A month of love and labour

The month-long summer vacation for students mean longer days fun, frolic and work with their parents

The extension of summer vacation to a month, this year, came as a breath of monsoon breather as students went back home to help their parents in the fields while some ventured into part time jobs to earn their own pocket moneys.

Unlike the other months, summer heralds the season of plantations and farmers often face the most difficult task of not having enough workers to till the fields. The additional hands meant that they were atleast assured of adequate help from their school going children this time.

Sonam Dorji, 17, a student from Monggar, said that the month long vacation was very productive for him since he could do lots of work.

“I am happy that I could help my parents with agricultural works since it was a paddy planting season,” he said, adding that he could also complete his project work without having to compromise between his work in the fields and studies.

He said that this year he was hopeful that he wouldn’t have to worry about his school expenses.”The agriculture yields seem promising this year and in addition our dairy farm had made good income for my family,” Sonam said.

He also said that he is happy this year for being able to help his parents and also being able to spend his vacation in a fruitful manner.

Sonam further mentioned that he has better plan for his summer vacation next year.”I will also encourage other young friends of my village to come forward in bringing up an innovative farming style in our village,” he said.

Likewise Kuenzang Namgay, 18, a student from Punakha, said that helping his parents meant everything for him. “I couldn’t lend my hand to my parents, especially in the summer time, since I am a boarding student. However, this year I am glad that I could help them in the farms.”

He said that in his 18 years of living in village, he finally came to know the importance of agriculture and that drives him to become a farmer. However, his parents still wants him to study and pursue a different career.

Kuenzang said that while the problem of unemployment is on rise in urban centers there are lots of things that young people can take up at the villages but everyone ignored it.

“I am going to be an educated farmer someday and set an example to other young friends.” He further mentioned that he doesn’t want to go and look for jobs and waste his precious time searching for jobs, instead he will love to stay back home and take advantage of the situation back at the village.

Like Namgay, Pema Choki, a student of Thimphu, told to The Journalist that she opted to stay back in her village to help her single mother after she couldn’t qualify for government school after her tenth grade. However, she said that her mother and sisters had forced her to study.”I decided pursue my further studies with hopes to pay back my mother and sisters devotion towards me,” she added.

She said that the monthlong vacation was good news. “Unlike past I got plenty of time for my family as well as for my school project works,” Pema added.

Pema further mentioned that if she didn’t qualify for further studies after completion of her studies she would definitely like to go back to her village and help her mother.

Similarly, Dorji a student from Paro, said that she went back to her village during her vacation. But like other friends, she couldn’t be of much help in the fields since she had been busy weaving.

“Lhuentse is gifted with the art of kushuthara weaving and I had been trained by my mother since my primary school,” she said, adding that the summer holidays was a gift from government to underprivileged students like her.

She said it is always painful to see her parents work so hard day and night and later sacrifice every single penny just to pay her school fees.

“When other friends of my age enjoy their vacation in town, I decided to go back to village and make use of my vacation and weave Kushuthara to earn my school fees,” she added.

The students dust themselves after a hard day’s toil and rush to the towns to do their shopping. Until next year, the month-long vacation has finally drawn to an end.