A couple of recent trips to the far-Eastern kingdom of Bhutan left me fascinated by its culture and people. A dedication to traditional methods of farming and production has carried over to attitudes about other traditions of culture and religion. In a time of massive techical upheaval on a global scale, how can the people of Bhutan open thier doors to the world and still protect their cultural practices — which emphasize hand-crafted arts, practicality blended with beauty, and simplicity of lifestyle — without being overrun by modern aesthetics and values? This question led me to develop relationships with groups and individuals who work with some of the poorest parts of Bhutan to discover ways in which I could offer my teaching skills, experience and connections to help achieve these goals. The result is  a pair of on-going projects which you can read more about by clicking on the links above.

—Diane

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