All One Hundred and Twentynine of My Students (except one, who has a boil on her arse)

My Class: 11 Arts B

July and August were, as predicted, hot.  Punakha received less rain this monsoon season than usual, but it appears that the rice crops are unaffected: now, in mid-September, the rice is tall and luxuriant and a green that is so intense it hurts the eyes.  I remember arriving here when the paddies were brown and dry and the evenings cold enough to warrant long johns and a space heater.  I guess those days will soon return--the heat has given way to a subtle coolness and a lovely autumnal sun with night falling now at 6:30. 

I took advantage of an especially stunning day during midterms--when all the students and I were unsuccessful at focusing on schoolwork--to have 'class photos' taken.  I am wearing a kira because the Dzongda (a political position like a governor) and the Director of Education had visited the school that morning to award our ten 'toppers' (the students who are the top scorers on exams) with certificates from the King.  In these photos I am sporting perhaps the worst haircut I have ever gotten, but I paid exactly $1.00 for it and it took ten minutes.

Below are just a few photos of me with my lovely students.

Arm wrestling with Sonam from 11 Commerce B

My 11 Arts B Captains: Ngawang Choden and Jigme Paldon Shangson Rai
(A 'captain' is a class leader, appointed by the 'class teacher'--sort
of a glorified homeroom teacher. 11 Arts B is my class.)

Chhimi Selden, 11 Arts B, and I

The Boys of 12 Arts B

Girls of 12 Arts B

Class 12 Arts B, All 46 of them!

Kanjur Om, me and Suresh Rai with a great shot of the Dzong

11 Commerce B

Some of the cool boys (and Pelden) from 11 Commerce B

Class Captains, 11 Commerce B