An Uneventful and Inexperienced experience of a budding civil Servant;

During my primary school the blunt statement goes ‘I want to become Lyonpo in future’, ‘One day I will become a salaried Civil Servant’ and ‘I want to serve Tsawa Sum’. Had no stint of idea about what Lyonpos and civil servants do or what does Tsawa Sum mean.

After the democratic 2008, gone away the aim of being lyonpo but here entered the Civil Service cadre. Long way to serve Tsawa Sum but Tsawa Sum served and serving me every day. 

It’s been running 11 months joining civil service, and I would like to share some of my reflections and experience so far for fellow younger ones.

You are part of organization; organization isn’t part of you.

Don’t think you are too important or indispensable for organization but think organization is important and indispensable for you. You are important only if you consider yourself. Don’t expect anyone treating you important or valuing your inputs.

Trust is a biggest social capital:

Trusting your colleagues and seniors are way forward. Rely on anyone but don’t depend too much on anyone unless you really trust him/her. It’s okay to ask questions or seek help from people who are professionally subordinate to you. They are approachable and good source of learning. Be aware of people’s vibe though. Some would be so encouraging, caring and interested to groom you while others would look down your capacity and shun you down for what you do.

Soft skills are important than your contribution;

Soft skills are important than your academic marks and your opinion on the matter. As new entrants into the job ‘Micro skills are more important than your substance contribution’. Excel, Microsoft word, writing emails, being basic IT savvy, talking on the phone, how to speak with people, responding to call, ability to have patience, networking with people, being sociable for people to talk to you, the way you dress, walk and maintain yourself are important than our contribution. Of all being passionate and proactive is must for our seniors and colleagues to let you work and try things out. No one would be happy to give a task to an inactive, and disinterested person.  

Do not think about changing the system. There is rightly and justifiably less room for us to have our strategic roles in most cases. It's okay to involve in coordination work, printing documents, ordering tea and snacks for meetings, etc. As an entrant into the system every job is learning.

Listening is important than talking;

Meeting is a good source of learning. You just need to increase your absorption capacity and willingness to sit through the numerous meetings. Meetings are enlightening and illuminating for new entrant.  You might be the smartest, brightest but not sure if seniors are willing to teach or tell you mostly if you are active in sharing your own ideas. Open your mind, ears and eyes but not much of mouth. Be passionate and genuine to know your roles to contribute later down the line. Respectfully listen to others not that they are older and seniors to us but they have experienced realities more than us.

Thank you and good luck fellow younger ones. We are the future! 

Disclaimer: This is all my personal views and hope this helps fellow younger generations starting the career. I do not intend to be pessimistic but maybe I guess it probably might help you to come on the earth for reality check and manage your expectation. Wish you good luck. Not applicable to all organizations, job positions, or sectors. Mainly meant for younger ones.

Request: I beseech my classmates from RIM and other fellow younger ones to share your initial experience into the job. Other seniors and experienced oldies also could share but would love to hear more about your initial or starting moment of the career.

 

A book Review on A brief history of Fantasy of Himalayan by Dungsey Thrinley Norbu Rinpoche

As topic suggested, a brief, yet a condense and profound underscoring of Rinpoche's candid and frank experiences of life.  Apart from Rinpoche's travelogue and autobiographical mentions, Rinpoche had shared misconceptions and misunderstandings of peole accentuated by modernization and westernization on Buddhism and some ways of doing things in daily life. It is a reflection of Rinpoche's incisive wisdom and personal relization throughout his spiritual journey.  Rinpoche brings out countless pertinent anecdotes ranging from politics to wars, gender to feminism, psychology to material prosperity, culture to scientific, and religion to fundamentalism. Rinpoche's sacrilegiously scandalous tone for narration and his rare photoes have added the profundity and essence to the content of the book.

Good luck with reading, if you are considering..... 

Curse of resources in democracy

I do not have slightest doubt about any Government being not able to bring money and other resources to implement plans and policies. Yes our citizens have been solely dependent on our state and government for any infrastructure and services. Sometimes even on things that we as an individual can do. We can hear frequent hues and cries in BBS where people are requesting government to set up things for them.

To add fuel to the fire, manifestoes of political parties are designed in a way to make people idle-ly sit and eat all through out their life. This would perpetuate and reinforce dependency of people on government and the state.

If democracy is all about achieving people's materialistic expectation, only wealthy government can stay longer to serve or may be rule the country. When government is rich, there is high tendency of government becoming despotic due to the resource effect. When people are given free resources (without taxation), citizens would not hold government to accountability and would not participate in decision making untill and unless they are given some materialistic incentives.

Therefore, as a voter or decision maker, should we  get lured by material promises? Is it not the time for us to take our own responsibility to make ourselves better than waiting for things to happen easily but dangerously?

On RCSE preparation— talk to RTC final year students (26/08)

Alumni Talk- Life after college;

Kuzu zangpo la,

Honourable president, Deans, faculties, staff and dear fellow students, please allow me to convey warm regards from 9 RTC alumni who are undergoing Post- Graduate diploma at Royal Institute of Management and of course from some other alumni as well. 

And Thank You so much for providing us this wonderful opportunity! It’s always an honour and home coming to be back at the place where I had transformative experience and influence on being who I am today.

Now coming to today’s point on Life after college,

Since I was fortunate to pass Bhutan Civil Service Examination, I will relate my experiences to how I prepared for it and I hope this would be relevant to most of you. If not, please pardon me.

To start with, I would like to highlight one of the most repeated statements by both wise person as well as by hypocrites that “There is no short cut to success” if there is one, it is hard work and self-discipline.

Therefore, I will center my points on the self-discipline as a tool for preparation for BCSE

Yes of course graduation was such a big achievement in my life but more than that it was an important rites of passage.

So, with that in mind, during my final year at college, with excitement to graduate I was also figuring out what should I do after that. So I decided that I will appear for Civil Service Examination, when I was here. In fact, I aimed to top the exam, unfortunately I could not, fortunately didn’t fail however. From this, I would like to convey that if you are going to appear for BCSE exam, decide beforehand, don’t wait for last month or last hour and importantly start preparing.

Now how did I prepare for it?
With some works and responsibilities on campus,  actually that’s lame excuse, anyways I could not attend regular coaching class offered at the college, so then did any miracle happen for passing in BCSE exam?
At the hind sight, I was trying to keep up to date with current affairs and topical issues and, history and economic related subjects which helped me significantly in Main Examination. Also I used to write journals and reflections in my dairy so as to polish my writing style. So, coming to self-discipline point, have the discipline of reading and writing. It doesn’t matter what genre are you reading or what kind of piece you are writing.

Because it will improve you in articulating and expressing yourself or basically your communication skills.
Because in this day and age, everyone will have access to similar kind of information and data but BCSE depends on how to articulate and express yourself on paper as well as during Viva-voce.

Coming to second discipline, after graduation, you will miss going to class and following all those routine and systems. But when you have nothing to do you land up staying idle- eating and sleeping and at some point of time, you will realize you are becoming like a pig. So have the discipline to keep yourself busy and engaged. I followed the simple things like waking up early, praying and meditating, going for a walk and reading. So, to me this discipline was effective.

And now regarding challenges, I was involved in many activities like doing internship here, attending coaching classes in the town, writing dialogues and screenplay for two movies, and then caught up in controversial Japan overseas issues  and other social and personal activities. And it seemed I was everywhere but no where. Now I realize that perhaps I could have focused much more on RCSE exam. At the same time I have no regrets because I am somebody who likes to be busy.
The bottom line here is, have the discipline of managing time and stay focused on what you are doing.

Now to wind up, after telling all of this, I feel guilty and cynical that I am still not self-disciplined but I am working on it. Nonetheless, I seriously followed these discipline and was effective and significant factor for my success in BCSE.
Last, I would like to conclude that success in BCSE in one of the bests, not the only best! You have to figure out what is best for you.
Tashi Delek!

Pride of representing Bhutan in California.

BHUTAN, “Is it part of India or China, or is it somewhere in the African continent?”  An annoying question from people who do not have any idea about the existence of Bhutan on the earth. Is Bhutan a happiest country in the world? An intimidating question from the people who more or less know about the Bhutan.  Our country’s presence is not at all known to many and somewhat to very few. Therefore, what it meant to be a first Bhutanese to study in Claremont colleges (five colleges including Pitzer college in Claremont city)?

Apart from vigorous and inclusive academic learnings, utilizing resourceful facilities, encountering people from across the world, and travelling around the places, introducing and representing our Country and College as one of the first Bhutanese to study at Pitzer, was one proudest, fulfilling and memorable part of my exchange program. It truly was an honor and pride just to say that “I am from Bhutan” and exchange or showcase our culture and values with people from across the world. Wearing a gho on occasions, carrying Yathra (woolen) bag and greeting people with kuzuzangpola became a magnet of social network where I could draw the peoples’ attention and interest about Bhutan. In fact, many of them became my friends, acquaintances and learners about Bhutan. Classmates in the classes, random people on the street, friends and families at the meal table, sweepers on the pathways, chef and waiters in dining hall, and officials and professional in the offices would inquire so many things about Bhutan and its culture. However, of many I will share two interesting and memorable incidences from my diary which I have written at some point of time.

 First, it was on November 1^st, on our His majesty’s coronation day, dressed in gho with yathra bag hung over my shoulder, I was hurrying for a Buddhist meditation class at Pomona college (one of the Claremont colleges), a man in fifties filled with passion and inquisitiveness stopped me on the way and surprisingly greeted me, Kuzuzangpo la. According to him, he learns and follows Bhutan through the channel of national geography, discovery and wonders list of world of CNN channel. The surprising and funny thing was, during our conversation, he hugged me tightly saying that he wanted to share happiness from me just because he views Bhutan as the land of happiness. We talked about Bhutan for almost more than half an hour and eventually I had to miss my class. However, that day was memorable and fulfilling.

Another cherish-able incidence was during winter vacation, when I visited Norton Simon museum in Pasadena city. Again I was in my gho walking majestically and looking carefully to the portraits hung on the wall, at the front door of one compartments’ inside the museum, one lady security guard stepped backward and saluted to me as soon as I entered through the door. It was really awkward but I had to be serious and I uncomfortably bowed to her.

From such responses and reactions from the people, I realized sometimes you are not recognized individually or of who you are. Rather you are recognized through where you are from and who you represent and I think I represented Bhutan and its culture with much love and pride. In fact, I would summarize my exchange program experience as mounting of patriotism and spiritualism.

My answers to their questions of which I mentioned in the beginning:

1-    ‘Do not ask me is Bhutan, a part of India or china, or somewhere in African continent? just ask me where is Bhutan?’.

2-    Bhutan is definitely …Ahmmm….not the happiest country in the world but we pursue happiness.          

NOTE: Wrote this one in 2017

Hello- I am perfectly fine

These last two months had been too laborious and sometimes frustrating one for me. May be more for many victims of controversial Learn and Earn program, including parents, students, and I guess more frustrations even for owner-agent (BEO) and our government's part of MOLHR.

Held numerous meetings within ourselves and petitioned to different relevant agencies and hierarchies. Spoken to and sometimes poured frustrations in media platforms regarding this Japan Overseas' scam.

Apart from holding our truths that students and parents have been deceived right from the beginning and exploiting at the moment, I do not want to mention anything about the agent and MOLHR's action of any sort. To my myiopic view, they have their own unsatisfactory and unjustifiable explanation against what we seek.
This journey has started to seek justice and its never to put pressure and criminalize someone at the cost of their happiness. Nonetheless, anyone must bear implications and ramifications for what justice has to offer ultimately. None of us- involved in this undesirable issues is sacrosanct to accountability and justice.

As one of the victims and as one of the Japan oversea's parent-student committee members, I could not resit myself not speaking up for what it is must and where it is due. Yes I did speak up and will do so by upholding the principle of veracity and thorough research in my capacity. This voyage of seeking justice is not only for myself, but also for more than 700 victims and their parents and relatives. Most importantly, I devote my attention and sensitivity in such issues for my fellow younger generations as our future depends on how our elderly raise us. Current learn and earn program is so exploitative and torturous to youths and would affect our future terribly, therefore, I will go till end by not anticipating about future consequences to myself and others who relate to me in ways and forms.

I say this because, since I started speaking up I have been alerted and warned by many to keep silent and watch it while letting others fight and cooperate with our counterparts if possible. I am receiving frequent calls and messages of concern from parents, relatives and friends to be careful when being alone and as I go to town. Some also advised me to think about my career scope just because I would be a civil servant in one or two years. I would like to thank everyone of you for your genuine concern of love and care. I am so happy in this messy moment just because of you all. In fact, your love and concerns are what motivate me to stand for what is right and just. I am really sorry if I am giving all of you tensions and worrisome moment.
I will give my best and speak up till this problem is fixed as how it ought to be. I will do so by upholding utmost truth and veracity. I am accountable and transparent to what I say and what I do regarding this issue. In fact this journey I consider is to face and challenge deception, exploitation, 'modern-day-slavery', corruption, and injustice functioning. Despite everything I am doing fine and I am not afraid of any threats for what I have done.

Hi I am extremely and perfectly doing fine.

Thank you.

111th National Day- A National day like never before.

In the history of Bhutan, we have seen numerous celebrations of so many joyous and auspicious occasions. Of many, no day has more significance and importance as National Day of the country. It is an indication of country’s sovereignty and independence. Perhaps it is a liberation of the country from others rule or gaining self-determination in Western context/elsewhere. No country or state can celebrate the national day if she is not independent and sovereign. Celebration of national day emboldens the national’s identity and security of the nation.

Since 1907 Bhutan has celebrated 110 times of national days so far in different places and this years’ been celebrated in Samtse district. This year’s 111^th National Day is yet another testament of eternal peace and prosperity under the farsighted leadership of our beloved monarchs. As one of the millennials, I was unfortunate to have unseen many celebrations of National day. As far as I can remember, 2018’s 111^th national day is something that moved me and I think is different from others.

As Bhutan is blessed by the three great spiritual masters- Guru, Zhabdrung and Pema Lingpa, the national day of triple one (111) is graced and blessed by the great trio of His Majesty the great fourth, His Majesty and His holiness the Jekhenpo. Day has also seen three kings of Bhutan taking the joy and festivity of the national day to a greater level. Humbly respecting and bowing to each other before the Bhutanese and the world. Even our Gyalse Rinpoche exhibited such a greatness at very tender age of barely three years by bowing to the great fourth and Chabje Rinpoche at the reception.

The sensational and heart touching moment of the 111^th national day was, His Majesty on behalf of Bhutanese people presenting an award of Ngadgak Pel gi Kholrlo  to His Holiness the Jekhenpo for his lifetime Bodhisattva service to the nation and sentient beings. There was embodiment of epitome respect and humility in these three greats (HM, 4^th HM and Chabje). Like any other ordinary award recipients, Chabje Rinpoche humbly stood up and walked towards the podium under the compassionate escort of our Great Fourth. While His Holiness is supposed to come before the podium to receive the award, His Majesty requested Chabje that, Majesty himself would come up and present the award ༼རྗེ་ང་རང་ཡར་བཅར་འོང་ལགས།།༽ There was personification of highest humility and humbleness from our highest one. It was a moment brimmed with tears of happiness for Bhutanese people. When such greatness come together, even the weather could not follow its schedule and had to shed its flake of happiness before time.

Even the day in general was different from other national day celebrations. By virtue of celebrating in Samtse, most events of the day and cultural programs had so much of diversity and inclusivity. The live and color were more brighter and livelier.  One could see on television, the people’s pride and keen in national culture as they perform programs wholeheartedly. Apart from people assimilating in the mainstream culture, the events from different community of our Lhotshampa fellow citizens had made the day unique and interesting in many aspects. I am sure that embracing of culture have immensely contributed to the Gross National Happiness.

Of everything, the national day in Bhutan is an opportunity for us to express our gratitude to our benevolent hereditary monarchs for continued peace and prosperity in the country. May Wangchuck Dynasty live forever and, May Dharma flourish for all times to come. May peace and prosperity prevail in the land of Thunder dragon for all times to come. Kadrinche Mewang chok. Palden Drukpa Gyalo!!!