Our family just spent 2 months in the country of Bhutan. If you are unfamiliar with our wanderings you can check us out at Byers Without Borders and if your geography needs help, you can find this little gem of a country nestled between India and China. You may also know Bhutan as the happiest country in the world, famous for placing Gross National Happiness (GNH) ahead of Gross National Product. … [Read more...]
How Do You Spend 27 hours on a Plane with 3 Kids and Not Lose Your Mind
As many of you know we left the comforts of home to travel to the other side of the world to do volunteer work with the organization Health Volunteers Overseas in the country of Bhutan. My wonderfully talented husband, Bill, has been writing (his true passion) about our adventures and experiences on our blog Byers Without Borders (you can follow us there too) and I thought I would add a few tips … [Read more...]
Farewell & Thank you!!!
And just like that it's over. A decade of wishing, a year's worth of hard planning and scheming, and here we are looking out at the frighteningly short and narrow runway of the Paro airport, awaiting our departure. None of us want to leave, the time went too quick, evidence that our life here was too perfect. And it was a perfect community of friends and loved ones who made it all possible. … [Read more...]
YoPlay Away! Kids yoga can go anywhere.
Prior to my arrival in Bhutan, I reached out to the Early Learning Center, in Mothitang, to organize some volunteer work for the girls and myself. Having spent two years teaching English in Japan, volunteering in ELC's English Literacy class was a no-brainer. However, when principle Madam Kueron discovered my current passion, YoPlay, my true role in Bhutan revealed itself. Founded by Madam … [Read more...]
Bhutan, Advanced Settings:
Bhutan, Advanced Settings: Bhutanese consider it impolite to say no. So they have many different forms of yes ranging from "very unlikely" to "it is certain". If they say yes three times it's definitely not happening. Bhutanese Ngultrum is the local currency. A one Nu bill is the smallest denomination; there are no coins. So when change of less than one Nu is owed, it is paid in hard candies or … [Read more...]
Bhutan Basics
Bhutan basics: National Bird- Raven Favorite Food- Anything with chilies Fridge settings-Winter, Summer, Monsoon Toilets- squat (bring paper unless adept at the Asian bidet, water bucket and a scoop) They drive on the left, so step off a curb and look RIGHT not left (that lesson comes quickly). At day 23, life here is starting to feel normal. Everyone is settled into a pleasant … [Read more...]