Page 13, Kuensel

Thank you Kuensel for giving my blog a space on page 13, among strong bloggers like Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Au Yeshey Dorji.

The Day I Met the Prime Minister

It's exactly ten days since I met the Prime Minister of Bhutan in his office. In these ten days I have tried structuring the story in hundred different ways just to make to as humble as possible but I couldn't beat the humility with which his excellency invited me to meet him in his office. I at one point didn't want to write about it at all but I don't want to deprive my daughter from reading about how lucky her father got one day in 2013. Therefore the following story is written just for the record.

The Leader who walks among us 

I had received tweets from the then Opposition Leader and I would reply with ease and also would post comments on his blog like we were friends but after he became the Prime Minister I suddenly became hesitant about being at ease. I didn't have the opportunity to meet any of the former Prime Ministers, not even in the public gatherings, and therefore the idea of facing one or even communicating with them is relatively new to me. Besides I am just an ordinary teacher who is not used to much privileges.

On August 1st, when His Excellency sent me a tweet asking me to meet him before I leave Thimphu, I panicked and I didn't know how to reasonably make a reply. I had always wanted to meet him because he was the inspiring force behind my blogging passion. He introduced my blog to the larger Bhutanese readership on his blog in 2009, after then I took blogging seriously. But the excitement of meeting the great blogger is heavily outweighed by the fear of having to face the prime minister of the country.

Everything seemed like a dream and only sound that I heard was that of my heart beating fast as I drove to the office of the Prime Minister. I only realized I was carrying a funnily small khadar when I was readying it before I entered the office. A guard at the door offered a bigger one but I declined because I wanted to offer what I came with.

I was soon seated next to the Prime minister, the place I wouldn't brave to be in even in my wildest dream. But life had this huge surprise blessed on me. I had the honour of talking about about my workshop in Thimphu, my school, my blog, various other ordinary things. His excellency surprised me by asking about bBay on Facebook and other little things I did in school. I was deeply humbled that he noticed and cared about little things we ordinary people do in our lives. The initial fear has completely melted away, it was the same old Tshering Tobgay I have known on Blog, Twitter and Facebook. The prime ministership has made him more charming than powerful. I could feel strong energy in his office but the moment I saw him my muscles relaxed.

My workshop team was gathered at a small restaurant in the town and among them were two Singaporean consultants who had expressed deep wishes to meet our prime minister. I conveyed that to his excellency and I was completely taken aback when I was asked to call them and see where they were. I was then asked to wait with them at the restaurant and expect his excellency. My team couldn't believe it actually happened that evening. We got the opportunity to sit and talk with the prime minister for over two hours in a very ordinary restaurant without any bodyguard or protocol.

Singaporean Friends

My blogger friends who were scheduled to meet me the same evening were upset when I couldn't join them for the football match but I surprised them by calling them to the same place. The prime minister recognized most of our blogs and left with an unforgettable advice:

"You are thought leaders, Whatever you write, our youth will believe. For that reason, think and reflect and go slow."

Bloggers: Some of us from that Night, some already left

Dr. Gado, Make Your Own Choice

Dr. Gado

Dr. Gado has confirmed his intentions to run for 2013 election from my constituency, which gives me a strong reason to cast my vote next year. He is very popular back home as someone who has achieved great height in career and someone who remained close to his roots. His seat in the parliament is almost confirmed by the grace of his own goodness displayed in the last many decades.

However, I am startled by his indecision in choosing the party. Opposition Leader Tshering Tobgay has called it the new height in the art of politics, But I call it the height of indecision. How can he let the people chose party for him? Is he going to agree with the ideology of any party people choose from him? Does that mean he has no vision of his own political career? or does he already know which party people will drag him in? 

In all regard, experience, maturity, education and wisdom he himself is the best man to make the choice and I will trust his choice more then the choice made by hundreds of uneducated folks. I am one of his people and I want him to chose his own party and tell us how he will serve us from there.

I can sense the art of politics applied here but how satisfying will it be for him at the end? or how regretful will it be if it turned out the otherwise? Please Dasho, make your own choice and let us make our own choice when the time comes for us to make our choice, now is your time not ours. 

What is Ugly about Bajo Town?

When I first read Opposition Leader Tshering Tobgay's article on Bajothang Town being Ugly I didn't believe. I wanted to counter blog immediately but as I sat down I realized I had misplace my point of justification. I looked back at the town and asked myself why I always thought the town was so beautiful. And it occurred to me then that it was my mere attachment to the town that made me like it- I have seen the town grow from deserted ground to countless structures. The other reason why I found the town beautiful was because I found the old town frustrating. The old slum-like town, which people are not letting go, misrepresent the social life in Bhutan.
I may not fully comprehend the reason why Tshering Tobgay found the town ugly, but why I finally agree with him is the restriction imposed on design of structure- all building are constructed on a single drawing. There wasn't freedom to chose what type of structure the owners wanted. There is no variety to watch for except the colors, and some colors are outrageous. The road network may look very good but the width of the road will cause lots of traffic congestion once there are open. I didn't see parking spaces for the residences and don't think the road can adjust.
And the ugliest of all is the never ending controversy that has become the part and history of the town, but since I am not involved I am loving the town and enjoying the war. Come September, let see where the war goes.