The Little Red Spoon
The sun set with beautiful orange hues that shone on the Punakha horizon as we got ready for dinner. As
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The sun set with beautiful orange hues that shone on the Punakha horizon as we got ready for dinner. As
Even a week later it feels nearly impossible to express just how incredible the Kingdom of Bhutan was. As I’m
As a group, we spent our final full day in Bhutan visiting one of the great wonders of our world:
Picture this: You wake up with the sun and the birds as a natural alarm clock. No sound of traffic.
A Fun Poem Written By SMLS Students We went to Dochula Pass It was a blast Then we went to
I would like to start this reflection off by saying, Bhutan has got to be the most humble, honest, and
As we walked through the gates at Ugyen Academy on our way to begin our student learning exchange, I could
I really enjoyed my time during the cultural exchange at the school. Going into it, I was definitely a bit
Our third day of this trip was most definitely one for the books. From attending assembly and classes, to eating
After enduring four grueling days of constant travel and unending plane flights, we were ecstatic to finally experience a full
A Cultural Exchange at Gongzim Ugyen Dorji School I stand at ease in the warm Himalayan sun, overlooking perfectly straight
As we walked clockwise around the Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, through the crowd of Bhutanese locals we noticed a man
We started the day off by getting to know each other through a series of group challenges in Belleview park. Next, our instructor told us to walk. The only instructions were to be conscious of our senses and to “go slow.” I had no destination in mind. The spice store caught my attention while my friend took photos of street art. The neighbourhood energy felt different, but I was frequently reminded of the Toronto I was familiar with as modern skyscrapers formed the larger landscape above crowded, colourful storefronts. We met back with the group and discussed what we saw, what sparked our interest, and how the four streets we were given maps to made us feel. Most of the group spoke about a distinctly multicultural place, and when prompted by the instructor, shared interest in understanding why this came to be. I brought up the juxtaposition between modern Toronto encroaching onto what looked like an older neighbourhood with unique character.
After discussion, researching on our phones, and being realistic about our capabilities, we came up with our question of interest that would form the foundation of the remainder of the day. Why is Kennington Market worth protecting from modern-day development? We created tasks. Roll one, stay in Belleview park to do research on current issues facing the market. Roll two, interview store owners. Roll 3, continue to observe the daily routines of the market and write a personal reflection.
When the group rejoined there was a different buzz, everyone wanted to talk. “One storefront owner told me I would never understand,” said one student. “I spoke to women who told me that small local run businesses are the only way forward for environmental sustainability,” said another. Our researchers brought up several articles regarding a successful fight to keep Walmart and Nike out of the neighbourhood. One of our creative writers read us a line from her reflection aloud “I feel people can be themselves here.”
Day one was coming to an end. After a debrief with our instructor, I did not leave the day feeling defeated, rather somewhat invigorated about the learning that I wanted to continue. I saw the layers of my own backyard that I had neglected to pay attention to. We had not answered our question today, but we got a start. Through those who wanted to talk to us, but more so, through those who didn’t, we realized there was something about this neighbourhood that was fighting to save their core, their identity. Why? We would try to find out more tomorrow.