Big Day Post

Its election day here in Bhutan.The Primary round. Many people call it a big day. Big day or small day, out of four political parties we have, two parties will be voted in today. And they will contest general election again in July.  Its time for people to make their big and wise decision. Its People's time.

Its media black out period here. By law we are not suppose to post any statements, especially those that are defamatory in nature. I was told that we cannot even post a statement in support or in against of a parties that are contesting the election nor against or in favor of any candidates. I think its a wise decision. In an eleventh hour, some voters can be swayed easily by a mere statements. Many people think is not good for democracy.

I am writing this short update, before my daughters wake up. Before people of the Nation heed to Polls. I write this update to wish all our political parties, all their best. Its still raining. And as suggested by our Chief election commissioner of Bhutan, I urge all the voters to take their brand new umbrellas and rain coats and "show them off" in the polling station. The road conditions may not be that good and for those who are travelling home to vote, I would like to remind all the drivers to be extra cautious.

Lastly, by the blessings of Kuncho-sum, may we have a successful election once again.

At Home for Good

I am back from Gujarat and I am now in Bhutan for good. After having endured the burning heat, ear drum-breaking noise and nose blocking dust of Gujarat for two years, I feel like I have come back to a monastery, high up in the Himalayas. Its a total tranquility here. I see more moving cows in the street than cars. If not for rupee shortage, I am starting to think that Bhutan can still take in some more cars! 

Anyways, I reached home at a time when my country is at the height of its election process. In few days, we will be electing two parties. They call it a primary round. And in few months, we will have a new parliament. For now its a season of promise making in Bhutan. 

Come 2018, Bhutan will be a heaven. There will be no poverty. Every youth will be employed. Roads, schools and health centers every where. Empowered Women. Helicopters and tillers. Revised pay for civil servants, Revised tax structure. Longer maternity leave, more prosperity, more peace, less corruption, justice, and on goes the list. 

Here is what my cousin wrote: "at this rate, it wont be long before political parties pledge "Rain for the Bhutanese people during monsoon"...

Its eleventh hour and I haven't decided which party to vote for. At the moment DCT's "Prosperity with Unity" looks as amazing as DNT's "People's Government". While DPT's "Equity with Justice" has done a magic in 2008 election, PDP's "Decentralization" seems to be casting a spell this time around. All candidates proclaim themselves to be Nymchugs and for now, I call them all ambitious Nymchungs. 

I am a very apolitical person and I will cast my vote based on the candidate followed by party ideology.  

Professor Dr. Kartik M Bhatt

With my professor, Dr. Kartik M. Bhatt who is the Head of Economics Department in School of Social Sciences, under Gujarat University.

Thank you sir for teaching me Macro Economics, Managerial Economics, Public Economics and Mathematical Economics. Thank you for inspiring me to work hard.

Some Pictures With My Professors

With Dr. Snajay Pardeshi who taught me Public Finance, Quantitative Methods in Economics, Growth and Development, Agriculture Economics, Research Methodology, Managerial Economics and Financial Institutes and Markets

With Madam Tarang Solanki, who taught me Micro Economics, Environmental Economics, Growth and Development, Labour Econimics, Industrial Economics and Agriculture Economics

With Dr. Hina Sidhu who taught me International Economics, Environmental Economics, Micro Economics, Industrial Economics, Research Methodology, Quantitative Methods in Economics and Financial Institutes and Markets

Tomorrow (or someday before I leave Gujarat) I also intend to meet my professors who taught me Macro Economics and  Mathematical Economics.

Misson: Dumbbell Selling

While RCSC is taking their own time to confirm our air tickets, I am keeping myself engaged here. I am done with packing, but last night on NDTV webpage and later in Times of India newspaper, I read a worrying news. It says "fly light or pay more". Baggage weighing more than 15 kg from hereon will attract a levy of Rs. 250 per additional kg.

I felt disgusted. It seems airline business are running out of innovation to make more money. At the moment I have not many words that can describe how angry I am with the new business plan of airlines in India. I wish I can call on a strike. I have already set my luggage weight to 20 kg, but looks like I will have to again do some adjustment and readjustment with my packing business.
 

Meanwhile the heat here is getting terrible. Temperatures in the day time rises to such a height, that I feel I am getting roasted alive. Eating and sleeping the entire day, its complete waste of time here.

Coming back to my dumbbell affair, here is an update. Yesterday I met with the very retailer from whom I bought it. We finally made a deal. As expected, we were able to make a win-win deal out of it. Without having to bargain much, he offered me the price I asked for. Rs 400 per dumbbell, I felt was a fair deal altogether. I felt it was a deal far better than dumping them. 

Waiting for my Air Ticket

I am almost done with my packing. I have tired my best to keep my luggage weight under control. So, after a countless sorting-out processes, I have finally decided that most of my old belongings are going home with me. Yes that's right. I cannot simply dump my gold-like old garments here. I thought it would be very ungrateful and ungracious on my part to leave them behind because  they are still strong and wearable. Some of my shirts are five years old but they still look better than the ones we get in the malls today! So, I packed them separately and I called up a courier service. After  little bit of bargaining I was finally able to send them home. 

But I am totally helpless with my dumbbells. I am neither able to take them home nor able to sell it back. I think it was by far the most stupidest acquisition I have ever made in my life. I paid Rs.700 per 5 kg and haven't used it at all. Seriously, I still do not know what urged me to make that crazy purchase. Today I did some oiling on it. It look brand new. I am planning to meet the same retailer from whom I bought it. I hope and pray that he take back his goods for a price that would leave both of us in a better off position. Even Rs 400 per dumbbell would be a welcome transaction. 

In a meantime, me and my friends are waiting for our air tickets. Already its been a week since we requested those concern officials in RCSC to arrange the same.  But it was only yesterday they acknowledged our mail. Thanks to Commissioner Bachu Phub Dorji, the officials have now promised to send our air tickets by the earliest possible date. If they don't then I might melt in this heat.

Packing and Repacking

Ever since the day I finished my exams, I had two things on my mind. -Pack up and then going home! Its just my second year here, but it has made me feel like I have been here for ages already. I feel I am going home after a decade in exile.

So, in last two days I went to meet my professors. I met most of them. I thanked them personally for all the help and support they gave me in course of two years. In fact I wrote them a letter of gratitude! I told them how fortunate I felt being taught by them. I also told each one of them how I will miss them everyday.

I haven't met my class friends yet, but I wanted to meet them too. I wanted to thank them all for being so nice to me. Initially when my room did not have fan and a running water, some of them told me that if I can survive in India, I can survive any where on this planet. So on a lighter note, before I depart, I wanted to tell them how I survived.

But on a serious note, life wasn't that bad. Thanks to the Gujarat University administration. Me and my friends were accorded the best of the best facilities in the campus. We were given the best flat for the cheapest possible rent. Compared to our seniors, we were given the additional facilities like freezer, oven, toaster, larger table and more comfortable chairs. Thank you Gujarat University. I hope you get some more scholars from Bhutan in coming years.

For now its all about packing and repacking in my room. Except my old cloths and few books, I have nothing much to pack. I wanted to make sure that my luggage do not exceed 20 kg. So I pack and repack. Again and again. But to my surprise, my old cloths have started weighing heavy like a metal. If any thing old were to be gold, surely my old cloths testified this statement in terms of their weight! And I am afraid that I might have to part with some of my gold-like cloths here.

Writing Thank you Notes

Dear Respected Professor(s),

Before I bid farewell to this beautiful University and college, I want to express my genuine gratitude for all the hard work you all have put in during the academic year 2011-2013 as my professors. You all have made my stay here a worthwhile and wonderful one. At this hour, I have not many words that can fittingly thank you all.

The way you all took lectures without a rest in between showed how difficult it was in teaching. I saw the exhausted faces and tired bodies of you all every day. Messed up with chalk powder, I have often heard your voices go dry. Not only that, I saw how your throat choked after a daylong lecture. I felt deeply sorry about burden you all were under. But you all had common strength called the determination. Determination to educate microcode students like me! I felt all the more inspired by the way you all handled the classes every day. It inspired me to attend every lecture, everyday. You all inspired me to work harder each second.

I am not an intelligent man. But groomed by you all, I feel I have progressed well academically too. I feel hard work from my side and hard work from you all complemented each other. Looking at the results I have achieved so far, (76.67% in first sem, 80.3% in second sem and 81.5% in third sem) it shows how hard works never go in vain. With blessings from you all, I expect the same result in fourth sem too. I don't know whether I have become a full-fledged butterfly or not but certainly I am going home much more progressed and refined than a caterpillar.

Personally, I am a very sensitive person. I am emotional like any other beings. At the same time I have also flaws like any other beings too. Therefore in course of our interaction, if I have hurt your sentiments and feelings, I would like to seek forgiveness from all of you. Those things were never intended. 

Once again I would like to extend warm thanks to all of you from the bottom of my heart. I wish you all the best of everything in your future endeavors. I will cherish you all in my life as my Gurus. May god bless you all with good health and abundant happiness in life.

Thank you

With Lots of Respect and Regards

(Kuenzang Thinley)

M.A Economics