Experience Gross National Happiness in the Thunder Dragon By Saraj (Jetro) Pirasmepulkul Robotics Engineering ‘16, Bhutan (2011), from Thailand
Bhutan, also referred to as The Kingdom of
in Bhutan, organized by a fellow classmate, Nathaya Darakananda, from International the Thunder Dragon, is a country that has such a School Bangkok. During this trip, I was able to talk proud culture that, even a year after my visit, it to Mr. Dorji Penjore, the spokesperson for Bhuhas still left a profound impact on my view of this tan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH), and from so-called modernizing world that I have grown him, I came to understand more of the country’s up in. beauty that lies beneath the beautiful architecIn June 2011, I was fortunate enough to be ture or picturesque landscape. part of a summer community service experience
ABOVE: A snow lion relief decorating the Buddhist Kopan Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Taken by Colleen Callahan-Panday (2009).
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unpacked * Fall 2012