Some introductions are in order.
I am Michael Givel, an associate professor of political science http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/G/Michael.S.Givel-1/ at the University of Oklahoma located in Norman, Oklahoma, USA. In March 2009, I was awarded a Fulbright to Bhutan to conduct teaching and research at the Royal Institute of Management near Thimphu, Bhutan. I am the first U.S Fulbright to go to Bhutan. Joining me on this journey to this beautiful country, also known as the land of the thunder dragon, will be my wife Becky and 10 year old son Noah.
From June to December 2009, we all will be exploring and blogging about our trip to this country and posting entries including numerous pictures. While there, Becky will be writing research papers in botany. Noah will be attending a school in Bhutan that will be the equivalent of fifth grade here in the U.S. We will all be in Bhutan by the beginning of July 2009. Right now as you might imagine we are all engaged in numerous last minute trip preparations.
In case you have not heard about Bhutan's only commercial airport--Paro Airport, the following is a video from the cockpit of Druk Air--the official airlines of Bhutan on the approach and landing to Paro Airport: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c05T0VK2ytI&feature=related The airport has visual flight rules meaning no radar and night landings. After watching this video you might see why! This trip will be quite an adventure right from the beginning.
