One last week in Spain before I say goodbye

In the month of September 2014, the days felt incredibly long, almost like a week. However, now in June, the days seem too short, passing by as quickly as an hour. Why have the days become different? It is because the time has come for me to leave Spain very soon.

My 10-month stay in Spain has had a profound impact on my life, shaping it in both challenging and rewarding ways. I am grateful to the Interweave project for this experience.

On Thursday, 18/6/2015, I attended my last Pinxopoti (a piece of food served with beer in a bar). It was a wonderful opportunity to meet all my Erasmus Mundus friends. I wish all of them a happy and fulfilling life ahead. I hope to see them again in the near future.

Asia to Europe.

It was neither my dream of visiting nor I like to visit the historical places yet the circumstances reached me to the historical places.

My first stop is in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

On day 2, we meet with Prime Minister of Bhutan. It was satisfying moment after meeting PM and listening talks at Friendship Meeting with friends of Bhutan.

Remaining day 3 to day 10 about the visit of Amsterdam and Paris will update soon.

With PM of Bhutan

Bhutanese in Europe, pose with PM

Bazarguru Rinpoche coming all the way from Paris to visit PM

Crazy man

A man arrive to the home

He enter to his room

He keep his things in his room

He come to setting room

He switch on the Television

Increase the volume to the fullest

Neither has he never looked what program on TV

Nor has he never listen what it was saying

Instead he is busy on his phone

A social media addicted man

Why he switch on the TV?

Why he increase the sound to the fullest?

Is he mad?

Is he crazy?

Never had he thought of disturbing to other by the TV sound

He pretend as looking to TV as someone pass by setting room

He suddenly stop texting message to his friend as someone pass by.

Please don’t pretend

I know you are crazy

I know you are crazy

Minor sickness will become worse if you are far away from home.

                     

The minor sick sadden me in other land.  I never bother for having Cough and cold sickness. What bother me is having mild fever and headache on top of cough and cold since three days ago.

I am experiencing as if my head is beaten by heavy metal and will blast at any time. It is too hot as if my head is keep on the oven. I miss my mother who always cool my head by wet cloth whenever I suffer from headache. Day by day, I am knowing the value of mother more and more. Kadrinche ama.  

It is minor sickness. I kept sickness within myself. I didn’t share any of my parent and siblings. I know worrisome they will have if I share. I never want them to worry because of me. I have already given them worse worry back in 2005 because of my severe sickness.

I have persistent believe in my Root Teacher (Tsa wai lam) and Triple Gem (kenchosum). It is not I taking refuge only when I become sick. I always recite prayer before bedtime and early morning. I have already taken refuge to Root Teacher (Tsa wai lam) and Triple Gem and I will be taking here after.

I offer my prayer to my Root Teacher (tsa wai lam) and Triple Gem (ken cho sum) daily are always answered. I am safe till now because of their prayer. I thank you my parents, Root teacher and Triple Gem.  

Meat Processing Unit.

                             

It was indeed very sad to read the news in kuensel dated 18^th April, 2015 ("To 'meat' a huge demands") to come up with the solution of high demand of meat with setting up the processing unit in Bhutan. Setting up of processing unit means coming up of slaughter house. I won’t comment anything mention in the news for the reason for coming up and way they will be involved in slaughtering.

“We’ll make sure animals are slaughtered in a professional way, like stunning down, making the animal unconscious,” said Dr Tashi Samdup. “We have to consider how much we’re spending on the import of meat. We are targeting to get 100 percent food self-sufficiency.”

I don’t think killing animals with professional means is different than killing taking place in other country. In bottom line, both are killing and taking the precious life.

I am against the idea of setting up Processing Unit with following opinions:

First and foremost reason come in my mind, our country is the Buddhist Country. The country in which world knows because of her religious and traditions. Gross National Happiness, GNH is the philosophy based on Buddhist principles. Happiness is the core concept in GHN. If slaughtering house is setting up in Bhutan, it is impossible to say Happiness is existing. Taking the precious life of animals cannot be justified as Happiness exist.

Second, setting up our own meat Processing unit meant easily available meat in the market. Thinking critically, supply of meat is the area that we need to look into and take action. If there is no supply, people might quit. They might eat once in a month by buying from available market. If meat is abundant in the market, naturally there will be high demands. Setting up our own Meat Processing Unit mean more and new meat consumers are going to come. If government think, importing meat cause economy deficiency, why don't they come up with Meat Importing Regulation.

Third, our people should learn the disadvantages of eating meat. People need to change their notion like not eating meat will affect the healthiness of body. Meat has nothing to do with healthiness of our body. You will know more if you watch this clips. This is the video from Jangchubshing progrom of BBS2. It is about Buddhism and Vegetarianism. Click this link. Part 1. Jangchub Shing- Buddhism & Vegetarianism, Part 1  Part 2. Jangchub Shing- Buddhism & Vegetarianism, Part 2

It is very difficult to quit meat. I know how much you enjoy the taste of meat. I was once eating meat. I am now vegetarian. 

I have very simple reason for becoming vegetarian. I feel the pain and fear when somebody beat me. I sense, animals too will have same pain and fear as I do. Therefore, I don't want anyone be it animals or human being to hurt. I do believe what great Bodhisattva used to say. They say, no animals has not become our parents once in this revolving Samsara. I can’t imagine the pain and fear of my parents would have gone through just before come in front of me as meat curry.

I respect your taste bud. I respect your life. And my humble request, please let’s give happiness to our parents (animals) by minimizing the rate of eating meat and quitting one day.

Good luck for your try in minimizing the rate of eating meat and quitting one day.

I am already fallen

It was a strange occurrence,

Yet it has already happened.

Hard to believe,

Hard to explain.

You possess nothing extraordinary,

Yet you stole my lonely heart.

You didn't utter a word,

Yet your rare spoken words were enough to captivate me.

The more I think of you,

The more your gentle words resurface.

Feelings for you grow stronger,

And I contemplate confessing someday.

Don't be surprised by the intensity of my emotions,

They are genuine and true.

Emanating from the depths of my heart,

These feelings are my heart's voice.

I know, I adore you,

I also know, it's too soon to say.

I'm sorry, I can't hide the truth,

I hope you will understand.

Perhaps you may never read these words,

I don't expect you to.

I'm simply expressing my feelings,

To liberate myself.

I am finally free.

Future is now.

source:google

                      

You are wild

With no tension of future

You enjoy every single days

You hardly think of future

It is the situation when you are in 1^st year.

It is the situation when you are in 2^nd year.

It is the situation when you are in 3^rd year.

Future is now

You are in 4^th year

On the verge of becoming engineer and what so ever

Rising tension over the mind is endless

A mind hunt over the job

A job to sustain your life

A job to help your parents

With no available job in the market

A frustration arise:

4 years for struggling the battle of every tests.

An Assignments, Presentations, practical, practical report, mini-project and major-project.

Tight schedule for 4 year

And a reward with nothing

But you can still survive

Little skill you have:

Skill of technologies and together with life skill

And your determination and enthusiasm

You can sustain your life.

You are never born to become engineer

You are only studying engineering

After all the circumstance determine your carriers

Never going to regret for your decision.

Decide now and prepare now.

Thank you INTERWEAVE

  source Interweave facebook page

source Interweave facebook page

The ten months exchange program is an opportunity. The project under Interweave program which offers students an exchange program from Asia to Europe and vice versa. I am the one who benefit the program from Asia to Europe. My program will end in the end of June, 2015. Nearly 3 months to go to wind up my program.

I must say INTERWEAVE program is my life time opportunity. Exploring the globe and interacting with different people is something which I would not have an opportunity if Interweave program was not there.

Travelling to Europe itself is an adventure and experience for me. A country boy travelling Europe, a far destination will meant huge to him. I got to travel Spain under Interweave program. Exploring and experiencing the different lifestyle from my home (Bhutan) in Spain is my memories which is hard to forget in future. I learnt a lot. I will take along with me to my country, Bhutan.

Everything I experienced the new environment would impossible without an Interweave program. For making my life different, I say Thank you Interweave Program for the golden opportunity. My thankfulness to Interweave program and team members of Interweave (Erasmus Mundus) would be always within my heart and soul. Thank you INTERWEAVE.

Once in a blue moon, the Glimpse of Barca (Barcelona) match.

 

I had a dream of watching Messi, the world four time best footballer winner playing football. The 27^th match of Liga BBVA, (Spanish division A leage), FCBarcelona had to play with SD Eibar FC (Football Club) home. SD Eibar FC is near my university. It is 45 minutes by bus to reach there. I tried to book ticket online many time. I was failed all the time. My dream of watching Leo Messi playing football was about to shattered. Fortunately, my friend Irune who is from Eibar could brought tickets for me and Ramon. Thank you Irune for everything. Thank you Ramon for the information about ticket. I got ticket on Friday, 13^th March 2015. “Messi, I am coming to watch your play this Saturday” was the status I updated in my facebook account.

The match was to play at 1800 hours (+1 GMT) 14^th March 2015. We had a plan to go Eibar at 1230 hours so that we can visit Eibar city and witnessed every events of match. Irune served us lunch. Thank you Irune for your kind hospitably.

We waited for the arrival of FCB bus. They arrived Ipurua stadium of Eibar FC at 1630 hours. We entered Ipurua stadium at 1700 hours. Wow, both teams member were warming up. Among them were the Messi, Neymar and Suarez. I was on the top of the world as I saw them.

The different feeling which I can’t express in words as I was clicking Messi and recording short video clips of him. Barca played very well with 2 goal by Messi. I record video of both goal by Messi. I won’t narrate about match. Below are the photos I captured during the match and few short videos.

Messi

Infront of Ipurua Stadium

Barca bus arriving to Ipurua Stadium

View of  Ipurua ground

with Irune's friends.

Lunch, served by friend, Irune

                                 

With Irune

Snow Man

A new semester in Mondragon University started with snowing (4/2/2015). I haven’t stayed in the place where snow fall. It was my first time to experience a place with snow fall. I had a great time playing with snow and building snow man. Patrik, my friend from Slovakia was the designer of the snow man. I help him to made ball to build the snow man.

It’s still snowing. Three days has been passed yet falling of snow hasn’t stop. Most probably, it will stop from Sunday (8/2/2015) as weather forecast suggest. I don’t like walking on the snow to college. I don’t like to cover my head with umbrella to avoid snow. Hope the weather forecast suggested to be right so that I can go to college. 

Snow Man

Patrik and Jigme (me)

Totally difference is the way of learning.

As I keep on staying and learning the way of their learning in Mondragon University, Spain the totally difference is the way of learning that I noticed.

If I compare with my home university (College of Science and Technology) and host university (Mondragon, Spain), I noticed a huge difference.

We have a long syllabus for each module in home university. Two term test (exam) is being conducted before the end semester exam. And in between many assignments and presentations for one module. A huge burden to be shouldered by students for all those activities.

In Host University, I am not burden with those activities which my home university has. Here a short syllabus for a module. A maximum of two exam for a module which bring end of exam. Practical is more important they give beside theory.

My opinion based on my experience; their way of learning is best and good for our way of learning. They will learn more as they do practical a side by side. A long syllabus create the confusion to average student instead of gaining something. A short syllabus with content of important element of subject gives better learning.

A semester in Mondragon University, Spain coming to wind up.

Several days left to wind up first semester in Mondragon University, Spain. Semester coming to end and everything is coming to the end, the syllabus of modules and projects. Everything coming to end connect to pending of doing many task. A completion of projects, the final presentation and appearing for exam for every module.

The coordinator of Erasmus Mundus had already circulated the mail about the modules for next semester. I couldn’t decide which modules to take in second semester in Mondragon. Most probably I will take module with no programing language. The modules related to business managements.

Visit to Ubersee Musuem, Bremen, Germany

Visit to Rhododendron Park, Bremen, Germany

Trip to Bremen, Germany.

I made a visit to Germany on 30 December, 2014. The reason behind for visiting was to visit places and my Bhutanese friends in Germany.
My friends: Rinzin Wangdi, Ugyen Nima and Nima Zangmo well come us with open arm. For your hospitality, I thank you from my heart. Thank you friends. To my surprise, their friends, joined them to well come us. They invited us for gathering. There was enough eatable things. We thank all of you for your everything. Indeed the day 31, December, 2014 was great with your program. Thank you Thai (two girl: supattra , Natcha June Kurupakorn and Best), Bangladeshi (Mr.Ali) and Indian (Himang and Aricena) friends. a new year celebration with you all shall remain deep in my heart as a gratitude. And of course the new year celebration witness during mid-night in Germany will in my heart.