Ugyen Karma and Lundop,Director's
Assistant

HOW SMD HAS AFFECTED MY LIFE
By Ugyen Karma B196

My name is Ugyen Karma. I am from Bhutan, born in a village called Radhi of Trashigang Dzong. I started Shree Mangal Dvip School in 1994. I graduated from Class exactly ten years later.

Now I am in Portugal studying in St. Julian's (a British international school near Lisbon) as I was given a full three year scholarship. This is all because of two ex-students from St. Julian’s named Oliver Munnion and Ana Fletcher. Oli and Ana came to our school in Nepal and helped as interns.  After volunteering for five months they decided to offer a scholarship to one of the SMD students. They started by talking to the administration at St. Julian’s. So, that is how I am here in Portugal!

I am doing a three-year IB programme. The first year is Pre-IB, preparation for the next two years, the actual IB programme. During my three years of study, I am living with Oliver’s family. They are a wonderful people.

I think of myself as a very lucky person who got such a golden opportunity. In the beginning I was lucky to be in Shree Mangal Dvip School, which is really a wonderful school. It was my home. I spent more than half my life at SMD. The school gave me everything I needed. If SMD School had not been there, this scholarship wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you everyone who helped in bringing me up to this stage. Special thanks go to Thrangu Rinpoche (founder of our school) Shirley Blair (Director of our SMD) and the Munnions for making this possible.

I am not quite sure with what I might want to do after my IB course is finished, but what I am sure about is that I want to help Thrangu in the future. One of the things I will be doing in relation to that aim is to make the work of Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche known all over the world