To Teach and Learn

I was once visiting a cobbler in Thimphu and when ever I am with a cobbler or a barber I always speak Hindi and try to have a conversation so that I get to practice my Hindi. I love this language to the extent that I envy it when I compare it to our Dzongkha. It is so rich with vocabulary. But I my writing is not about praises for Hindi, it is something totally different which I came to realize only later when I got the time to think about the conversation I had with the cobbler. The cobbler was from the Indian state of Bihar like most cobblers and barbers in our country. I asked him about our country and the prize of getting shoes repaired in Bihar and there were many other topics that came up. Of all the topics what I remember very clearly is about telling the cobbler that I visited Bodhgaya three times in my life untill now. Then I told him that he must have visited Bodhgaya as he was from Bihar but to my surprise he said he did not though he lived only few kilometers away from ...

In any venture in life there has to be something to fuel one’s persistence and dedication in following the goals that are to be realized. The morning assembly speech by one of my students did exactly that. Over the years as a teacher I have heard numerous speeches on various topics but never have I been more inspired to continue on my journey as a teacher. The topic of the speech as posted earlier was, ‘the best source we have to make our tomorrow bright, are our teachers’. I would like to thank this boy for his kind words. That particular morning was an enlightening moment for me as a teacher. In a time when the quality of education is questioned and criticism burdens heavy on every teacher’s shoulder, the words of the boy was like the fresh spring showers in a season of drought. In the hard work of his principal the boy came to appreciate and believe in the essence and reward of working hard.    In the sacrifice of his warden the boy realized the ...