Jhamtse Gatsal News

Independence Day

HeatherB — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 22:55:27 +0000

We celebrated India’s Independence day on August 15th, by going to Lumla to perform dances and participate in all the festivities. We had so much fun that we wanted to share a few of the photos with you, even though it was a few weeks ago! Enjoy!

This isn’t all! See the gallery for more great pictures of the day!

“School Jhamtse Gatsal, Fairy Land”

gatsal — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:43:59 +0000

Our school has 74 students. Some are boys are some are girls. Girls are more than boys. Our school has 21 boys and 53 girls. We study English, science, social, Hindi, Bhoti (Tibetan), and maths. Boys play more sports than girls. We play cricket, football, handball, volleyball, Nintendo, computer games, hockey, and chess. In Jhamtse Gatsal we play cricket. Cricket is a very nice game. When we play cricket, we shoot very strong. Our favourite movies are Jackie Chan, Power Rangers, Harry Potter 1, 2, and 4, The Monkey King, Ben Ten, Hollywood and Bollywood. Our school has four amalas (house mothers) and eight teachers. Our school has much fertile land to grow crops. Our favourite activities are singing, dancing, and playing games. Sometimes we go to picnic. On Fridays our school is closed.

Written by: Rinchen Tsering, Sangey Tsering, and Dorjee Norbu (class VI students)

Typical Daily Schedule

HeatherB — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:06:27 +0000

One positive factor that is very precious to us is that our students are very much self-driven and deeply motivated, on top of being wonderful kids, very intelligent, self-disciplined and well cultured. Their true potential and capabilities are far greater than what we have been able to tap and utilize so far. In the coming months and years, it is our firm commitment and resolution to put in spirited efforts to exploring their potentials to the fullest level.

And because we thought you might also be interested, below is the the typical Daily Routine Schedule being followed currently in Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community:

Tashi Delek from our busy Community!

Our Students’ Class Schedule

HeatherB — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:43:16 +0000

Our students show very strong innate interest in learning, knowing, and acquiring new knowledge. They are exceptionally responsible, thoughtful and mature for their age which gives us tremendous hope to seeing them lead highly meaningful and successful careers in the future and with a desire for assisting others. We also have a highly motivated and dedicated, talented team of teaching and non-teaching staff.

Because we thought you might be interested, and in order to provide a better view of what our children study and learn in the School, I produced this Class Time-Table that is currently being followed in Jhamtse Gatsal School:

Half Yearly Exams Commence with Gusto

HeatherB — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:03:48 +0000

After a rigorous academic session (March–August) that was interspersed with many extra-curricular activities, visitors, and the arrival and departure of new teachers and voluntary teachers, our Half Yearly Examinations for grades 1 to 6 finally took off on Saturday the 21st of August 2010, with much gusto!

I was greatly impressed to see the high level of self-confidence and composure with which the students are taking these examinations, even though this first part of the academic session witnessed a series of unscheduled programmes and activities which might have interfered with their normal academic progress. These extra-curricular and community activities nevertheless hold equal importance and relevance in the overall success of our vision and also that of achieving all around development of the students: mentally, emotionally, intellectually and physically. Our children fared very well in the midst of all these expectations and simultaneously succeeded in making remarkable academic progress during this first half of this year’s academic session.

Our children – all Grades – take examinations in six main subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Tibetan Language and Hindi Language. Each day, all the classes have to take Examinations in a particular Subject. Examinations are held only in the morning session. Afternoon is kept for the teachers to evaluate the Answer Sheets and prepare the Marks Sheet.

Thank you for your kind attention and all the best to our students! Tashi Delek!

Will Miss you DAD!

gatsal — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:42:37 +0000

today…is black day for me! yesterday night, at 11.55 pm, my dad, my friend, philosopher & guide has left me and my mom alone in this world! He passed away..

life…little bit shattered now! But I know I have to overcome this situation..for my mom at least. I will be fine i know…but my mom! She has lost her life partner, i know how it is..

cant say much…

want all of you to do a little bit prayer for my dad’s soul!

Thanks in advance,

love you all…

Thoughts from Our Principal

HeatherB — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:03:59 +0000

A long time ago I found a beautiful small Picture-Card pasted on the door of one of our Guestrooms in Sera Je Secondary School where I worked before coming here. Obviously one of our Swiss sponsors had pasted it there during his/her visit. It reads: ‘Whenever I see the smile of a child, I am reminded that the God is not yet fed up of humanity’. Ever since then these precious words constantly keep ringing in my ears as I continue to work for these very children, who God has made in His image, literally!

Our children are the greatest hope for the future of our planet and nothing is too much to do for their proper up-bringing and education. Personally I never stop being amazed by the enormous sense of love, sharing and caring our children show in their daily life –interacting among themselves and also with elders in the community. In fact, they are the most intelligent and kind, with the purest of hearts and souls in our community. They inspire every one of us to give our best to in enabling them to someday give something concrete back to society and the world. They will go a long way in transforming our planet into truly a global home free from violence and evil, where all living beings can enjoy real love, compassion, wisdom, and happiness and become truly successful and lead meaningful life in this world.

I would like to appeal to all our well-wishers, sponsors, supporters, and donors, to please continue with your support in any way possible, for every piece of work we do and every penny you give for our work here is rewarded in the form of countless blessings our children are enjoying here at Jhamtse Gatsal. Your help is very essential for building the precious lives of our children and for leading them to their chosen goals.

Thank you all from the depth of our heart for being intrinsic part of our extended Jhamtse Gatsal family.

May God bless you all and realize fulfillment of all your noble visions and goals in your life!

~ Tephun

Snacks for the Kids

gatsal — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:03:32 +0000

While she was here, Suzanne had the great idea to bring the children some afternoon snacks for all their hard work preparing for the play. The kids really needed the extra energy to get through the play and the remainder of their day. Suzanne made it her personal mission to make sure that the kids have a snack every day, so that they can recharge their batteries and be better prepared for class. This is something that we hardly ever think about in the West because it’s so natural, but here it is extremely necessary. After eating, they all had so much energy. They were tumbling in the grass, playing soccer, playing tag, and laughing hysterically. It was great to see how effective a little extra food can be. Any donation support for this new venture is welcome. Thanks so much for reading! Pictures of the play will be up soon.

“About our Garden”

gatsal — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:02:38 +0000

Some of the vegetables we plant in our garden are spinach, tomato, cucumber, corn, beans, chillie, cabbage, cauliflower, corriander leaves, pumpkin, bitter gourd, beetroot, and gourd.

We work with our amalas and teachers in our garden.

We planted onions but they did not grow because maybe they were late.

We picked some spinach and gave it to the kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They cooked it at breakfast with roti, at lunch with rice, and at dinner with ti-momo.

One day in July some of class six’s students went in the garden and we picked sunflowers. Then we ate them.

Some spinaches were damaged.

We like to work in our garden because it gives us more energy than vegetables that are bought from the shop.

Sometimes we go to the garden to pick wildgrass. We collect wildgrass and make compost. Then we throw the compost into the garden. The compost makes the soil fertile and vegetables grow well.

In the future we want to plant more onions and cucumbers because now onions and cucumbers were damaged. The onions and cucumbers were damaged because insects ate them.

Written By:
Phurpa Yangzom, Namgey Chodron (B), Sangey Drolma, and Namgey Chodron (A) (class VI students)

A Recipe for Happiness

gatsal — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:34:32 +0000

Ingredients:

• Come to the mountains of Lumla
• Bring optimism, good energy, a lot of creativity and fantasy, and a pinch of “easy-goingness”
• Mix in the love of the kids, and you will have the most delicious ambrosia.

Try it, it’s fantastic. I thank this community for giving me the opportunity to have a taste. I am definitely coming back for more. It is too good!
~Suzanne