My view on Spain.

   

View of Arrasate Mondragon.

Part of Mondragon

             

Scenario of the place is so beautiful and fascinating. “Clean and understanding place” is words I am going to describe.

Clean place because it is clean with proper litterbin (different bin for different waste) being placed at suitable place. I can find no litter on the ground. People are civilized here. They reached their litter to litterbin.  

Understanding place because people are comprehensible to each other. It was amazing to witness people following traffic rule strictly. Walker on the road cross only through zebra crossing even when no vehicles is moving. On the other hand driver respect zebra crossing. They wait at zebra crossing if people target to cross zebra from the distance.

You may be alone here physically but you are never alone mentally. No sooner than we ask about something, they try to response us with the answer. If people speak English then I guarantee you, Spain is your home.

The real happiness is with people of Spain. Irrespective of all age, they have the time to gather at rest place in the city. Come weekend, the party come along with. And very interesting night is being observed. We will not witness the chaos and disorder make out of drink.

I am happy here, Spain

Teaching and Learning environment is different.

It’s totally different from my country, Bhutan regarding teaching and learning in foreign country, Mondragon University, Spain. I can’t say which one is the best, practice that my country adopt and practice they (Spain) adopt.

Learning will going to take place in their case because communication between tutor and students is taking place. It is friendly class out here and can ask any question. Student don’t hesitate whatever they response to the question put up by the tutors. One interesting thing, I could notice is that student used personal computer, PC and utilize PC in fruitful manner. They used search engine like Google to get answer for the question. Tutor don’t even come around to check weather students used PC effectively. Tutor trust student very much.

Comparing with our practice (Bhutan), no interaction between students and tutor. Students hesitate to communicate with tutors. The gap between students and tutor still exist. Given a chance to use PC in classroom with WIFI available, I am sure student will misuse (example. face booking) the platform. I even misuse the platform here, Mondragon University, Spain.   

Formality in the class.

Bhutan maintain a good decorum between tutors and students. Students know how to response tutors and respect tutors.

It is out of question to ask weather decorum exist in foreign country. We can called our Tutors by their name. No respect from students to tutors.

I will learn their culture during my stay in Spain and will adopt best one in our country if possible.

Finally question to viewer, which culture is good? 

My Nostalgia in Spain.

                            

Pose near university

Mondragon University.

It was 16:00 hours when I reached in Spain (Mondragon University, MU) on 1^st of September. Miss Adrune, the international coordinator of Interweave project provide me with the guide to guide me to reach to my residence. They were two female students of MU. They took me to my residence and informed me everything present in the room: How to use the things that present in the room? Where is toilet? Where is bathroom? Where is sitting room? How to cook anything? with their limited words in English.  

I was all alone in the room as three roommates, one from Slovakia and two from Italy are yet to come on 3^rd and 4^th of September respectively. My friends from Bhutan and Nepal were in different domicile. The deepest sorrow of being alone in Spain after coming all the way from Asia (Bhutan) was something I can describe as “My Nostalgia in Spain”. The tension over tension is flowing with non-stop. The language which I speak is what they don’t understand and the language which they speak is what I don’t understand, eventually a huge language barrier is being created. The food they take is what I feel like tasteless and food which I used to take is where I couldn’t find here. My nostalgia in Spain become bit a sensation one when I badly miss my loving parents. No matter how the people of Spain are kind enough and showing the hospitability to me but it failed to replace the love and care that my parent give to me.

The situation over my mind is under control of “my nostalgia of Spain” but I still have deep faith to god almighty, my only root teacher (Tsa-Wai-Lam) and thanking parents. The day routine of praying when I gets up in the morning and going to bed in the evening shall be followed.

In the name of erasing the “my nostalgia of Spain” I decide to go to my friend domicile (Where Keshav from Nepal and Anup Thapa, friend from Bhutan stay). They were lucky enough as they got roommate from Spain. He is Joseba who is going to pursue master in Electrical Engineering. He help us. Thank you Joseba. You are my first Spainish friend I listed in my friend list after reaching here.

My only and unique brother, Gom Dorji.

Gom Droji and Jigme Zangpo

We are brother by fate and I am happy to be his brother. Growing up in same family and I have many memory that cherished my lonely mind whenever I think of it. Unlike other brothers who don’t stay always together as a brotherhood but we always stay together until I got to go to Spain for exchange program scholarship.

We studied our pre-primary school in same school in our village. I went separated in 2003 from my brother in Lauri Primary School to complete my class six. It was also in 2004 when he was still in class six in village, I was in Minjiwoong Lower Secondary school studying in class seven. We are together in the year 2005 in Minjiwoong School. We stayed on same bed. Unfortunately I was ill in 2005 and couldn’t attend final exam. In the year 2006 instead of feeling unhappy as I missed a year, I still remember that I was happy as I could study together with my brother. We were in same standard from that onward.

It was in Nanglam Middle Secondary School, we were in same class (IX A) on top of we stay on same bed. We could complete class X peacefully in same class and same bed in the year 2008.

The result of Bhutan Certificate of Secondary Education (BCSE Class-X) was declare on the month of February, 2009. We were both qualified to 11. We were place in Nangkor Higher Secondary School. He was in 11 science B and I was in 11 science A of course we are in same room. We completed our +2 in Nangkor in the year 2010.

Bhutan Higher Secondary Education Certificate was declare at end of the January, 2011. We were not satisfied with our result. He would have qualified for studies outside country if his language mark is or above 55%. Unfortunately fate decide him to be Engineer and he was got selected under the discipline, Electrical Engineering program in College of Science and technology. Mathematics Honors was only option left for me to study outside country but fate decide elder brother to be Engineer too. I was selected for Electronics and Communication Engineering program in the same college. We were both happy to be engineer despite knowing my course has no scope in Bhutan.

Looking back from where we are today to where we come from; we are happy for our hard work and determination. Three year in college was gone forever. The days and night we spent together in same room for 6 semester was really a wonderful. You obeying me as I was your brother but brother I am sorry that I couldn’t obey you much, as you did. It was my only regret that is lingering on my mind when we are no more together. I now realize the value of respect and obedient. I am once again sorry my dear brother, Gom Dorji.  Forgive me for being impoliteness sometime. I am happy because you always understand my nature. Brother, I shall always keep our bond brotherhood strengthen ever and ever. I know there is no doubt from your side. I have great expectation from you that you can unit our family as family itself.

Now you are in final year and my hope along with deepest prayer; always be who you are, never get away by negative friend and have a mind of caring our precious parents.

Your brother shall be in Spain for 10 months missing you all.

With affection.

Jigme Zangpo.

My VISA of Spain was approved.

Finally I got VISA of Spain after almost a month I submitted documents. Thank you everyone for helping me to obtained VISA. Now everything is ready and I am ready to leave to Royal Palace of Madrid.  

Come 1^st of September, 2014 I will be leaving to Spain via Belgium capital Bessel. 

Emotion of departure.

7 to 12 of August, 2014 was the moment, moment of happiness. The very reason for considering the moment as moment of happiness is: I could meet my parents and relatives. The moment of happiness was transient period for me. The moment of happiness altered into moment of sorrow as soon I say final good bye to my parents and relatives. The moment of sorrow become really bad moment of sorrow when I could witness tear drop of love and care falling down from my mother’s eyes. I consoled my mother saying I will be back soon. I am going for good purpose. I am going neither to die nor to stay permanently there.

I shall always remember your sweet words as advice to become your good son.

My affection and care for parents and relatives shall never out of my mind until I am human being. I will let all of you to realize the true affection and care from me.

My only prayer; to meet you all in good condition as before when I am back. 

Documents submitted.

                                    

It was on day 4 in New Delhi I could submit the documents to the office of Spain Embassy, New Delhi. I could submit documents within few days because of staffs of VISA section in Bhutanese Embassy being supportive. Visa Officer Mr. Jigme Norbu coordinates the procedure of Visa processing sequentially. He requests his visa assistance (Indian) and driver to reach us to desire destination. We have to go to Hospital to withdraw Medical Certificate, go to Jawaharlal Nehru University to get Medical Certificate translated in to Spanish.  

Finally all the procedure was completed and documents was submitted to office of Spain Embassy, New Delhi. Verbal interview is conducting. Why you are going? Who sponsor you? What course you are going to take? Which university you are going to? From which university you are going? For how long you are going to stay?

I would like to thank Mr. Jigme Norbu, Visa officer at Royal Bhutanese Embassy, New Delhi for rendering full support and guidance. I also thank all your assistance visa staffs (Indian) and drivers for helping me.

Address

New Delhi
Royal Bhutanese Embassy,
Chandragupta Marg,
Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi 110021.
Phone : 91-11-26889230 / 9809 / 9807
Fax : 91-11-26876710 / 24674664 / 24102231