Friday, April 08, 2016

Bien and Elle are moving up today

The School of Academics and Arts (TSAA) will be having its moving up event today. So Elle Marie and Bien Mary will be officially done with their Grade 4 and Kinder 2 schooling. Congrats girls, am very happy.


Last Monday, they have a special event at the school, 9-10:30am for the pre-schoolers and 10:30-12 for the grade schoolers.


The program, Elle's classmates on the left, Bien's classmates on the right.


The school's wall inside the lobby. These are the paintings of grade schoolers, Grade 1 to 4. I think some painting by the Kinder students too.


The small stage in the lobby. More paintings hanging on the ceiling.


Inside Bien's classroom. Teacher V asked them to spell some words, later asked them to write their answers to some basic math questions in  addition and subtraction. They also have a short dance number. Us parents were watching at the back.


Then they watched a short video presentation of their photos this school year. Having some laughter and play before watching the video.


On one wall of Bien's classroom.


One dance number that Elle and her classmates performed.


Inside their classroom, they have a few short games.


They wrote in this wall their description and feelings about the school.


Then back to the lobby. The last activity was an on the spot painting by the students. Well not a full painting, they just have to finish a pre-painted frame, add things that come to their imagination.



Joseph discussing with his mom, Elle and Mark.


The moving up ceremony will be held 9am today at The Spotlight MAC Center, The Circuit, Makati. I saw the place yesterday, beautiful. Nice lights, great sound system, comfy elevated seats.

Paro airport, Bhutan

After a cancelled  flight from Bangkok to Bhutan last November 22, 2015, our flight resumed the next day,  November 23. We went to Bhutan to attend the Economic Freedom Network (EFN) Asia Conference 2015. This is Bhutan International Airport in Paro, another province about 1 hour by car  from Thimphu, the capital.


Just a medium-size building in traditional Bhutan architecture.


These 3 photos I got from the web. The airport and the runway is surrounded by mountains on all sides -- front, back, left and right of the runway. Bhutan being mountainous, the valley in Paro seems to be the widest flatland area in that country, that's why the airport was built there.


Before the plane reaches the runway, it has to  negotiate huge mountains and fly in  between some of them so that when it reaches the runway, it's already on a low altitude so that it can brake faster and not reach the end of the runway that is facing another small mountain.


Just huge and  wide mountains. Many are fully vegetated, others have only grasses. These mountains could be almost solid rocks, little top soil to support trees.


Some lowland areas are used for agriculture and residential purposes. Some deforestation should be due to harvesting of wood for houses and furnitures.


An example of a mostly rocky mountain.


Lots of rivers in between mountains. This long and winding road could be the road connecting Paro and Thimphu, running along a river.



The plane has passed the taller mountains, negotiating a descend towards the valley. A temple and few houses on  the right.


A small farming village near the airport.


These structures look like a school. Across the river is the runway.