I woke up Monday morning with a running nose and a heavy head and I didn't feel very well. I guess the low temperature in the classroom of the conference center has finally caught up with me L

But having no other options (here are no substitutes to take over my teaching ;-)) I got up, took a shower and left for the conference center. I swallowed a pain killer before leaving and that made me feel a little better for a couple of hours. All day long I simply swallowed another pain killer whenever my head started hurting. So I managed to get through the day.

I was also lucky because the participants suggested that we spent an hour visiting the traditional school of arts here in Thimphu after lunch. I agreed and felt relieved to get a break from having to focus on the teaching. It was much easier to just follow the others around ;-)

And it was a great trip - I am so amazed what people here can do with their hands. I asked the teacher, Pema Dorji, who is attending the master trainer course but normally working at that school if they ever had to dismiss some young people because they didn't have enough talent and skills to become artists. He said "No" and looked at me as if I were mad. When you see the trainees sitting there practicing all day long - for 6 years - well, maybe it is true then that everybody can learn this handicraft to some degree. But surely some must be very good and others a little bit less good? Actually they have English and the Dzongkha (the Bhutanese language) some hours a couple of days a week but the rest of the time is practicing what their teacher show them to draw/form/carve etc.

They also had a small showroom where I found a beautiful painting of a dragon in black and gold. I bought this for only 500 NU (55 Dkr. - 7,4 Euro).

When I came home I fell asleep for a couple of hours - then got up and prepared for Tuesday - and went right back to sleep hoping to feel better tomorrow.