Experience the Magic: Bhutan (video)

Naropa.edu/Bhutan; Wisdom Quarterly

(Naropa.edu) In 2013, Naropa and the Royal University of Bhutan signed an agreement for Naropa to be the gateway university in North America to offer a semester-long study abroad program for undergraduates. Exchange students will be fully immersed in Bhutanese culture.

Naropa Study Abroad in Bhutan

Bhutanese courtyard, Bhutan (naropa.edu)

The Naropa University Bhutan Study Abroad Program is a unique opportunity for international studies at the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB), nestled just beneath Tibet and to the east of Nepal, high in the Himalayas.

 

In this student travel program, open to all students currently enrolled at a U.S. university, participans will spend a semester at RUB, fully immersed in Bhutanese culture, experiencing the arts, [Buddhist/Bon] spirituality, sustainable practices, mythology, education, happiness, and extraordinary landscapes similar to those in Nepal and Tibet.

Asia has the world's biggest mountains in Pakistan (K2), Nepal (Mt. Everest)

   

Chortens, small stupas or reliquaries

The vibrant union of this ancient Himalayan culture with Bhutan's modern global leadership in Gross National Happiness [counterpart to U.S. corporate capitalist "Gross National Product"] provides a fertile ground for international studies, and inspires creative research.

 

As one engages in cross-cultural explorations and encounter diverse views, one will be introduced to effective tools for intercultural work, including environmental studies, contemplative practices, deep listening, and holding complex realities. Through international studies and student travel experience, one will gain a sense of leadership, finding a confident voice and understanding of one's role as a global citizen.

 

As a RUB student, dress in traditional Bhutanese clothing, live with Bhutanese students in campus dorms, eat in the cafeteria, and more, immersed in a culture based on happiness and anchored in Buddhist traditions that originated in Tibetan or Vajrayana Buddhism. 

 

When in Bhutan, see the Giant Buddha (ST)

There are three required Naropa University courses and a choice of two RUB courses, for a total of 15 credits per semester. For Naropa students, these credits will apply toward one's major or electives.

Students from other U.S. universities should consult with their academic adviser to see how these credits will apply.

English is the language of instruction in most Tibetan and Bhutanese schools and universities. Following a three-week orientation training with Naropa faculty, participants will spend the semester in residence at a selected RUB campus taking international studies courses and completing NU courses, including a research project. Read "Circling Back to the Source" in the spring issue of Naropa Magazine as an example.

2015 Blog

Be sure to check out Anne Parker's blog (Spring 2015 lead faculty in Bhutan).

Courses

When in Bhutan, visit the Himalayan Yetis.

View course descriptions of Naropa courses, as well as courses offered at the Royal University of Bhutan. Students admitted to Naropa's Bhutan Study Abroad program will be expected to participate in a 4-week online orientation program during the fall semester prior to departure. There are no costs nor grades associated with this online orientation, but participation is expected. 

Dates for Spring 2015 semester: Jan. 18-June 11

 View the Bhutan Study Abroad Student Handbook for more detailed information. 

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