In Response to the Writer's Workshop

Today, I celebrate my Transfer Anniversary – a journey that has been as much about challenges as it has been about growth. As I flipped the pages of my memories, I am reminded of the main reason that pushed me toward seeking a transfer – a burning desire to reconnect with my passion for teaching Physics – the subject I was professionally specialised to teach. 

 

Back then, I was working at Chaskhar Lower Secondary School in Mongar. The school offered classes only upto eighth grade and therefore teaching Physics as a discrete discipline was impossible, other than a small portion integrated into the science curriculum for eighth-grade students.

 

But fate brought me to Punakha, a place I had always admired but never imagined working in. The sacred Pungthang Dewai Chenpoi Phodrang stood like a dream come true, a majestic structure showcasing an authentic Bhutanese engineering marvel which I had only seen in pictures. By the beginning of the 2013, I started working at Kabesa, a newly upgraded Middle Secondary School. Although it was not a school of my first choice, I was excited by the opportunity to teach Physics, marking a fresh beginning to teach the subject I was specialised in after 5 years.

 

I had another reason for seeking a transfer. Like everyone’s life (or maybe only mine), I had a share of trials and struggles. My early years of my career were nothing short of friction, disagreements, and differences. While I have managed to let go of some insignificant struggles, there were moments that crossed boundaries and jeopardised my career, making these memories difficult to forget.

 

For instance, I vividly recall the excitement of being invited to a Writer’s Workshop to help draft the course syllabus for the Diploma in Sports Science—a program that Paro College of Education was preparing to launch. The invitation which came as a fax letter from the Director of Paro College was not just an invitation. It was an acknowledgment of my efforts and expertise I demonstrated at the Samtse College of Education. Having worked on similar projects, including drafting a manual for Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers alongside Japanese counterparts, I knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime. International consultants from Australia were leading the workshop. I was thrilled to learn as much as I can from them and eager to build a professional network – a dream for anyone who is passionate about learning and future collaborations.

 

Overwhelmed with joy, I wrote to my wife, who was in Malaysia at the time, sharing the happiness this opportunity brought me. It felt like a rare privilege to sit with intellectual giants and contribute to something meaningful. However, just like an abrupt twist in a movie, this opportunity was snatched away and crushed under the weight of petty bureaucratic excuses. 

 

The principal of the school has fabricated reasons to deny my participation, citing teacher shortages and even inventing a false connection between the workshop dates and a colleague’s maternity leave (see the letter below). He wielded his authority with cruelty, twisting facts to block my movement. I fought hard, presenting logical explanations and even pointing out glaring inconsistencies in his claims. But as expected, my words fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the ego and envy that drove his decisions.

 

The rejection was not just a professional setback but a personal blow. I felt betrayed, not only by the person who should otherwise, by profession, support me my career growth but also witnessing a system that allowed such injustices to thrive. When I called the District Education Officer to clarify the false justifications given by my principal, I found him already swayed by the web of untruths. Despite my best efforts to explain, my request for leave was denied – even casual leave, which I had sought at the cost of my own entitlement.

 

Although that opportunity slipped through my fingers, I was determined not to let future chances meet a similar fate. I reminded myself that resilience is forged in adversity and my flame of hope should never be extinguished by the storm of such cruelty.

 

The best way to avoid my career from such injustices was to distance myself from those oppressive bosses – and that is how the idea of seeking a transfer was born. At least it saved me for some time.  

 

As I reflect on that time, I see it not as a loss but as a lesson. It taught me the value of patience, the importance of standing firm in the face of injustice, and the power of remaining true to oneself. I may have lost an opportunity, but I gained strength, wisdom, and authenticity (being true to myself). 

 

Today, I celebrate my transfer anniversary not just as a milestone in my career but as a testament to the resilience that defined me in moments of my career struggle. 

 

NB: This story is not about blame but about awareness. Let it serve as a reminder. 

Punakha Dzong: Courtesy Click LINK

"Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you"  Marilyn Monroe