Screening 'Made in Bhutan' in Belgium

On 20th May, we successfully screened the documentary of the Loden Foundation titled 'Made in Bhutan' in Brussels, Belgium. The screening of the short documentary dedicated to young entrepreneurs in Bhutan was opened by H.E. Ambassador Sonam Tshong and followed by a roundtable discussion with Gerard Tardy and Dorji Tashi from Loden and Maarten Desmet from the University for Common Good. The event was attended by about 60 friends of Bhutan, including the Bolivian and the US Ambassadors.

Loden launched its Entrepreneurship Programme in 2008. Since then it has funded 63 local entrepreneurs, creating a total of over 300 employment opportunities nation wide. Initiated by the foundation, “Made in Bhutan” portrays this recent emergence of entrepreneurship. In 2012, pro-bono director Hirondelle Chatelard travelled the kingdom with a Bhutanese film crew meeting and interviewing entrepreneurs and key individuals.

Maarten Desmet, Gerard Tardy and Dorji Tashi on the panel

With Gerard Tardy and Dorji Tashi after the event

Made in Bhutan - a new documentary film

A new documentary film entitled 'Made in Bhutan' has been made on emerging entrepreneurs in Bhutan by Hirondelle Chatelard for the Loden Foundation. 

Made In Bhutan Teaser No. 1 from jules tardy on Vimeo.

I'm back to Bhutan !

Today, I'm back to Bhutan to meet my friends and hopefully make new ones; work with local entrepreneurs at Thimphu Tech Park and Loden Foundation; and learn more about this amazing country. 

I flied from busy Kathmandu with the Himalaya mountain range on our left side and was greeted by the top of the Everest cutting through the white cloud blanket. 

I gave a glance at 'Tashi Delek' on-board magazine of Druk Air which again had some surprise for me (see last year's delight and now this interesting interpretation of happiness: the Happiness Duty Free). 

Driving from Paro to Thimphu with the friendly driver Lb, a rainbow welcomed me bridging the valley and the mountain top.

Arriving to the city, I noticed many new construction sites spreading everywhere like giant mushrooms - maybe due to the rainy season. 

Then at night I went to one of my favourite places to grab some excellent momos with their healing lemon and honey tea.

And now when I can't sleep and I'm writing this, I'm entertained by the barking concerto of the city's numerous stray dogs. 

I missed all that: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly and first of all the Beauty. I'm glad to be here again.

Tashi Delek.

His Majesty the King granted an audience to Loden

I love photographs. There is a life story behind each face. And then there is another story behind: a reason why people in the picture got together. They met, spent time together and went home. But the picture framed them together, forever. And, of course, there is another story which emerges between the photograph and the viewer. 

When I look at the faces in the picture above, I have a real story to tell about each person, the way we met, the things we talked about, laughed about, or things we did together... 

And here is the story about the picture: His Majesty the 5^th Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck granted an audience to the members of the Loden Foundation at Linkana palace on 7 May 2012. The Loden team was led by Dasho Meghraj Gurung, one of the trustees of the Loden Foundation with four other members for the royal audience.

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Leaving behind a footprint

My unforgettable stay in Bhutan has come to an end after nine amazing weeks of volunteering at the Loden Foundation and discovering new faces, stories and dreams. It is time to get back to my life, family and friends in Europe. However, I have become a forever friend of Bhutan and its beautiful lands, minds and hearts.

I aim to keep in touch with people I met at the Loden Foundation : Ashe Kunzang Choden, Dasho Mehgraj Gurung, Aum Dago Beda, Dr Karma Phuntsho, Dawa Dem, Gerard and Anne Tardy, Dorji Tashi and Rinzin Dema; many of their beneficiaries, young entrepreneurs and kids in need; and numerous locals and chilips (foreigners) as well.

Going home from Bhutan, most visitors fly out from Paro airport. I also stayed here for a day before my departure. I walked around, visited the National Museum and had my last hot stone bath.

Driven by human desire to leave something permanent behind, I hid Bhutan's 9th geocache on the left side of the river, not far from Jangtsa Dumtseg Lhakhang, an ancient temple. If you want to find it, here are the GPS coordinates: N 27° 26.128, E 089° 24.795. Do not forget to leave a note in the logbook, put the box back where it was, and leave another small gift for others to come. I will surely come back one day to check...

During my nine weeks in the kingdom I didn't have time to write about everything I was doing. Among other things, I didn't cover my visit and treatment at the traditional medicine center; my horse ride with a member of the National Council; my visit to a rehab center and the great social work a Welsh lama does in Thimphu; I didn't write about my conversation with monks who left he monastery to start a new life; the world's smallest political opposition; or my visit to Chimi Lhakhang for a phallos blessing.

Given all the unpublished stories and pictures, I will keep writing this blog for some more time to benefit all my readers in numerous countries from the US to Europe, from Russia to China, from India to Australia and from Afghanistan to Thailand. Later, this blog may become a permanent site on Bhutan and I also plan to write down my stories in more details in a book with several unpublished photos. Stay tuned.


In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at valcsicsak.zoltan@gmail.com in case you have questions, comments or anything to discuss.

Tashi Delek !

A young Bhutanese actress and much more

 

Kezang D Wangmo is very humble and modest when it comes to discussing her achievements as an actress, singer, dancer, poet and goodwill ambassador for organic farming in Bhutan. Sometimes, it is her husband, Dorji Tashi, coordinator of Loden, who reminds us of her awards or special projects. She speaks in a non-celebrity manner with strength and concentration in her voice.  She is 23 years and 3 months old and she is planning the writing and production of her first movie.

Kezang was born in Paro, western part of Bhutan, and learned acting on her own at school performances and  watching Bollywood films made in India without any special course or teacher. She acted in her first film, a tragic-romance, in 2009 which immediately made her famous bringing her two national awards: the Best Female Lead Actor and the Best Newcomer. Since then, she has acted in five other films, but she was not as satisfied with her roles offered in these movies as in the first one.  ‘It was easy and natural to play in my first movie. I could simply be myself.’ – says Kezang hinting that the other films required her to fit into more common stories and characters.

Before becoming a well-known actress, Kezang already established her name as a singer through a local hit song ‘A  la la ngi sem’ and today she keeps getting invited to sing and dance at schools, national celebrations, and community events. In 2007, she submitted her poem to the prestigious National Poetry Competition of the Tarayana Foundation and won the first prize. Her piece was a tribute to the fourth king of Bhutan and later published with other selected poems by the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.

I went to see Kezang’s recent movie in which she played a non-lead role of an English teacher at primary school in the countryside falling love with a man who just came home from a long stay in London to rediscover his roots. "Bhutanese mainstream movies, like this one, target an audience educated on Bollywood. These long 160-minute or so films always tend to have the same storyline with lots of music and a break in the middle. Given the production time and low budget, theoretically I could make 6 to 12 such a movies a year, but with my other professional and family commitments, I can only afford three or so a year. For one movie, depending on the role, producer and whether the wardrobe is provided, I get a fix fee of 70-100 thousands Ngultrum, US$1500-2200." This means that Kezang’s payment is not linked to the number of viewers of her films, even if producing popular films in Bhutan is apparently a good business.

On the cover sold at a temporary cinema hall in Paro

Hearing about the Bollywood link I wonder whether there is a celebrity culture in Bhutan. "Currently, there is no celebrity culture here. People recognize me in the street and shops, but they don’t approach me for a picture or autograph. They stare at me only secretly; they behave as I was not there. However, it is slowly changing and when I’m invited to schools, kids want pictures and autograph. We also have sort of celebrity magazines, I was on the cover of one of them recently, and people call me to produce their commercials with me, but they can’t pay."

Surrounded by kids.

Kezang is vegetarian and in her free time she promotes Happy Green Cooperative, the country’s new organic farming and food movement, especially among youth as an alternative to moving to Thimphu where jobs are scarce. When asked about Hollywood actors she appreciates, the names of Kate Winslet and Julia Roberts pop up. When asked about future plans, Kezang enthusiastically starts talking about her dream project of scripting, producing and acting in her own film. "This will be a movie for both Bhutanese and international audiences. It will be beautiful and well-done."

I can’t wait to see it.

Surrounded by nuns.

Kezang D Wangmo: Beyond Praise

When your steps mark these mountain paths

many years from now,

stories will move the lips of those

you pass along the way.

As clouds gather nears the ridges of pine

below in his season’s yield

a farmer will tell you of wiser seeds

sown by one and one man tilled.

The school’s foundation

and the clinic’s wall,

the roads and the farms of our land,

blossomed to give us our health and hope

as the modern was grown by his hands.

He will speak of a leader

who like a powerful sword

would defend with clarity and grace

Against threats of militant action

Or corruption of inner space.

He will finish in whisper

of chaos like oceans,

how mountain storms gather

in confused explosion,

Of how one mans greatness

will be vivid and lasting

like the silence that comes

after the storms fierce passing,

Of a selflessness

that could endlessly reign,

of power grown great

by giving away.

But when your steps mark these paths

many years from today

the voices who praise

in spite of their phrases

will end in silence…

For beyond the sound of our voice,

and the word that we seek,

His majesty remains untouchable,

always above the praises we speak.

Copyright Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck 

Unique to Bhutan - The Personal Names

So, let's continue the list of things unique to Bhutan with the local names:

When I arrived in Bhutan Dorji Tashi came to greet me at the airport. Then I went to the weekend market and met with someone from the Bhutanese television who introduced himself as Tashi Dorji. I started getting confused. Then, one day I met with a man with the name Sonam and the other day with a woman with the name Sonam. Then I met several other people and they were likely to have two of these names in various orders: Dorji, Sonam, Tashi, Karma, Phuntsho,  Pema, Tshering, Sangay, Thinley, Ugyen, Jamtsho, Dawa, Wangchuk, or Tenzin. Some, like Loden entrepreneurs Pem and Namgay, only had one name. 

Then I had a look at the Thimphu telephone directory that gives a glimpse of the high number of people who share names and I saw that they are differentiated by the residential, office or business address. For instance, Dorji Tshering, near Jitchu Drake Brakery and Dorji Tshering, Dept. of Culture. To appreciate the efforts of completing such a phone book, you also have to know that most streets have no names and houses are not numbered. 

Then I learned a bit more about names:

The current king’s name is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and he is from the Wangchuck royal family. However, except for royal lineages, Bhutanese names do not include a family name. Instead one or two traditional auspicious names are chosen at birth by the local lama or by the parents or grandparents of the child. Names generally give no indication if the person is male or female, except some case like Wangmo which is a female name. 

When a child is born, one or two names are given by a lama or a well-known monastery. According to traditional belief, a new born baby is named within three days after birth before evil spirits crawling around take the liberty of doing so. The pool of Buddhist Bhutanese names may be limited, less than a 100 as a rough estimate, but are steeped in meaning with religious roots like Hindu and Christian names. Bhutanese names are actually spoken phrases with some good meaning, they are optimistic and in some ways can be interpreted as good wishes for life.

Bhutanese also tend to have a name in their keykar or a birth chart given by the local astrologer when the chart is being drawn after the birth. The keykar normally contains details of the child’s previous life as another person or an animal, the general characteristics the child will have in the present life, difficult periods, likes and dislikes and details of marriage and children. The keykar name is not used at all except at the time of death of the person when it is pronounced for spiritual reasons.

To add to the confusion in a foreigner's mind, a name like Phuntsho, for example, can be spelled as Phuntshog, Phuntshok, Phintsho, Pintso, Finso, Funtsho, Pintsho, or Phuntsok. Not to mention small differences, largely due to the English translation, between a name written on a business card and the same person's email address, e.g. Sonam Jigme - sonamjigmi@...  The influences from the outside are also having an impact on the Bhutanese name system and more and more people now adopt a common family title.

In Hungary, my nickname is Zoli and I prefer using this short name in Bhutan making it easier for people to remember. It is often pronounced as ‘dzolly’ and a monk told me that it means something like ‘in good shape’. I think I should be happy with this meaning. 

My shoes get a facelift at Shoe Vival

My pair of shoes got dirty and I decided to take it to Shoe Vival in center Thimphu, opposite the Clock Tower Square. First time when I saw their poster in the street I was a bit skeptical whether they could deliver what they promised. Now, I understand why it is called Bhutan's First Footwear Laundry and Refurbishing Service and not simply a shoe shine service. My shoes look much better than before and I only paid $4 for the service that includes free pick-up and delivery.

Before

After

Shoe Vival is a clean little place where footwear in bad state of repair re­ceives not only stitch and glue but also washing and sterilization.  In that compartment sits a tallish young man and some several pairs of shoes, mostly ragged and worn-out. Mr. Dawa Dakpa, a college dropout, works with his two colleagues at Shoe Vival. On one side of the wall hangs the ornately framed certificate that testifies their professionalism. Last November, Dawa’s innovative shoe laundry service was among 11 other business start ups selected by the Loden Foundation for support. 

Dawa studied India, but did not graduate. "I got into serious drink­ing habit, which is why I could not complete my graduation," he says in a muted tone that suggests regret. However, after re­turning home, he found many jobless youth loiter­ing in the town. It dawned on him then that he should do something on his own.

Sandeep Gajakas of The Shoe Laundry, Mumbai (India), who trained Dawa in the art of shoe-cleaning, believes that this business model works due to its simplicity. "Everybody wears shoes; they get dirty and need re­pairs. Somebody has got to do it nicely." he says.

When Dawa contacted Sandeep with the proposal, he wasn't sure if there was going to be a market at all. If he had any doubts earlier, all of them van­ished after he came to Bhu­tan and saw the lifestyle of the youth here.

"I honestly did not ex­pect the kind of night life that I saw there. The youth are fashion conscious and willing to spend on prod­ucts and services," he says. 

Last time when I met with Dawa he was proud to tell me about a sports event where he had the opportunity to promote his new business through large banners and about his first commercial he just finished shooting with one of the most popular local comedians. Listening to him, I secretly looked at his shoes which looked shiny, happy and tip-top and I wondered what sort of marketing advice I could give to this young businessman at our next coaching session which he didn't know yet?

This post is based on personal experience and an article in the Bhutan Observer.

My Beloved Yak goes to London

How did I get to Bhutan?

Readers of this blog rightly asked how I had got to Bhutan. Here is my story:

I was working for the Levi Strauss Foundation when I came across with the London-based 'think and do tank' the New Economics Foundation. nef explores new ways of organizing our economic system as if people and the planet mattered. In 2006, nef published the first Happy Planet Index that was basically a list of countries in the world ranked according to happiness or unhappiness of their citizens. More precisely, the index combines environmental impact with human well-being to measure the environmental efficiency with which, country by country, people live long and happy lives. Bhutan, by the way, ranked 13. in the first and 17. in the second index published.

Through discussions with nef staff about the report and their work, I discovered Bhutan as the only country on earth where the government declared that GNH or Gross National Happiness was more important than GNP and GDP or Gross National / Domestic Product. That was very exciting and I tried to learn more about this approach to development.

In 2010, I was in London to attend a board meeting of the Resource Alliance that builds fundraising capacity of nonprofits across the globe. At the dinner that was organized for board and staff members, I got introduced to Dawa Dem, a new staff member who happened to be the first Bhutanese I had met. I got excited about the opportunity to discuss GNH with someone who actually lived in  the country. As I learned Dawa and her husband, Dr Karma Phuntsho, were associated with Bhutan's first registered charity, the Loden Foundation.

Meanwhile, I decided to leave the Levi Strauss Foundation after 12 great years and pursue new opportunities which meant that I suddenly had more time for volunteering. Given my interest in Bhutan and my acquittance with Dawa Dem, it made sense to explore if I could support Loden as a volunteer. The answer was positive and I got invited.

Voilà, that is the way I have got here to spend 9 weeks working with the leadership of Loden  and its network of young entrepreneurs as well as study GNH in practice, in other words: the everyday life in Bhutan. 

My project was made possible thanks to help and support of several people such as staff at nef; Prof. Laszlo Zsolnai promoting Buddhist economics; Dawa Dem, Dr. Karma Phuntsho, Gerard Tardy, Anne Tardy, and Dorji Tashi from Loden; the Bhutan government that issued my visa; and last, but not least my wife, Heni, and the rest of my family who have been supporting me in this adventure. I hope to give them back at least as much as they gave me.

Cleaning up, football game and prayer flags

Last weekend was about physical exercise. Saturday morning, I joined around 100 volunteers from the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, the Bhutan Olympic Committee, and one local recycling business, Greener Way. With the support of  the City, we cleaned up parts of the town alongside main roads for an upcoming international SAARC meeting. People agreed that it is not good practice to clean up the town for important meetings only and Thimphu urgently needs a waste management strategy to efficiently deal with its increasing solid waste that is becoming quite visible all over the place.

Passionate young entrepreneur, Karma Yonten, who started Greener Way together with his wife using a start up loan from the Loden Foundation is well aware of this emerging issue. He has not only started his unique and innovative business collecting and recycling solid waste, but his mission also includes advocating for change at all levels of society and the government. It seems to be timely for Bhutan to implement a waste management program with no delay before the garbage in the streets becomes a major concern for citizens and tourists alike. Community-based organizations like Greener Way are great partners for this endeavor.

Saturday afternoon, I joined a team of friends to play football against a team of policemen at the Police Camp. It was a serious game on a very rough, rocky pitch with referee and two assistants. I really enjoyed playing, although it was tough for me ! 90 minutes played in  midfield at this altitude with strong sun first and then with sudden cold was a challenge. I survived, but our team lost. Actually, they have never won against the police yet. Next time !

Sunday I walked up to a nearby peak from 2400m to 3000m altitude. The view was great, I could see the whole valley. Along the road, playful blue, red, green, yellow and white prayer flags in the wind cheered me up whenever I got tired.



Thimphu center from the Telecom Tower hill



Prayer flags blessing Thimphu and hopefully the hikers

There are two basic types of flags: horizontal ones on ropes and vertical ones on poles

Prayer flags are also blessing street dogs who wanted my food