And then everything fell into place.   As I mentioned in my last post, our travels to Asia faced a snag. Cancelled flights, changed planes, all kinds of details I won’t bore you with….I wondered aloud at the fruitless attempt to travel around the world to miss a conference.

The thing to always keep in mind is that my intrepid friend and host in Bhutan, Namgay,  moved earth to get Halle, Natascha, and I on a plane to Bhutan….the chances of that happening, hundreds to one….and yet we fly our way to Bangkok, ready to take a July 2^nd, 6:30AM flight to Paro.

I cannot say enough about being patient and letting the world work its magic….maybe not magic, but at least trusting that what can happen will happen with the right pieces falling into place when it needs to.

I’m also thankful to have friends and colleagues around the world who work for each other’s benefit….I think THAT is the real globalization; a world in which we are in it together….OK sure, maybe I am being sappy right now (after about 2 hours of sleep in 24), and I’m a big believer in the power of people to make a difference in the lives of each other.  Maybe that’s the lesson from this silly little experience…one that certainly doesn’t measure up to any real scale of difficulty….AND I do think what we experienced is worthy of acknowledgement.  Let’s just chalk it up to Namgay, a remarkable human being on this planet.

Still more to come….

So yesterday started like any other international travel day: very little sleep the night before, dragging out of bed, shower, shampoo, shave, gradually make your way to the kitchen only to just remember that you forgot to pack that one thing that you said you cannot forget….only you did, so you go find that thing, bring it back to your bag, carry-on, or other particular piece of luggage (and I mean that word, luggage as in “to lug”).  Then you get a little nervous; you pace, or fidget, check for your passport, documents (again), now look at your flight status AND (dun dun dun!) the flights is CANCELLED.

Exactly.  If you don’t really know Albuquerque (it IS a city in the United States), you don’t know that while we have one of the best airports EVER (not kidding), there are few flights coming and going from this high desert city on the Rio Grande.  So, when I discovered that our flight was cancelled, I began a slow panic.  See, here’s the thing: it’s hard to rebook flights out of Albuquerque to somewhere because chances are that the few flights that also go to that place are being booked by people in Albuquerque trying to get out as well!

So, here’s the scenario: flight to Denver cancelled…no flights to Denver (at all) before the departure of the international flight to Bangkok.  BTW, want to know something else about travel to another part of the world from Albuquerque?  Miss that FIRST flight and the rest of your schedule is toast….blackened toast, left way too long in the toaster…you can smell the burned crisp of bread across the whole house….ANYWAY flight to Denver cancelled…on the phone (now panicking officially) with airline agent who cannot get us to Bangkok on the time necessary to make the connecting flight (on the next day) to Bhutan.

And that’s another part of this fractured tale: Bhutan is less hard to get to than it was, but it is hard to get to…enough so that if you miss that connecting flight you are TOASTED…meaning no way to get to Bhutan no how.

So, here we are, on our way to Bangkok: rebooked, traveling the 1:20AM flight out of LAX….arrive in Bangkok in the early afternoon…just in time to get to the hotel and crash hard.

Well, that’s the TRAVEL side of things.  The mental/emotional toll is always something else entirely.  I supposed to be at a conference.  The conference lasts only 3 days…..I am going to miss AT LEAST 1 ½ of those days…..at least.  The whole reason for the trip, wiped away in an instant.  Certainly a test of patience….I guess that’s why I am listening to Pema Chödrön on how to breathe deeply and allow spaciousness to occupy my mind rather than those other crazy thoughts (I’m missing the friggin conference!!!)

Ah well, more thoughts soon….stay tuned.

As I have written here before, the country of Bhutan adopted the principle of Gross National Happiness as both a product and a goal for the country.  The idea is a radical one and originated with the 4th King of Bhutan (the Druk Gyalpo).  The origins of the idea and how it developed can be found here: http://www.kuenselonline.com/the-origins-of-gnh/.

The Centre for Bhutan Studies sponsors conferences and speakers to further research on Bhutan, GNH, and Vajrayana Buddhism.  My travels to Bhutan this summer (graciously supported by a partial grant from Sandia Preparatory School), include a conference on the influence of Vajrayana Buddhism on Science, Medicine, Culture, and even History.  My participation in this conference coincides with my work on teaching and mindfulness in the classroom, as well as ways to incorporate cultural studies in the Modern World History and Global Studies program at Sandia Prep.

In addition, I will have the chance, courtesy of the Bhutan Tourism Bureau, to visit a number of cultural and historical sites for the upcoming student trip in June 2017.  Our plan is to investigate the availability of home stays in Bhutan and to continue creating deeper connections with the people and places in this remarkable country.  With the help of my friend and expert guide Namgay and his company Illuminating Tours http://www.illuminatingtoursbhutan.com, we will scout out the perfect trip for our students.

I will keep the blog updated, refreshed and hopefully interesting for those out there who read this kind of information.  Details about the conference and sessions will be posted here each night (between July 1st and 3rd, as well as information about the future trip and new sites we plan to visit.

If you have read this far, wonderful…..be well, my friends.

As I sit here nearing the end of my school year, I am planning my summer trip to Bhutan.  My travels take me to the Vajrayana conference in Thimphu and then into the country side with my friend and guide, Namgay.

My goal this summer is to scout sites for my next student tour into the country.  I am looking for appropriate home stays and talking to folks about ways to expand and enhance the student experience in Bhutan.

As you may have read, student’s experiences in Bhutan are remarkable.  The people students meet are always interested in talking about their country and the U.S.  While I’m not suggesting that somehow these experiences can’t be had in some other place, the particular experience for students in Bhutan is unique.

A student asked me a couple of weeks ago why I go back to the same places in Asia.  She said, “With all of the world in front of you, why keep going back to Japan, Thailand, and Bhutan?”  I thought about that idea for a minute and offered, “What I find, each time I travel to those places, is something new, something interesting, and something I can be a part of.”  For me, visiting the whole world or having some kind of “bucket list” seems anathema to the whole idea of cultural exchange.  I have been to a few places in the world, and I come back to these places because I’m interesting in digging in; in meeting people and being a part of a community (as much as you can in a short time).  I also want students to realize that you don’t have to see every possible historical or cultural site in the world to gain an understanding of a people, a history, or culture.

So I’m headed back to Bhutan in July.  This trip will be my first one on my own; without 20 students in tow and all of the planning that goes with it.  I’ll let you know how the trip fares, what I learned (or didn’t learn) and where this all takes me.  Maybe, what I find will be something completely new in a place I have seen many times.

 

One of the most remarkable regions of Bhutan is the Trongsa region that includes the massive Trongsa Dzong.  Surrounded by spectacular mountains rising thousands of feet from the valley floor, the place feels ancient and , in some ways, untouched by human settlement.

As you look across the valley you can see mountains that have, literally, not faced human habitation or settlement.  The word in town and among the people is that these mountains have NEVER been trod by humans.  Looking at the thick undergrowth and brush, it’s easy to imagine an almost primeval place traveled only by animals.

Here is a short video of the valley taken from the Yangkill Resort….enjoy!

It has been a bit more than five years since my first excursion to Bhutan.  The magical quality of this country still surprises me.  For those who have traveled to Bhutan, I imagine you understand the feeling of awe and the power of this place.  I will never forget the feeling of walking down the steps off the plane, stepping on the ground and truly feeling something and some place different from the rest of the world.

Many people have asked “what’s so special about Bhutan?” From my perspective, the difference is in the stillness of the place and the people.  Every person I have ever talked to in Bhutan has that sense of stillness.  Even the students in school have that sense of quiet.  It’s almost as if a still mind is built into the country in some way.

Some of this stillness is the separation from many aspects of the modern world.  When I say modern, I mean the buzz that is constant in cities and towns in the United States.  Maybe it’s the hum of the television sets or the whir of the streets lights or the sound of cars careening down the road.  Of course, this is not to say that Bhutan has escaped the modern world; that word is fast overtaking the country as satellite television, cell phones, cars, trucks, SUVs, material goods, all make their way into Bhutanese culture.

So far, it seems that those “things” have not invaded to such a point that they have become the meaning of people’s lives.  That working for a new car has become the be all end all of someone’s life….I do think such a situation is making it’s way into the country.  My hope is Bhutanese families and individuals can see the limitations of that way of life and means of accomplishment.  Time well certainly tell.

These trips also are joyful because of the students and families that travel with me.  Their reactions and engagement with the place is important to me.  For the most part, I provide some information about Bhutan, but, for the most part, I leave the learning to the students when we arrive.  I believe that experiential learning, especially when visiting countries, places, and people not familiar to us, creates a unique learning environment for both the students on the trip and for the people they encounter.  Their reactions to eating ferns or learning about the Divine Madman and seeing his temple, or talking to a monk, or playing games with school children impact them much more than anything I can teach or tell.

More importantly, for me, is the relationship I have with Namgay, our guide.  His insights and obvious love of his country and history is integral to the process of learning and experiencing Bhutan.  I was lucky to meet him on our first trip and cannot think of a better guide for any group to the country.  His playfulness, insights to Bhutanese culture, and knowledge of History is worth the price of admission.  Students gain a deep appreciation of Bhutanese culture from this wonderful human being.   If you are reading this reflection and are planning or know of someone planning to travel to Bhutan, contact Illuminating Tours
first!

That’s it for my reflections at this point.  Stay close for student reflections about the trip coming soon (as soon as they write them!).

Our rafting experience was a blast considering the long drive to get to the river in the first place!  The Mo Chu is the more calm river of the two in the area.  The Mo Chu, or female river, joins with the Po Chu, or male river, just below the Punakha Dzong.  The Mo Chu passes under a series of cantilever bridges and right next to the Punakha Dzong….the Dzong is imposing from this angle and stands high above the river as we floated by.

Namgay photographed us as we passed by and these photos are all his….thank you Namgay!

After the two hour journey, the guides were impressed with our group effort and next time asked is we would be willing to take on class 4 and 5 rapids on the Po Chu.  I think most of the students would relish the chance to tackle the more active river.

If anyone is every interested in rafting Bhutan, the Druk Rafting Service was excellent, the guides were well trained, and really made the trip much more enjoyable.

Hi Folks,

Updates to the site will continue for the next few weeks.  I will upload pictures to the Student pages, add students insights and perspectives, and add additional information to blog posts from my journals etc.

Thanks for reading over the past few weeks!

Be well,

TGF

Here I sit in the Bangkok Airport, Emily, Carter and Gwen sitting beside me watching every word I type….Emily is laughing at the fact that I keep misspelling words and is now actually laughing out loud….good grief!

We depart at 6:50 from Bangkok and make our way back to the U.S….we arrive home at 10:30 PM if all goes well and the airplane gods like us on this long day in the air.

I will keep posting to this blog, updating photos, adding to the pages on student pictures and etc….in the meantime, we hope you have enjoyed reading, seeing, and visiting this silly little site.  Be well, my friends, and see you all soon.