Reading Poster Judging, a nunnery and a picnic

24^th March

Despite not being required at school for Saturday morning we had committed to being here today as it was the scheduled day for judging of the reading poster competition that I had initiated Read for Leisure Read for Pleasure.  Posters had been arriving on my desk since Wednesday, the closing day for students to have them to their class teachers, who would select the best 2 for judging. 

I had stayed late on Friday, after PD, and with Joan’s help sorted them into class order (which magically appeared to get unsorted overnight…) and recorded the names of the artists/designers.  






We appeared to have 4 classes that had not submitted anything, and an announcement in assembly only brought 2 late entries from one class, and then a rather late individual effort from another – whose class teacher had already selected the 2 best from those submitted.  I contemplated sending him away but his poster effort was rather good, so I added it to the display on the stage area at the side of the assembly ground.

The display had started as a neat arrangement of posters at eye level, but the late arrivals necessitated a bit of ad-hoc addition.

The process of “pasting” the posters up – using brown “sellotape”, which sometimes stuck to the available corrugated iron and wooden surfaces and sometimes didn’t, was hindered by any number of young observers (who presumably should have been in class) and dogs underfoot.  I eventually asked a couple of older students to shoo away both and stand guard at the entrances to discourage further incursions – not overly successfully.  

Once the display was complete and before the judging teachers presented themselves, I cornered one of the captains to quieten the assembled throng in front of the stage and tell them they could come and look – with their eyes only, not their fingers.  I had to ask the students to perform these tasks as my voice was rapidly disappearing to not more than a whisper.  Joan had shared her cold and laryngitis with me. 

 

The judges presented themselves and seemed happy with my instructions, only needing clarification about the labeling/naming on one poster where students had added names after the posters had been displayed.

I was very glad that others were judging these;  many students had put much effort into their posters and the end result was impressive.

As soon as the judges had finished, the posters were taken down – there would be a risk of them being damaged by young children or the wind if left overnight, which is a shame.  The school has no multipurpose hall, so no place to display such a number of posters easily.

As the posters were coming down, I compiled the judges scores to one sheet and left the addition until later as Sonam was waiting to take Joan, Trish and I for a little afternoon excursion to a nunnery.  His wife, the school librarian Phuntsho and their little daughter would also come. 

Serious work: Madam Ugyen judges posters

I guided him through a narrow space in the parking area before we briefly stopped at the hotel so I could drop my backpack and grab something a bit more manageable.  There were a couple of long stops in the town, the purpose of which later became evident, and we finally proceeded to the nunnery.  

The residence of the father in law of the fourth king

Build by the father in law of the fourth king, Sangchen Dorji Lhundrup Choeling has clearly been in our view for the last 3 weeks, and although I had visited in November 2013, it was lovely to visit in spring with many of the flowers in bloom, as well as to revisit the temple- very bright and beautiful with its relatively new colours.  The recent practice of adding a “butter lamp house” to temples keeps most of the smokey lamps out of the temples, thus preserving colour of paint and textiles, as well as reducing the likelihood of major damage by fire.

The residence of the father in law of the fourth king sits opposite the entrance of the nunnery and the whole area is pleasingly landscaped with an extensive orchard planted below the nunnery.

Sonam and his daughter in front of the major chorten

Sonam tells us that he has been trying to develop a bit of an orchard around the school, but the caretaker does not always assist with looking after the plants, and the cows damage them.  I have noticed banana plants, including one with a very healthy looking bunch of bananas!

We piled back into Sonam’s Car and headed up the hill to a delightfully clear grassy area among the chir pines, with new and old prayer flags gaily fluttering in the stiff, but very welcome, breeze; the day had been getting hot.  The spot, high on the hill, had a bit of that “edge of the world” feel to it, as the hill below dropped steeply away.

The view from the nunnery

The carpets on the car seats were relocated onto the grass and a couple of plastic shopping bags of goodies were excavated from the car. 

We settled down around the goodies, which included a couple of takeaway containers of momo, with ezy, of course – delicious! And assorted packet snacks and cakes. 

And a four pack of Druk 11000, the plastic of which Sonam proceeded to cut with a handy knife excavated from his gho – this was a serious knife that would make Crocodile Dundee look wimpy.

Sonam & Phuntsho's daughter at the nunnery

A lovely spot for a picnic

Of course you need a giant blade
to open a 4-pack!

The last time I had beer in the middle of the day was with Brian and Christine on one of the Greek Islands, and from memory that was accompanied by a packet of potato crisps as we sat and enjoyed the view of a small village harbour – a very different location but a similarly enjoyable little party.I spent the rest of the afternoon figuring out the placings for the poster competition and breathing a huge sigh of relief when I found that one of the judges had added up their scores wrongly and I did not have 2 equal first places, then relaxing and contemplating how I might teach a short unit on advertising to class 7.

Phuntsho and her daughter

Joan and I did a quick recce of possible prizes after I went in to ask her to double check my places – she immediately handed back the sheet and asked for the executive summary.  Asking her to double check my page of numbers was a bit like her asking me to publicly sing.  Not happening.  We wrapped up some prizes and I retired to try to work out what TV ads the students might have access to…. Maybe I’ll just ask them.