STORY OF A COMMON MAN

Not-so-young Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal was then called Guyoum Tsalo.

My name is Jigme and I come from Pema Gatshel. While I receive a state salary to support myself, I consider myself an independent researcher. I am grateful to my country for providing me with this opportunity, even though I sometimes feel I am not living up to the expectations of my job description. As a result, I often take on additional tasks related to nature research. While I may not be an expert in many areas, I am knowledgeable about important and necessary topics. If anyone is interested in learning more about me, they can hire me for research related to nature. 

I am passionate about protecting the natural world, especially forests and the animals that call them home. However, I must admit that my knowledge of the subject matter is limited. Despite my lack of expertise, I have been employed as a Forest Ranger. During this time, I was responsible for marking trees for extraction, but I did not know the names or significance of the trees I was marking. This lack of knowledge made me feel disheartened and eventually led me to resign from the position. I worried about the potential damage I was causing by marking trees without a full understanding of their importance. Although leaving the job may have relieved my guilt, I am uncertain if it was the best decision.

According to my terms of reference, I was responsible for apprehending individuals who were illegally cutting down trees without proper marking, fishing without a valid permit, poaching wild animals, and collecting sand and boulders without permission. However, even though these were my assigned duties, I felt conflicted because many of the people I encountered were struggling to make a living and may not have been fully aware of Bhutan's forest laws.

I apprehended illegal fishermen who lacked proper housing, caught wild animal poachers who barely had enough rice to survive (not even a proper home, just a shack), and held stone and sand collectors accountable for stealing from contractors who paid fines through representatives instead of facing consequences themselves. These experiences made me realize that although I was being paid for these tasks, they may not have been as crucial as I initially thought.

Over time, I worked hard to improve my qualifications and education, and I am grateful to my King and Country for the opportunities to advance my career through various exams and assessments. However, I cannot help but feel frustrated when I see others who have not put in the same effort and yet enjoy similar or even better privileges than those of us who have worked hard to enter and succeed in the civil service. It seems unfair that luck plays such a significant role in determining one's career path, and it is a source of disappointment for me to realize that I may not be as fortunate as others. Writing this "about me" section has only reminded me of this unfortunate reality.

In an attempt to distance myself from exploiting the poor and marginalized individuals who rely on natural resources for their survival, I transitioned to a different aspect of forestry work known as extension. However, this department has since been closed due to what I believe to be policy negligence or mismanagement by a colleague who lacked knowledge about forestry. I must admit that I was not suited for the extension work, and it was not my intention to work there. Nevertheless, some of my junior colleagues, who had lower levels of education and experience than I did, began to assert their authority as officers (even though they were only temporary stand-ins) and urged me to compete with them or overthrow them. This created an uncomfortable situation for me, as I am not someone who can flatter my bosses with empty words and gestures to advance my career. I do not wish to disparage our work culture, but I must acknowledge that the capability of juniors to please their superiors to secure desirable positions may play a role in this dynamic.

I must admit that I grew to appreciate the extension job as I worked in it and found that I made a greater contribution as an extension agent, rather than as someone who pursued those who relied on forests, wildlife, and rivers for their survival. Unfortunately, things changed for me when one individual began to question our ability to perform well in our role. This person doubted our qualifications and undermined our capacity, which I find difficult to understand. When considering my own qualifications, which include Pre-University Bio-Science from Sherubtse College (1996), a Professional High Standard Diploma in forestry from Northeast Forest Rangers' College, Assam, India (1998), a PG Diploma (Honours) in wildlife management from Wildlife Institute of India (2007), a B Sc in Forestry from College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan (2012), and an M Sc in Biodiversity, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (2016), I do not believe that anyone should question our capacity or our potential to contribute to the conservation of nature and the development of our nation.

I recall receiving an out-of-turn promotion for exceeding the expectations outlined in my job description. However, while I am grateful for the recognition, I cannot deny my disappointment at no longer having that role in where I excelled. Now I must adjust to working outside of my comfort zone, which has left me feeling as though my abilities and potential have been irreparably underestimated (at least in my own perception, if not in the eyes of those who manage me). As a result, I plan to continue pursuing independent research until I feel my reputation is rightfully acknowledged and respected.

Losing the job where I thrived has taught me a valuable lesson: life moves forward regardless of our circumstances. There is no going back, no reclaiming the time we've spent, and no chance to relive the same day twice. At times, our capacity may not matter, and our qualifications and skills may go underutilized. Yet, ultimately, it is our life that we are living, and that is what truly counts.

A final important aspect of me is that I am passionate about amphibians and reptiles in Bhutan. If you want to learn more about these species, you can contact me at jigmewangyal@gmail.com, and I am happy to provide my identification services for free. Alternatively, you can visit the Facebook group "Bhutan Herps" where we have international herpetologists who can assist you with information anytime, anywhere.

If you're interested in learning more about me and my skills, feel free to contact me 😂😂😂. I have a diverse range of abilities and am available for hire. This is the story of an ordinary person, just like anyone else.

Disclaimer

This is a personal statement and the content of this blog is not meant to harm or promote anyone or anything mentioned here. The use of the content of this blog, for either public or private purposes, by anyone is not authorized. Any resemblance to any person or character mentioned in this blog is purely coincidental as all characters mentioned are fictitious.

No more Guyoum Tsalo but Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal