Introduction to Lobesa

4^th March

The view from the Vara

While we’d had a glimpse of the view from the Vara Hotel the previous evening, the light was fading as we arrived.  The morning presented a much clearer view, albeit misty, and early morning had a real chill to the air.

I met Joan for breakfast at 8 and she indicated an interest in going into the “shopping centre” – a line of fruit and vegetable market stalls with a few small general stores opposite.

Since Kunsang’s sons, who were to take us for a guided tour of the school, were not yet in evidence, we decided to go for a mini shopping trip first up.  Kunsang was taking in the early morning air on the terrace as we left, so we could communicate our plans.

The girls' toilet block at school

The walk to the market / shops was shorted than we had thought, which was good.  I was very impressed with the range of fruit and vegetables available and thought how luck Trish, the BCF teacher placed here for the year, is.  It was choice I only had available when I visited Trashigang when I was placed at Kheni in 2015.

Joan purchased carrots, tomatoes, mandarin oranges and a watermelon – I introduced her to the concept of buying ½kg or 1kg and the young boy who was serving us was a little puzzled and had trouble converting ½kg to grams with the electronic scale – I had to tell him to take some out when the initial weight was 800g, rather than put some in!

I purchased some mandarins and local butter – so much more tasty on morning toast – and between us we brought some local cheese.

"The Hub" a new and delightful outdoor sitting area

Upon return to the hotel, Kunsang was once again taking the air on the terrace, in the company of another gentleman who immediately asked me if we had met.  It turned out we had.  He is Tashi Dhendup from Trashiyangse, and I had not only met him there but also at the winter camp at Gyelposhing and while he could not remember my name, he recognized my face.  We had a long chat about common acquaintances and friends and he departed with and exchange of business cards and my best wishes for his new venture into tourism.

Our new rooms were almost ready:  one was ready and the other almost ready, so we went up to check out the lie of the land.  Joan expressed a positive interest in the one that was already ready, and that suited me, as the other one had the twin beds pushed together to make one enormous king size bed.  Both room had spacious balconies, and we asked the housekeeping girls to bring one or two items that had been missing from the rooms the previous evening then assisted them with the transfer of our luggage and commenced unpacking.

We had touched base again with Kunsang, the boys were getting ready; we were happy to put in some time into unpacking.  My suitcase had been carefully and neatly packed to start with but a few days of pulling things out and stuffing things back in had undone all that good work and it was getting more difficult to close.  Now items of clothing that needed hanging could be hung; the base of the suitcase could be excavated for stationery items which could sit in their assigned box, ditto my sewing kit.  First aid and medical kits could be put back together and items destined as gifts could be found a place to live until needed.

Guides Joel, Jigme and Tala outside the Admin building

The room is quite spacious with a very acceptable bathroom, wooden floors and a couple of small tables and a cushioned window seat.  We have an electric kettle with some tea and coffee making but no small fridge.  There is a TV, which  might get turned on at some stage.  A small wooden hanging rail for clothes and a rack for suitcases.  It will make quite a comfortable home for the month.

In due course the boys turned up, we had met the younger one, Tala (Tshewang Tenzin), but this was the first time I had met the older one, Jigme Wangchuk.  June said she would meet them downstairs in 5 minutes, and in the meantime, Jigme decided he was going to go and shower… back to the unpacking until he decided he was ready again.  I also took the opportunity to start some washing – having accumulated a few days’ worth of grubby clothing.

Tala, Jigme and Joel in "The Hub"

The boys asked us which way we would like to go to school.  The rough road, the good road or the shortcut.  We elected for the good road to get there, as we probably would not want to walk the others in our good shoes and kira, with a return via one of the other routes.  As we left the hotel grounds, they mentioned Joel lived in the house next door, and although he was Christian, he was nice, and could they call him.  So Joel also came with us.

Jigme entertained us with his questions and stories on the way up, his story of Guru Rinpoche, of the joining of the Mo Chhu and Pa Chhu rivers, of the thunder dragon and his relationship with the weather (thunder means the dragon is angry, hail means he is playing, rain means he is crying…) and Tala shared that he does not like maths but could I come and teach his class maths because he things his teacher goes too fast and he does not like maths.  I did tell him that if he does not understand his homework and needs help, he can come to me.

My room

Plenty of bed!

The boys showed us over the school and Joan, unknowing of many of the routines of school in Bhutan, asked many questions.  We were shown the class 7 & 8 classrooms and taken towards the admin building where we were introduced to the principal Tashi Phuntsho.

Other than eliciting that we can report by 8:30am, we are still no clearer as to our role here.

Our tour of the school continued and either this school is in worse repair than Kheni or my memories are improving with passing time.  The class PP and 1 classrooms in particular looked rather grim.

The boys took us across to the basketball court where a handful of class 7 and 8 boys were honing their skills, principally, I think, to show us off.

A particularly attractive outdoor study / reading area was lined with wonderful quotes and homilies designed to motivate and inspire. 

We duly returned via a route that was a mixture of steps and a steep and challenging section, and a visit to an English teacher who lived nearby.  It had been an interesting morning.

I retrieved a couple of the local cheeses from the morning purchase from the fridge – quite a process - and the day receptionist, Thinley, suggested I relocate the rest to the bar fridge which is much more accessible.

We parted for the rest of the afternoon, to quietly eat lunches, finish unpacking and do some preparation for the following day.  A bit of a challenge given that we did not know what it would bring.

Hanging out my washing on my balcony, I was intrigued to realize that Joan, next door had a visitor.  It was not long before I also had a visitor.  Jigme and Tula had come to ask if I had work for them.  They came in and “helped” me reinforce the edges of some magazines and books with sellotape, to reduce dog-earing in the hands of many students and rifled through my books.  I found them each something to read but had targeted too high and both were amused for some time with Jonathon’s old “Spot” books.  The turning of flaps to reveal part of the story was an entertaining novelty even for class 5 Jigme.  When I told him he could read it at school to class pp and 1 children, he said he wanted to share with his own classmates.  I inwardly cringed at this idea – his reading level is way above “Spot”.  In due course I decided it was time for them to go and sent them off with a book each.  A “Spot” book for Tala and “Kermit saves the swamp” for Jigme.

A spacious balcony

I spent a time preparing a chart paper / poster which might be used for a lesson with any class from 3-8, depending on how I used it.  Concept:  “bossy e”  - “I make the vowel say its name!” 

Useable for phonics learning, pronunciation and/or vocabulary development and/or writing it will provide lesson material should I need it on the morrow.

Joan and I met again at 6:30pm to walk to the Hotel Lobesa for dinner.  A buffet dinner for which we were charged 400Nu each.  The vegetable dishes were tasty and the rice was local, red rice. 

We spent some time sharing idea and thoughts about what we might want to achieve while here and how we might want to achieve it.  For me, book buddies – in a variety of forms depending on the ability of the older child, home reading and the concept “read for leisure, read for pleasure” are featuring.  Along with mini lessons on aspects of reading that will build skill, rather than just ploughing through the curriculum regardless.

Our walk back was so filled with ideas and discussion that I remarked that I thought we had gone too far.  Joan agreed, and we retraced our steps to find the road to the hotel and the school – quite difficult to find even with our torches.

I was glad that I was not trying to sleep immediately as I fielded a couple of phone calls about breakfast time, then a knock on the door:  Jigme was returning the loaned book.  I hope he did not expect an invitation in – he was told I was about to sleep!