Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya
... fascinating and so very readable. An American or Canadian high school or college student would likely find the work interesting and valuable for its adventuresome account.(Fritz Blackwell)... a memoir by Brita Das, a youngish Torontonian who was a Volunteer Service Overseas physiotherapist in the tiny country that until recently as all but closed to foreigners but now, also no doubt, grows more open all the time. She tells us a good deal about the country, its culture and customs, and a great deal about herself. So remote is the destination that this is only the second Canadian book about Bhutan.Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutan's charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.