Tough Rules

When I first arrived, I wrote a post about Dos and Don'ts. Now, that I've been here for a while, there are obviously many I still follow, but there are some I didn't know about then or just didn't realize.

DON'T kill any bugs while in the company of Bhutanese. This is one I've come to realize as I've lived here and I try to strictly adhere to. Bhutanese don't like killing things. Maybe it has something to do with being Buddhist and all. Scott has told me of little pieces of paper he finds around the college campus sometimes. He'll bend down to inspect the piece of paper closer and it'll say, "Ants crossing."

DO walk clockwise around or to the left of any prayer flag, prayer wheel, chorten, lakhang (temple), and any other religious structure. This is one that I try to remember and follow, but sometimes I don't realize one is coming up, or I tell myself I'm not Buddhist, or I just don't do it. Usually it doesn't bother me when I don't follow this DO, but sometimes, around certain people, not following it makes me feel pretty rude and disrespectful.