New addition to my book review website!

If you hadn't known before, I also have a book review website that you can visit right here. However, I've now also expanded it further than book reviews, and added a considerable amount of short stories (and hopefully soon poetry as well) that's accumulated in my "Writing" folder over the years (everything that's there, I've written myself). As an aspiring author, any feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Visit the page with stories here, and enjoy!

School essay: Father Mackey and His Immense Contribution to Bhutan

A school project (in my school in Taiwan) came up: write about the achievements and impact of an explorer. Amidst the quantities of Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo and James Cook essays, an opportunity rose up for me - to write about Father Mackey (1915-1995), the Jesuit priest who traveled to Bhutan and was one of the greatest factors of the education system in Bhutan.

Expecting it to be the usual mind-wearing work that extends up to a day before the deadline, I began - but soon I had passed the word limit and my searches became more and more desperate, for Father Mackey isn't really all over the internet. Two weeks later, and here are the results. Enjoy, and feel free to comment if you know anything else about this amazing person!

An explorer is defined as a person who explores a new or unfamiliar area; and indeed, until the late 20th century, the mysterious Kingdom of Bhutan was unfamiliar to most. Its previous state of absolute monarchy and the desire to preserve its unique culture led to the result that it was in total isolation until the 1970s, when the third king finally began to open up the secluded kingdom in an attempt to modernize it. These developments included taking steps towards a more democratic government as well as physically connecting Bhutan to the outside world by building an advanced network of roads. However, those were not the only aspects that needed improvement.

"Education is practically non-existent,” recorded a British Military Intelligence Report in Bhutan, in 1906. “Even amongst the ruling classes it is exceptional for one to find a man who can read and write.” (Tashi, 2012). The king of Bhutan realized that improving the extremely backward education system was an essential part of modernizing the country. The only secular education to be found in Bhutan at that time was in primary schools, and there were only 20 of them in the whole country; meaning the only stable and widespread education system was in the monastic schools that had existed for centuries. Seeing this as a major problem, the king undertook a plan to employ a foreign educator in aiding him to establish a modern system of secular education. Hearing of a Jesuit priest and educator called Father Mackey, he invited him to take this role. The timing was perfect.

At the same time this initiative was forming, Father William Mackey was being expelled from Darjeeling, India where he had lived for the past 17 years, teaching children as well as helping to develop the education. After being “spotted during demonstrations on the streets for the recognition of the Nepali language” (Malone, 2008), local Indian authorities exiled him to Bihar in East India until his permit to Bhutan would be issued. After the approval of his visa, Father Mackey would continue to Bhutan and develop three main aspects of the education system: the language, gender equality in the education as well as the system itself. He also made sure that this system would carry on after his death, therefore building it on solid ground.

Father Mackey impacted Bhutan to a massive extent - he is known for “almost single-handedly laying the foundations for the development of modern education in Bhutan” (Solverson, 1995). However, this far-sighted goal began as a small project. His first attempt at a school began in an abandoned cowshed in Eastern Bhutan with 7 boys. Its popularity shot up immediately - the next year, 70 students enrolled. He then helped establish the Trashigang Elementary School with more than 200 students. In his first 2 decades in Bhutan, he established the three first high schools and was a dominant figure in establishing Sherubtse College, the first college in Bhutan. This breakthrough was important as Bhutanese with a college education could now qualify for demanding jobs outside of the country as well as help modernize the developing kingdom. A college education (and a current teacher training college) also enabled the Bhutanese to be more independent of their education system - nowadays, all educator jobs are taken by the locals aside from a few foreign volunteers.

As enrolment in schools slowly grew, Father Mackey concentrated on the other half of the youth; the female population. Female enrolment in Bhutanese schools currently approximates 50%, an incredible figure, especially for a developing country - even in these days. His promotion of gender-equal education shows his close connection to the citizens of Bhutan, and the current figures also emphasize how his legacy has continued, even after his death.

Setting up English as the instructing language was a big step towards modernization. Father Mackey was a main figure in this decision, along with the king. Father Mackey also personally taught English in schools around the nation. This shows the extent of his effect on the previously solely Dzongkha (local language) speaking nation - not only did he develop the education system, but also improved the business and trade system, as English is currently the main language in business exchanges as well as being a useful asset in general.

A major issue that slowed down and nearly prevented the advance of the education system is the reluctance of Bhutanese parents to send their children to school. Being a mainly agriculture-based nation, children were expected to work in fields and farms or participate in other physical labor/chores. Education, especially secondary and higher education, was seen as a waste of time. Father Mackey emphasized the importance of education, persevering until education was a norm in the Bhutanese society. To do this, he set up a free public education system that exists until today, with public schools providing education in primary, secondary, higher and even college standards. Father Mackey understood that without the support of the actual society, developing further was impossible.

As Bhutan’s hectic pace of development gradually slowed down, the role of teachers was taken up fully by the Bhutanese and foreign educators, including the Jesuit priests, were asked to leave the country. By 1989, William Mackey was the only Jesuit priest left in Bhutan.

“In Canada, I would have been a small cog in a big machine. Here, I can see a radical change between a family which has gone to school and one which has not," Father Mackey said (Solverson, 1995), and indeed - the Jesuit’s huge extent on Bhutan did not mirror his impact in Canada, not even in his hometown. However, he has greatly influenced relations between Bhutan and Canada, and his legacy has left behind a strong link between the two countries. His contribution has driven Canada to continue its support for Bhutan’s development, especially as the kingdom transitioned between absolute monarchy to a more modern parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. The Bhutan Canada Foundation is still functioning and contributing today - a reminder that Father Mackey’s legacy will not be forgotten.

Bibliography

1. www.regiscollege.ca - The college from which Father Mackey graduated
2. Solverson, H.M. (1995) The Jesuit and the Dragon, Robert Davies Publishing
3. bhutancanada.org - the Bhutan Canada Foundation official website
4. Malone, David. “Our Man in Bhutan” Literary Review of Canada March 2008: http://questiaschool.com/read/1G1-243527724/our-man-in-bhutan-how-a-canadian-jesuit-founded-a
5. reviewcanada.ca
6. www.bhutanmajestictravel.com
7. Zhao, Yong, Jing Lei, Guofang Li, Ming Fang He, Kaori Okano, Nagwa Megahed, David Gamage, and Hema Ramanathan. Handbook of Asian Culture: A Cultural Perspective. Routledge, 2010
8. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mackey_(Jesuit)
9. www.education.gov.bt - Bhutan’s Ministry of Education official website
10. articles.latimes.com/1988-07-17/news/mn-9677_1_himalayan-kingdom-s-natural-beauty
11. Tashi, T. “How It All Began.” Kuensel Nov 2012
12. Earnest, Jaya and David Treagust. Education Reform in Societies in Transition. Sense Publishers, 2006

The land of stinky tofu vs the land of ema datsi

Hello everyone, and so sorry for not writing for such a LONG, LONG time! But there's a reason why there were no new posts lately - our family has now left Bhutan, and we're now settled in another small country called Taiwan. Taiwan is an island located in East Asia. I think that there are tons of similarities between Bhutan and Taiwan starting with their super-friendly people, their love for music and the size of the country, both of them measuring slightly less than 40,000km².


Of course, there are also lots of differences so this post is all about comparing Bhutan and Taiwan.



First off, the people, as mentioned before. Just like Bhutan, the Taiwanese are willing to help you out in any situation - one of the friendliest places I've been to. This made our first trip to Taiwan so fun and so much easier.


The food, however, is a big difference. With all due respect to the Bhutanese, their food has developed into a rather monastic (and spicy!) diet, that many Westerners don't especially appreciate. Taiwan is the place to go for yummy street food and amazing night markets. It is also the place where bubble tea was invented - tea with little balls of jelly-like tapioca inside, as well as stinky tofu (obvious from its name) that has, er, an acquired taste. Beef noodles are also a speciality, and although I have never tasted them (I'm vegetarian), I'm guessing if people say it's good, it's good.

In both Bhutan and Taiwan, there's a huge love of music and many concerts and shows take place all over the country. The aboriginals in Taiwan have a very special kind of music that reminded me of traditional Bhutanese songs. The likeliest explanation I can come up with is that the instruments used could be very similar. In Taiwan, there is also something called Chinese Opera (it's not what you're expecting, don't get fooled by the name) that also reveals some Chinese traditional music.

And lastly, I think that both Taiwan and Bhutan are very interesting places to travel to and explore - why don't you visit Taiwan on your next holiday?

Lord Buddha

You must have heard of Lord Buddha - but did you know anything about his life before?
Buddha was a great personality. He attained enlightenment and travelled to many places spreading his teachings and wisdom. He led a remarkable life which is to be told soon.
Buddha was born in a royal Hindu family as prince Siddhartha. A common legend tells that on the night when Siddhartha was conceived, his mother, the queen, dreamt of a pure white elephant with six tusks that entered her side. Ten months later, Siddhartha Gautama was born. He was son and heir of King Suddhodana who ruled over the Shakya clan. Queen Mahamaya, his birth mother, died a week after Siddhartha's birth and her sister Pajpati brought him up.

Legend has it that one day, the prince insisted to leave the palace to see his subjects. He visited the city four times, and saw an old man, a sick man, a dead body and a monk. These are now known as the Four Sights. Siddhartha was shocked when his charioteer, Channa, explained that everyone experiences old age, disease, and death. At that moment, Siddhartha vowed to discover a way to end suffering.

King Suddhodana arranged a marriage between Siddhartha and a cousin of the same age named Yasodhara. They married, and several years later gave birth to a son.  At that time Siddhartha was planning to leave the palace to search for enlightenment and his son bound him to the palace, so he named him Rahula, meaning bond.

Aged 39, Siddhartha finally made his decision. He escaped the palace at night on his horse Kanthaka, accompanied by Channa. It is said that the horse's hooves were muffled by the gods to prevent the palace guards from knowing about Siddhartha's departure.

Siddhartha then cut his hair (in those days, only royalty had long hair) and exchanged his jewelery and silk clothes with a woodman.

He began his ascetic life by begging in the streets of Magadha. King Bimbisara, ruler of Magadha, recognized Siddhartha and sent men to learn of his quest. The king was very impressed and offered Siddhartha his throne, but Siddhartha refused and departed with a promise to visit Magadha after achieving enlightenment.

Gautama continued on his journey and met five ascetics who thought that enlightenment could be achieved by living very strictly with no luxuries like rich food, proper clothes, etc. This reached to the extremes that Gautama ate only the berries that fell into his lap while meditating, didn't sleep, and became emaciated and more dead than living.

After six years, Gautama understood that enlightenment could not be attained through this way. He went to the river to bathe but nearly drowned. He accepted milk and rice pudding from a village girl called Sujata who thought he was a forest spirit. Gautama regained his health and continued on his journey.

Gautama travelled to Bodh-Gaya where he sat under a pipal tree (now known as the Bodhi tree, you can guess why). He vowed never to rise until he had attained enlightenment and found the truth. Gautama meditated for 49 days and finally attained enlightenment. From that day on, he was known as Buddha, meaning the 'awakened one'.

After attaining enlightment, Lord Buddha travelled to many places preaching his teachings and wisdom. Many disciples joined him on his journey. He had an enemy called Devadatta (who was actually his cousin), who is said to have tried to assassinate Buddha three times.

Gautama Buddha died (not sure why, some stories say from a bad diarrhoea, some say simply from old age, and others say he was accepted by the gods) about 483 BC, but his teachings have still inspired thousands of people around the world to become better human beings.

Quotes of the Buddha

• Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
• Three things cannot be hidden long: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
• Do not dwell on the past; do not dream of the future; concentrate the mind on the present moment.
• A jug fills drop by drop
• Even death is not feared by one who has lived wisely.

Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

You must be puzzling over this long puzzling name, so I'll give you a hand. Zhabdrung isn't a name! It's a title for great lamas (high monks). So, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal came to Bhutan in 1616 A.D. He built many dzongs: the Trongsa Dzong, the Paro Rinpung Dzong, the Punakha Dzong, Simtokha Dzong and more. Zhabdrung is said to be the third most revered person in Bhutan, after Guru Rinpoche and Lord Buddha.

He had many followers and all Bhutanese people respect him greatly.
He was a wonderful leader of the Bhutanese, and he ought have been king.

Do It Yourself

This may be surprising; there are no supermarkets - the way you know them in the west - in Bhutan. In the developed world, fresh pasteurized milk and eggs and drinkable water from the tap are taken for granted. But here, in this small developing country, the milk has to be boiled to make it safe, and soft-boiled eggs can be deadly. Also, to purify the water, you need to boil it, then wait for it to cool, and finally transfer the water to a water filter.

So basically, we don't have a lot of processed food. My dad makes home-made yogurt (the packaged one produced locally is not to our taste) and my mother makes bread - and pizza - at home. In the past few years, more and more bakeries have opened in Thimphu and the bread and pastry situation has improved. There are not many bakeries, because the usual carbohydrate in the meal is rice, so bread is not commonly used.

A family in the US with all the food they eat in a week

Photo: http://world.time.com/2013/09/20/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/photo/usnc04-0001-xxf1rw-2

A family in Bhutan with all the food that they eat in a week
Photo: http://world.time.com/2013/09/20/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/photo/bhu01-0001-xxf1s-2/

Mid-Terms.......

So, now it's our midterms, and I have to study hard! The exams at Druk School go in four sets: the first term, mid-term, second term and annual. The first and second term exams are weekly exams that don't have a vacation after them and the exam day continues as a normal school day. The midterm and annual examinations are usually daily but may have a holiday in between two exams, and after the exam there are no studies but we go home straight away. There is a vacation after the midterm and another one after the annual string of exams.
Now, mid-term is usually referred to in the middle of a term or semester, but in this case, it means mid-year. The annual exams are the final exams.
Our midterm exams began Saturday, June 8th. I'm in 6th grade, and our first exam was English. Second, Dzongkha. I find Dzongkha very difficult but I had pored over my books and the exam was easier than the first term paper. Our third exam was Social Studies. Then, Science. Finally, Maths.

Then....? V-a-c-a-t-i-o-n VACATION!!! We get a  break of about a month which I will spend in Israel, enjoying life on the beach (there aren't seas or oceans in Bhutan).
Check the blog out soon for an exciting post differentiating between Bhutan and Israel!

Trip to the Bajothang Book Fair

Recently, the yearly Book Fair was held in Bajothang, Wangdue. The Rigsum Institute of IT and Management (the institute in which my parents work) had developed a suite or collection of educational programs like Wikipedia, Khan Academy, Scratch and a lot more. The great thing about the Sherig Collection is that it requires no Internet! The idea was that schools with IT labs or computers that have slow or no Internet connection can use programs that are usually not offline like Khan Academy, instead of only focussing on Microsoft Office (Word, Powerpoint etc.). The video below explains the idea of the Sherig Collection. If you're observant (and if you read my other posts), you'll note that the music at the beginning and end of the video sounds familiar... If you're interested, you can also visit the Sherig Collection website.

Tharingsa

Tharingsa is a, no, the hit in Bhutan. Newborns to Angeys (grandmas) sing it with happiness, whether at a basketball court or just near the Double Turning. The familiar "Gatay taa rung" is now a national phrase. It is my favourite song, personally. I find it irresistible, so, if I hear someone singing it, I have to, too!

Lyrics

Gatay taa Rung

chay raa thong may

sam ghi hinglay choeyraa dem may

buchu naa mayba nge sam

tcha lay me cha bay

tchap chab bu chey gi ngelam nang

dayni hayru gha

[pre-chorus]

Pha Pha ra masong

tchu tchu hong naa

gatay dayruu raa

nge sam chey lu ghaaa...ha

(LOGDEE HONG NAA)x2

nge sam chey lu ghaaa...ha

(LOGDEE HONG NAA)x2

[chorus]

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

lok hong naa(x2)

lok hong naa may....ha

lok hong naa x2

lok hong naa may....ha

[phuntsho dorji]

[verse 2]

nge ghi sam dee

choey dang chea hay

choey may baa nge sam tchalay metcha

bum choey dang dayni hayrung raa

nge sam gha..

namso daa bum choey gi neelam naa

dayni hayru gha...

[pre-chorus]

Pha Pha raa masong

tchu tchu hongnaa

gatay dayruu raa

nge sam chey lu ghaaa...ha

(LOGDEE HONG NAA)x2

nge sam chey lu ghaaa...ha

(LOGDEE HONG NAA)x2

[chorus]

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

lok hong naa x2

lok hong naa may....

lok hong naa x2

lok hong naa may....

[bridge]

bum choey ngegi phamaa luu

(still have you in ma arms)

choey lu gasay labni yea

(i just wanna say i love you)

[chorus]

Pha Pha raa masong

tchu tchu hongnaa

Pha Pha raa masong

tchu tchu hongnaa

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

tharingsa jo maa daa..ha

(BU NGA BAYSAA HONGNAA)

lok hong naa x2

lok hong naa may....

lok hong naa x2

lok hong naa may....

International Happiness Day

Not long ago, the United Nations declared March 20th as International Happiness Day or International Day of Happiness. Bhutan proposed this day to the UN in lieu of  'the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to the economic growth that promoted sustainable development and poverty eradication, and the happiness and wellbeing of all people.'

Now it is declared a government holiday in Bhutan for people to enjoy life.

Losar

Losar, meaning New Year, is celebrated throughout Bhutan and Tibet, and mostly any other Buddhist country. It falls around February in the Christian calendar. Losar is celebrated for fifteen days, most with different rituals and customs. Losar usually falls near the Chinese New Year, but don't confuse them! Losar and Chinese New Year are completely different and are celebrated differently.

The first day of Losar is celebrated by drinking a customary alcoholic "beer", changkol.

Dances are performed by monks wearing specially made costumes with tall, (usually) yellow, spreading hats.

Tshechu

The Tshechu is a sort of festival where many beautiful dances go on and people receive blessings. There are mask dances including world record-jumps and twirls. Usually the last days of the Tshechu are the most popular; the blessings go on during that period.
There are also clowns (also masked). You can see the mask of one in the left picture (the one with the red mask with its face to you).
Occasionally, traditional Bhutanese plays are acted out, though this is uncommon, and the Tshechu consists mostly of dances.
If you plan to go to a Tshechu, wear a good hat, bring water, and be generous with sun-lotion since the Tshechu is usually conducted in the afternoon, in summer, when the sun blazes on your unfortunate shoulders.

Bhutan vs. India

For the beginning of 2013, I have a special post - a post differentiating between Bhutan and India, because, I spend our long winter vacation (of three months) in India.*

• Bhutan is tiny, India is huge

That's number one. Bhutan is so small, when you go from one dzongkhag to another, there's a big chance you might meet someone you know. In India, the probability is even higher... but you probably won't see him because of the huge crowds. I'm exaggerating, naturally, but that's the idea.
Look at the map and spot India. Easy, isn't it? Now where's Bhutan? It's so small, that the country's name doesn't fit inside the area, have you noticed?
That proves my point. For facts, India is about 60 times as big as Bhutan.

• Bhutan is quiet, India is noisy

If that isn't a crowd, I don't know what is

A peaceful view of a dzong and nearby lake with mountains looming behind

When you walk in Bhutan, the most common noise is usually dogs barking, birds chirping and so on. (Though I admit, motor is also becoming a noisy nuisance nowadays).
In India, in some places, you have to shout to someone in talking distance - in others, you simply have no chance.

Usually in crowds the noise is unbearable unless there's someone important speaking in front, and even then there'll be some noises.

In Bhutan, if the Prime Minister is talking, you can hear a pin drop (though nobody would want to disturb the silence and drop a pin, would he?)

• Bhutan was never captured by any country, India was captured by the Brits

That's part of the reason why a lot of village people in Bhutan don't speak a word in English and, English isn't a national language (though in towns you can find many English speaking people) while in India Hinglish was already invented, and ads are commonly in English.

In Bhutan English is quickly being promoted, and most private schools treat Dzongkha as a second language, and lessons are given in English, except for the Dzongkha period.

*The long vacation is in winter because the winter is ferociously cold there, and the schools want children, not frozen popsicles. The vacation is as long as the winter, and the winter is usually December, January, February.

Typos in Bhutan

Typos in English are quite common in Bhutan, as in some other countries in Asia.

The Lattest Collection, announces a flashing shop. Menus are also a rich source of amusement; "Fried Rise with veg." as a restaurant's specials, or "Meat ducklings", or, if you're interested in cannibalism, "Fried children". So, if you're on a trip to Bhutan, look out for these funnies to engage you.

Another classic that runs around town is the shop proclaiming Go d and Silver Smith, the 'l' of gold detached. A godsmith, by the way, is a maker of idols. After a few years of people laughing at him, the poor shop owner took away the l from silver and attached it to gold and hopefully you will find the amusing sign: Gold and Si ver Smith.

Trip to Wangditse

One day, on holiday from school (5th King's Coronation Day), my father and I decided to go on a small walk. After some discussion, we decided to go to the Wangditse Lhakang and have a nice old-fashioned picnic there.

We took a cab to the BBS Tower, the starting-point of the trail, then started on our mini trek. It was beautifully natural, how the whole world was supposed to look.

The quiet calm and the green, fresh surroundings made me want to jump for joy (which I, of course, did). We walked on and on, from time to time chatting. Beautiful flowers hesitantly took our attention, buzzing inside with striped bees.

"Kuzuzangpo, la", we would greet others, smiling from ear to ear. The view from the trail was amazing, but the highlight was the enormous Tashichhoe dzong. When we reached the Wangditse lhakang, we were immediately struck by the big monastery. I was especially surprised by the haughty cock making his way through the dense bushes. A small chorten filled with butter lamps stood in the side of the big grassy plain. We went around (clockwise, of course) and tried to find a nice place to sit down. All had marvelous view looking onto the whole town. The only problem was, the whole place was really windy!

Finally, after few rounds (and after I was getting dizzy from walking in the same direction), we found a place, though windy (what to do, la) looking over Thimphu.

After finishing our scrumptious meal, we headed back down . While reaching the road, we passed by a tinkling mule pack (more like they passed by us). We even got a peep at three policemen riding by us.

In other words, it was a wonderful trip.

A top-and-lofty cock strutting around in pride

A wise trash-can

View of the Thimphu town

The Tashichhoe dzong

Policemen on a mission!

Rice

Rice is the most common food in Bhutan. Each meal, either breakfast, dinner, or lunch, is usually served a big heap of rice, which is the main dish. Sometimes the rice is red, white, or even yellow, but it's rice. The children in my class, almost everyday bring ema datsi with rice, or any other datsi dish with rice. I don't bring rice every day, and one day after peeping in my lunch box and seeing no rice, a girl said: "You never bring real food, do you?"
And the cheek of it!

In Dzongkha, rice is mentioned as toh. Toh also means food in Dzongkha, which shows how often rice is eaten.

Local meals tend to consist, especially in monasteries and local houses, of simply rice with a "curry" like ema datsi.

Dream Girl - My Masterpiece Poem

I'd like to share with you a poem which I wrote in the exam room, after continually being bored - I forgot to bring a book and we are not allowed to leave the room before the bell rings.
I worked on it about 1 hour! Hope you enjoy it.

Once there was a girl
who had some girly dreams
Once she found a pearl
but once some smelly beans

She was the greatest hero
in dreams, I only mean
Near her, god was zero
She was so much very keen

Once she went to Transylvania
and met vampires there
She ate with them some goo lasagna
made from blood and pear

Oh, the places Dream Girl went
and all the things she saw
except in school she only bent
upon her little paw

Because my readers smitten
Curiously you stare
Dream Girl was a kitten
and had four paws in mere!

Ek Dupa

A simple game, which originally consisted of five stones, and now one small ball and four stones, is one of the most beloved games in schools.
In other countries, the original name is Five Stones, with the ball namely Jacks.
This season is it. The game's hot and everyone is buying the famous ball. The commonest conversation in order to join or play an Ek Dupa* game is usually: "Wai, can I play?" If approved, will continue, "Everything is there, okay? But no touch and shift. And no zig-zag."  (By the way, if not approved, the meanie will say after some persuasion with a tone of determination and irritation: "Please, wai!!"
If there is an even number of players, somebody usually suggests partners, followed by an: "Okay, partner first!"

The game starts out with Major; each player takes the four stones into their palm and throws them in the air, trying to catch the most stones on the back of his hand. After some fall on the back of the hand, the player throws them once again to catch them in the palm. The final number of stones in the palm counts. If there is a team of players, they all follow the process and the number is summed up. The player or team with the highest number start the game.
Next, the player throws all the stones on the surface and throws the ball up, letting it bounce once while taking one stone from the floor. He repeats until all the stones are in his hand. He throws all of them a second time, this time taking two every time. The process is repeated for a third time, taking three in the first round and one in the other. This is the basic starting of Ek Dupa. Sometimes rules are made that when you are taking a certain number of stones you are not allowed to touch the other stones.

The player crowds all the stones in one hand and with the thumb and pointer finger holds the ball. This stage is locally called Dapi. He throws the ball up and lays the stones on the floor, catching the ball after a bounce. Then, like the basic starting, he takes all four stones with his hand while throwing up the ball and catching the ball again.
Next comes the repeated process, the only difference: after laying the stones on the floor, then instead of catching the ball in your palm you have to catch it on the back of your hand. The name is Zillicutor (pronounced Zil-li-cau-ter)

Next comes Cobra - in this stage you don't need a ball. You throw all the stones in the air and catch some on the back of your hand. You throw them from the back again, and while suspended in mid-air, catch them from up with a jerky movement (with an upward movement). Like a cobra charging.

Next come the am or ams. The player throws all the stones on the surface again. The fingers are bent in a particular shape. The player throws the ball up, and passes one of the stones through the fingers. He repeats that until all the stones are through, then picks them up with another throw of the ball. Once again, the player does this, though this time the fingers in a different shape. The shape of the fingers is hard to explain - there are so many possibilities. One of them is to bend your thumb and pointer finger into a semi-circle and then set that on the table, passing the stones through the circular "gate". Another is to use your pointer finger and the middle finger and stretch them, until they become a triangular roof. Then you pass the stones through.

The next step is calendar. Your opponent holds an open hand up, the little finger touching the surface. You take the stones into your hand and drop them over the opponent's hand. Your opponent has to choose two stones and take them away, so that only two stones are left on the surface. Then you have to flick your hand at one of the left-over stones and try to hit the other stone. If you don't hit it, you're out. So, a tip to your opponent: try to take away two that leave really far away stones, so that you have more chance that your opponent will be out.

If you are out (if the ball does a double bounce, or if you don't take enough stones e.g. you have to take two but by mistake you take one, if you don't catch all the stones which have fallen on the back of your hand in the Cobra stage) the turn will pass to your opponent.
After you finish the ams, there will be a stage called Game; a number of stones is decided (it can't be above four). You can also choose more than one number, for example 3 and 4. The player has to get an equal or higher number, and then can pass on to the next "level", called Game x (1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.). All the games are the same; including the same stages and same rules, though someone can call out a change (e.g. from Game 5 there is no touch). You can decide on a final Game like when someone reaches Game 10 he wins and the game is over.
Though I've never finished a game... Can you??
Good Luck... Tashi Delek!

*Ek means one in Nepali and Hindi, and the stage in which you take one at a time (the first step after major) is usually called ek dupa. You'll take four rounds to take all the four stones one by one, right? After taking each stone, pronounce each vowel: Ek-Du-Pa-Ek/Panch
Later exchange the first Ek for Dui and Teen.

Ema Datsi, Kewa Datsi, Shamu Datsi...

Ema Datsi

Shamu Datsi

First of all, what is datsi? It's the Bhutanese cheese, a soft, melted cheese which the locals use to make local delicacies (and bound to disagree with your digestion, too). Ema means chilli. Kewa is potato, and shamu is mushroom. Did you, then, guess what these foods mean? Ema Datsi is the national dish, a plate of chillies served mixed with datsi. Not only is it the national dish, it is also one of the spiciest dishes. I've tried it only twice or thrice, and got out with a fiery tongue. I'm not saying it's bad! But is it ever spicy! Kewa datsi is pretty much the same thing, but, as you might guess, instead of chillies, it is served with potatoes. The datsi in this dish is quite hot, because otherwise the taste would have been bland. The shamu datsi is my favourite, because it's full of mushrooms, and  I personally adore mushrooms, especially the sangay-shamu and button mushrooms sometimes found in the local market in Thimphu. These are big, tough mushrooms, which, in good cooking, can be simply heavenly. Anyway, back to the subject. The datsi in the shamu datsi is also quite spicy, but not as much as the ema datsi, of course.

Kewa Datsi

All the Bhutanese love these dishes, and mostly eat them every day... with... rice, rice, and more rice!

The King

The current king, His Majesty the king Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, is the fifth Druk Gyalpo (ruler of Bhutan). Lately, as response of shocking disciplanary problems in Kelki High School, the king began to visit the sschools especially in Thimphu. He visited Changangkha middle secondary school, Kelki High School, Pelkhil, Jigme Namgyal School, and finally Druk School (of course). He left a great impression trailing after him after each visit.
The king is the only person in the whole Bhutan "allowed" to wear a yellow kabney (except for the religious leader the Je Khenpo). This separates him clearly from the rest of the crowd. Fortunately, our king, and all his royal Wangchuck ancestors, ruled and rule Bhutan kindly and justly.

The crown of the past and living kings of Bhutan is magnificent. It carries the national bird on top: the raven and is decorated at the bottom with skulls and on the top with many wonderful Bhutanese patterns. It was passed on to all of the Druk Gyalpos through many decades.K4 is still living. He passed the crown to the Fifth Druk Gyalpo at an early age. The Coronation was done at 2008, all the people of Thimphu, Bhutan viewing it in between the bustle in the streets.
The king also recently married a charming young lady, now named Ashi Jitshen Pema. It was the talk of everywhere, and still banks, museums, cafes and other sorts of buildings hang their famous photo.