September Photo-a-day

While August seemed to go slowly, September has gone by so fast I can hardly believe I'm compiling another batch of photos! Isn't it funny how that happens!


The highlight of this month has been having visitors come to stay: first Ian and Vicky former (and future, hopefully) BCF teachers, and soon after they left Bob's mum arrived with Leckie and Marilyn, two other BCF mums travelling out to see the sights of Bumthang. Grandma Dicky is still here, seeing and experiencing for herself our life in Chumey, Bhutan. I have no doubt the lightness I have felt with visitors around the house is a large part of why time has flown, and with more visitors, tsechus and other exciting happenings coming up in October, the days are likely to slip between our fingers even more so.
We are living each day to the fullest so we can to soak up all of Bhutan in the time that remains. And so here is the month in photos:

1 - Together
I took the boys for a play and paint down by the river - as it turned out they yelled out 'paint a crocodile' etc and I painted what they wanted on the rocks. We worked on these together!

2 - My name begins with

3 - Lines
 

4 - Alone
I set out for some quiet alone time, but ran into all these little friends from school - there is no such thing as quiet walk alone when you live in a small Bhutanese village!

5 - Here Forever
These Himalayas aren't going anywhere!

6 - Getting Ready
Preparations for Friday afternoon art - paper weaving

7 - White

8 - Made by me
Making a prototype to show the girls at Unesco Club for our weaving/upcycling project.

9 - On the wall
Love the colours of these clothes drying in one of the main streets of Chamkar

10 - Sweet
My favourite Indian sweets 'Gulab Jamun'.

11- What you did today
We met Ian and Vicky for the first time - fellow Aussies who spent the past two years teaching in Bhutan.

12 - Shadow

13 - Unexpected
Although we're all hoping for a royal visit, the residents of Chumey didn't expect to see 25 mini kings and queens walking down the main street!

14 - Liquid

Sonam pours me a cup of tea at the Class 2 picnic

 

 

15 - Season

A beautiful clear sunny morning which was followed by grey skies and storms - predictable weather for the end of the monsoon season

 

 

16 - Frame

Most window frames in Bhutan are elaborately decorated, but I like this pop of turquoise on the log hut I pass on the way to school.

 

17 - In front of me

This man prayed for me to Vishwakarma, the god of machinery, so that I may have a safe and prosperous year in front  of me as far as machinery goes.

 

 

18 - Vintage

A rumoured haunted house next door, old and with a traditional style roof - slates held down with rocks.

 

 

 19 - What is this?

 

20 - In the morning

Dressed up in a new kira and beads for the Thangbi Tsechu

 

 

21 - Rule of thirds

Well, I really didn't know what I was doing when I took this photo, but since then I've been working with my gridlines on my phone to take lots of 'rule of thirds' photos!

 

 

22 - Made me smile

Down by the river with the boys for the last of the afternoon sun

 

 

23 - From my childhood

A difficult photo - I have nothing here that reminds me of my childhood! But just like Remy, I used to love my matchbox cars.

 

 

 

24 - Space

I attended a local funeral this afternoon - leaving me feeling light and spacious. I looked up at the clear sky to see this infinite space.

 

 

25 - H is for

House! This house is being built by handcrafted bricks made from river boulders, each one chipped to shape and size. Amazing.

 

 

26 - Curve

The beautiful curves of the Tower of Trongsa museum.

 

 

27 - WTF?

Walking out of school at lunch time to see these folks sitting by the side of the road chopping pumpkin and drying meat in the sun. Something you don't see everyday!

 

28 - Gold

The gold finial on the top of Trongsa Dzong.

 

29 - 10 O'Clock

Having missed 10am its lucky the boys were still up at 10pm downloading and playing new games with the free wifi at hotel.

 

30 - Found

Look what we found at the markets in Trongsa!

 

 

Photographically speaking, the best thing that came out of this month is my new photographic skill to work on - Rule of thirds. While we were advised that not every great photo follows this rule, I am really enjoying working with my gridlines to compose photos, something new to think about!

May Photo-a-Day

The end of May marks the end of our fourth month in Bhutan and fifth month away from home - which leaves about seven months to go in our year long adventure.

I remember when I lived in Japan it took four months to really settle in - to find new rhythms of life, make friends, adapt to all the differences at work. And again, at the four month mark we are also feeling settled here, feel like our house is our home, and everything seems less strange. Friendships with co-workers are starting to grow, and the connections we made with our other BCF teachers have been consolidated over many a phone call, text and a lovely catch up mid May in Wangdi.

Taking my photos each day is a little creative task I enjoy, and the best part is uploading the photo from my phone to the FMS facebook group to share it with the group and receive feedback, encouragement and inspiration. I also love seeing how people around the world interpret the prompts and I have a window on to the life I miss at home (thanks to my friend Sarah and all her photos that include the beach!).

1 - I bought this
A teacher at school brought this in to sell - a kira handwoven by her sister.

2 - Morning Ritual
It was the school Rimdro (purification ceremony) and this was the beginning of the ritual in the morning.

3 - This is really good!
I went to the post office and had 6 parcels to collect, 5 from FMS members full of supplies for school. The power of good!

4 - In my cup

Lunch in Chamkar - momos and Red Panda!

 

5 - Paper
I hid a geocache in our village and this is the introduction note that goes inside.

6 - Broken

Windows for all the primary school classrooms have long been broken

7 - Something starting with F
I went for the quadruple word score this day with fence, field, farmhouse and forest. Another FMS member suggested fauna as well!

8 - Shape
This shape is called the Endless Knot and is one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism. It is made as an offerring for wisdom and it makes sense that it is on the school gate.

9 - Snack
We were travelling to Wangdue and stopped on the way for a snack at a road-side stall - momos, coffee, boiled eggs and chips.

 

10 - Stars
I stepped out of the book fair at the end of a long day and this was the first thing I saw - a school bus with stars - perfect!

11- Smile
Not one but three radiant smiles under a bodhi-tree at Chimi Lhakang, near Punakha.

12 - Mother
This is how all the local mums carry their bubs, so they are handsfree.

13 - Sunrise/Sunset
Sunset over Dhomkar village.

 14 - Need
We need handrails for our three flights of stairs!

15 - 7 O'Clock
7am and I am supervising students eating rice for breakfast as I am Teacher On Duty.

16 - Mailbox
Some of the huge assortment of stationery I have in the library now thanks to all the mailboxes that have arrived from friends around the world.

17 - Season
I have watched these plants in our assembly area transform from dead sticks to leafy bushes. Two weeks later there are flower buds!

18 - Want
I've had a feeling in my heart lately, do I want another child?

19 - My favourite view
We had a wonderful day out that included a hike to this river - completely peaceful and gorgeous scenery.

20 - Light
An unusually bright sunny day sparkling on the water in the stream I cross on way to school.

 

 

21 - I care about this
I realised this week how much I care for these kids when I found out they had all been beaten with a cane. I did what I had to do to protect them from it happening again.

22 - Change
A change in the weather (monsoon is here) means a change in footwear.

23 - PJs
Remy is a superhero by day and night.

24 - Go
Fun to go out in a taxi for dinner on Friday night.

25 - Us
A photo taken near Nimalung Monastery of us - Bob and I in national dress.

26 - Fave thing to do on a Sunday
After pancakes, tea, reading, we planted some herb seeds that came all the way from home.

27 - Can't live without
Hope - sunshine after the rain - the symbolism of the rainbow over the school reminds me that every day things will improve.

 .

28 - What I'm doing now
Leaving the visit to a teacher's house where we paid our respects on the passing of his grandmother.

 

29 - Kiss
I accepted the challenge of an FMS member to have a black and white photo for 'Kiss'. Remy was very excited to see Valerie.

30 - Tool

I have just enough tools and ingredients to make a carrot cake.

 

 

31 - Four things
Walking in the rain and clouds in Tsangkha with Sarah, Ugyen and Val.

Its hard to choose a favourite, but I do love this last one, and it was a really happy day we'll remember for a long time. Having these photos (and the thought and fun that goes into taking them) will be such a great souvenir of our time in Bhutan.