Ngawang Phuntsho

I was about to fall asleep when I heard some noises from below my apartment. I thought it was a gang fight. But soon the scene from my corridor gave me a sensation of being in a football stadium. I thought students in Bhutan are busy these days, preparing for exams. But I was wrong. Look at the video and see what are our youth up to at this time of the year at night.

The other day I was having lunch with my wife. And seated next to our table was a group of five women.   Sitting near them was an experience of a lifetime. Generally, I have a lot of patience. But I was kind of impatient the other day. It was terrible nightmare. For the first time I felt like I was in a fish market. These women could really talk and talk loud, so loud that if they are at Sangaygang, people in Semtokha would hear what they were talking.  They won’t care even if the Prime Minister of Bhutan was in the same room having lunch, forget us. We even didn’t exist in the room. I felt like a ghost. They would laugh as if their armpits were being tickled by thousand fingers at once. Don’t get me wrong here – I am not a misogynist, have never been one and never will be in future. Like all men I like women. But everything about these ladies was irritating. They ignored the fact that they might be disturbing other people for there were so many customers. They behaved as...

I am totally against violence in any form and especially men’s brutality to their counterparts. I believe as human beings we deserve respect, both men and women included. And I don’t believe in the fact that just because someone is a woman she should be sidelined and denied the opportunities. Both men and women are entitled to equal rights and freedom.

Who says cooking is difficult? In Bhutan we eat same dishes breakfast, lunch and dinner. How delicious the meal entirely depends on what you add. More items you add to the dish, tastier it is expected to become. May be not for health-freaks though!  

I thought I would start a magazine. I talked with an uncle of mine, who was all 'yes, yes' with my idea. We have prepared a business plan and thought of the editorial board. We sought business ideas and suggestions from across the border. We have contacted publishers as far as Kolkata and Delhi. Days have gone into naming the magazine.  And Druk Outlook was born.

The second issue is already on the way, but people in my organization seemed to be pleased with the amount of work I have put into making of this newsletter. Nothing satisfies me more than receiving constructive comments and criticisms from the fellow employees. And I tried to incorporate most of the comments in the second upcoming issue.  However, I wish I could distribute this newsletter everywhere in Bhutan for all the clients and all the customers who are interested but it seems it is supposed to be for in-house distribution only. For now it is a quarterly newsletter. But we want to make it monthly. It will take some time I know. If it is possible I am ready. More than that, I am quite happy with the level of support I am getting from the management. and my colleagues. We could only print 100 copies of the first issue, but this time management willingly approved 5 times the number. I am glad this is going to reach people working for ...

Bhutanese are by and large a big showoff. Yes, you heard me right, a big showoff! And if you watch some Bhutanese movies or visit some bars, you would believe me. But yes we show off all the time - starting from what we have to what we know to how much power we possess and what not. Before someone visits a school, students are to paint the walls, clean the drains, whitewash the fences, and cut the green grasses. Just to please and impress the guest? Are school walls, fences and drains built for the guest? (Photo Courtesy:http://www.smalldynasty.com/blog/?cat=1) I understand it is important to stay clean, but why don't we do it for ourselves? Why do we need a minister to visit a school to be served better food? Only if the minister visits schools every day! But what is interesting is, I was thoroughly shocked when our computer lab was full of new and working computers when Vice Chancellor of RUB visited the college a few years ago. Are we not showing off  what is not there? A few ...