Reports From The Field - 2023 Student Blog Posts

The Little Red Spoon

The sun set with beautiful orange hues that shone on the Punakha horizon as we got ready for dinner. As I made my way down the rocky and uneven steps
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Reflections On The Experience

Even a week later it feels nearly impossible to express just how incredible the Kingdom of Bhutan was. As I’m sitting in my living room, reflecting on the experience we
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Into The Tiger’s Nest

As a group, we spent our final full day in Bhutan visiting one of the great wonders of our world: Taktsang Palphug Monastery also known as Tiger’s Nest. The cliff-side monastery
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This Is Not A Dream!

Picture this: You wake up with the sun and the birds as a natural alarm clock. No sound of traffic. Unzipping your tent and being surrounded by mountains and a
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Today’s Reflection – In Poetry

A Fun Poem Written By SMLS Students We went to Dochula Pass It was a blast Then we went to lunch And we ate a bunch We later went across
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Student Reflections From Our School Cultural Exchange Pt. 3

I would like to start this reflection off by saying, Bhutan has got to be the most humble, honest, and kind country that I have ever stepped foot in. Everybody
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Be Your Best

As we walked through the gates at Ugyen Academy on our way to begin our student learning exchange, I could feel the nervous yet excited energy that hung in the
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Student Reflections From Our School Cultural Exchange Pt. 2

I really enjoyed my time during the cultural exchange at the school. Going into it, I was definitely a bit apprehensive, as I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However,
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Student Reflections From Our School Cultural Exchange Pt. 1

Our third day of this trip was most definitely one for the books. From attending assembly and classes, to eating lunch, and experiencing a homestay for dinner, it was an
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Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future

After enduring four grueling days of constant travel and unending plane flights, we were ecstatic to finally experience a full night of sleep. After waking up energized and ready to
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Time Is Not Plentiful

A Cultural Exchange at Gongzim Ugyen Dorji School I stand at ease in the warm Himalayan sun, overlooking perfectly straight lines of students squinting as they listen to the words
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Reflections from Day 1 in Bhutan – Community Perspectives

As we walked clockwise around the Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, through the crowd of Bhutanese locals we noticed a man sitting cross-legged in the middle of the gardens. The man
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Arriving In The Haa Valley

After a long journey from Toronto, we finished our flight from Thailand to Bhutan. Arriving at the lovely Paro airport, we were welcomed with open arms and given gorgeous white
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Our First Day In The Land Of The Thunder Dragon

Today felt like a whole week of experiences all fit into one day. We started early in the morning flying out of Bangkok, Thailand as a big group, our four-hour
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Landing In Paro, Bhutan.

When you do an internet search on Bhutan you come up with all sorts of things about the place, the culture, the people and Gross National Happiness, but you also
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My Name Means Freedom

Getting off the 16-hour plane ride from Vancouver, it was inevitable that we’d all be tired, exhausted even. But the excitement of being in a new city, a new country
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19 Hours In Bangkok!

With only a few hours to spend in Bangkok, Thailand we got to our hotel in time for a breakfast buffet, a quick shower, and short naps. After lunch, we
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Arrived in Bangkok, Thailand

Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand! The SMLS and RSGC students and faculty arrived early this morning at the Suvarnabhumi Airport. As we walked out to meet our bus everyone felt the
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