School Rimdu

19th - 20th March

Snow clad distant peaks

It was one of the rare days where we got to clearly see the distant snow clad mountain peaks at the head of the valley - a treat to start the day!  A nice offset to the major swelling and discomfort I was developing as a result of Sunday's insect bites.

I had been warned that classes would be cancelled on the day of the school rimdu and there would be serious disruption to the senior student's classes on the previous day, as preparations would be underway. 

My arrival at school on the day before rimdu involved encountering class 8 boys spasmodically carrying wood up the steps.  One made a suggestion that I should wait until they were finished and I countered with a  suggestion that I ascend before the next student was ready to go up.

In the staff room, the big desks had been removed, and class 6 desks had been removed from their classroom ready for monks to convert that space into an alter room.  

Preparing food in the staff room

A couple of teacher workspaces were transformed into a cooking space, as teachers would be cooking today for the monks.  Teachers who apparently had little to do spent the morning chatting in the staffrom.  I tried to get some chart papers prepared for upcoming lessons. I also extracted from Sonam some decent chart paper for the posters I was expected to prepare for World Water Day.

Class 8 students were running around most of the morning assisting with preparations; one of the preparation tasks involved taking carpets from the principal's office and shaking the dust out of them - a task best observed from a distance!  

The boys' dust masks were a very
sensible precaution

I attempted to extract a firm answer as to whether or not I would have classes that afternoon.  One answer was firmer than the other. It turned out that I did.  Just as well lessons were prepared!  At least I got to teach in classrooms.  Joan had to take class 6A in "the Hub"

The actual day of rimdu dawned and although we had been advised that breakfast, lunch and dinner would be provided at school, and to be there with empty stomachs at 8am,  we decided that perhaps some hotel breakfast would be a good idea, and, allowing for BST, we left the hotel at around 8am.  There was plenty of time to deposit things in the staffroom before we were summonsed to have some porridge – a quite pleasant concoction fairly unrelated to anything that goes by that name in the west. 

The monks were ensconced in the re-vamped 6A classroom – which looked positively gorgeous with its religious garb, lama’s chair, butter lamps and altar.  Chanting, praying and the sound of the traditional instruments issued from this room on and off through the day.

Joan teaching al fresco in "The Hub"

There was much visiting to the room, and offering of goodies, mainly packeted junk food, which would later be distributed to the students, and staff if they so wished.  There was, of course, also the offerings of money, prostrations and blessings.  I was told the next day that now in many monasteries  only home cooked things such as biscuits and “finger chips” are accepted as offerings, to reduce the amount of wrapping that needs to be disposed of.  A rather good idea in my opinion!

This little chap looked gorgeous
in his traditional boots and gho

The main activity for the day was preparing food – breakfast and lunch was provided for the students as well as the monks and the staff – and sitting around chatting for the staff, or running around, playing, chatting etc for the students.  I took advantage of the unscheduled time to do some preparation of posters for the presentation that Joan and I have been asked to do for World Clean Water Day on Thursday 22^nd. 

Cooking for the 800 students was being done on open fires close to the admin building in cauldron sized pots that would be the envy of MacBeth’s witches.  A couple of people from “outside” had been employed for this and were assisted by assorted staff and older students – the boys concerned even being permitted to wear pants and shirt for this task – an almost unheard-of event for a formal school occasion! 

Other students were in their best kira/gho for the occasion.  Some younger students were in school uniform and when I asked about this, I was told that they had been told but… I asked whether they might actually have another good set of National Dress and was told that maybe not, as little kids grow so quickly.  

Pots simmering on open fires

I am also guessing, from the answer to an oft-asked question, that more of the women here don’t weave than is the case in the east.

We were summonsed for second (or in our case third) breakfast some time around mid morning and this was rice and ema datse;  I was rapt that a separate dish of mushrooms – shitake mushrooms at that – had been prepared for the foreign teachers!  While I don’t mind a little ema datse, I cannot eat too much of this traditional chilli-cheese dish.

Following this Joan and I did a bit more work on our presentation, and me on the posters and chart paper for upcoming lessons.  I am discovering artistic talents I never knew I had (and still don’t really – all I am doing is copying cartoon style pictures from the internet.)

Preparing vegetables for the student meals

This filled in the time nicely until lunch, which was served in the staffroom as the breeze had started and was blowing dust everywhere outside.  My refusal of the meat dishes earned me a substantial helping of the egg/cheese (and chilli, of course) dish and I helped myself to a little vegetable curry and soup to go with this.  I have been interested to note that while soup is a common accompaniment, it is not the dhal that is the universal accompaniment that I had previously experienced.

I started on some more preparation after lunch and inquired about identifying a teacher I needed to talk with and he was pointed out on the assembly ground, but appeared busy, so I loitered.  His busyness was associated with the appropriate seating of the Lama and the Principal for the presentation of badges to the school captains who were appropriately attiring themselves not only in their school uniform but also with ceremonial ratchu and kabney

Washing the dishes

Following the presentations, which also involved the presentations of khata, the traditional white silk scarf that is presented on important occasions, there was a quick group photo session and then a “cultural program” with a small number of groups of girls dancing Rigsar -  the blend of classic and modern, and a small group of rather innovative boys who had a much more energetic routine they had developed to quite a boppy tune.

This all finished quite abruptly and students, an already decimated number, started wandering randomly around and I asked one girl if she was now going home… no, she was going to the school canteen – as you would after being served 3 meals with plenty of “second serve” being available.

I had just reinstalled myself back in a space in the office when Mila came to ask if I was ready to go to get some laminating done.  I had indicated the previous day that it was my intent to do that after school and was told I should go to the community centre instead, and someone would take me.  

Class 6A classroom with its finery
- provided by the monks and the school

There seemed to be an urgency as the centre might close at 4, so I rapidly finished what I was doing and went.  It turned out that Mila was not certain how to get there by road, but knew a short cut path.  Of course he did, this is Bhutan.  So we parked on the main road and ascended a very steep slope of red clay – fortunately dry – with some steps cut in, but I was in most unsuitable attire for such a route:  high heels and kira made it a challenge, but not as much as coming down!

The centre was locked when we arrived but Mila made a phone call and elicited the information that she would come…. Which she eventually did.  In due course my lamination was done and we returned to school;  I did accept Mila’s offer to hold my hand from time to time on that steep descent and did ask him to carry my bag.  

preparing the meat

It had been cheaper than going to the commercial shop, and I did appreciate his effort in taking me.  The result will be for the school, and while we were there Mila looked at what it was I was doing and decided it was an excellent idea and he could also use it – so I guess it was a win-win hour spent!

 

I asked to be dropped at the hotel for a quick break before going back to school for dinner “in half an hour” or so. 

Our friends from the Higher Secondary School had been invited to join us for dinner, and tables were set up in 2 of the class 8 classrooms, the third room being used as a kitchen / serving room.

The lama offers khata to the captains

There seemed to be school based separation of teachers between the 2 rooms and Trish and I had looked into the first – which housed the Higher Secondary teachers sitting at tables around the edge, with the principals sitting around a central table – we were summonsed to sit with the principal and visiting vice principal.  This table was subsequently joined by a few other invited guests – managers of the road construction department and some from the hydro project, I believe.

General conversation elicited that the visiting vice principal was from Talo and the nearby village which were residences of many members of the royal family.  There was a query or invitation that may have been to see the palace, but we were a bit unsure about this as the noise level was pretty high.

Pinning on the captain's badges

The snack served with drinks was savoury nutrella, a vegetable protein meat substitute – an interesting idea but I definitely prefer Zangmo’s savoury noodle preparation.

As drinks were served, I chose to stick with beer it is safest given the way that glasses are topped up! And I rather like Druk 11000 – it tastes nothing like beer at home.

Drinks and snacks were followed by dinner and once again I skipped on the meat but was delighted to find that shamu datsi was prepared with shitake mushrooms – a particularly delicious option.  

Rimdu dinner in a class 8 classroom

Shitake mushrooms are actually cultivated locally and I did spot some at the market a few days later.

I had taken my sandshoes and torch for safe walking home but had just stared on that journey when I was summonsed to a ride with the visiting vice principal.  A summons that I did not protest in the least.  The prospect of walking down a reasonably steep path in the dark really did not thrill me greatly.