Entrepreneurial Journey Competition

As part of the 115th National Day celebration, Economic Development Unit of the Dzongkhag Administration of Wangdue Prodrang organized an Entrepreneurship Journey Competition for the existing entrepreneurs based in Wangdue aligned with this year’s National Day Theme ‘Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’. The aim of this program was to promote the entrepreneurship culture in the Dzongkhag, appreciate and celebrate the existing entrepreneurs and provide them a digital platform to promote their products. 

The entrepreneurs were allowed to express their entrepreneurial journey (product/service, motivation, challenges and achievements) through a 3 minute video. The entries were assessed based on their expression, inspiration and creativity used in making the video. 
A total of 10 entrepreneurs participated in the competition and the top three entries were awarded cash prizes and certificates of merit and certificates of participation for all the participants by Dasho Dzongdag during the National Day celebration. 

The top three entries of the competition are as follows:
1. Jeewan Baral- The Mugwort Solution 
2. Trashi Yangzom- KDY Production
3. Tshering Delkar- Sunflower Seed Oil

We plan to provide various platforms in future as well to encourage all the aspiring entrepreneurs to take up entrepreneurship as a career option.

The Dzongkhag Administration would like to thank Entrepreneurship Promotion Division, MoLHR for the collaboration and support.

What did I achieve in 2022?

It is 2023 in just 8 days and I am here wondering what I have achieved so far like any other person. I have not earned millions nor did I win medals but I have learned lessons and gained experiences which cannot be valued for anything. 

As we grow older there is nobody who gives a shit about you, so one has to take care of one’s own shits. There are no real and genuine people who care for you unconditionally, any help and care you receive comes with conditions even relationships are built on conditions (which is really sad). The quantity of friends does not matter, it is the quality that matters. Everyone is selfish in one way or the other, even being friends is treated as doing a favor at times (makes me question all the relationships I have). Nobody likes to listen while  everyone likes to tell people what others should be and how they should be doing things. There is no system of taking into account of others' opinion, especially when that opinion contradicts their interest. 

Society is full of judgements and it is obvious to be judged one way or the other, so don’t be carried away by those petty judgements. Confirm and see it for yourself before adding on it. Value only the friends who are there for you at your lowest and not those who can’t even appreciate your glory. Hold on to the genuine people and relationships you have in your life though it is limited because it is really difficult to build relationships or find genuine people. At the same time, let go of the fake ones because they are not worth investing your time and energy in them.

I know the above lines are full of negativity but it is the reality the year 2022 showed me and I am grateful it did, otherwise I would be still living in a fantasy world thinking everything is perfect and beautiful. Nevertheless, there is beauty in this reality because one learns to stand for oneself and put oneself before others. It was harsh on me but made me a stronger and independent person. Despite all these, I am still breathing, doing my work, living my life the way I want and most importantly accepting myself the way I am. 

It is a messed up world but it is this mess that makes living different and memorable everyday. From climbing to a highland to walking in the south, exploring places, listening to stories and pouring my heart and soul in the relationships I had and have and for always giving my best in the works in all my works, I am grateful to have grown as a person. 

Amongst all, acceptance and self love is what I have achieved this year and is incomparable to all the things I have achieved so far. 

First experience of Royal Highland Festival 2022

I firmly believe in learning through experience and this time I got the opportunity to participate in the 5th Royal Highland Festival to experience and learn about work, life, culture and many more. Well, I must admit that the experiences were been overwhelming and worth all the hardships.

The 5th Royal Highland festival was held from 23/10/2022 to 24/10/2022 and the festival was graced by His Majesty the King. Various products were displayed by all the highland Dzongkhags and agencies.

For Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag, it was spearheaded by Dzongkhag Livestock Officer. We displayed the products such as Gauda cheese, Rasgulla made from pure yak milk, bamboo products and various other products all made from Yak hair. In addition to the product display, various cultural programmes and competitions among the Dzongkhags were held to entertain the audience.

The highlight of the festival was the decoration of main highland animals such as yak and horse. Wangdue Dzongkhag was quite fortunate to win some of the competitions but the experience was worth more than the prizes.

Looking at the number of visitors the festival attracted, I saw a lot of products Laya can offer to the visitors and I felt it all starts offering a simple and clean homestay to the visitors.

I have also noticed that it is the warm hospitality that the owners offer to the visitors that is making every visitor want to visit the place again. So, if Layaps can offer a clean place to stay in and a warm heart then nothing would stop the visitors from visiting Laya every year. 

How do I unlove?

Promises broken

Dreams shattered

You were full of lies

Yet I trusted with all my heart.

Drowned in your perfectly concealed lies

Entangled in your false hopes

Blinded by your sweet words

Too naïve have I been.

Your dreams came before mine,

Wished for your happiness,

Rooted for your success,

Cheered on your glory.

Yet you chose someone else

Build another home.

Never looked back

While I still waited for you.

You had my heart and soul

In your hand.

Killed me before death.

Even so I am hopelessly,

Still in love with you.

Wish it was just a bad dream

Imperfect

If I were the most perfect woman,

Will my life be any easier                                          

If I were the most perfect woman,

Will I have more happiness and less sadness

If I were the most perfect woman,               

Will I meet the most perfect man as well

And will we have a perfect life together

Or is perfect just in fairy tales?

While I search for reasons....

Bit of self-love today

It cost no penny to love myself but why do I find it so difficult. I grew up not feeling enough love for myself and feeling worthless most of the time. Often times, I end up comparing myself to others and feel less about myself in various aspects. I envy how people are composed in their thoughts and confident in their works when I can merely bring my thoughts even to a conversation. These things kind of piles up and radiate self-depreciating thoughts in me. The more I think the more I hate myself and in the midst, of all these thoughts I completely forget to love myself. 

I want to do so much in my work but I feel I lack the capacity to it when I can't convince even a simple proposal. I want to be the best friend to my friends but I fear I might let them down. I want to maintain forever relationships but I fear I might scare them with my insecurities. I want to be the perfect daughter to my parents but I fear I might be the most selfish person. I want to love with all my heart but I fear my heart do not have enough love to even love myself. I want to be carefree of the judgements of the society but I fear I might not fit in. I want laugh out loud but I fear people might label me for not being decent. The list of what I want to do goes on and so does my fears. But today, at least for a day I want to love myself for surviving and being able to put my fears into words. 

If only loving myself was as simple as the river flowing

Boundaries

The famous tagline one country, one people is chanted by every Bhutanese yet all of them set boundaries in so many ways. Some boundaries are physical like the district boundaries which separates one district from another and some boundaries are much deeper. The boundaries which cannot be seen are much deeper and separates people far beyond the physical boundaries. If the tagline one people one country is in-fact true why set boundaries in where and how one works if working anywhere is for the country. Is it really necessary to work under one boundary to contribute to one's country or is the value different in these two cases? One would say it is for the accountability that these boundaries are set but how to defend the stand if the accountability has never been pushed to any other regardless of which boundary one worked. It is even more despairing when the ones who should stop those unseen boundaries, set much deeper boundaries. Alas! only if human beings were broader in their thoughts.

Confused, demotivated and tired

Quarter-life crisis :-(

There has never been a right timing for the good and bad things to happen. Things just pop out whenever it wants to and most of the time it meets bad timing. Such incidents make you question your life. Just when you are starting to love life it reveals an ugly truth. Just when you are enjoying the decision you made it starts to ring you with regrets. Just when you are convinced that people are real, they start to prove you wrong. Just when you start to value the relationships, situations make you redefine those relationships.

I really can't define this phase of life I am going through right now because it is filled with so many emotions, dramas and stages of making decisions. Recently, I cut my hair very short and the next instant I am regretting my decision. Well, that is just an example of how my emotions have become so inconsistent lately. Having to decide so many things for myself and my fluctuating emotions do not cooperate at all. I don’t know how I am coping with all these but I find myself awake late at night filled with tears. I don’t know if I should fight through to overcome these circumstances or should I convince myself that life is and has always been like that. 

A glass of wine surely helps at times

(P.s not encouraging anyone to use alcohol to overcome/celebrate any situations)

Letting go

             

Staring at the sky,

Filling my heart with lies

Couldn't console myself 

In any better way.

A news of celebration,

Brought me despair.

Took me back to the old days,

Relished those moments 

For the last time.

With a heavy yet happy heart

I let you go finally.

Valley of Peace, Space and Romance

Phobjikha valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan and yes, a must visit place in Bhutan. It is the top tourist destination under Wangdue Dzongkhag. The place offers beautiful scenery and the people offers warm heart to all the visitors. It is located approximately 130kms from Thimphu and unlike the past years the road through the valley is black topped and one can enjoy the smoothest ride with a gentle blow of fresh wind filled with fragrance of Primula.

However, it is quite an irony when the place is a tourist destination and the income generation by selling tourism products is not in the list or seen as just an option for the community people. Various reasons can be given for this fact, it can be because potatoes earn them better or visitors are least interested in giving value to the community other than just trashes or community people do not offer much to the visitors which can earn them some cash. Nevertheless, having said this there are 33 Village Homestays (VHS) currently registered with Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) as of date and visitors choosing VHS over star hotels provides a little value to the community people.

So, if you looking for a place for getaway, Phobjikha offers enough peace and rejuvenating energy. If you are looking for a family weekend trip, again Phobjikha offers the space for it. Even if you are looking for a couple trip well no place can offer the mood as romantic as Phobjikha. If by any means you do visit the place do not forget to stay at least a night at the VHS to experience a home away from home and give a little to the community people.

Glimpse of the valley

                      

Ray of hope

Nothing remained the same,

Since the virus came.

New normal changed, 

The life we all wished.

Travel restrictions separated

The loved ones

Lockdowns suffocated the people,

War and inflation worsened,

The already tough situation.

Yet I am hopeful 

For things to improve 

Wars to end 

And lovers to reunite💗

A place to belong

I have always been in search of a place to belong like completely and truly. The word 'belong' and 'home' weighed heavy for me for I never truly got to feel it. By the way I am neither orphan or homeless, I have my family who collectively contributed to make me the person I am today. I am deeply grateful for them and no person/people in the world would have accepted me the way they did, I guess that’s what family do for each other. I was and still am loved by all and the fact that I have people to call as my family always gives me the warmest feeling. However, it was always difficult for me talk about my parents and it was times like those I felt totally soaked up in loneliness.

Maybe it is because of that I turned to the kind of person I am today. I mean it a good way though. I am a person who gives my heart and soul in whatever I do be it work or relationship. I am glad that this personality of mine led me to some good friends. I know my friend circle is quite small but I am proud to say that they are the real ones, the ones who will respond to my calls even at 3:00 am in the morning. Of all, the ones who genuinely celebrates my success and talks w/o filter.

I know it’s 3:45am in the morning but I just couldn’t hold myself from writing this down because I have finally realized that I always had that place to belong and a place to call home (of course they are my family and friends) which I had been searching all along. And I am not so proud of myself to be realizing this at this odd hour but then what if I don’t wake up tomorrow and can’t express how thankful I am to all the people I have in my life. Hahah…that sounded too boring I know but I couldn’t really help it ;).

Happy Sunday

I guess I was too busy looking out the window to value what I had  inside.

Lockdown in a call center

Today marks the 13^th day inside the call center and the telephone rings won’t leave me even in my sleep. Never have I thought I would be locked in a room with a telephone and countless grievances, complains and threatens of the public through those phones. I remember when I used to complain about the hotlines being always engaged or not responding. That time never realized that responding to hotlines were not easy especially not in the times of lockdown. The grievances and frustrations of the public gets highlighted in the media papers and social media forums but where should the frustrations and struggles of the service providers be highlighted. I am not complaining here I swear, I am just hoping if public can be bit patient and polite over the phone. Having to repeat the same thing hundred times a day is not easy and its worst at nights when one has to stay up all night just so emergency calls are not missed. Amidst our tiredness and sleepiness, the prank calls in between make me want to yell and strangle that person yet I can’t and I don’t because I am a service provider and I swore to myself that I will not lose my composure and patience while on duty.

Just like anyone me and my team are also hoping for the situation to improve soon and when that does, I hope the phone rings will leave me as well.

Take care and stay safe everyone.

Wangdue, Hotline service provider.