Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Traveling Bhutan...Heading to Autsho MSS


On the way to Autsho at the Chezom Checkpoint 
Autsho MSS, a beautiful Boarding School in Eastern Bhutan

         My first trip out of Kanglung on my own and to see one of the best BCFers and a great friend Reidi Smith (read her blog it's really interesting). Yes, I know it may sound simple, but in a place where "hitchhiking" is accepted and sometimes not a single vehicle will go through the villages it is more than a challenge to get around in the remote Eastern area of Bhutan. 
        I had few "surprise" days of leave and I decided that I needed to get out and see what Bhutan had to offer. I left on early Friday morning and there I was standing in the Lower Market of Kanglung at 6AM, with a backpack full of clothes, sunglasses, my mobile, and a camera. At the time I didn't have any money because my salary had not been deposited into my bank account. I was hoping someone would so graciously give me a "lift" to Trashigang (which is a 45 minute drive down the mountain) for free and I could check my account at the ATM when I arrived. Luckily, a friend of mine here, Tshering Ngedup arranged a ride for me and even treated me to breakfast, arranged another Taxi to Mongar, and helped to print off my road permit. I need a road permit to go anywhere in this country. There are checkpoints that check all visitors must go through and without that I cannot cross "borders" out of my village. He arranged a ride with his friend Karma and by 9AM I was on my way to Mongar with a Taxi driver that spoke NO ENGLISH and his friend Karma who helped me to translate. Mongar, is another largely populated village about 3 Hrs. away from me. This ride is not so pleasant and with my other experiences on this road I thought I'd better just sleep. The roads are more than narrow,bumpy, and some even unfinished. I slept about 2 hours of the ride until my taki driver decided to pick up another couple and I had to move from my comfortable sleeping position into "faced-Pressed" window position. I finally arrived in Mongar, not knowing how or when I was going to "catch" my next taxi ride to Autsho, which is about an hour or more out of Mongar. I was treated to lunch again by Karma and this time I wasn't so pleased. I have to be honest and trying to say," I enjoy chili's at every single meal I take", would be the biggest lie from any BCFer. Anyways, it was a lunch meal engulfed with chili's and I felt bad they had purchased it for me, so I took the whole meal. Inhaling the heat of the heat of the chilli's like I was hyper-ventilating the entire time. Embarrassing. These people take chili's like I take water. Yes, and after the road trip my stomach really thanked me later. So, I hitched a ride with this young cab driver named Chunggs. He was polite, spoke some English, and after passing a beautiful forest, many randomly placed Marijuana fields,and picking up more teenage "hitch-hikers", I had finally arrived in Autsho. 
          This is a very remote place compared to my location. There is about 6 shops (majority owned by the parents of students at Autshoo MSS), never vehicles, and it's a boarding school. This means that almost all the students have been away at school , away from their families, and trying to live life on their own as early as age 7!!! I could tell I was the right place when I saw this 6'0", white woman walking across the street. I screamed with excitement to the driver,"There she is!" I had previously told the Taxi driver all about whom I was going to go visit and if you know me I CAN and WILL talk to almost anyone. She greeted me with a hug and a big smile and YES... that girl can smile and it will light a room and make me laugh a little. She was shopping and purchasing things for my arrival. Now, when I say she "greeted", I mean that she is on top of this huge hill and she lives in the matrons quarters. The town is all down below her school, so if this girl needs anything she has to take a "small" walk up and down this hill. To answer your question...yes, I was winded when I reached to her small, what I would call hostel. 
Autsho MSS with Madam Secretary
            I was greeted with many stares and smiles. I am very used to being "on display" by now so I greeted them all back with a "Kuzzoo Zam po" which is the typical greeting used here. Being in her small, but comfortable room I realized that I am one lucky girl to have a 3 bedroom apartment. That weekend that I spent with Reidi Smith was one of the most eye-opening experiences I have had here. What I mean by that is that not everyone is meant for this Teach abroad thing, Boarding Schools are more than just educating, being happy and enjoying life no matter where you are, and that the people that My first trip out of Kanglung on my own and to see one of the best BCFers and a great friend Reidi Smith (read her blog it's really interesting). Yes, I know it may sound simple, but in a place where "hitchhiking" is accepted and sometimes not a single vehicle will go through the villages it is more than a challenge to get around in the remote Eastern area of Bhutan. 
      
          This is a very remote place compared to my location. There is about 6 shops (majority owned by the parents of students at Autshoo MSS), never vehicles, and it's a boarding school. This means that almost all the students have been away at school , away from their families, and trying to live life on their own as early as age 7!!! I could tell I was in the right place when I saw this 6'0", white woman walking across the street. I screamed with excitement to the driver," There she is!" I had previously told the Taxi driver all about whom I was going to go visit and if you know me I CAN and WILL talk to almost anyone. She greeted me with a hug and a big smile and YES that girl can smile and it will light a room and make me laugh a little. She was shopping and purchasing things for my arrival. Now, when I say she "greeted", I mean that she is on top of this huge hill and she lives in the matrons quarters. The town is all down below her school, so if this girl needs anything she has to take a "small" walk up and down this hill. To answer your question...yes, I was winded when I reached to her small, what I would call hostel. 
            I was greeted with many stares and smiles. I am very used to being "on display" by now so I greeted them all back with a "Kuzzoo Zam po" which is the typical greeting used here. Being in her small, but comfortable room I realized that I am one lucky girl to have a 3 bedroom apartment. That weekend that I spent with Reidi Smith was one of the most eye-opening experiences I have had here. What I mean by that is that not everyone is meant for this teach abroad thing, Boarding Schools are more than just educating, being happy and enjoying life no matter where you are, and that the people surrounding and supporting you are the most important things a person could ask for. That weekend Reidi and I shared advice, resources, music, made some unforgettable memories, cut some hair, and had lunch with Madam Secretary Aum Sangay Zam!! In one 3 day weekend we accomplished so much and both us departed with laughter and smiles instead of tears and feelings of loneliness.
          Thank goodness on my way I had set up driver to get out of Autsho. My driver Chunngs came and picked me up and he was 1 hour EARLY! In Bhutan people always say,” We are running on Bhutan Time.” This means rarely will people ever show up on time and even though I usually run on “CP” time I was pleasantly surprised to see my driver ready to take me to Mongar again in “early fashion.” I was so happy and I was thinking goodness I have set up a solid plan to get me back to Kanglung early and I will be able to make it to school the next day …well rested. As I said before, “Bhutan time,” I was unable to connect with my ride from Mongar to Kanglung until 4:30 PM and I had to talk this driver into taking me all the way to Kanglung instead of just Trashigang.  All it took was only 300 more Nu. to get me all the way back home (Kanglung) at 11PM . I was so happy when I returned and I hoped Reidi felt the same. What a great trip with an amazing girl and I believe we both helped each other to adjust more in Bhutan in just a few short days.
arrival...
          

Morning prayer at Autsho MSS