Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Thank You!


Dear friends and family

Thank you all for your amazing donations! To date I have raised $2,500 towards my program fee. With the money I have earned from "Hands Across The Himalayas" and my job at BACR I have totaled $3,000 thus accomplishing my goal! I will still be accepting donations for start up cost and teaching supplies in Bhutan which will total an additional $1,000. Here is a list of all the fabulous donors in no particular order. Your kindness has touched me deeply.

Tyler and Beth Grossman, Marti Grossman, Tom Grossman, Wally and Barb Rush, Dave Rush, Marty Pelletier, Karl Pelletier, Madison and Alex Pelletier, Jerry Borton, Bill Gholson, Jason and Lisa Osenton, Mike Piro, David Scott, Doug Scott, Meg Urie, Jon and Cara Kerhlikar, The Urban Family (David, Reily, Cal, Kate, and Grandma Bea) Kevin Chriss, Karen Scheder, Karyn O'Mohundro, Dane and Carrie Moler, Tom Boyd, Roxeanne Beverstein, Eleanor Duncan, Linda Albion, Judy Smith, Judith Karau, Raymond and Margot Gergus, Eric Pierce, David and Ronnie Rossman, Marilyn Mooshie, Liz Fowler, Bette Shutte, Bill and Chris Todd, Charlie Consoli, Dennis Shebesta, Julie Cathie, Shana Rohde, Don and Patty Turnquist, Bernie and Carol Atkinson.

Thank you all so much and have a very Merry Christmas! Here is some possible information on my school (Tshenkharla) look under Tshenkharla Dzong!
http://www.tourism.gov.bt/where-to-go/trashi-yangtse.html

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Last Minute Directions

As of now, all donations should be made online at the BCF website or via checks made out to Tim Grossman and mailed to me directly. The deadline is December 23rd and all donations must be banked by BCF.

Online donations here, put my teacher ID #31203 and name in the comment box under the information section.

http://bhutancanada.org/HOME.html

Or checks made out to Tim Grossman

260 Baypoint Drive
San Rafael Ca
94901

Thank You!

                                       Beautiful Bumthang in Central Bhutan

                                   Here's some more maps at my moms request.


Click on the map for better view!

Heres a link to explore the animals of Bhutan!


Heres an article on the Eastern peeps.











                                           Sakteng Wilderness home of the yeti.

                                                          Asiatic Lions






Thursday, December 15, 2011

Manas!

Here is an article about Manas Tiger Preserve in Assam India. It borders Bhutan's Royal Manas Park with the Manas river forming a natural border between the two countries.


http://zeenews.india.com/news/assam/manas-tiger-reserve-set-to-regain-past-glory_746875.html

Last Call!


We are down to the wire and I'm a little concerned I will not meet my fundraising goal of $3,000. Please consider a $20 donation today!

Donate online at the Bhutan Canada Foundation website, Include my ID #31203 in comments box.
http://teachinbhutan.blogspot.com/

Or Send checks to,
Tim Grossman
260 Baypoint Drive
San Rafael, Ca
94901

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Article on Bhutan.

Thank you to Jerry Borton, Eric Pierce, and Liz Fowler for your recent donations!

Here's an article on Eastern Bhutan from a tourists perspective. The east is known as "Old Bhutan" and features some very interesting peoples. The population will hopefully include one huge Bob Weir fan!

http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/wings%20dragon/5807425/story.html?mid=552



 Prayer flags are an important part of Buddhism across the Himalayas including Bhutan.  

              
                   Two of my favorite creatures, Miles and Paige the dynamic duo!
                                Isn't my niece precious at one month new.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

One Week Left To Donate


Hello everyone,

I have about a week left to bank my funds with BCF. All funds must be in their hands the 23rd of December. Please consider an online donation or sending off a check ASAP! You can also donate to me directly. That money will go into my Bhutan account for start up costs which will exceed $1,000. Ive been overwhelmed with gratitude to all who have donated so far.

Thanks to Bill Gholson, Jon and Cara Kron, and Elma Duncan for their generous donations over the weekend.

All the best,

Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation
include my ID #31203.
Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott

Donate online at http://teachinbhutan.blogspot.com/



Archery is huge in Bhutan with elaborate competitions!

This is the time of year for the annual Black Necked Crane migration to Trashiyangtse Bhutan. They fly over some of the highest Himalayan peaks from Tibet to arrive in my district in Bomdeling Park. These birds are revered in Bhutan. Hopefully they will lift my holiday spirit next winter.   

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Hands Update: 2,000 and counting!


Thanks to Meg Urie and Jason and Lisa Osenton for their recent donations. I am happy to report that I've accumulated 1,900 Hands. That's $1,900 towards my $3,000 goal. With twelve days until my fundraising deadline. If you haven't donated please consider it. Your donation might push me over the top.

Here's how to donate by mail,

Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation
include my ID #31203.
Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott

You can donate online at the BCF website. Add my ID #31203 in the comments section.
http://bhutancanada.org/

Happy Holidays!

Tigers living at 13,000 Feet

This is an amazing discovery and article. The big cat diversity in Bhutan is amazing. I hope I see one but just knowing their alive makes my heart leap. Its sad that the tiger so revered in Korea is long extinct from the Korean peninsula. Bhutan seems to honor its diversity. One valley above 10,000 feet in Bhutan supports tigers, snow leopards and a myriad of other big cats! The tiger corridor could connect Nepal, Bhutan, India, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia to support tiger populations in those areas. With so few tigers remaining this seems imperative. Ive always considered the leopard my favorite cat but I am growing fond of tigers. From an ecological stand point Bhutan seems to defy the odds. The flying tigers of the Himalaya are indeed real. Meghann a BCF teacher had a leopard roaming her village in Mongar. I look forward to learning more about Bhutan's incredible wildlife.

Here's the link. The second link is an article about all the worlds tigers and their battle to survive. Most notably the ones in Cambodia. Overall about 3,000 tigers remain wild. Their used to be hundreds of thousands of tigers inhabiting much of Asia. The third article talks about tigers and snow leopards overlapping territory.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8998000/8998042.stm

http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/endangered-tigers-facts

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bhutan-tigers534.html#cr



A Bengal Tiger in Bhutan


"this town is like a circus
around the clock
  tigers roam the streets
     the doors ain't got no locks"
   
       Ed Volker, My Home Is On The Border


Friday, December 9, 2011

The Final Push!

                              Help reserve my seat on this plane parked in Paro.
                              I'm running out of time and still need to raise $1,500.
                              All donations must be banked by December 23rd.
           
Here's what to do,

Mail: Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation include my ID #31203. Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott
                            
                                     Any and all donations are appreciated.

p.s Every time my 2 year old nephew Reed comes over to my moms house. He goes to our beautiful family globe and spins it around searching for Bhutan. When we find it together I always ask him where i'm going and he says "Bhutan!"

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Map of Bhutan.









Above are two maps of Bhutan and a link to my bio on the BCF page, Enjoy!




All roads lead to Trashiyangtse


Tuesday blues
Walked all the way with a nail in my shoe
Tuesday blues
 Still looking for an offer I can't refuse





  












Saturday, December 3, 2011

Hands Across The Himalayas 2.0


This week was a good one for fundraising! Thanks to the Urban family, David, Reily, Kate, Cal and Grandma Bea for their generous donation! If your reading this, I miss you Kate and Cal! Thanks to Julie Cathie and Doug Scott for their donations too. I have accumulated 1,500 hands which means I am about half way to my goal. With less than three weeks to go if you haven't donated yet, now is the time!

Upon reaching my goal it appears that I will be teaching at a middle school level. It will be nice to work with older students building on my k-5 experiences. 

This pic reminded me of Cal and Kate but Bhutanese sisters of course. Hope first grade is going well!


 
Also check out my profile on the BCF page!
http://teachinbhutan.blogspot.com/

But Wait Theres More! Introducing Hands 2.0!

Hands Across the Himalayas 2.0: Fall 2011

The place to improve the world is first in one’s own
heart, and head, and hands. Robert M. Pirsig

Dear friends                                                            

Being chosen to teach in Bhutan in 2012 is a dream come true for me. But I need a hand in reaching my goal. As many of you know I just earned my teaching credential certifying me to teach elementary school. I have recently been hired by The Bhutan Canada Foundation, a non profit agency based in Toronto and Thimphu Bhutan. The mission of the BCF is improving and spreading quality education in the secluded country of Bhutan. They are continuing on a tradition begun by a Canadian Jesuit priest and educator, Father William Mackey, who brought Western style education to the country in the 1960’s. Also known as The Land of the Thunder Dragon, Bhutan is a hidden kingdom nestled in the Eastern Himalayas between India and Tibet. The country only opened its door to tourists in the 1970’s, introduced television in 1999, and is now developing a new democracy under the tutelage of their youthful King. This fledgling democracy incorporates “Gross National Happiness” into its national philosophy. The country boasts amazing cultural and biological diversity with an elevation variation from 500 to 27,000 feet in an area the size of Switzerland.  Bhutan has an incredible array of animals including elephants, one horned rhinoceros, snow leopards, tigers, Himalayan black bears, the Golden Languor, and the rare and revered Black Necked Cranes. As well as abundant flora including rhododendron forests and the elusive Blue Poppy, Bhutan’s national flower. I will be one of twenty certified Canadian and American teachers heading into the field in 2012. We will be developing curriculum and teaching lessons in rural Bhutan. The need for teachers in Bhutan is real. The Ministry of Education estimates a shortage of 1,000 teachers in the country. The money you donate will go directly to my flight to Paro, Visa, travel insurance, and teaching supplies. My contract begins in January 2012 and I hope to work in Bhutan for two years.

I am asking for your kind financial support and also inviting you to drop by my blog so I can share my adventures with you. Please keep up to date with all the happenings as I prepare for the adventure of a lifetime! Even small donations are greatly appreciated as I will be sending this out to many people, so don’t feel obligated to contribute large amounts. If you can’t contribute money or “green energy” as I like to call it, than please follow me on my blog anyway! I know this economy is difficult but every hand makes a difference in making my dream a reality.

Thanks for lending a hand!

P.S. By lending me a hand I can help a child achieve a better life in this amazing and underprivileged kingdom. God Bless!

Hands Across the Himalayas: Donation Guide. $1 buys you one hand! My goal is 3,500 helping hands by December 15th!

Here’s how to donate!
1.     By Mail. Please make checks payable to
    The Bhutan Canada Foundation, Attn Kristen Scott,
     720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ON M5S2R4 (and include my ID #31203 on the check)
     2.  Online donations can be made at the BCF website at bhutancanada
           Foundation.org. Put my teacher ID # 31203 in the comments section.

Thanks everybody for checking out my blog. Please consider donating if you havent already. Happy Holidays!

Tim



Thursday, December 1, 2011

Paid Volunteer

                                                   Grrrrr, Tigers Nest!

I thought I should clarify that once in Bhutan I will receive a small monthly stipend equivalent to a local teachers salary. Half of my salary will pay my rent. Obliviously money is not a big motivator for moving to Bhutan. Essentially your donations are backing my good will effort to help improve the education system in Bhutan. I will also be rewarded by living in an amazing country.

Only three more weeks to donate. All donations must be banked by 12-23. Remember that any size donations are welcome and even small donations are appreciated. I really need your help to fulfill my dream.  Its been alot of hard work to reach this point. And Bhutan promises to be my greatest challenge. I believe in BCF and this cause with all my heart. The picture below is where we all touchdown!

Here how to donate now!!!

By Mail: Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation include my ID #31203. Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott


                                                 Paro International Airport


              The children of Bhutan displaying GNH (Gross National Happiness)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

1,000 Hands!


Thanks to everyone who donated thus far. We have surpased 1,000 hands which means I am well underway on my journey from San Francisco to Thimphu. My total so far is about 1,200 hands or $1,200 towards my program fee of $3,000.  If you haven't donated yet please consider lending a hand! I pledge to work my hardest on your behalf in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

By Mail: Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation include my ID #31203. Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott

Blessings, Tim


                                                     San Francisco
                                                             to
                                                        Thimphu

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Hands to Jhomolhari.


My dream is to teach in Bhutan and one day see Mt Jhomolhari 24,035 ft. Please help me achieve my goal by donating! Every dollar you give will help pay my 3,000 program fee. I have raised about $800 thus far!

By Mail: Make checks payable to The Bhutan Canada Foundation include my ID #31203. Send to: The Bhutan Canada Foundation,
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411
Toronto, ONM5S 2R4
Attn: Kristen Scott


This is a letter from our chair Sam Blyth asking for donations.

 November 21, 2011 

Dear Friend,

 
Last April I traveled across Bhutan to visit teachers placed in Bhutan through the Teach in Bhutan program. For several weeks I drove across the country by auto, teetering on the edge of sheer drops and climbing some of Bhutan's highest mountain passes. I saw schools in some of the country's most remote communities and met students from all over Bhutan, some of whom have left the family home in pursuit of education. In one community, I met a young boy named Pema who walks seven kilometers to school each way, up and down a steep mountain path. His dedication amazed me, but his story is not unique. Pema is just one of thousands of young Bhutanese children eager to receive an education.

I've included some photos from this trip, as well as a photo of the BCF teacher class of 2011, pictured here with Honourable Minister Lynpo Thakur S. Powdyel, Minister of Education. 

 Since 2010, The Bhutan Canada Foundation (BCF) has worked in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Royal University of Bhutan to improve educational opportunities for students of all ages. Next year promises to be a tremendous year for The Bhutan Canada Foundation. I am writing to ask for your financial support of our work in Bhutan.

In January 2011, BCF sent nineteen teachers and university lecturers to Bhutan, where they joined five returning teachers already in the field. This group of adventurous teachers brought enthusiasm, experience, and excellence to their respective schools, often going above and beyond the call of duty to lead club activities, hold after-school tutoring sessions, and champion new school initiatives. In the classroom, BCF teachers were part of an effort of reduce average class sizes to more effective levels, model innovative teaching and learning techniques, and encourage the development of spoken and written English skills.

Education remains vital to Bhutan's continued development as a nation, as it does to the country's ability to reduce nationwide poverty. According to a 2004 Poverty Analysis Report, attaining a mid-secondary level of education is enough to raise a person out of poverty. In 2012 we will continue to support Bhutan's development,  growing our program to reach new communities across Bhutan and increasing the number of BCF teachers in the field.

We need your help to continue this important work. Over 81% of funds raised go directly to programming, which means each dollar you donate has an immediate impact. As a friend of Bhutan, I would like to ask you to support The Bhutan Canada Foundation by making a gift online at http://www.bhutancanada.org/ or by following the instructions below.

The Bhutan Canada Foundation is committed to improving education in Bhutan. Just like Pema, we may encounter mountains along the way, but with dedication and support from donors like you, we will achieve educational excellence in Bhutan.

On behalf of the BCF staff in Thimphu and Toronto I wish to thank you and your family for your support of The Bhutan Canada Foundation. We wish you all the best in the year ahead.

Warm regards,
Sam Blyth
Chair, The Bhutan Canada Foundation

P.S - This year every dollar you donate will be matched up to $25,000. Double your gift when you donate today!


REMEMBER TO INCLUDE MY TEACHER ID 31203 ON ALL CHECKS OR IN THE TEACHER COMMENT SECTION ONLINE.




Scroll down the page for some pictures of my new home district Trashiyangste. God bless you and happy holidays!

Tim

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Trashiyangtse and $500 Scholarship!

It appears my school will be in the far eastern district of Trashiyangsti. I have no specific details except the general region. The Eastern realm of Bhutan are traditional tribal lands featuring an eclectic mix of people, including some nomadic herdsmen and tribal people completely different from the rest of Bhutan.  The district is known for paper making and fine woodcraft including carved bowls.  It is also close to the Bomdeling Wildlife park which boasts incredible wildlife including, tigers, snow leopards, and the famous black necked cranes who migrate from China over the Himalayan peaks.

I also received a $500 scholarship from BCF towards my $3,500 program fee. My goal is now $3,000 and I have raised about $800. With three weeks left to go I will be doubling my efforts to raise money. Thanks to Aunt Mare for her kind donation and happy healing we all love you!

Here is a preview of the district! Including Chorten Kora a sacred religious stupa and a major attraction in the area.







Trashiyangtse is the dark blue on the top right of the map, bordering Arunachal Pradesh province in India to the east, and Tibet to the North. Trashiyangtse has a broad range in elevation from lush vegetation to extreme mountainous climate. The northern section of the district boasts Himalayan massifs. While Trashiyangste proper rarely gets snow.  The district also houses the National Institute for the Disabled, which is a school for the blind. The road from Thimphu ends in Trashiyangste which is about 400 miles from the capital.





 


My new home?

Monday, November 21, 2011

Gobble Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! We all have so much to be thankful and grateful for this year. I am so thankful for all the kind donations thus far. I have received checks from people I haven't heard from in ages. I am thankful to all who are reading this and wish everyone a Happy turkey or tofurkey day.

I find out my placement location soon. Lets hope I have electricity!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Hands, Hands!!


Thanks to my dad Tom Grossman for my very first donation and for the hands idea for my campaign!  And my mom Marti Grossman for her efforts and continued support and her donation to "Hands"! I will miss you both!