My parents will write more, but here's from me:
Today was our first day of school (what, you want me to start with something more interesting??). We woke up early in the morning to pack a tiffin, get on a green gho (kira in Halle's case), and put on knee socks and dress shoes. Then we walked down to the Memorial Chorten where we met the other American family's kids, Cy and Graham, to walk to school. The walk takes 35 minutes.
When we arrived at school, we saw a couple hundred other people with green ghos and kiras. Everyone lined up in rows (row of boys, row of girls, alternating) in the schoolyard, facing the flagpole and got addressed by the headmistress. To all her questions, the entire group of children chorused, "Yes Ma'am." Then they placed their hands together and sang the Bhutanese anthem. I was standing next to Cy and neither of us knew what to do. Then the headmistress introduced someone in charge of a health trust fund, which the school had raised 56,000 Nu for, and he gave a long and boring speech on health care policy while we all stood there in line. My back was aching.
Then I went to my 6th class classroom, VI-D, and was scolded by my teacher for bringing in my tiffin. I was supposed to leave it outside the door. In my tiffin, by the way, was fried rice in one container, and in the other a sandwich and a soggy biscuit. My tiffin is purple and has a picture on it of a country farmhouse. I have many teachers, actually, one for English, one for Dzongkha, one for science, one for social studies, one for math, and one for homeroom. Therefore I was introduced six times to the class. In class, I needed to do a lot of copying into my notebook, mostly of corrected exams from last term: an entire science exam from last term, my own English essay, a social studies exam, a math exam, and I learned how to write my name in Dzongkha, and then I did an English exam. All together I used 34 pages out of my new notebook.
At lunch break, halfway through the day, Cy asked me to sit with him for lunch (even though we had offers to sit with many groups of other people), and then later I switched my place in the room upon request from Thinley's group to the "naughty" boy group (which is what the girls call them, I don't know why). They were very friendly to me and helped me during Dzonkha class. During Dzonkha class, we had an interruption by the head boy of the school, who wanted to come in and talk with me about America. I get the impression he can pop in wherever he wants because he was talking about how he had talked with Jacob for a long time too. He wanted to know about my school in America and what sports it offers. This one competes in basketball, volleyball, and table tennis. After which I went to the Dzongkha teacher (who marveled at my English writing) and she showed me how to write my name in dzonkha (while also marveling over the fact the United States speaks English). She was however, very nice and good at speaking English.
While I'm here, I expect to learn many words in Dzongkha and some of the alphabet (today I learned and practiced the first four: Ka, Kha, Ga, and Nga, which sounds like Nyah). I think it's interesting to go to school during my vacation. In the morning we will have to clean the school before assembly and everyone has an assignment, like emptying trash, sweeping the corridors and school yard, weeding or planting the gardens, cleaning classrooms, etc. Maybe I can sign my papers in Stow with my name in Dzongkha - that would be cool.
