Year 2
As a result of the success of the summer project & the request from the Bhutanese monastic community, the project shall run for it’s second year, as we endeavour to replicate the same success for another monk community.
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If you would like to help by making a contribution, please use the donation page of the website. Any donation would be most gratefully received.
The Project Plan shall be broadly as follows:
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Fundraising (September-April)
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Purchasing and distribution of English learning material to Bhutan (April-June)
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Preparation and delivery of project - arrive Bhutan (July/August)
Boys personal reasons for participating in the project:
Derek Wong: I have decided to participate in this project because having lived a relatively privileged life with access to an excellent education and it's resultant opportunities, I wanted to give back to society and help others to benefit from the opportunities of a wider education. Furthermore, the opportunity to partake in cross cultural communication and foster a mutually beneficial understanding of each others cultures, within an ever increasing globalised world.
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Henry Lund: Being in a fast-paced, connected world the ability to communicate with other cultures has become essential. So, by teaching English to Bhutanese monks I will be given the opportunity to gift them the ability to connect with the outside world, enabling them to keep up with our fast-paced society and giving them educational opportunities as well as opportunities to further their career.
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Henry Pang: With the prospect of a fully globalised world almost a reality, we have a duty as global citizens to give fair opportunity to those who may not have one. Understanding a common language is key for an interconnected worldwide community and I feel everyone should be given the chance to learn.
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Max Benster: On coming to the conclusion that the acquisition of English by Buddhist monks contributes to Bhutan's very special philosophy of "gross national happiness," I decided this was a fantastic opportunity to make a positive difference to one of the most unique and culturally fascinating countries on the planet.
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Marcus Nicholson: I have always had a caring mindset and I would instinctively jump at the opportunity to help others.
Trip Report:
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During the summer, myself & the other four (above named) boys travelled to Bhutan. The existing library, created from the 2018 project, was 'spring cleaned' and further new English teaching resources & books (to compliment the existing material) were added. The additional books were purchased from the fundraising & the generous donations received, over the year.
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The teaching resources were used to good effect during our 2 week teaching period. We demonstrated to the monks and the volunteer teachers, how to use the new resources. The monks were split into 4 groups based on varying ability - with one group unable to speak any English at all and another group being proficient at learning poetry. By the end of the two weeks, all the monks were able to write sentences, with most even being able to write about their daily lives in the monastery.
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Furthermore, we were also given the opportunity to present to a group of monks at a Buddhist University in Thimpu, where the monks were able to improve their English ability, whist we learned about their daily lives and the Bhuddhist faith.
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In my opinion, the second year of 'The Books to Bhutan' was an resounding success. All the monks were able to improve & develop their English ability, while all the boys who participated in the project, were able to experience a new and unique culture. We hope that this project is able to continue for a long time to come.
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Derek
Trip images:
