Down Memory Lane...

Back in the late 1980s, I taught for two years at Jigme Sherubling High School in eastern Bhutan. It was the subject of my first book, Under the Holy Lake. Recently, a former student sent me a video of the school filmed during the pandemic. Most places, after a distance of more than thirty years, have either changed beyond recognition or have somehow diminished. But Jigme Sherubling is the exception that proves the rule. The school looks better than I remember it. The grounds look neat, there are mature shade trees and lovely study pavilions. The old buildings all look recently renovated, and there's some new construction too. But underneath, it's still the same place, carrying on with the same mission, and it's nice to see a new generation of students studying in the same picturesque surroundings. The student body seems to have grown in size too. There are now close to 500 students. I don't think there were that many back in my day. I also spotted a cell tower up by the gompa, something we never would have dreamed of all those years ago. Here's a link to that video: https://www.facebook.com/dreamphotographybhutan/videos/come-back-here-jigme-sherubling-cs/1028866897719717/

My best wishes to all of the current staff and students at Jigme Sherubling Central School. Study hard and dream big!