Health Hospital System
National Medical Conference
2012
Bhutan – Learning and Growing amongst the Beauty and
Tranquility
By Katherine Rodriguez
Who We Are
• Health Hospital System (HHS), is a US Based National
Organization that promotes the finest Healthcare the
United States has to offer. Putting patients first, has
been our motto since our inception. As we continue to
grow, we are learning to take care of our employees as
well.
A Change in Atmosphere
The National Medical Conference (NMC) has been
the ultimate source of Team Building for the past 20
years at HHS. NMC allows skills to be honed,
knowledge to be shared and the building of
relationships for our executive teams. The location
for the National Medical Conference should promote
this as well.
The Land of Peaceful Thunder Dragon
• Bhutan is a serene country with strong traditional values
which are based on religion, respect for the royal family
and concern for the environment. It is located in the
Himalayas. Bhutan offers stunning mountain views,
incredible scenic beauty, exciting wildlife and a rich
culture and lifestyle
Formal etiquette and public behavior
• The Bhutanese adhere to a strict code of etiquette (Driglam
Namzha) which is officially taught to all government
employees and students. People are expected to behave in
a formal and respectful manner, especially towards their
superiors and elders.
• The head is considered to be the most sacred part of the
body and the foot the most impure, which means that you
must never touch another person's head nor point your feet
at anyone or towards a holy object.
Formal etiquette and public behavior
• When people of the same rank are together, they
behave in a relaxed and informal manner.
Respect for superiors and older people are an important
part of everyday Bhutanese life which is shown in many
ways. The body inclined slightly forward when standing,
legs held straight against a chair and knees covered with
a ceremonial scarf when seated, right hand placed in
front of the mouth to avoid defiling the air with one's
breath when speaking, looking at the ground instead of
at someone's eyes and not smoking, all indicate respect.
Using the word "la" at the end of a sentence, even in
English, is another sign of respect
Invitations, Visits and Drinks
• The Bhutanese are warm, open-hearted, tolerant and kind
people. Whether rich or poor, they are very hospitable and
always make a guest feel welcome. Doma, or betel nut, which
used to be offered as a traditional greeting, has mostly been
replaced by tea or ara.
• When taking tea with a superior, the cup should be held in the
hand and not put on the table.
• Chang, a local beer, and ara, a spirit distilled from rice, maize,
wheat or barley, depending on which crop is grown in that area,
are also popular drinks. In the East, instead of tea, chang or ara
may be offered. Again, it is polite to have at least two glasses. If
you really dislike it, a few sips will be acceptable. Sometimes
ara is served hot with a raw egg broken into it. This is a good
drink on a cold winter's evening.
When invited to a meal
• If you are offered food or drink, it is considered polite to
decline at first. Your host will not take your refusal too
seriously and will continue to offer refreshments.
Similarly, if you are entertaining a Bhutanese guest, be
more insistent in offering food or drink than you would be
in your home country.
• The Bhutanese eat with their right hand.
• Guests will often leave as soon as the meal is finished.
At an official dinner, the guest of honor will indicate when
it is time to leave; normally nobody will leave before s/he
does for this is disrespectful
Dress Code When Visiting Dzongs and Temples
• As a non-Bhutanese, you are not expected to wear the
Gho and the Kira. Nevertheless, one should remember
to dress up correctly while visiting the many Dzongs.
Follow when visiting the smaller monasteries and
temples, a tie is not necessary.
• Must wear:• Collared shirt (either full or half sleeve)
• Full-length pants / skirt
• Shoes with socks
• Ties are not necessary
• You will not be allowed to enter if you are wearing:• Hats / caps
• Shorts / short skirt
• Slippers / flip-flops
• T-shirts
Visiting a Dzong or a Temple
• When you visit a temple or monastery it is appreciated if
you take a gift of incense sticks or a packet of dalda for
the butter lamps and leave a small offering of money.
Remove your shoes before entering and speak quietly
as a sign of respect for the sanctity of the place.
Umbrellas and hats are not allowed inside monasteries
or Dzongs and cameras should never be taken into a
temple. It is acceptable to take photos in the courtyard
but not inside the temple.
.
Visiting a Dzong or a Temple
• Always step over doorsteps, not on them, when entering
temples or Dzongs. In the temple you will usually find a monk or
lama to show you around. If he offers you holy water, accept it
in cupped hands, drink (or appear to drink) some and wipe the
rest across you head from front to back. Give the incense to the
monk or leave it on the altar. To make an offering of money,
fold the note lengthwise, press it to your forehead and then
place it on the altar.
• If you are invited into the altar room of a house in which you are
a guest, it is acceptable to ask your host if you may make a
small offering. Proceed as in a temple. Always remember to
walk around a chorten, prayer wheel or temple in a clockwise
direction
Displaying of Emotions
• Bhutanese people are generally good-natured and it is
easy to make friends. They are invariably cheerful and
accept life as it comes, an attitude due partly to their
Buddhist traditions. They are polite and courteous and
expect the same from others. It is considered
unacceptable for anyone, Bhutanese or foreigner, to
publicly show strong emotion. Public displays of anger
bring shame on both the person displaying it and on the
recipient
Greetings
• Shaking hands is not a Bhutanese tradition but it is
becoming quite common, especially in the towns.
Women may prefer to say the customary greeting of
"Kuzu Zangpo" to children, acquaintances and
subordinates and "Kuzu Zangpola" to older people or
superiors.
• The hierarchical social structure plays a very important
part of the culture. When a senior person enters a room,
everyone is expected to stand until the person sits down.
When it is time to leave, everyone waits until the senior
person or the guest of honor stands, indicating that he or
she is about to go.
Eating Habits
• Traditional Bhutanese eating habits are simple and
generally eat with their hands. The family members eat
sitting cross legged on the wooden floors with food being
first served to the head of the household. It is usually
women who serves food and in most cases the mother.
Before eating, a short prayer is offered and a small
morsel placed on the wooden floor as offerings to the
spirits and deities. With modernization, eating habits
have changed and in urban areas, people usually eat
with spoons and make use of dining tables and chairs.
Food
• Food of Bhutan is simple, yet delicious. On first
impression, the cooking method would suggest that the
food is bland, but the reality is just opposite. The
Bhutanese are passionate about chili. The species of
chili used here is Capsicum onum, a fluffy red variety.
The Bhutanese prepare yummy appetizing food with
their simple methods. With their food, they can make the
guests licking their fingers. The Bhutanese are also fond
of eating Tibetan specialties such as momo and noodles.
They eat fruits like watermelon as dessert with their
meals.
What to Wear in Bhuthan
• Comfortable clothing and sturdy, soft-soled shoes are
essential for travel in Bhutan. Warm clothing is
recommended; and except for summer months, down
jackets and woolen sweaters are suggested. In summer,
heavy cottons and lightweight woolens will be
acceptable. Altitudinal differences account for a wide
range of temperatures from day to night the year round.
It is, therefore, suggested that clothing be layered so that
you can adapt to the changing conditions
Festivals
• Bhutanese people celebrate different festivals like the
Bhutanese New Year and other seasonal festivals like
the summer solstice. But the most common festival is
known as Tshechu. It is in fact a religious festival, and is
celebrated all over Bhutan, usually after the end of
the harvest season.
FestivalsFestival Name Place Description Date
Birth Anniversary of 4th King
of Bhutan
Bhutan The Kings Birthday which is
11-11-1955 is considered a
national holiday.
Nov 11
Jakar Tsechu Jakar Dzong It is a new festival organized
by Jakar Dzong Monastic
body. It is a five day event.
Nov 03 – Nov 6
Laya Bumkhosa Laya One of the most important
festivals in Laya. It celebrates
young men who join a log
procession of religious
leaders.
Losar Bhutan The traditional New Year
according to the Bhutanese
Lunar Calendar.
Feb 03 –Feb 4
Paro Tsechu Paro This festival is held to honor
Guru Rinpoche, who spread
tantric Buddhism.
Mar 15 – Mar 19