Balancing Dreams and Reality: Embracing Unexpected Paths in Pursuit of Success

Dreams are an integral part of our lives, but not everyone can fulfill them according to their desires. Individuals have their own dreams and aspirations, and sometimes they are forced to abandon their ambitions due to parental decisions. This factor can significantly disrupt personal interests and opportunities in the workforce within our society.

As an individual, I once dreamt of becoming an engineer. However, after completing my secondary education, I did not meet the requirements for pursuing my dream. Instead, I decided to pursue my field of interest and joined a Polytechnic institute. Unfortunately, this did not work out due to conflicting opinions between my brother and me. He wanted me to become a teacher, and ultimately, I had to comply. This experience taught me that sometimes, you don't need a specific plan; you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.

Even after entering the teaching profession, the desire to become an engineer never completely faded from my mind. The thought continued to resurface because I noticed that many of my friends who graduated from polytechnic were earning a better living as engineers. Ultimately, I realized that money does matter to some extent.

As a teacher, it has become necessary for us to continually upgrade our qualifications. It has become challenging to sustain ourselves with just a degree qualification in this profession, as it is quite precarious. Consequently, I applied for the TICA scholarship program in Bhutan and pursued a Master of Science in Physics. I successfully completed the interview in July last year and received the acceptance letter from Mahidol University in Thailand in February this year.

To my surprise, the Master of Science in Physics program had been revised to Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering. This development greatly inspired me because the course aligned with my aspiration to become an engineer. Since I will be studying in a field related to engineering, I do not regret not being able to fulfill my ambition of becoming an engineer. I will give my best effort and trust in a higher power for the rest.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Royal Government of Bhutan, particularly the Ministry of Education and RCSC, for providing free education and offering this opportunity. Furthermore, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Thai government and Mahidol University for considering me for their full scholarship program.

ROAD TO MY CAREER

1. Education and Professional Journey:
2. Dechheling Lower Secondary School: Commenced enrollment at Dechheling Primary School in 1993 at the PP level. 
3. Progressed to Class I in 1994. Advanced to Class II in 1995. 
4. Elevated to Class III in 1996. Promoted to Class IV in 1997. 
5. Uplifted to Class V in 1998. 
6. Achieved promotion to Class VI in 1999 and undertook the board examination. 
7. Sarpang Higher Secondary School: Enrolled in Class IX in 2002. 
8. Successfully completed Class X in 2003 and participated in the BCSE exam. 
9. Zhemgang Higher Secondary School: Enrolled in Class XI in 2004. 
10. Attained completion of Class XII in the Science stream (ISCE) in 2005. 
11. Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag: Took on the role of an Apprentice Teacher at Tsaling CPS in 2006. 
12. Paro College of Education: Engaged in the pursuit of a Bachelor of Secondary Education degree from 2007 to 2009. 
13. Wangduephodrang Dzongkhang: Served as an educator at Bajothang Higher Secondary School from 2010 to June 2015. 
14. Thailand: Undertook a Master of Science (M.Sc) program in Materials Science and Engineering at Mahidol University from July 2015 to July 2017. 
15. Acknowledges the nearly 24-year journey to reach the current stage of their professional career and personal development. Expresses sincere gratitude to the Royal Government and the courageous Kings of Bhutan for their unwavering support.