Discovering Bhutan: Land of Gross National Happiness

"People from foreign countries shall not be welcomed" is carved into a black stone containing Bhutan's founding document, which may help to explain why this reclusive Himalayan kingdom, sometimes called the Last Shangri-La, is so little understood.

Janet Schofield felt like she jumped off a cliff when, in her mid-sixties, she left her position as a professor of psychology in the US to help start a new college in the remote Himalayan kingdom, where gods live on mountain tops, mermaids live in lakes, and spirits inhabit rocks, cliffs and trees. She went on a one-year contract, but stayed for more than a decade, enchanted by the beauty of Bhutan's pristine environment, the richness of its unique and fascinating culture and the warm welcome she received from people in all walks of life- yak herders, monks, students and members of the royal family alike.

Here she offers you an enthralling portrait of this tiny, reclusive country has which gained international admiration for its remarkable environmental policies, a peaceful transition from absolute monarchy to democracy, success in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and for originating the ground-breaking development philosophy of Gross National Happiness.

Hike with Janet three days to the home of the abominable snowman, sleeping on the dusty wooden floor of a school and in a dilapidated shed. Join her at the King's palace for brunch, served outdoors on elegant white and gold china. Accompany her as she teaches young monks English vocabulary using Simon Says. Learn how animist and Buddhist practices shape everything from children's names to environmental preservation. Reflect with her on what is lost and what it gained as a country that changed little over 500 years, traditionally choosing respect for elders, the environment and local deities as well as cohesion within villages and isolation from the outside world, enters the age of the internet and experiences the challenges that this poses while also striving for Gross National Happiness..

Janet Ward Schofield has travelled to over one hundred countries on five continents. Bhutan, where she went on a one-year contract to help establish the country's first private college and stayed for over a decade, is her favorite. Before that, she was a professor of psychology at the U. of Pittsburgh, and she earlier taught at Spelman College. She earned her AB, MA and PhD from Harvard University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She's the award-winning author of many published works.