AUGUST 30, 2006.
Teaching the monks is generally the highlight of my week. I taught yesterday morning and it has been three weeks since I last taught them. I would like to believe that they have missed me when I was gone as I missed them. All their smiling faces, their mischief and how all the barriers are slowly disappearing. They are definitely getting more comfortable with me and I am pretty close to knowing all their names. This is an accomplishment in itself as their names are so similar. Tashi Dorji, Phub Dorji, Dorji Namgyal, Passang Tashi and Sangay Nidup. Bhutanese people do not have last names and everyone is called by the two names as listed above.
I am just working on learning one name for each monk. They are so proud when you address them by their name.
I have two orphans in my class whom I have just received permission to take them for an entire Sunday off the Monastic school property. Now I just have to figure out what I would like to do with them. There will be a huge language barrier but I have asked a 14 year old girl who has befriended me to accompany me for the experience and to assist in communication. I would like to keep them out of the city, maybe go for a small walk, read stories, play games, and of course lots of good nutritious food. Most monks in all of Bhutan, especially under the age of 25, are malnourished.
