Happy Teachers Day

It started with Scott receiving some early morning texts from his students. Here are some of them:

- “HAPPY TEACHERs DAY … May your profession be as golden and respected as evr… Let the world feel you’re the real ‘GURU’…”

- “4 me, Teachers r da moon dat brightns our life, like candle they consume thmselves 2 giv brightnes 2 othrs. On this spcial day I wud like 2 thank u 4 shining ur rays of wisdom upon me. I pray u liv in peace n harmony, let ur grteful rays shine to shine some1s life. HAPPY TEAHERS DAY. Thank u.”

- “The way you teach… the knowledge you share… the care you take… the love u shower… makes you the world’s best teacher. HAPPY TEACHERS DAY TEACHER.”

- “I would like to wish a very HAPPY TEACHERS DAY. Thank you beyond the sky and the earth for your great service. Happy teaching ahead la.”

Even thought May 2 is a national holiday for everyone else – it’s the birth date of the third king – teachers country-wide go to school to get felicitated by their students. I actually had to go to school even earlier to start chopping vegetables. The teachers were preparing and cooking their own lunch for their day. I peeled garlic and cut asparagus.

Little did I know that Phuntsho, Rinchen, and Tashi were organizing the entire Happy Teachers Day program of events. Even though it’s supposed to be a day for the teachers, at the primary school level there still needs to be someone who actually puts the program together and who’s going to do that but teachers. There was a nicely decorated stage set up in the field with banners and balloons, Phuntsho was the MC and the creator of the entertainment, and Rinchen organized the order of everything and inserted a few student performances as well. For the most part, besides some minimal chopping, all the other teachers had to do was show up.

After I was done chopping and waiting around, I wandered down to the field to where the action was going to take place. Before I even reached where everyone else was sitting, students started running up to me and showering me with card after card, kadar after kadar (white scarves), and wrapped gifts. I had an inkling that I might receive some gifts or cards, but the actual volume of it shocked me. Students kept approaching me, shyly and happily, to wish me a Happy Teachers Day, to show their appreciation. It’s hard for me to tell if I got so much because I’m new or because they actually like me.

Of the cards I got, here are my two favorites:

Dear madam Liza,
may you have a good day in happy teacher day and injoy the songs and dances. I like you because you are kind and you teach song and dance. I never see teacher like you and you are our new teacher. you don’t beat us. you are like my God because you teach me.

Thank you so much,
Sujan Ghalley

*

Hellow Madam. Are you having fun in Kanglung Pry School? I am having fun with you. Oh! Many many happy teachers day. I hope your first teachers Day would be good and wonderful. Have a happy teachers day.

Lisa is very good
In school, and out of the school
She is like an angel who came from heaven
And I feel the God himself send her down.

May you live long.

Your student, Kiran Mongar

And here is my favorite card for its aesthetics more than its words:



Being led by the principal and Phuntsho, the students wave kadars in the air and sing the Happy Teachers Day song.