Dechen's

The nature retreat to Jhomolhari was one of the toughest hikes I've ever done. Known as the "Bride of Kangchenjunga," Jhomolhari is a stunning peak located on the border between Tibet and Bhutan, standing at an impressive 7,326 meters. We  embarked on this incredible journey from May 12th to 17th, 2024. This experience was not just a physical challenge but also an opportunity to connect deeply with nature and the majestic landscapes of Bhutan.  Our adventure began with an 8-hour trek to our first basecamp, Thang Thangkha. In our local Dzongkha language, "Thang" means a small plain area, which is how Thang Thangkha got its name. After spending the night at Thang Thangkha, we embarked on a 6-hour hike to the Jhomolhari base camp. This beautiful spot, called Jangothang, offers breathtaking views of the magnificent Jhomolhari mountain right from your tent. Near the campsite, there is a ruin of a large structure. Curious about its history, I asked our horseman and gu...

I've finished reading the first habit of effectiveness, "Be Proactive," and I want to share what I've learned. Being proactive means taking charge and being responsible, not just watching things happen. It's about looking after our growth, understanding our mistakes, and working on getting better. Being proactive also means knowing what we can and can't control. We don't waste time worrying about things we can't change, but focus on the things we can. The idea of the "circle of concern" and "circle of influence" was interesting. The "Circle of Concern" includes things we care about but can't control, while the "Circle of Influence" involves things we can directly impact and change through our actions. Covey emphasizes focusing on our Circle of Influence to become more effective. Instead of worrying about things we can't change, we should focus on improving ourselves and being more proactive, which can mak...

There’s this concept I find very valuable (again from the same book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People"), and it's called "P/PC," which stands for "Production" and "Production Capability." Let me break it down for you in my own words:   Production (P): This is the result or output of our efforts. It's what we get when we work on something. For example, if we have a garden, the vegetables we grow in it are the production.   Production Capability (PC): This is like the health and quality of the garden itself. It's the ability to produce more vegetables in the future. So, if we take good care of the soil, water it, and keep it healthy, our garden will have a strong production capability. Now, balancing P/PC means not just focusing on the immediate result (the vegetables) but also taking care of what allows us to produce more in the long run (the healthy garden).   Here's how we can use this concept in our life: Ex...

In the book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey, proactivity and positive thinking are two distinct concepts. Proactivity means taking charge of your actions and choices. It's about being in control of your life and not letting external circumstances or other people determine how you respond to situations. Proactive people understand that they can choose their responses and take responsibility for their decisions. On the other hand, positive thinking is about maintaining a hopeful and optimistic outlook. It's about looking for the good in situations and believing that things can improve. While positivity is essential, it's not enough on its own. Proactivity goes a step further by encouraging you to take action and make positive changes in your life.  The concept of "R" and "I" stands for Resourcefulness and Initiative. Resourcefulness means finding creative solutions to challenges and making the most of the resources avail...

In today's rapidly changing world, the significance of mindfulness has grown immensely. As the world evolves around us, remaining present has become crucial. Mindfulness isn't just a fleeting trend; it serves as an anchor connecting me to my inner self and the external world. For the past six months, I've been immersing myself in the mindfulness videos of Youngey Mingyur Rinpoche, actively practicing what I've learned. Rinpoche's remarkable ability to simplify complex ideas and explain them like a friend truly sets him apart. But what's even more appealing is his approachability and positive vibe. It's refreshing to see that a meditation guide can be relatable, humorous, and uplifting. Reading his book "Restful Mind" last year has inspired me to learn more and engage in mindfulness practices. Additionally, I've become used to watching his YouTube shorts, which are catchy and easy to enjoy. These shorts, typically under a minute, are not onl...

Sometimes, reading books is easy when we just read and know the meanings of words. But, it becomes harder when we really want to understand and digest the meaning. So, for me, reading books needs a lot of effort and energy. That's why I get bored and lose focus when reading non-fiction books. To fix this, I started writing down the main things I learn from books in my blog. I hope this will help me understand better and stay interested, and also keep me going with my blogging. Lately, I began reading a book titled "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey. At the start of the book, it talks about "Paradigm and Principles" before introducing us to the 7 habits. The portion on paradigms and principles focuses on helping us understand the significance of paradigms and how they affect the way we behave and the results we achieve. He defines paradigm as the way we see, perceive, understand and interpret the world.  Picture: Google While the author...

As the sun adorns the valley And the river flows in silence I sit by the river on a wooden bench my mind filled with imaginations Dreaming, you sitting next to me Together we watch the birds sing and swing I watch you smile Till the sun  embellishes  the whole valley Slowly, you disappear with the colorful birds Despite my urge to hold your hands I stop myself and dare not to hold For power, I don’t have over reality Although futile my wish I walk around with hope undivided we shall be In our thoughts. What a beautiful day!

If I am a flower of free in your field What color do you think I would be Pink, Red, Yellow or White? I bet Red indeed would be a treat! If you were a bee of free in my field What color do you think you would choose? Pink, Red, Yellow or White? I bet Red indeed would be the best! If we were a flower and a bee Would you have frequented me Or gone when the nectars done Or when the spring's over If I am a flower of free in your field Would my fragnance fill the air? If you were a bee of free your field Would your charm fill the sky? Together, would we create a beautiful field? Together, would we glow in the dark? Together, would there be pure happiness? In the field of gentle light and breeze!

Shall we go for a picnic? Lets go for shopping. Are we going for the Wang (Blessing)? The answers to the questions are always a NO. A polite NO with pretty good excuses. Are you going to play the upcoming football tournament? Are you taking part in these and that.....all out of home.... A delightful Yes! Basically, he likes to go out and encourages me to go out as well. He often said, he missed his free bachelor life. When we first married, he was the one who gave me lots of love and attention. He loved to spent more time together with me. He once asked for a date over a Dzongkha movie which now he never watches even if its compulsory. After marriage, it became just the opposite. I was the one seeking attention instead. My married life became unromantic day by day. I was the housekeeper and our home was just a shelter. I wanted him to spend more time with me but for him, his friends and social life was more important. I think this is the point of time when most husband an...

Tang Central School is one of the oldest school in Bhutan. It was established in 1965.On 8th October, 2015 we celebrated Tang Central School's golden Jubilee. From Pre- primary to Middle Secondary and now central school, TCS nurtured various individuals. TCS is now 50 years old and one of the institution that contributed a lot in shaping Bhutan. As a remembrance and tribute to the school, the alumni of TCS formed a body to help Tang Celebrate it's 50th birth anniversary. From the fund generated from the community, we built a Jamyang Phodrang in front of the main academic block. Mr.  Sonam Wangdi  and Mr. Renchin Thinley coordinated the whole program and made our school look even more beautiful. An alumnus, Thinley, sponsored all the wood materials on top of being the head architect for the structure. Newly constructed Jamyang Phodrang Dr. Pema Jamtsho, the opposition leader and alumnus of this school was the chief guest. Many other distinguish guests, alumni, offic...

Becoming a mother is the most satisfactory and greatest thing I have done in my whole life. It was such a natural feeling for me. I was quite nervous but it all went very smoothly. Not to forget the kindness and support I got from the doctors in welcoming our sweet baby in this world. I would like to thank the Gynecologist, Dr. Sonam Gyamtsho  of  Mongar Regional Referral Hospital  and his team for taking care of us (me and my son). I thank you so much for the experienced care and support you provided me during the delivery of our precious son Thuksel. My life savior- Gynecologist Sonam Gyamtsho From the very beginning, through my troubles to the assisted delivery and the care afterwards, you have been kind, gentle and compassionate. Bumthang Hospital diagnosed my baby to be breech and therefore I was referred to Mongar. After staying at Mongar for almost a month the final day arrived. I was playing Candy Crush in Tshering's Phone when my labor pain started at ar...

I don't understand politics and high level talks. I don't know why, but I often have problems understanding big things or something requiring many procedures to be done. By the virtue of our beloved monarchs and my own past merit, by the nature of the place I live in, I was happy, satisfied and doing my regular duties. Few days back, while I am returning from the class I was shocked to see many of my fellow teachers with a head phone each and some sharing with others. Its an unusual scenario of our staff room. They were listening so attentively. I was curious and asked them, what are they listening to and they told me that our pay is going to be raised and they are listening to the parliament session on radio. The first thought that struck me was "No, it is impossible." I thought so because I heard and know that our country is having lots of debts. I am at least aware of our economic conditions though I stay in a remote part of our country. I had my next class, so ...

Today, we had a Cluster Based Inservice Programme in our school and I came to know an interesting thing.  I met a teacher who teaches at Khangrab CPS.  His name is Choki Dorji and he is from Benzibee, Tang, Bumthang. We chatted for sometime and I came to know that he was the first person registered in the civil registration. He comes first in terms of rank of citizenship identity card from our country. Going by the alphabetical order, Bumthang comes first from the rest and his village Benzibee comes first from Bumthang.  Since his name starts from 'C' , he ended up becoming the first person to get photographed for Citizenship identity card despite many people whose names also start with 'C'. Though there can be coincidences in such cases, I personally feel its a wonderful coincidence. One would not get such opportunity even by chance if we dont have a great deal of merit and karma. To be on the first rank of about 741,822 people, without any effort !

Dear Dechen's, Yesterday was one of the happiest day of my life. We had the honor to have an audience with Ashi Kuenzang Choden, the first women writer from Bhutan. We invited her as a guest speaker as we are observing writing week for the first time in our school. Listening to her soft soothing words of wisdom,  changed my very notion of writing. She explained writing in a very simple and interesting manner. She told us that we shouldnot be afarid of grammatical mistakes and structures while writing which I worry about every time. In her writing secrets she shared with us how she struggled as a sstudent, how she came to love English and how she gets inspiration from small simple things. From now on, I will not fear as long as I have interest and as long as I can express my thoughts.  Mistakes will no longer bother me now! She also talked about how she wrote Dawa. I read the story but it was not as touching as she summed up to us in about 10 minutes. Her English was very...

It’s been almost 2 months since I didn’t write on my blog. Blogging is something I love doing though my writing is not that good. Although I am not a regular blogger, I really miss doing it these days because I don’t have access to internet.hehe. “We know the value of something, by the want of it”, truly said! I regret for complaining about the speed of wireless connection back in college, now that I don’t have any access to internet and broadband connection is ten times slower than the slow wireless connection in college. After my RCSE selection test, I am placed here in Tang Middle Secondary School under Bumthang Dzongkhag. TANG, as it sounds, has a remarkable and beautiful meaning. Legends have it that Guru Rinpoche created a wooden airplane in which the mythological KHI-KHA-RA-THOE and his descendants took off and landed here in Tang (creating the sound TANG), hence the place got its name. It’s unbelievable that Guru created Aeroplane before Wright Brothers did. And the place w...

James Barrie said, "God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December." This post contains some reminiscences of my class mates, some of the interesting things I want to remember. I hope my friends won't mind for writing about them here. Its because I find it interesting.  Lopen Zhip Tshoel (Research). Phub Dorji was the Lopen Zhip Tshoel of our class. He got this name because during discussions and question answer sessions he would always say that he did some research and found out something else to support his answer. Actually he really does that in real. He chases every lecturer and enquires a lot if he had doubts which many of us don’t dare to do. For this reason, we despise him sometimes for making the class bit longer especially when we wanted free periods. But his persistence helps us a lot at the end of the semester. A true lover and a very sincere talented guy. Lopen Pey Tam (Quotes) We can, with 100% expect him to utter ...

 The past four years were the most indelible moments of my life. When I first joined college in 2009, four years sounded like eternity. I would often wonder, When will the training period end? What am I going to do in such a long time? Or am I gonna go out of here a little older and a little taller? (hehe) Now it’s already 2013 and I am out of there. Looking back now and answering the questions I used to ask myself, those four years passed me without even a warning notice. I learned many things and I am loaded with lots of unforgettable carefree memories. The only sad thing is I am still the same little Dechen both in height and size, haha. The days were as tough as drinking a cup of tea. Others say “not as easy as drinking a cup of tea” but I say TOUGH because drinking a cup of tea to me is not an easy task. One will end up burning one’s mouth if one didn’t check if it’s hot, or the tea would not be tasty if it cooled too much. We need to know when and how to drink the tea ...

This book was on my shelf since 2006. I never attempted to read it.   I always preferred to read novels of Daniel Steel, Sidney Sheldon, Agatha Christie, Nicholas Sparks and etc. Finally I read it and it was a nice change. This novel is first novel by a women to come out of the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Unlike those novels written in western context, this novel based on a Bhutanese setting represents various aspects of rich Bhutanese culture and pattern. Photo from Google. It gives a clear and tough picture of the kind of life a Bhutanese village woman lives. The importance of Karma or one’s actions, whether good or bad is clearly portrayed. This novel gives the message that each human being will experience the consequence of his/her Karma in one or other way, in this birth itself. There is no escape from that. God has created each of us in this way. The author,   Kunzang Choden , in this novel tells the story of...

Lately I watched a movie known as The Stoning of Soraya. The movie is about how women in some parts of the world face irresistible torture (Stoning in the film), how they are over powered and how hundreds of women went through such tortures. Stoning , or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. This punishment is one of many uncivil punishments, imposed to offenders in some parts of the world. Slower than other forms of execution, stoning is a form of execution by torture . Women’s vulnerability and helplessness is clearly portrayed in the movie (I am not going to talk about the whole movie here). Women are considered low; they are made to live in their husband’s authority and treated like slaves, not life partners.   Despite many human rights protests and Conventions against women, this type of practice seems to still exist in some corners of the world. Women are tormented in the name of God and Religion. ...

Visiting the FACE with a BOOK to write on (our real face don't have it), has become like a addiction to me. At first it was interesting but now I am kind of fed up with it but still my day seems incomplete If I don't visit it. Its like there will be attendance or like I am going to miss a big time from history If I don't log in there.  Open facebook and you will be stuck in there, whether you have friends to chat or not. At first it was quite reluctant to chat with anonymous or unknown people but now one don't have to know the other to chat. Sometimes i feel like I am in an interview, with never ending questions one after another. At times its interesting meeting new people but more annoying. While it has both pros and cons according to how we use it, If we think hard there are million of things that could happen there. While we can keep in touch with our friends and family, existing relationship, we can make new relationships and sometimes break relationships to...