Author: mag

It’s a strange life we live here. Bhutan is a developing country that pretends it’s developed. We have electricity and all the conveniences it brings – fridge, washing machine, kettle. We eat out at restaurants which serve a variety of international cuisines – local, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, even an attempt at Mexican. One of… Continue reading All the mod cons

When I was in Belgium, I found myself bumping into people on the footpath. It was the first time that I’d lived in a country that drove on the right, but I had no idea that traffic rules transfered themselves onto pedestrians too – aside from the idea that it’s safer to walk on the… Continue reading Step Left, Step Right

The flu is mostly gone and with it, my philosophical delirium. I even finished the book on Buddhism and if I found any enlightenment, it disappeared when my head cleared. Today I go back to the mundaneness of daily life. I barely slept last night because although the head is clear, the throat still tickles,… Continue reading Garbage

I’ve had a bad flu for the past week which has kept me from writing much, but the fever of the title isn’t mine. A young girl from Geliphu in the South of Bhutan just died from dengue fever. She is the daughter of the animal shelter manager in Thimphu. I don’t know either of… Continue reading Fever

I had a phone conference with the Chief Technology Officer of a major international development organisation last night after emailing her on Monday morning for the first time. I assumed that the quick response meant that they needed my help with their collaboration strategy and they knew it. Somehow, that didn’t come out in the… Continue reading Not a Salesman

Why do China and Korea have such a problem with Koizumi-san visiting a war memorial? Every year the Australian Prime Minister attends a war memorial on Anzac Day, yet I don’t hear the Turks complaining. In 2005, he even attended a memorial for Australian soldiers in Turkey itself. I assume that the Turkish leader does… Continue reading Visit to War Shrine

A hailstorm destroyed more than 10 acres of corn crops and damaged chili plantations in a town in the East of Bhutan last week. Quensel, the government paper reports that locals believe that someone probably visited a forbidden lake nearby. It reports that a local resident told them, “if somebody has visited the lake, they… Continue reading Hailstorm caused by inauspicious visit to lake

Bhutan, which is the English butchering of the proper name for the country, means Thunder Dragon in the local dialect. Embarrassingly, I’ve never thought to ask why. The answer was evident last night when a rumble of thunder lasted close to twenty seconds. Marie explained that it was echoing off the surrounding mountains and, though… Continue reading Thunder Dragon

The film we watched last night, as part of VAST’s Monsoon Film Festival, was Cry of the Snow Lion, a movie about the opression in Tibet. It’s a one sided view, but I have no problem with that and recommend everyone watch it for the powerful message. The film sent my thoughts in so many… Continue reading Cry of the Snow Lion

It’s another day with many topics to write about. After we got back from a movie last night (will post on this soon) I read another chapter from my book on Buddhism. It’s the first chapter that’s made any sense to me. It talks about reincarnation being of name and form, not of the soul.… Continue reading Reincarnation