Bhutan...

is now a democracy.

Le Wire est mort, ...

... vive le Wire.

In honor of those multitudes who have not finished watching the 5th season, I will not be writing anything about the final episode of the final season.

Except..

I want it to start all over again.

YES!! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! Oh God YES!!

After years and years of being here in the US as a student, and suffering the indignities and the inconveniences of being given only a single-entry 3-month entry visa for Bhutanese students, this piece of news is so so welcome.

U.S. visas for Bhutanese upgraded

22 December, 2007 - Bhutanese students, exchange visitors, and their spouses and children travelling to the U.S. will now get a two-year visa from U.S. embassies and consulates anywhere in the world, says a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two-year visas of the two categories have also been upgraded to “multiple entries,” which means Bhutanese students in the U.S. can come home for holidays and go back without having to apply for another visa, so long as it is within the two-year period.

Before, U.S. visas for the two categories were “single entry” and could only be availed from the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, India.

The press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the revised visa rule was made by the U.S. State Department and came into effect from December 3, 2007.

“This collaboration is a reflection of the existing friendly relations between Bhutan and the United States and the growing cooperation between the two countries,” according to the press release

In all the years that I've been here it has been such a massive undertaking to plan a trip home. Or to even leave the country to visit some other country. Everytime I went back home I had to plan a trip to New Delhi, reserve a date for a visa interview well in advance, re-prepare all my paperwork, and then apply for a student visa.. just so that I could come back to the US to continue my program. That always took a good week or so off of my vacation!!

This major impractical inconvenience made travel such a pain. It made me feel like I was in exile, restricted within the borders of this country coz I didn't even have the freedom to travel, or the freedom to go home when I pleased. I'm sure I speak for all the Bhutanese students when I say all this. This single-entry visa policy effectively ruined whatever travel dreams I had, be it a trip back home, or a trip anywhere else.

But now that has changed! Good heavens, what a relief. A little late for me now, but it will help a whole new generation of students to be closer to home. A multiple-entry, 2-year visa for Bhutanese students should have been the norm decades ago. But, better late than never.

I applaud this effort on part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US State Department. Hope some of those letters I wrote had an effect on this decision.

PHEW.

YAYYYY.

Bush 'commutes' Scooter Libby's 30 month sentence

WTF


can you believe that?

Sheeesh...

how depressing!