go out of their way to help so it didn’t turn out to be a problem at all.

       Aside from stocking up, we spent many mornings learning about Bhutan. The first several days focused on the education system, which to me seemed rather straightforward—perhaps even more organized than the western equivalent. One day we even had the opportunity to meet and speak with the secretary of education in Bhutan, of course donning our Sunday’s finest. Other topics included health and safety, culture, cooking, and language. We heard from a doctor and our program head Nancy about the potential hazards we might encounter while here. Sanitation and safety is paramount, as hospitals and services are limited here, especially when facing a plethora of dangers including and not limited to: rabid dogs, typhoid, E. coli, malaria, and poisonous snakes.

       One night half of our group drove up to the Bhutan Canada Foundation headquarters and were walked through cooking a traditional Bhutanese meal. We cooked mustard greens, red rice, kewa datsi—a kind of potato cheese dish, vegetable curry, dal, rotis, and ezze or fresh salsa. The process was time consuming but incredibly useful. Food here in Bhutan is limited to what is in season, so being able to cook a variety of dishes is important to a balanced diet throughout the year.

I could go on and on about our time in Thimphu. There were far too many great moments to document them all, so instead I will include some of my favorite memories:

·        Previously mentioned events like the karaoke night and the soccer game

·        Listening to a live Bhutanese band play Blink-182 at a bar

·        Being taken around town to underground clubs by a man named “Handsome”

·        Coffee, bukkari, and good conversation at the Swiss Bakery

·        Seeing the giant golden Buddha that looks over Thimphu

·        Indulging in western delights like pizza at Druk Pizza and burgers at The Zone

·        Walking around town late at night to find people huddled around bon fires in oil drums

·        Late night hangouts with people in their rooms at the hotel

February 5^th, 2015

       As is with all things, our time had to come to an end. Last night we packed all our things, saying goodbye to Fraser and Alex who were going a separate way, and set off early in the morning to begin our multi-day, epic road trip across Bhutan, dropping off teachers along the way at their placements while taking in the breathtaking views of the countryside.

(Overlooking Thimphu)