The Prelude
I was in Eastern Part of Bhutan for a very important personal
work when I received a call from Mr. Namgay, from the REC saying that I was nominated
for GNH Exchange Program to US. I just couldn’t believe it. Going to US would
just mean so big a thing for any Bhutanese. And For a teacher like me such a grand
opportunity would if at all, scarce come our way. I was just very much happy.
But it was a troubled happiness because I was just nominated and there was also
another teacher nominated from another school. I was called by REC office to
immediately come to the capital to process my necessary documents at the same
time to submit my Curriculum Vitae with supporting documents for the selection.
I was there at a far corner of my country for a very important though personal
work. I was in a quandary not being able to decide what I should do. But going
to US is ‘once in a blue moon opportunity’ so how could I let it go. I quickly
posted my CV and relevant documents through email.
After anxiously waiting two or three days, finally I got a
confirmation of my selection. Then I rushed to the capital to prepare for the
odyssey that I was to take as a chaperone.
At the capital the students were also selected based on their
academic performance and the interview they sat with the Program Director, Mr.
Namgay. A draft of our itinerary was also sent from the US. We were to travel
from Bhutan to New, Delhi – India and Process our US Visas and if it’s
confirmed then proceed to US via Amsterdam. The program though was purely official;
we decided to travel on ordinary passports, so were required to sit for visa
interview. The whole idea of applying and sitting an interview for US visa was fascinating
as well as completely a new experience for all of us. We suffered from anxiety
neurosis till we gave our interview. It was a wonderful opportunity and a new
degree of exposure for us and more so for my young students.
We had a lot of valid supporting documents for our program so
our Visas were approved. On 24th Jan. we flew to US via Amsterdam.
Yet my students were asking me, “Sir! Am I dreaming or am I awake? Are we
really going to US?” It has been really hard to believe we were going to US. We
landed at JFK, New York at about 4:00 PM in the evening of 25th Jan.
We were received very warmly by our host families and the organizing team.
