This place is truly a magical experience. The people here have such a sense of peace and happiness.

We started the day with a climb to Cheri Gomba Monastery. The Monks will study for 9 years at the bottom of the mountain before climbing to the top to spend 3 years in silence. The climb took is to more than 3000 meters, and we were all short of breath, but all students made it to the top for a great view. We were allowed to enter the monastery where the master monk gave us “holy water” to put on our heads.

We then had a delicious lunch at a local cafe with great food, coffee, and a special dessert.

Afterwards, we visited a weaving center and a local art gallery where some of the students purchased gifts for family members.

We then went to a new location. It is a READ Centre that provides library services to the local community and helps middle-aged women with literacy. The TIS students brought books to donate and helped some local women with conversational English.

Bhutan is famous for it’s dedication to Gross National Happiness. We had a presentation and discussion by a local scholar and the students asked very intellectually stimulating questions. Are we happy in Macau?

Lastly, we went to a local restaurant for Momos. These are Bhutanese dumplings (beef or cheese). Deeeeelish!