Julie heading to hills of Bhutan
TO the east of Katmandu, high in the Himalayas, is a land that time forgot. Unravaged by the materialist West and dominant China just over the border, lies the idylic kingdom of Bhutan.
Now a young Drogheda schoolteacher aims to do her part in bringing much needed help to the people of a country, ábout the size of Switzerland, and with a population of 1.3 million.
Julie Christie from Mount Hanover will be a long way from her teaching days at Marymount School, Ballsgrove, and Mount Hanover in recent times, when she flys out on an epic 10 hour journey which will bring her over Mount Everest and into the heart of truly the last Shangri-la.
It’s a trip she has always wanted to undertake and her chance will come on February 3, when she Ieaves Ireland for Delhi before taking the only plane in the Bhutanese airline, an 18 seater, for the last leg of her journey.
“Unlike some other Third World countries, it is not ripped apart by starvation, because, despite being poor, there is enough for everyone,”, the 24-year-old explained. “It’s totally closed off from Western influence and only allows 2,500 tourists a year and they have to pay $200 tax every day!”
Julie will travel out with one other Irish girl from Ballyheigue, Co. Kerry, and three English workers as part of an APSO (Agency for Personal Service Overseas) and based in
Fitzwilliam Square.
“I’ll be going out to teach in primary schools, concentrating on maths and environmental issues, such as health, because the life expectancy is just 40 in the country,” she explained.
The reason for that is water contamination and with every known disease also present she has had to undergo long programmes of vacination. Her other problem will be the languages, which abound from “Dzongka” in the North to “Napolese” in the South.
With the Buddhist gods and gurus spread across the country and with temples dotted in similar locations, Julie’s favourite hobby art, wilí come in handy. “’ They are excellent weavcrs and artists and I’ve packed my paints,” she said.