The morning was wet and cold unlike that last few days. Within not more than half an hour, the dark blue highsbus appeared near the Changlam parking. Other friends of mine came with their luggage, too.
The bus again kicked its engine and cruised. It was almost 9:30AM when we got out of the bus and touched the ground of Paro International Airport. Within an hour, luggage investigations and currency exchanges were done and seated in the waiting chairs right before the entrance of main gateway to the plane.
I started having a mixed feelings as the minute hand neared the area of scheduled time. A gush of nervousness and confusion rushed to my head. I was afraid that there won't be restroom in the airplane so I peed twice before I got into the plane.
I climbed up the stair into the plane. I took my seat. My friends did too. We were in the economy compartment. There was also business compartment partitioned in the neck of the the streamlined plane.
I climbed up the stair into the plane. I took my seat. My friends did too. We were in the economy compartment. There was also business compartment partitioned in the neck of the the streamlined plane.
We were asked to fasten our seat belt. The plane snailed back and gradually swallowed the other end of the airport as it turned its head. I was tightly holding the chairarms. I rechecked my seatbelt again and again if fastened.
The plane was potentially collecting its energy to fly off. The airhostess were giving the passengers an alarm that the plane was ready to fly. I was leaning my back fully at the seat stretching my legs to the footstep, and hands tightly clutching the chairarms.
The plane accelerated its run roaring at its highest hetz. It was flying over the mountains leaving Bhutan behind in a mean time. As the plane reached at its norma attitude of 3800 metres, I had sharp pain in my eardrums as if they were to burst out. It must be because of high air pressure of my body exerting outside to the low air pressure of the outer atmosphere, I contemplated using a little knowledge of science I have learned in the school.
The airhost and airhostess were welcoming and polite to each passenger. Before the flight landed the international airport of Calcutta, the passengers were served drinks and salty peanut each. And lunch later with variety of food.
The passengers were not allowed to get out of the flight unless you were a destined passenger of Calcutta.
It took exactly forty five minutes to deport the passengers. The flight flew again in the north. Gradually, the flight headed the south east direction. Approximately within three hours of journey, we landed at the Bangkok international airport.
The weather was drastically different from that of Thimphu. It was burning hot. Eleven of us were waiting for the guides. Our guides were from Bhutan, I heard.
After few minutes, there was appearance of a similar face amongst the crowd coming towards us. I could see his face clearly in that moment. He was my friend Ngajay. I know him because of my high school best friend Chorten.
We shook hands feeling excited and wordless at the same time.
"What do you do here," I spoke out blindly.
"Ong. I'm doing degree." He replied as he waved his hand on his long hair. I saw him like Takiya Genji, the hero of the Japanese movie called "Crow." This movie is banned screening in its country but it has become a popular movie for the Bhutanese youth.
As only I was familiar with him, I along with my friends went on following him.
It was not as easy to get cabs in Bangkok like that of Thimphu. The passengers must get a token.
Ngajay and his friend got two cabs for eleven of us. It was two hours of journey between their hostile and the airport. I was even not sure what was the name of the place and was difficult for me to remember the names of the places.
Paying seventy bath each, we went to the MBK centre for doing a short shopping. It was about to 8:00 pm of the Bangkok time. We decided to do shopping for an hour and gather together at the base of the mall. The MBK centre is one of the popular shopping malls in Bangkok.
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MBK centre has all varieties of fruits, clothes, gadgets, and other stuffs. Most of the Thai people and foreigners go for it. It's almost beyond nine in the evening when all got ready to go back to the residence. We gathered at the ground floor of MBK centre and went back to Sawanth 16.
The night was less hotter then that of daytime.
The residence we were staying was a block of boys'dormitory of a nearby university. The girls slept together in a room.
Nima and I slept in my friend's room peacefully. That night sleep was much deeper like I had during the travel through Samdrup Jongkhar where I had to sleep in the hotel. The summer weather of would be hotter as of Bangkok.
I slept with my thin inner cloths on the upper bed and Nima slept below. It made to remember the life in the middle school at Martshalla. Martshalla Middle School is located the heart of Martshalla block. It is built on the sloppy cut valley. Each room used to have fifteen bunkbeds with two students in each bed. It was damn wet and hot there. I was made to miss my first border life by a night stay at Bangkok.
I was leaning on the pillow sliding the screen of my celphone to see the photos snapped onthe way. I didn't know when I was gone into sleep actually. The morning was cool. I woke up earlier than my friends. There were no many vehicles and people in the morning.
We got ready by 9:30 pm to move the airport to get departed to Japan by a Thai afternoon fight.
We were the international airport of Bangkok easier than few hours. We had to wait for the schedule to appear on the automatic display machine.
The Thai flight we were travelling was much bigger in size than the Bhutan Airlines with high-tech machines. The flight from Thailand to Japan was fascinating looking at its attitude of maximum 3900 metres, and the plane flew over the cold clouds and oceans in a greater speed.
The journey until Tokyo Airport, it took exactly five hours five minutes.
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Japan is beautiful by its landscape and high-tech advanced country I had seen first time during my first third world visit. The Thai flight started descending its height below 11500 metres. The outside atmospheric temperature began increasing above - 50 degrees celsius. I could see some of the light sparkling skyscrapers and movements of vehicles through the window from the plane. As the plane dcreased its acceleration and height with certain level, the visibility of Japanese night view became clearer in my eyes.
The Japanese time read 10:35 p.m on the screen infront of our each seat. The plane touched the motherland of Japan controlling its vigo rous motion.
Two friendly Japanese IRO faculty had come to pick us from the Tokyo International airport to the Seisa Takao Campus. We were warmly received by Hiro San and Ken San. In Japanese culture, the word 'San' is used as a respective term to mention with their name.
"Konechewa," we bowed to them. We quickly changed the USD into Yen and followed the guides.
"Anyone wants to visit washroom," Hiro San inquired. "The journey is of two hours from here," he continued. We just nodded looking at each other.
They took us toward a white bus written with green words 'Foundation for Global Children'.
"This is your bus", Hiro San pointed with his long half-lotus shaped fingers.
Everyone seemed nervous, stiff and silent in the bus.
I was craning my neck through the window glass to see the tall buildings and
towers spotted with linear lights.
As soon as the bus gradually stopped in front of the The Takao Campus, a group of elderly looking ladies and men came running with applause to receive us. They were with broad smiles of on their face wishing us "kone chewa." I started appreciating their warmth and care they give us endlessly.
The winter weather was similar to that of Thimphu. Our luggage were directly taken to our allocated rooms with their help. We had small gatheration of introduction. The group offered us with different kinds of snacks for the dinner.
The rooms were far luxurious than I had most of the time. Each of our room had a bathroom with warm time throughout day and a clean toilet with flushing system. Also, each room had two sleeping beds with cosy blankets each. The room was one of the most beautiful I had enjoyed ever for several days. There was true bliss there physically and intuitively, too.
We were very excited to see the Japanese different designs of infrastructures, unique customs, pristine culture, and heart-warming people in the days to come.
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The full seven days were the days the group and I had created the cherishing memories ever in life. My first visit to third world had been a great pleasure and delightful.
The scheduled programs were fascinating in each day. On the very first day, we were visited by Mr. Hajime, the President of the Seisa university. He was vocal and frank. He knew about many great figures of Bhutan and more about RTC, too. I started feeling like a Pelden Drukpa looking at his physical appearance, character, and accent.
He encouraged us to maintain the strong bond between RTC and Seisa, and between the two countries in macro-level. Moreover, the President wanted us to initiate the Japanese language class in RTC to know more about Japan.
We had also the Vice President of Seisa university Mrs. Hasoda who organised the meeting along with her daughter Midori. Midori had been studying in the US. She had been our translator of Japanese to English. I felt like she was a beautiful Bhutanese lady by her appearance and an American by her way of talking English.
The Takao Campus faculty were introduced individually and we did, too.
The next program of the day was, we were taken to see the classrooms, theatre, and environment by the three high school students. The campus was similar to that of Royal Thimphu College and it was a peaceful place for learning.
The winter was dry and cold there. The evening cool wind would brush my face while going back to the dormitory from the WiFi room.
The WiFi was not available as seen our college, but it was free to use in a scheduled time. We would update the daily program, and communicate with parents and friends in that given time.
The schedule was pack but interesting and memorable each day.
On the second day, we were received by the students of Hasoda, warm-heartedly. We can enjoy the vast blue view of Pacific ocean from through the windows of conference hall.
We had video conference interaction with the other high school students, too. The session was of more than two hours.
One of the students recommended us the Bhutanese to try out a Japanese food called 'sushi,' a popular food in the country.
In the afternoon, we had great honored for getting opportunity to meet the mayor of Oiso city.
The mayor looked young and fit by his physical appearance. However, he was crossing seventy four. We were sorry for not able to talk to him in Japanese. Nevertheless, our hostess Midori had been a perfect translator of his words and our words to exchange dialogues.
The mayor was happy to meet all of us who came all the way from Bhutan. He insisted that Bhutan and Japan must be friends forever.
"Have you seen ocean?" translated his words by Midori.
"No, never," we gave a chorus answer with a nod as usual.
He took us to the porch. That was the first time for me to see the endless ocean and others as well.
The next day, we had privilege to meet the another mayor of Odawara. The students of Hasoda high school also received us warmly. They were with their traditional dances and songs followed by our dances we had practised so far.
We're taken to Japanese paper hand-making cottage, too.
The visit to solar power plant was fascinating and greenery. It would have really encouraged for each Bhutanese people to look for optional resources of electricity rather than depending on hydro-power fully.
The most memorial event I had was the visit to Enoshima Acquirium and the beach. It was fun delightful to play around, collect seashells,and snap photos at the beach of Pacific ocean.
Enoshima Acquirium is pretty large infrastructure which comprises of several storeys and compartments with different kinds of sea plants and sea animals. The most interesting part in the acquirium was the dolphin show. The giant dolphins performed the show with the rhythm of music blasted high along with the acclamation by their each owner. After the show, we had also opportunity to shake hand with a gentle dolphin. "Dophins have five fingers like human beings when seen under x-ray," trumpeted the anchor in the mike hung over his neck.
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We were treated as the members of one family by the staff of Takao Campus. We felt like we were VIP (very important people) for them. Starting from shampoos and toothbrush, we were given freedom to utilize the luxurious Japanese facilities.
They people would never forget to thank and wish us every time.
I learned few Japanese words. I would say "ohayo gozaimus" in the morning. Bowing down while thanking and greeting was the most common but generous conduct. "Eta taki mus" is like mantra or thanking the ones who offered us food.
And frequently I would love to say "arigato," a short easy word to remember and good to say it you think you are thankful to someone.
Finally I knew the word called "sayo u na ra" just before the farewell party to say goodbye.
A day before farewell, we had Japanese popular modern dance practice in the morning and kimino session in the afternoon of the day.
A group of dance club members taught us a rocking Japanese dance. We could catch up the steps in few number of practices.
They very eager to know the dzongkha dance, too. In two groups, our RTC group taught them a simple dzongkha beodra danice. They were pretty excited with the steps we showed.
Kimino is the traditional Japanese dress code worn by both the genders. The women's kiminos are colorful and have patterns while men's kiminos are mere plain ashy cloth.
While girls were getting dressed up taking almost a half day, Nima and I were practicing the old Japanese dance called Soran. Soran is a folk dance performed by Japanese. It symbolizes people fishing using a long boat and fishing net.
Everyone looks gorgeous and excited in kimino. We had photograph session standing right in front of the long banner hung outside written "Seisa Takao Campus."
The Bhutanese and all the Japanese had become so close as if the members of a family. In the farewell party, we were awarded with certificates as a gesture of participation in the cultural exchange program between the two countries. The night before we left was harder for most of us to push up the tears welled up in our eyes.
The departure day was swift. We had get ready for move to the Tokyo airport. We had exchange of gifts, tight hugs, and had to see off in tears.
We spent two nights in Bangkok doing shopping. We were back to the Thunder Dragon land with a bountiful of memories to be cherished in our heart.
Thank you!
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