Culture shock in Bhutan

by Ms. Surangrat Daina

Bhutan is a tiny and remote kingdom nestling in the Himalayas between its giant neighbors, India and China. Most of Bhutanese are famers, and Bhutan is the first country in the world to convert to a 100 percent organic agricultural system. (www.npr.com) Bhutan maintains a special identity of its own. Moreover, Bhutan’s unique identity is reflected through the magnificent traditional dresses that have evolved over thousands of years. Bhutanese cuisine is influenced by neighbor’s country and this country has many interesting natural places. In this article, there are 3 culture shocks in Bhutan: tourism, Bhutanese dress and food.

First of all, culture shock on tourism. Their policy for tourism is “High Value, Low Impact.” Bhutan is no limit on the number of tourists admitted into the country each year. In order to protect our culture, traditions and natural. This country is a landlocked country in South Asia at the eastern end of the Himalayas. It is bordered to the north by China and to the south, east and west by India. Bhutan's capital is Thimphu. One of the most interesting of Thimphu is the only capital city in the world that does not use traffic lights. Then have policemen standing in small pavilions, directing traffic with hand motions. In addition, its traditional Buddhist sights and attractions, it offers cafes, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Finding a balance between the esoteric and espresso. Then is the key to getting into the lifestyle of Bhutanese.

For another issue, the most distinctive features of the Bhutanese is their traditional dress. Men wear the Gho, a knee-length robe somewhat resembling a kimono that is tied at the waist by a traditional belt. Women wear the Kira, a long, ankle-length dress accompanied by a light outer jacket. Bhutanese wear long scarves and it worn by men. The colors of scarves mean the wearer’s status or rank. For example, the king wears yellow scarf and judge wear green scarf. In the part of women, they wear Rachus. The Rachu is hung over a woman’s shoulder and unlike the scarves worn by men, does not have any specific rank associated with its color. Rachus are usually woven out of silk and beautifully coloured patterns. (http://www.tourism.gov.bt/about-bhutan /bhutanese-dress)

For the last thing, traditional Bhutanese eating habits are simple and, in general, food is eaten with hands, beside family members eat while sitting cross legged on the wooden floor with food first being served to the head of the household first. Beside, food in Daily Life, there is a certain ethnic diversity in the food. Bhutanese cuisine is influenced by Chinese, Tibetan and Indian culture. The main dish, which generally includes white or red rice, seasonal vegetables, and meat (pork and chicken), are often cooked with chili or cheese. So, the national dish of Bhutanese food is Ema-Datsi, consisting of ema (chilli) cooked in datsi (cheese). (http://www.bhutan.com/food-drinks)