University of Wisconsin–Madison

Bhutan: Ori Arvidson (Our Global Classroom

Kuzuzangpo la!

Three students standing around a tree. One measures it while the others hold paper and clipboards.
Members of my group measuring the diameter of a blue pine

Here in Bhutan with the School of Field Studies, classes look quite different from Madison. The one similarity is that classroom lectures are 50 minutes in length; however, beyond that is where things become much more different. First off, the cohort for the spring 2025 semester is 26 people, myself included, and we all have classes together. So it’s sort of combination of discussion class size, with a FIG structure. On a typical day, our first class will begin at 8:30AM, and then we’ll have two more classes before lunch and one class after lunch. Or alternatively, we may have classes in the morning, with a field exercise (FEX) or field lecture (FL) in the afternoon. Some FEXs and FLs happen while we are on a trip to another part of Bhutan. A week ago and a half ago we traveled to the capital city Thimphu and got to see the Royal Textile Museum, Takin Reserve, and important religious and cultural landmarks in the area in relation to our studies. Most recently, we had a field exercise where we used basic forestry equipment to better understand stand characteristics of a forest and how foresters measure the stock of a forest. Field exercises and lectures may last a few hours, but part of the time includes driving, so it’s pretty similar to going on a field trip for a class back in Madison! Having the opportunity to learn outdoors in a hands on way has been a very rewarding experience and I am excited for what the rest of the semester will have to offer!

A selfie of Ori in grassy field, with a row of trees behind.

Ori Arvidson

Hometown: Hartford, Wisconsin

Major: Conservation Biology; Environmental Studies

Program: SFS Himalayan Studies

I chose my program is because of the unique ecosystem and landscape of Bhutan and the culture.  I am looking forward to learning about Buddhism and Paro Taktsang.