The New Girl in Town

I made the trek down to the main market on Saturday morning and got plenty of second glances along the way. It took about 40 minutes to get there and I passed three different villages. Each one had little kids who were anxious to practice their English. It seemed each one wanted their chance to say ?Hello!?, ?How are you??, ?Where are you from?? or ?What is your name??. They all have happy, inquisitive and smiling faces. I have found that their stature makes them appear much younger than they actually are. Some even hang their heads out the windows of their car to wave and shout a greeting.


Saturday evening D.S. Rai sent his driver for me to join them at the celebratory dinner for the graduates if the first hospitality training in Bumthang. Twelve girls were selected from villages within WCP and trained in the art of hotel/farm house management. The Department of Forestry and the Tourism Council of Bhutan coordinated the three-month course. These girls will be hosting many of the guests for the Nomads? Festival in their homes with their families.

It was the first time I got to sit and talk to D.S. Rai outside of work and we were able to learn a little bit more about each other and our backgrounds. He now knows how anxious I am to get into the field and I have a strong feeling he will make it happen. The dinner concluded with the graduates performing some dances and D.S. Rai explained them to me in detail. Some I had seen at the campfire, but others were knew. I had so many questions and was enthralled by them to the point I think he could see it on my face because he said, ?You?re going to love the Festival!?

Can?t wait!