tshewang'sJournal

The Nature

tshewangsadventure — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 01:43:37 GMT

I am but a 3rd year college student. I am the 6th of 8 siblings. Son to dead mother and a hope to benign father. I grew up in far flung remote eastern Bhutan where people knew no Camera; where life is at its simplest and only dream to capture were stories grandparents tell.

As i grew up and went onto schools, I realized dreams were bigger; and cameras were exciting gadget. I remember owning an old analogue camera with film roll. that probably gave me insight into photography and why I currently partake my interest in it.

A Local Encounter that Changed my Perspective - The Three Wise Monkeys

tshewangsadventure — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:13:47 GMT

Before breaking off for home we had agreed to have a nice get-together pointing the fact that one of our group mates had birthday next day. The group came up with the wonderful idea of playing anonymity; like secret Santa. Out of austerity, I got the birthday girl!

I roamed all day around Istanbul looking for a gift. Finally I chanced upon a stall selling small and beautiful artifacts. There, among many, I spotted the three wise monkeys. Getting to my room I scribbled a note on a card and yes, all set. She opened the gift. The first expression on her was full of self doubt. Of course she made it known by saying it loud.

“I don’t really know what these monkeys mean! I would be glad if someone explains it to me”

Not many seemed to know, but a friend at the back barged in and talked about how cool it was and that the monkeys inform us about, “Seeing No Evil, Hearing No Evil, and Speaking No Evil.” She was even more confused now.
“Does he think I am evil?”

“No, no, no,” some of them spoke in unison. “It is a nice gift.”

I was standing there, all the time right next to her, acting equally surprised but I could tell she was flustered and did not think of the present very well.

“I am not sure if anyone who gave me this thinks I am evil or like a monkey,” she mused.

Evidently, she hadn’t heard much about the 3 wise monkeys. I had more to worry about because if she didn’t understand the monkeys she would definitely not understand, and like, what I wrote in the card. I was glad we were to be anonymous about our gifts!
To make matters worse, I suddenly realized she was a Romanian. Just the previous day we had a racial fuss in the group where one of our members barged in Romania to be origin of vampires using words like ‘cruel’ and ‘evil’.

I can only console myself for the mere fact that I wanted to give her something that she could, keep it with her for the rest of her life, but all that she was thinking were outrageously out of the world and never an inch close to my intention. Did I think of her as a monkey or Evil? No man! She was one of my best ones to be with for all past days! So there I stood, watching her silently and hoping she won’t read the card, because she was found to misunderstand. But, she did. If there was a hint of smile of her face! I could see more blood on her face.
I hadn't thought what I was dragging myself into when I wrote the following;

“Hi Danja,
You are the fourth monkey! So, “Think No Evil!”
Happy Birthday!”
Yours Friend!

Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited'

tshewangsadventure — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 17:41:00 GMT

My name is Rinzen Dema Tshewang; Ever since I was exposed to the flash of photography; I became interested in it. I was born and raised up in the capital of Bhutan. My parents however are from a remote village of Western Bhutan. I am a girl with varried interest; i love travelling, naturewalk, trekking and Photography. Most of all, I think my participation in Oman will be a learning experience as well as an oppurtunity to meet with people who I am ver fond of. I love adventure; and I am a strong girl. I belive that the partiocipation in Oman will be very intuitive and learning experience for me given the terrain and nature of Oman. Given my experience on Photography; i know very less. Hoestly i can sure take pics but I am afraid to state that i just take photoes blindly. Apparently for that reason my friends call me a very bad photographer. And for that matter some of them laugh at it; but I reallyt think I can improve on it. I am sure of it; and by joining this Oman group, I think I have some oppurtunity to throw up myself into learning world on Photography. I am delighted that somehow I didn't miss the oppurtunity to apply. Thanking you.

My Scholarship entry - A local encounter that changed my life

tshewangsadventure — Fri, 2 Mar 2012 11:42:38 GMT

I along with two other youths from Bhutan were privileged to represent Bhutan in 5th World Youth congress. There were 1600 participants from 172 countries of the world. This year’s theme for the Congress was kept was “imece” a Turkish word meaning joint Action.
My two weeks in Istanbul really made me contemplate the meaning of relationships, community and the importance of stable friendships. It’s not very often that you get to have Indonesian, Bulgarian and Ugandan roommates. There are also very few places where you can have lunch with a Conservative Muslim, a liberal Chinese living in Canada with Communist parents, a Romanian student living in America and a El Salvadorians going to a United World College in Canada. The friends I’ve made there – I plan to keep them for life. In fact, I have made a pact to attend many of their weddings. I’ve really had a genuine cross-cultural experience. I went to the mosque least not every day – and I had in-depth discussions with many Muslims, Christians and Jews about their religion.
I know that I’m not the most avidly religious person in the world – but I’ve sat in a mosque before during the prayer calls – where flocks of people would flood in, put their shoes in plastic bags and then set out to pray. As the congregation crossed their body as is tradition in the Catholic Church – I couldn’t help but contrast the Buddhist monasteries and temples making comparisons. Either way, to enter the Paro Taktshang or the Blue Mosque requires some modest dress. I accompanied a friend of mine as he went to the mosque to pray. He informed me that out of all the European-Asian countries, Turkey is the most welcoming in terms of religious faiths. Christians, Muslims and Jews apparently all live there in harmony – without persecution.