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Wednesday, 12 July 2023

Embracing a New Chapter: My Brother's Arrival in Canada

The anticipation in the air was palpable as the clock ticked closer to the moment I had been eagerly awaiting. It was the 18th of June 2023, when my beloved brother arrived in Canada. The thought of his arrival filled me with a mix of joy and anxiety, as I knew that I held a responsibility to guide him through the labyrinthine paths of this foreign land.

As I stood at the airport, my mind wandered back to the memories we had shared, the moments that slipped through our fingers, and the time that had betrayed us by keeping us apart. The distance that separated us for so long had finally come to an end with beautiful moments about to unfold. I hoped that bringing him here would be the catalyst for a better life.

My brother, with his innocent eyes and naive spirit, had stepped foot on a new continent, unaware of the challenges that lay ahead. It was up to me to be his guiding light, his anchor in the uncharted waters of Canada. I longed for him to find purpose, happiness, and success in this foreign land, and I was determined to do everything in my power to make it so.

Days turned into weeks, and each passing day brought with it new lessons and experiences. I became my brother's confidant, his teacher, and his greatest cheerleader. Together, we navigated the intricate webs of paperwork, job applications, and cultural adaptation. Though exploring the job market posed its challenges, we never faltered in our resolve.

I watched with pride as my brother, like a sprouting seed reaching for the sun, grew with each passing day. His innocence transformed into curiosity, his hesitation morphed into determination, and his unfamiliarity with Canadian customs gradually dissolved. I marveled at his resilience and admired his ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of our new home.

While I wished for nothing but the best for him, I knew that life would not always be a smooth journey. There would be bumps along the way, disappointments that threatened to dim his spirit, and moments of doubt that could cast shadows over his dreams. However, I firmly believed that with each challenge, he would only emerge stronger, armed with the wisdom gained from experience.

As the seasons changed, so did my brother's prospects. Job interviews turned into opportunities, and with every rejection, he grew more determined to find his place in this foreign land. The road was arduous, but his resilience remained unyielding. I held his hand and reminded him that success often sprouts from the seeds of perseverance.

In my heart, I harbored nothing but good wishes for him. I wished for him to find the meaning of life here—to discover his passions, forge friendships, and build a future that would bring him contentment and joy. I hoped that this land would embrace him, just as it had embraced me, and provide him with opportunities to blossom into the best version of himself.

Today, as I sit beside my brother, reflecting on the journey we've embarked upon together, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. The worry that once weighed heavily upon my heart has dissipated a bit but still a long way to go, replaced by a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Having him right next to me, no longer separated by time and distance, is a blessing.

As we gaze at the horizon, our eyes brimming with hope, we know that the road ahead may still be challenging. But together, we are armed with resilience, determination, and an unbreakable bond. With each passing day, my brother grows closer to finding his place, his purpose, and his own unique meaning of life here in Canada. And I, as his steadfast companion, will continue to be there every step of the way, cheering him on as he embraces this new chapter of his life.

Tuesday, 23 May 2023

Even if I cannot thrive, I hope to at least survive

In the midst of life's rapid pace, I find myself contemplating the consequences of my choices. Sometimes, these choices lead to bitter outcomes, while other times they bring happiness and rewards. However, the process of navigating through life's challenges can be arduous. It often feels like I am traversing a tangled path, filled with sadness, frustration, pain, and constant worries. In such moments, all I desire is a sense of peace and a calm mind that can help me make proper decisions. 

However, it seems that when I am at a disadvantage, people around me tend to emotionally manipulate and blackmail me, further complicating my journey. Nonetheless, I hold onto hope that one day the tides will turn, and my circumstances will take a more positive course. Even if I cannot thrive, I hope to at least survive. May my situation improve and bring about a brighter future. 

Wednesday, 10 May 2023

Abbotsford Tulip Festival

 


On May 6th, 2023, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting the Abbotsford Tulip Festival with Joemar, Mercy, and Joemar's friend Marco's family. This festival was a breathtaking display of the natural beauty of tulips, a flower that I had only seen in photographs or as desktop wallpaper since my high school years. The festival was filled with hundreds and thousands of tulips, each with its unique color and fragrance, and was truly a heaven on earth. People from all walks of life paid daily visits to witness the rare moments of these picturesque flower plants.


The experience of being among these flowers and enjoying their beauty was satisfying and gave us immense happiness. My wife took several photos to capture the vibrant colors and intricate details of the tulips, and we had a great day thanks to Joemar and Mercy. The gloomy weather did not dampen our spirits, and we left feeling inspired by the natural beauty around us. We hope to attend similar festivals in the future and immerse ourselves in the wonders of nature.


On our way back, we decided to stop by Queen Elizabeth Park, one of the biggest parks in Vancouver. The serenity and beauty of the park were mesmerizing as we strolled through it, admiring the unique presence of plants and landscapes that reminded me of my home country. The natural surroundings offered a peaceful escape from the bustling city, and we felt grateful for the opportunity to enjoy the park's tranquil atmosphere.


The following day, May 7th, 2023, we headed to Jericho Beach and had a lot of fun exploring the sandy shoreline and ocean views. The weekend spent exploring Vancouver's natural beauty was worth our time and left us with unforgettable memories. It's always a privilege to experience the wonders of nature, and we were grateful for the opportunity to immerse ourselves in it. The Abbotsford Tulip Festival, Queen Elizabeth Park, and Jericho Beach are just a few examples of the natural beauty that Vancouver has to offer, and we feel fortunate to have experienced them.

Monday, 1 May 2023

Vancouver Zoo

April 29, 2023

Today was a day filled with excitement, new experiences, and some mixed emotions. My friend Joemar and his wife Mercy hatched a plan to visit a zoo at Langlay, and I decided to join them along with Joemar's friend and his family. It was an hour-long drive to reach the Vancouver Zoo, and upon arrival, we were greeted by thousands of people. The sight of animals trapped inside the fence was heartbreaking. As I stood there, watching the wild animals in the enclosure, I couldn't help but wonder how they must feel being confined in such a small space. Although it was a pleasure to see them up close and witness their beauty and power, I couldn't shake off the feeling of sadness and guilt. If we were the ones trapped in a cage, how would we feel? It made me reflect on the importance of treating animals with respect and giving them the freedom to live as they were meant to. We must learn to appreciate and admire them from a distance, without exploiting or manipulating their natural instincts for our own pleasure or commercial gain. I also couldn't help but think of Maya Angelo's poem "I know why the caged bird sings" and how sad it is when people commercialize and manipulate the animal's natural instincts.

After spending some time at the zoo, we headed towards Arch Peace Park located at the border of the USA and Canada. It was a surreal experience to cross the border and step onto American soil. The United States had always been an admired country for me, and I never thought I would get the opportunity to visit. It was a moment of immense pleasure, and I wished that one day, I could explore this great country more.

Later in the evening, we returned to Richmond and had dinner together at one of the Chinese restaurants in Richmond Centre. It was a perfect way to end the day, with good food and even better company. We made plans to visit the Tulip festival the next weekend, but unfortunately this time, my wife couldn't join us as she had to attend overtime at her workplace. I regretted not being able to take her along and promised myself that I would take her there one day soon.

Overall, it was a great day filled with new experiences and memorable moments. The trip to the zoo left me with mixed emotions, but the opportunity to step onto American soil was a dream come true. I look forward to more adventures and experiences in the future.


Friday, 21 April 2023

Jamskipedia, my YouTube channel

I'm excited to share with you that I created my very own YouTube channel called "Jamskipedia" on 14th April 2023. It's been a dream of mine for a long time to share my artistic skills and knowledge with others through video content, and I finally took the leap to make it a reality.

One of the main reasons I created this channel was to hone my artistic skills further. I believe that creating videos and sharing them with others will help me improve my skills and grow as an artist. Another reason was to share my knowledge in this field with others through tutorials. I've learned so much over the years and I want to give back to the community by sharing my expertise.

In the long run, I hope to generate income from my channel and become financially stable. I know it will take time and effort to achieve this, but I'm determined to work hard and make it happen.

I've already posted a few tutorials on my channel, and I'm thrilled to see that people are starting to watch and enjoy them. It's a great feeling to know that I'm creating content that people are interested in. I plan to continue creating more videos to attract more subscribers and grow my channel.

Overall, I'm excited about this new chapter in my life and I can't wait to see where it takes me. Creating a YouTube channel has been a great decision so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it will lead me in the future.

Scooter practice along the beach

Today was an eventful day as I visited the Terra Nova and practiced scooter riding. The day started with work at Whitespot from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. The work was hectic, and I was looking forward to some relaxation later in the day.

After work, I returned home to find my wife, and we decided to go to Joe's place for dinner. As we were on our way, Joe suggested that we practice scooter riding before dinner. He knew that I had been wanting to try it out for some time, and he was happy to let me practice it.

We drove to the Terra Nova, Thompson area along the beach, and we were greeted by a beautiful view of the ocean. Opposite us was the YVR International Airport, and we could see planes taking off and landing in the distance. It was a picturesque location, and I was excited to start practicing. I could feel the cool breeze over my head and mortar rumbling beneath my feet and enjoyed the ride.

Joe gave me some more advice to ride the scooter, and it was a great experience. It took me some time to get the hang of it, but by now with his guidance, I was able to ride it smoothly. I also encouraged my wife, Chador, to try riding the scooter, and she gave it a shot for the first time. She was a bit nervous, but with practice, I am sure she can ride it too.

We practiced for around 2-3 hours, and it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the experience of riding a scooter, and it was a great way to spend time with Joe and Mercy.

After practicing, Joe and Mercy took us to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. We had a great time, and the food was delicious. It was a perfect way to end the day.

Overall, it was a memorable experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to try something new. I look forward to practicing scooter riding again in the future.

Sunday, 9 April 2023

Grandvile Island and Stanley Park, Vancouver

"Come rain or come shine! Plan will proceed "remarked Joemar when I mentioned to him that the weather is not fine to go outside. Another day (7th April 2023) was spent exploring Vancouver, but the weather got too erratic, much like the pregnant mother's emotions. We moved to Stanley Park in a shower that soaked the morning.
Mercy, Chador, and Author in front of
A-maze-ing Laughter.


One of the biggest parks, Stanley Park is located primarily within Vancouver's metropolitan setting. There are beautiful views of the ocean, sea, sky, and woods over a nearly 400-hectare expanse. There are several trails, stunning beaches, and historical and natural attractions nearby, offering a wide range of adventure opportunities. It is the hub of attraction for people from all walks of life, in my opinion. Unless otherwise reported, it is open from 6 am to 10:00 pm and is accessible by walk, bicycle, or public transportation.    
Author and Joemar at English Bay Beach.



Following that, the weather improved, and we proceeded to Grandvile Island. It's a wonderful place to be but it never seemed to me like an island since it's very crowded. It reminded me of street marketplaces that are similar to Bangkok or India. People from various walks of life go there to take sea rides, spend the weekend with loved ones, or getaway. We had plenty of time to visit every part of the Island because Joemar could secure parking for his car until 5:00 pm. He sponsored us and took a 40-minute seaboat cruise (20 minutes back and forth). Upon eating lunch, we browsed the majority of the souvenir shops. There were also several street performers, magicians, singers, etc. entertaining the public and at the same time making living out of it. 

Author, Chador, Street performer, and Mercy
at Grandwill Island.
We spent some time listening to one man sing a Spanish song before taking pictures with him after his performance.

While we got back from the location, Joemar took us to see the downtown steam-powered clock, which has been running since the 1870s. One of the historical sites in Vancouver that draw so many tourists each day is this very steam clock. After that, we had a stroll around Canada Place.

After returning from Downtown, we headed to a nearby airport at  Larry Berg Flight Path Park to try out electric scooters. I had the chance to learn and practice riding an electric scooter thanks to Joemar, who brought one along. It was fortunate enough for me that I had never touched such equipment in the past to have such a chance to learn today. I could successfully learn how to balance while riding after a few hours of practice and felt so bad for letting Mercy outside in the chilly weather. It was a significant step for me in my lifelong learning of how to bike and drive. We signed off the day after everyone had committed to come to practice the following day and went to dine with them at the Chinese restaurant, where we all relished in as many noodles to our heart's content.
Even though it was still cloudy and raining on Saturday, we went ahead and practiced for a while. I now feel more confident as a result of it.

Joemar and Mercy, thanks for the great weekend!

Tuesday, 4 April 2023

Silver City, Richmond, BC

Silver City Cinema Hall, Richmond, BC

Joemar and Mercy brought Chador and me to Silver City on April 2, 2023, where we watched John Wick: Chapter 4. Certainly, Keanu Reeves and the movie John Wick have had a lot of influence on me. A famous actor born in Canada inspires many people both on and off the screen and in real life.

Movie poster on the wall of the entrance hall.

The maestro assassin (JW), compelled by grief and vengeance, is on a bloody vendetta to regain his freedom that is due. He encounters his friend with a gun in the High Table-designed course, turning friends into foes. After years of enduring great adversity, he finally finds a way to end the High Table’s curse. 

Once the film drew to a close, we took a detour to familiarize ourselves with the area and the amenities offered to the general public. Afterward, we visited Value Village, then Walmart, and had dinner at the Nandu restaurant, which is situated behind Walmart.

Selfie with Joemar and Mercy. 

For a good spend day, gratitude shall be theirs.


Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Family friend from Philippine

Canada is one of the countries that have the best immigration policy and this is serving the purpose of pull factors drawing immigrants from all walks of life across the world. Traveling around Vancouver would reveal all types of the diaspora who had all come to trap the better opportunities in this beautiful city. Of the tens of thousands of individuals that live in Vancouver, my wife and I are destined to meet a really lovely family who are originally from the Philippines but have lived here for more than a decade. It didn't take long for us to bond, and they have been very kind and really helpful to us. 

What makes them so special is that they do everything from hosting a meal to touring us around; from sharing groceries to instilling moral support; from facilitating us to finding employment to teaching us how to live in a new city. They have generously filled the void left by my parents' and relatives' absence. Being with them is all about happiness and positive energy, which settles the mist of some problems that we encounter. The care and affection that they continue to bestow on me are extraordinary, and I am truly grateful.

They have taken out their time to drive my wife and me to beaches, seashores, and restaurants, and some more plans are in the pipeline for the future, though I failed to schedule the trip with them to Whistler on March 26, 2023. I often think about what could I have done in my previous life so that god has blessed me by introducing my family to such wonderful people. My wife and I are truly grateful to them, and may our aspirations to return them the favor for so much they are doing for us would come true soon. 

They are Joemar and Mercy. As the name resonates, Jolly is Joe, and Merficul is Mercy--a very sweet couple indeed.

Dinner hosted by Joemar's Family at Earls Kitchen + Bar, Richmond, BC.

Sunday, 26 March 2023

ལང་ཚོའི་གཏམ་གྱི་སྙིང་ཁུ།

 

༄༅།། བདག་ཅག་རྣམས་ཀྱི་མེ་ཏོག་གང་ལ་ཕོག་པའི་ལྷ་སྐལ་ དུས་གསུམ་རྒྱལ་བ་ཀུན་གྱི་ཞིང་ཁམས་དབྱེར་མེད་མཚུངས་པའི་འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ནང་ ཚེ་ཧེ་མའི་ལས་དབང་གི་རྒྱུ་རྒྱ་ཆེ་བས་ད་རེས་རང་ཡང་མི་ལུས་རིན་ཆེན་བརྙེད་པའི་ཡུལ་ སྔོན་ལས་འཕྲོའི་རྐྱེན་གཏིང་གཟབ་པས་སྐྱིད་པའི་བཟའ་ཚང་དུ་འཛོམས་ ལྷག་པར་དུ་ཕུན་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་ཕྲིན་ལས་མངའ་ཐངས་རྒྱས་ཏེ་གནས་འབྱོན་མཁར་ལུང་པ་ལུ་སྐྱེས་ཏེ་ བསྐལ་བ་དང་ལྡན་ཡི།

འབྱོན་མཁར་དགའ་ལྡན་གྱི་གཡུས་འདི་ གངས་ཆེན་རྭ་བས་བསྐོར་བའི་དབུས་ ཕུ་སྟོད་ཡུམ་བཟང་མོ་དང་མདའ་སྨད་སློབ་དཔོན་ཟམ་པའི་བར་ མཐོ་གངས་དཀར་རྩེ་ལས་དལ་གྱིས་འབབ་པའི་གམ་རི་ཆུ་གི་ཉེ་འདབས་ལུ་ ཕན་དང་བདེ་བའི་འབྱུང་གནས་བཀྲིན་ཅན་གྱི་ཚོང་ཚོང་མ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཀྱི་ཐུགས་རྗེ་འབྱིན་རླབས་དང་ འབྲུག་གཞུང་གི་རྒྱབ་བསྐྱོར་ལས་ འཛམ་གླིང་གཅིག་བསྒྱུར་གྱི་འགྱུར་བ་ལྟར་དུ་ ལུང་པ་ཆུང་རུང་རྩྭ་ཆུ་འཛོམས་ཟེར་དོ་བཟུམ་ མཉེ་མཁོ་མཐུན་རྐྱེན་ཚང་  མི་སེར་ཚུ་ག་ར་དགའ་སྐྱིད་ཀྱི་དཔལ་ལུ་སྤྱོད་བཞིན་པའི་ངང་ཡོད།

ལུང་པ་འདི་ཁར་ མི་སེར་སྤྱི་མཐུན་བསོད་ནམས་ལས་ མི་སྡེ་སློབ་གྲྭ་ཅིག་ སྤྱི་ལོ་ ༡༩༩༩ ལོར་ གཞི་བཙིགས་མཛད་ཡོདཔ་དང་ གཞན་ཡང་སོ་ནམ་ལས་ཁུང་ ནགས་ཚལ་ལས་ཁུང་ སྒོ་ནོར་ལས་ཁུང་དང་ སྨན་ཁང་ཆུང་བ་བཅས་ཀྱི་ཡིག་ཚང་ཚུ་ སྤྱི་ལོ་ ༢༠༠༩ དེ་ཅིག་ཁར་ལྷོད་ཅི། དེ་མ་ཚད་ རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ནང་དམངས་གཙོའི་རིང་ལུགས་འགོ་བཙུགས་པའི་ཤུལ་ལུ་ དམངས་གཙོའི་གཞུང་དང་པའི་ངོ་ཐོག་ལུ་ ལུང་པ་འདི་ཁར་ མེད་ཐབས་མེད་པའི་སྣུམ་འཁོར་ལམ་དང་གློག་མེ་ཚུ་ཡང་ལྷོད་དེ་ མུན་བསྐལ་གྱི་གཡུས་བཟུམ་ཐམས་ཆགས་སྡོད་མི་འདི་ གནམ་ནུབ་མོ་ཡང་ཉིམ་ཤར་དོ་བཟུམ་གྱི་གནས་སྟངས་ཤར་ཏེ་ དགའ་བ་དང་སྟབས་བདེ་ཏོག་ཏོ་ཡ་སི། 

ཤེས་རིག་གི་ལིའུ།

མི་སྡེ་སློབ་གྲྭ་ཆགས་སའི་ས་གནས་འདི་ ཧེ་མ་མཇུག་མ་གཡུས་ཟེར་སླབ་སྲོལ་ཡོད་པའི་ས་གནས་ཁར་བརྐྱབ་ཡོདཔ་དང་ དེ་ཡང་འབྱོན་ཁར་གཡུས་ཀྱི་མཇུག་ལུ་ སེམས་ཅན་གྱི་མཇུག་མ་བཟུམ་ཡོད་པའི་ས་གནས་ཁར་ཡོད། ང་རང་དྲན་པ་སྨིན་མ་སྨིན་ཅིག་གི་རིང་ ས་གནས་འདི་སྒང་ཏོག་ཅིག་སྦེ་སྡོད་རུང་ ལུང་པའི་ཕམ་ག་ར་གིས་ རང་གི་བུ་གཞིའི་མི་ཚེ་ལུ་ཐུགས་བརྩེ་བས་གོངས་ཏེ་ གུང་པ་རེ་ལས་མི་རེ་རེ་བཅའ་མར་གཏོགས་དགོ་པའི་སྒྲིག་གཞི་བརྩམ་སྟེ་ ལག་ཆ་སྟ་རེ་དང་ཏོག་རྩེ་ གན་ཏི་དང་ལྕགས་ངར་ཚུ་ལག་ལེན་འཐབ་སྟེ་ ད་རེས་ཡོད་པའི་སློབ་ཁང་ཚུ་རྐྱབ་སའི་ཐངས་རྒྱ་ཆེནམོ་ཅིག་ལུ་བཟོ་ཡོདཔ་མ་ཚད་ སློབ་ཁང་ཚུ་ཡང་གནམ་བྱཱར་གྱི་ཤ་མོ་ས་ལས་སྐྱེས་དོ་བཟུམ་ རྐྱབ་གནང་ཡི། སློབ་གྲྭ་འདི་བཟོ་ནི་འགོ་བཙུགས་པའི་ཉིནམ་ལས་ ལུང་པའི་མི་སེར་ཚུ་ དཀའ་བ་ཁྱད་དུ་བསད་ ངལ་བ་དངས་དུ་བླངས་ ལྕི་བ་རྒྱབ་ཏུ་འཁུར་ ཤ་ཁྲག་གཟན་ནུ་བོར་ཏེ་ དཀའ་བ་གྲངས་མེད་དཔྱད་ཡོད་པའི་ལོ་རྒྱུས་ཚུ་ རྒྱ་ཤོག་དཀར་པོའི་ངོས་ལུ་བཀོད་པ་ཅིན་གྲངས་ལས་འདས་སྲིད། 

དེ་བསྒང་འགོ་ཐོག་ད་ལྟོ་སློབ་རིམ་བློ་གསར་ལྷབ་ས་དང་ འདི་གི་གཡས་ཧོང་ལུ་ཡོད་པའི་ཁྱིམ་དེ་ལས་ བ་མིན་པ་ཤིང་གི་འོག་ལུ་ཡོད་པའི་སློབ་དཔོན་སྡོད་སའི་ཁྱིམ་གསུམ་ལས་བརྒལ་མེདཔ་མ་ཚད་ གཞུང་གི་ཧོང་ལས་སློབ་ཕྲུག་ཚུ་ལུ་ ལྟོའི་གསོལ་རས་ཡང་མེད། སློབ་ཕྲུགཚུ་ཉི་མའི་ལྟོ་རང་རང་སོ་སོའི་ཁྱིམ་ནང་ལས་འབག་འོང་དོ་ཡོདཔ་ཨིན།

འབྱོན་མཁར་མི་སྡེ་སློབ་གྲྭ་ཆུང་བ་འདི་ སྤྱི་ལོ་ ༡༩༩༩ ལོ་ནང་ འགོ་ཐོག་གཞུང་འབྲེལ་དུ་འགོ་བཙུགས་པའི་སྐབས་ སློབ་དཔོན་གཅིག་དང་སློབ་ཕྲུག་ཁལ་ལྷག་ཙམ་ཅིག་ལས་མེད། གཞན་དལ་གཞི་ང་ཡང་འགོ་ཐོག་སློབ་ཕྲུག་ཚུའི་གྲལ་ལུ་འཛུལ་ནི་གྱི་དཔའ་བཅམ་ཡོད་རུང་ དེ་ཚེ་ལོ་ ༥ རྐྱངམ་ཅིག་ལང་ཡོདཔ་ལས་འཛུལ་གཞུགས་ཀྱི་འགོ་སྐབས་མ་ཐོབ། ཨིན་རུང་ཤུལ་མམ་ཀྱི་ལོ་ སྤྱི་ལོ་ ༢༠༠༠ ལུ་འཛུལ་གཞུགས་འབད་ནི་གི་འགོ་སྐབས་འཐོབ་སྟེ་ ངའི་ཤེས་ཡོན་གྱི་ལམ་འགྲུལ་དེ་ འདི་ལས་འགོ་བཙུགས་ཅི།  

ངེའི་མི་ཚེ་ནང་་འབོརན་གསེར་བ་ཕངས་ འབགན་རི་བ་ལྕི་ མནོན་བག་ཆགས་ཆེ་བའི་གནས་ཡུན་འདི་ ང་རང་འབྱོན་མཁར་མི་སྡེ་སློབ་གྲྭ་ནང་སློབ་ཕྲུག་འབད་སྡོད་པའི་ཚོར་བ་ཚུ་ཨིན།



24 March 2023

I awoke to the gloomy weather that had soaked Richmond, British Columbia once more. Clouds banded together to satiate the presence of their texture against an empty blue sky. Upon performing my morning chores, I went to Bridgeport Station to ride the Skytrain to my college. The train was not as full as it had been on other days, but this did not concern me. Looking to the right, towards northern Vancouver, are snow-capped mountains that reminded me of my beautiful homeland. The memories stung me with a sweet venom, dousing past scenarios over my mind one after the other until I realized my departure from home that three months had elapsed since my arrival in Vancouver, British Columbia.

So many things went through my encounters, yet just a handful of them was valuable. I take those to my heart and prepare for the upcoming sessions. My Tier I likewise came to an end on this day by taking the 15-point quiz. That only took 35 minutes, and then there were some assignment reminders/discussions. After the class, I pulled through Yaletown's busy streets before boarding the train back home.

When I got home, it was already midday, and I promptly submitted my last assignment on the ACCT subject. It officially concluded my Tier-I, which was followed by a two-week sabbatical. Tier II will formally commence on April 11th, 2023, which I am quite excited about. Time passed by so quickly, and the first three months seemed like a cloud of dust billowing from my palm.

In the evening, I called my friends in Bhutan and had an hour-long teleconference with them. The major element of the conversation was updated on individual conditions and developments. It has filled the long sucked space of lonesomeness and restored my presence so as for me to strive harder for tomorrow.

It was written beneath a shower of spring sun rays, with the waving flowers in the air outside the window of 9211 Kilby Street, Richmond, BC.      

Monday, 9 January 2023

ས་མཐའི་ཁྱམས་པོ།

༆ ང་ནི་འཛམ་གླིང་ཡངས་པའི་གླིང་ལ་བསྐོར་སྐོར་བྱེད་དེ་ཁྱམས་པའི་སྤྲང་པོ་ཅིག་ཡིན། མི་ལོ་དུ་མར་མི་ཚེ་འཚོ་བཞིན་པའི་བུ་རང་གིས་ཡོད་ཚད་འཚོ་བའི་ཆ་རྐྱེན་སྐོར་རྩད་ཞིབ་དང་ཐབས་ལམ་གསར་དུ་རྟོགས་ཐབས་བྱེད་ཞིང་། འགྲུལ་བཞུད་ཀྱི་འཚོ་བའི་འཁོར་སྐྱོད་ཁྲོད་འཁུར་ཡོང་བའི་སུན་སྣང་ངམ་ནང་སེམས་ཀྱི་ནག་ནོག་དག་ལ་གཙང་སེལ་བྱེད། དེར་མ་ཟད་ངལ་ཞིང་དུབ་པའི་ལུས་ལའང་ སྟོབས་ཤུགས་ཁ་སྣོན་འཕར་ཏེ་ཡང་བསྐྱར་སྤྲང་པོ་རང་ནི་ཡ་ཡུད་ཀྱི་ལམ་དུ་སྙེག་པར་བྱེད།

ཡ་ཡུད་ཀྱིལམ་དུ་འཇུག་ནས་སྤྲང་པོ་རང་ལ་ལྷིང་འཇགས་སམ་ཞི་འཇགས་ཀྱི་དབེན་གནས་བསྐྲུན་ལ། ལུས་ངག་ཡིད་གསུམ་ལ་འཛིན་པའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དང་ཕྱི་ནང་གསང་གསུམ་དུ་གནས་པའི་བར་ཆད་ཆ་ཚང་སོས་དལ་བག་ཕེབས་ཀྱི་སྣང་བའི་མཁའ་རུ་ཡལ་བ་ལྟ་བུའི་ཚོར་སྣང་སྦྱིན།

ས་ནག་པོ་འདོམ་གྱི་འཇལ་ཞིང་སྤྲིན་དཀར་པོ་ཐོད་ལ་བཅིང་ནས་ སྐྱ་རེངས་དང་ས་སྲོད་ཀྱི་མཚམས་འགྲུལ་བཞུད་བྱེད་ཚེ་ངེས་ཏག་ཏག་ཚོར་བའི་གཏིང་རིམ་ནས་བཤད་མི་ཤེས་པའི་ཚོར་བ་དེ་ནི་ངོ་མ་ཧ་ཅང་མཛེས་སྡུག་ལྡན་པ་ཞིག་རེད་། ཚོར་སྣང་དེ་ནི་ས་ཐག་གི་ཁྱམས་པོས་མ་གཏོགས་སུས་ཀྱང་རྟོགས་མི་སྲིད།

དྲན་གདུང་། སྐྱོ་གདུང་། མནར་གཅོད་ག་འདྲ་ཞིག་གིས་རང་ལ་མནར་ཅིང་། དམིགས་གསལ་ངེས་ཅན་འགྲོ་ཡུལ་རྩ་བ་ནས་མེད་པའི་ལམ་ན་ཁོ་ལ་ག་དུས་ཡིན་ཡང་འདུག་རོགས་བྱེད། ཉིན་ལྟར་འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་འཛིང་དང་འབྲལ་བའི་དབེན་པའི་འགྲོ་ལམ་ཁྱེད་ནི་ངའི་ནམ་ཡང་ལམ་རྒྱུས་བྱེད་མཁན་ གྲོས་བཏབ་གྱིན་པའི་སློབ་སྟོན་པ་ཁྱད་དུ་འཕགས་པའི་ཤེས་རབ་མངའ་བ་སྟེ། ང་ནི་ག་དུས་ཡིན་ཡང་ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་རྗེས་སྙེག་བཞིན་པའི་འགྲུལ་པ་སྟེ་ཡིན། ང་ནི་ཡ་ཡུད་ཀྱི་ཆེད་དུ་འཆི་འང་མྱོང་ལ་གསོན་འང་མྱོང་།

I am a person who has been travelling on this planet for some time. I have spent many years examining all avenues available and seeking out new means of livelihood. Amidst all, this journey has removed from me the worldly arousal and anchors of animosity. Additionally, the worn-out, battered body has restored its vigour to continue with this adventure.

Embracing this route has brought me tranquillity and contentment. All of my troubles and hardship became apparent to me at this point, and all of the obstacles I had been facing within, without, and hidden domains vanished into the void of peace and pleasure.

I have been travelling and measuring the earth's and the sky's length at dusk and dawn, and this has enabled me to experience those lovely sentiments one could ever desire to have. Adventurers are the only ones who can truly understand such experiences.

Nostalgia, despair, and whatever other tribulations I may encounter, graciously befriend me as a traveller who has no definite destination. Be my mentor and counsellor, endowed with excellent wisdom, and kindly escort me along the serene journey that is free of all the mundane commotion. I shall be your ardent pursuer and traveller no matter where I am. Both my life and my death will be devoted to this quest.

Sunday, 8 January 2023

A New Start to New Year

It's a new year and a fresh start in Vancouver, Canada. I always keep thinking of Bhutan being close to Canada merely sharing a border as long as my thinking remains activated to auto-pilot mode. Then I try to think of the distance I’ve traversed to come to pursue my aspirations and realize the actual distance through reminiscing the lessons acquired about world maps in my past geography lessons. 

Since I was born in the 1990s, my generation has traveled quite a distance, yet I have inadequate experiences than I should have. When I joined my previous organization, I was able to formally discipline my mind and actions in the field of profession. For this distant past, I feel as though it unknowingly prepared me for this fate. Being at the Ministry has given me a wealth of knowledge about both the bilateral and multilateral spheres in international affairs. Everything, I achieved and accomplished is likely to have a strong bearing when I live among the Bhutanese diaspora in a foreign country. 

Ana Sonam is the incumbent President of the Bhutanese Association in BC. Before we left for Canada, my wife contacted her through the Facebook page, essentially asking for her help in putting up a house. Through Ana Sonam's assistance, I eventually managed to move into one of the flats in Richmond. When we arrived here, Ana President graciously consented to our request and took care of everything. Without her guidance and support, I can’t imagine situations we would have encountered otherwise. After being so acclimated to our own country's policies and circumstances, living in this developed nation comes with a variety of unique considerations.

Although much has been seen, there is still plenty to learn. My virtual orientation started on March 1, 2023, and finished on May 1, 2023. As the interaction between lecturers and students began, UCW student affairs inundated us with emails to keep us abreast and remind us of the prerequisites. I had to visit the university multiple times since I was confused about how I had registered for my courses. I visited the RO and the student help section, but to my dismay, they couldn’t resolve my issues. I meticulously reached out to them, but the responses were none to my satisfaction. There have been few responses for frequent forwarding of emails but eventually, I was able to address the issue and properly register for the course.

My wife attended multiple interviews with several organizations and was hired by now. She did, however, also decline to work for some organizations due to privacy considerations. In a similar manner, I also participated in a few interviews to acquire a part-time job. With this, my University's teaching sessions will begin on January 9, 2023, but I will begin taking classes on January 13, 2023. I'm eager to study and am looking forward to it.