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

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!

http://www.pbs.org/edens/bhutan/a_birds.htm

Heres an article on the Eastern peeps.

http://www.windhorsetours.com/countrypages/meraksakteng.php

                                           Sakteng Wilderness home of the yeti.

                                                          Asiatic Lions

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

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.

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.   

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

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!"

Map of Bhutan.

http://teachinbhutan.blogspot.com/2011/12/class-of-2012-profile-tim-grossman.html

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

  

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 15^th!

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

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)