THE PROMPTS FOR THE
MONTH
SUNDAY 1st TINY:
This tiny Buddha has been with me for many years and in many locations across
the globe. It is the size of the first joint of my thumb
WEDNESDAY 2nd HALF:
a persimmon.... taken when I was packing lunch today and so delicious, I will
have to get more at the market on the weekend
THURSDAY 3rd
ADVENTURE: my most recent adventure was last weekend's camping trip to Punakha
with class X. The photo display and credits to student photographers went up at
school today. I do love this way of recognising students and it's great to see
the interest the photographic presentations generate among the students
FRIDAY 4th ORDINARY:
Just an ordinary winter day at school in the Himalayas: the national flag is
flying, mountain backdrop and a clear blue sky
SATURDAY 5th ONE
O'CLOCK: At one o'clock we were at the organic section of the farmers market
here in Thimphu loading up on veggies for the coming week
SUNDAY 6th CLOUDS:
Not a cloud in sight today- just clear blue skies and cold crisp air. This is a
shot from our bedroom window about a month ago when I was convinced that the
monsoon would never end. Obviously it has now
MONDAY 7th MADE ME
SMILE: The amazing art work of the class 6 students for their "Adopt a
Story" review of 13 short story texts before their board exams. These guys
put their heart and soul into everything they do. They make me smile
everyday
TUESDAY 8th
OPPOSITES: These flash cards are designed to teach opposites and among the
many teaching resources we will have to find suitable owners for before we
leave Bhutan
WEDNESDAY 9th IN
LOVE WITH....:
THURSDAY 10th HOME
SWEET HOME: This has been home sweet home for the last almost 2 years and will
be for just another 7 weeks. All things must pass
FRIDAY 11th HORIZON:
The spectacular horizons that the Himalayas provide. Vistas I will surely
miss
SATURDAY 12th ON MY
MIND: There is a lot on my mind right now: how to leave Bhutan with out
breaking my heart, the loss of the voice of my generation and many that
followed, how to move forward with appreciation and gratitude, going home to Oz
and planning a short trip to Sri Lanka all competeing for brain space with how
to get my class X students over the line in the board and exams
SUNDAY 13th BLOOM: a
lotus bloom in its prime. Another splendid Buddhist symbol of purity - so named
because it rises unsullied from the mud in the bottom of the pond
MONDAY 14th FREEDOM:
For me a valid passport, a little money preferably in several currencies, an
accurate map and a sense of adventure represent freedom
TUESDAY 15th TOY:
whether or not this qualifies as a toy I am not sure but it was given to me
today and is a tiny replica of a Cham dancer. It is smaller than my thumb and I
have been playing with it all day. The mask can cover the face completely or
partially or be removed. I love it as the masked dances known as Cham are such
a colourful and spectacularly beautiful part of Bhutanese culture. Thank you
Madam Sherab
WEDNESDAY 16th A
TREAT: I have a box of these tamarind candies at my desk and I usually give
them out to students for rewards but now that we are in exam mode, they serve
just at well as an afternoon pick me up treat for the teams of teachers in
communal correction of the exam papers all afternoon after invigilation all
morning
THURSDAY 17th
FAMILY: Although we both have family in Australia and a wonderful family of
friends, in Bhutan at least "we are family" We only have each other
and it works out just fine
FRIDAY 18th CALM: I
think standing under these towering prayer flags and listening to the wind
flapping them gently is about the best way to regain or sustain a sense of
calm. I'm also grateful that this prompt made me climb the stairs to
Changangkha Lhakhang tonight after school and appreciate the views and the
simple things in life. Precious moments in the kingdom
SATURDAY 19th PHOTO
OF A PHOTO: No-one except the royal photographer gets to take photos of HM
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk the King of Bhutan, so this is a photo of a photo
that stands on our bookcase. It was taken some time ago but I love that he is
wearing the raven crown
SUNDAY 20th WATER:
Hard to believe that this pristine river with clean clear water is right
downtown in Thimphu
MONDAY 21st
LANDSCAPE: This is an archive shot taken on this day last year on our first
ever visit to Tango Monastery. We've been back many times since and are
planning one last visit with a dear Japanese friend before we leave. It's
one landscape you never tire of
TUESDAY 22nd
NEGATIVE SPACE: I know it's not the photographic interpretation but for
teachers and students alike the exam hall is the ultimate negative space.
At least for some the ordeal is already over for this year. Last papers
for many but not all today at school
WEDNESDAY 23rd UP
HIGH: The iconic visual splendour of Memorial Chorten. I often wonder how they
get the decorations up high when they hold all these special prayer sessions
THURSDAY 24th I'M
THANKFUL FOR...... : I have very many things to be thankful for: growing up in
a peaceful country, a free tertiary education, the good fortune to have married
the love of my life, the ability to take risks and follow my dreams to work
globally and the list goes on. Right now however I feel most thankful for doing
a job I feel passionate about and knowing my students actually appreciate me as
these screen shots of conversations and posts by one of them yesterday
demonstrate
FRIDAY 25th ON MY
PLATE: As luck would have it my colleagues treated me to a farewell dinner
tonight at my favourite restaurant in Thimphu - San Maru. Therefore I had
Dolsot Bibimbap on my plate or truth be told in my bowl
SATURDAY 26th WHAT I
SAW TODAY: was mostly the inside of the kitchen. But... now I have a plethora
of traditional Xmas cakes to give as gifts before we leave this Buddhist
kingdom. I'm sure they will be appreciated and I'm sure I saw joy and happiness
in creating them
SUNDAY 27th EXTREME
CLOSE UP: There are very few things I couldn’t live without. Coffee is on the
top of the list of consumables
MONDAY 28th TODAY
I......: finished tabulating all the scores for the class VI English Board
Exams. Not as good as I'd hoped but we all did our best. That's it now -
school's most onerous task completed. I have marked, corrected calculated and
analysed 127 English exams in the last month
TUESDAY 29th
SUNSHINE: Silhouettes of mountains and the sunshine illuminating the prayer
flags flapping in the schoolyard. Never a month goes by without a prayer flags
of Bhutan inclusion. Do I need to say it again? I'm going to miss them and this
kingdom
WEDNESDAY 30th
HANDS: My hands at the end of a long day. The Class X English Paper
1 Board Exam was the first paper today and now it's all in their hands but
I swear I was more nervous than they were
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