As researchers, we travel to different countries for conferences and research exchanges without anyone finding it particularly exciting, but when we tell them that we have been to Bhutan, people raise their eyebrows and ask curious questions. In September 2022, we made our third trip to Bhutan to continue and further develop our research collaboration between Khesar Gyalpo Medical University and Uppsala Child and Baby Lab.
Our focus is on developmental psychology, and this time with children between the ages of 3 and 5. Our questions include how the mental health of the parents (especially the mothers) affects the children’s development, and how other factors such as family finances, rural/urban environment, and spiritualism affect developmental outcomes.
We have also done similar studies in Sweden, but it is only in the contrast with Bhutan that we can fully understand how different development mechanisms interact with the environment. Bhutan is a unique context because it provides the opportunity to look beyond Western, industrialized communities which not only dominate but also bias scientific literature in child development.
It is also only when we ourselves are moved from our usual environment in Sweden that we can understand what the environment of Bhutan really mean. If a picture says a thousand words, a journey says more than words can express. Bhutan, with its culture, nature and people makes one understand at the very first moment that it is a unique geography. Thanks to our host Wangchuk, we had the opportunity to work undisturbed at the University, to see the city and countryside beyond the tourist routes, and to make new connections with people working for human health in Bhutan.
During our meetings, we presented our previous research in Bhutan and discussed about our long-term collaborations in the future. We had the opportunity to listen to our Bhutanese colleagues and their experiences during data collection, which took place in the Summer of 2022. Despite the challenges of monsoon season, the data from five-hundred children and an equal number of adult caregivers was collected very effectively.
Afterwards, we were invited to a particularly memorable traditional Bhutanese dinner at the Folk Heritage Museum together with distinguished people from the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan: the president of, Dr. Kinzang P. Tshering madame Registrar Ms. Deki Wangmo, sir Dean Dr. Chencho Dorjee and many additional friends and collaborators.
First, drinks were served with snacks and yak skin to eat while we chatted with each other. Many different and delicious dishes were served as a buffet with vegetables, meat, fish, and chili as a common denominator. The dinner ended with speeches that everyone expressed their gratitude towards evolving relationship between Bhutan and Sweden, gifts and a group photo.
Another memorable event was a visit to a health clinic outside Paro. We were given a tour by the local doctor, and we were impressed by their work to reach all the families in their catchment area. Every month they do fieldwork at satellite facilities beyond the end of the road, so that all families have access to health care. Even if the premises are simple and the medicine stocks are limited, everything is characterized by an awareness of the resources and how to use them in the best way. Meticulous records of children’s social, cognitive, linguistic milestones and intervention programs to support development demonstrate the importance given to early child development.
In the end, what was most rewarding was the contact with the people of Bhutan and their culture. Bhutan is characterized by a calmness that was felt both in the city environment and in the way people spoke to each other. Perhaps this is a consequence of the through-line of Buddhism? Hospitality and dedication for working together for common ideals seem to constitute the fabric of the society. We visited Buddha Point (Buddha Dordenma statue), local monasteries and Tiger’s Nest, which provided unforgettable experiences and an understanding of how spiritualism is part of everyday life in Bhutan. Also, the multitude of prayer flags on the mountain sides constantly remind us of values beyond the mundane chores of everyday life. Certainly, this form of spiritualism may be able to reduce stress and contribute to a sense of calmness at the societal level.
We notice that the people of Bhutan are proud of their country, and with every right. At the same time, there is concern about the contemporary changes that are taking place, both on a global level (such as rampant climate consequences, increased screen time of children due to digitalization), and on a regional level such as rapid urbanization and relevant societal changes. No one knows how different factors will affect and change Bhutan, but we hope that they manage to balance the development so that they can combine the benefits from the various influencing factors. And we hope that we can continue to cooperate with our friends and colleagues in Bhutan to promote a good development.
Pär Nyström and Umay Şen
From left Dr. Chencho Dorjee (dean), Umay Şen (PhD student, Uppsala),
Diktshya Bista (clinical advisor), Gustaf Gredebäck (professor, Uppsala), Sangay Namgyel (lecturer), Dr. Kinzang P. Tshering (President), Tshering Wangmo (lecturer), Johanna Hellberg (psychologist), Wangchuk (vice dean), Pär Nyström (asst professor), Deki Wangmo (registrar)