The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Gyalsung, Bhutan’s National Service, was launched simultaneously across 4 Academies, on 5 September 2024.
As the first batch of Gyalsups embarked on this new journey, they shared a range of emotions from nervousness to excitement.
Their reflections highlight the personal challenges and growth they are experiencing, as well as their deep gratitude towards His Majesty The King for providing them with this opportunity.
Gyalsups like Cezanne Burja, who moved with his family to Australia in 2017 but has returned to join Gyalsung, expressed that he was both nervous and excited about participating in the program, as it is happening for the first time.
Cezzane, who is a Gyalsup of Pemathang Academy, says there was not much preparation apart from shopping. “While shopping for Gyalsung, it was quite hectic to ensure I had everything I needed. That part was quite interesting.”
“My parents are very encouraging, they initially suggested that I do Gyalsung training for myself and the country, and they were very supportive,” said Cezzane, and further said, “My message to His Majesty is that we are very grateful for everything he has done for us, and there aren’t enough words to express how thankful we are to him.”
Meta Yangki Tshering, who was sent to Taktsi International School in Sikkim by her parents when she was in 5th grade and studied there for 8 years, mentioned that joining Gyalsung feels familiar to her, as she has previous experience living in a hostel.
Meta Yangki Tshering felt that Gyalsung might be strict and limit her freedom. She also noted that on her first day at Jamtsholing Academy, she experienced a bit of a language barrier, as most of the people spoke Sharchop. “I could not understand them and it was a learning curve for me.”
“When I first heard about Gyalsung, it was from my father. He told me it was National Service, and I said I didn’t want to do it, but here I am, doing it,” said Meta.
She also shared that she was initially quite unhappy when she first entered the door, because she had received her enlistment notice just a month prior, and everything felt rushed.
She described her first day as pretty normal—she arranged her things, cleaned up, and experienced a wave of emotions as she missed home. However, she started making friends who were very welcoming, and that helped create a pleasant environment.
Meta mentioned that her goal is to make many friends from diverse places she has never visited before, which will allow her to learn about their backgrounds and experiences, and share her own. She also views this as a valuable opportunity to network for the future, providing a platform to build connections and lifelong friendships.
“For me, this program is really important because it allows me to serve my country, and since I can’t do much. Many people in this program will gain purpose in life, and learn that anything is possible with hard work. This program will bring people together and promote unity, working together to solve future problems. It’s a lovely way to make friends and serve the country in our small ways,” she added.
Shoen Droma Tenzin, a Gyalsup of Gyalpozhing Academy, was born in Alamosa, Colorado, and is originally from Wangdue Gangtey Goenpa.
Shoen expressed that she was initially nervous about arriving at a place where she had no friends, but after receiving some encouragement from her parents, she became quite excited about the opportunity to make new friends. She mentioned that she is happy because she has already managed to form good friendships and believes that it will be enjoyable.
Shoen also looks forward to learning more about the culture and traditions.
“I was worried, at first, that the girls might not include me, since I don’t know Dzongkha well and wasn’t raised the same way, but they’ve been very kind and helped me a lot. I hope to grow stronger mentally and physically, and to learn more about our culture and traditions,” said Shoen.
Dorji of Gyalpozhing Academy said, “I first heard about Gyalsung on National Day, and I was quite nervous. All I knew about it was that it would be difficult, and learning that we were the first batch to attend made me both excited and nervous.”
He explained that the first day was quite difficult because it was a new environment for him. Having never been in a boarding school before, he couldn’t help but worry about how he would make friends and manage all his responsibilities.
However, after three days, he says he felt that he was settling in quite well.
He also noted that when he first arrived at Gyalsung Academy, it was different from what he had expected. Despite this, he has made many new friends and is enjoying himself. He said, “There was one time when we didn’t know the rules, and we were just lying in bed, but we had to go outside and do a lot of push-ups—that was quite an incident for me.”
Dorji shares what he wants to achieve during his three months of training, “After three months, I’d like to be physically and mentally stronger. I think in our generation, it’s difficult to achieve that, but I also hope to be more self-disciplined. As I mentioned earlier, our generation has become lenient and spoiled, so Gyalsung will teach us the discipline we need.”
“We, the youth, are very grateful for everything His Majesty has done for us, especially the Gyalsung program, which has cost a lot of money and energy. We’d like to thank His Majesty for being such an inspiration,” said Dorji.
