With our first full day in Bhutan we were presented with the opportunity to mentally step foot into Bhutanese society. We woke up at 7:00 a.m. to a delicious breakfast and the surreal realization that we were, in fact, in Bhutan. The country’s dreamlike environment made us feel as though we had not yet landed and were merely imagining the stunning scenery we saw around us. The surrounding mountains were unlike anything we've ever encountered before. At about 8:30, the Royal Education Council (REC) drivers picked us up for a meeting with the REC staff and building. During this time, we were briefed, in more depth, on what schools we would be visiting, how we should conduct our classes in the schools, where we would be staying, and what we would be doing in the free time that we had. It was a quick meeting that was followed by dinner in the center of Thimphu, where we ate traditional Bhutanese food. Like most of the meals that we have had in Bhutan so far, the food at this restaurant was spicy and based off rice with some sort of meat on the side. After our lunch, we drove to the local banks to withdraw Bhutanese ngultrum from the ATM. As our first real opportunity to walk around Thimphu, we were amazed by the cities modern interpretation of class Bhutanese architecture.
The city was small yet alive and emitted a pleasant yet raw vibe. After leaving the bank, we went to a local store to purchase our Gho’s, Bhutan’s national dress. Essentially, the Gho is the suit and tie of Bhutan, as it is used as a uniform in both school and and formal political offices. With such massive cultural importance, there were many different shops that offered many different materials, patterns, and colors of Gho to choose from. We returned for a brief rest in our hotel before we set out for a karaoke dinner with the Bhutanese host families as well as a select few members of the REC. Once again we were offered Bhutanese delicacies along with a wonderful performance from popular Bhutanese singers. It was a nice chance to listen to the countrys traditional music, which was very calm and soothing, evoking a feeling of ease. The evening was fun filled, especially with our groups pitiful attempt at a cover of Piano Man. Overall our first day in Bhutan pleased us as we began to learn about the country’s culture and easy-going way of life. Tomorrow we will be meeting at the Royal Education Council building to discuss the visit of Bhutanese students to the U.S., visiting a National Archery Ground, and playing in a basketball game against REC staff.
