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When her husband of 30 years passed away in 2018, Bak sought out and experienced many spiritual practices. During her six months in Bali, the 70-year-old woman stayed at a cafe where locals were using various metal gongs for sound therapy, which they called gong meditation. Initially skeptical, Bak quickly fell in love with the practice and began practicing it herself.
"One morning I woke up and said to myself,I will bring the gongs to Bhutan.".
From tourist to family member
When Fran Bak first arrived in Bhutan in November 2019, she had no idea what awaited her. Initially, Bhutan – which means "Land of the Thunder Dragon" in the local language – had never been on Bak's list of destinations. But she had heard that it was the country that had established the National Happiness Commission and was known as "the last Shangri-La of the world." So, one day near the end of 2019, she contacted MyBhutan Travel Company through a referral, and the company's driver Gambo and guide Tashi took on the responsibility of guiding her.
Initially, Bak thought her two Bhutanese friends were too quiet. Gambo and Tashi, on the other hand, thought Bak and her gong were too loud. During a visit to Gambo's hometown of Nabji in central Bhutan, Bak fell ill and was lovingly cared for by the villagers. From then on, a deep bond was formed. Bak said the villagers called herlah, which means "older sister". Not only does she love the people of Bhutan, but she is also captivated by the country's picturesque countryside, to the point of exclaiming that it truly is a "dreamland".
Bak stayed in Bhutan for three months, a month longer than originally planned. By the end of the trip, Bak, Gambo, and Tashi had "become a family," having visited 18 out of Bhutan's 20 districts together. After Bak left in February 2020, they remained in touch via phone and WhatsApp.
"I still believe that coming to this country was destiny. Now, I feel Bhutan is my home. I belong here," Bak said.
From 2020 to early 2021, Fran Bak continued planning her return to the country. She shared, “Bhutan is like an addiction. Once you start, you always crave to go there.”
As Covid-19 swept across the world, Bak thought she wouldn't be able to return to Bhutan anytime soon. However, she remained in contact with the travel company MyBhutan and expressed her desire to return. The company then proposed that the government consider granting Bak special entry. Surprisingly, the Bhutanese Tourism Board and government agencies, including the National Covid-19 Task Force, approved the request.
“I received a call from MyBhutan saying, ‘We can bring you to Bhutan, but you will have to quarantine for three weeks.’ Of course, I gladly agreed. I guess they must have gone through a lot of procedures to get me here,” Bak recalled.
Although the Bhutanese government states that tourist visas may be granted on a case-by-case basis, Bak was in fact the first person to receive one since March 2020, and to date, the only application. A representative of the Bhutanese government confirmed that the Tourism Board offered to cover Bak's quarantine costs, but she declined and chose to pay for them herself. She said it was a way for her to "show solidarity."
Return to Bhutan - return home.
Upon arriving in Bhutan, Bak was greeted by the media from the airport onwards, her image constantly appearing on the front pages of local newspapers. Only then did Bak realize she had made history. She had never expected such greetings, thanks, and welcomes from the people. This made Bak believe that everything was worth it to get there.
"Returning to Bhutan is like returning home. My dream began in Bhutan, and it will never end," Bak said.
The first person Bak contacted after returning to Bhutan was Gambo. This time, Gambo and Tashi accompanied Bak throughout her journey. During her three-month stay, she planned to visit monasteries and various Buddhist establishments and continue performing her gong-based meditation practice. She said that this method has many benefits, helping people relax their minds and souls. She wanted to travel everywhere to play the gongs and conduct sound therapy. She said that the gong performances in Bhutan helped her feel more connected to the local people, “When performing, I observe people and see that I have made a difference, just as they have made a difference in my life.” Bak also sought out less touristy areas and chose to stay with locals to “see people light butter lamps (made from Tibetan yak milk) on their ancestral altars.”
"This country is beautiful, and the people show love and compassion. The way of life and love here is very different from the rest of the world," she shared.
Even before the pandemic, traveling to Bhutan wasn't easy for everyone. The government implemented a "High Value, Low Impact" policy, meaning tourism should bring significant value to the country while minimizing its impact. This meant visiting the Kingdom was extremely expensive and regulated to prevent overtourism. All visas had to be issued through a government-approved tour operator, and a mandatory daily tax of US$250 (approximately VND 5,700,000) was applied to all visitors.
Matt DeSantis, co-founder of MyBhutan and the person who wholeheartedly helped bring Bak back to Bhutan, said Bak's visit could also be seen as a test case to consider fully opening up tourism in Bhutan. "Fran Bak has made breakthroughs in many ways; she is a beacon of hope for the tourism industry," he said.
Although there is no specific information yet, Matt said he heard that Bhutan will officially reopen sometime between mid-December 2020 and February 2021. Currently, the government still allows anyone to visit the country as long as they agree to undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine if they are unvaccinated, and 14 days if they have received both doses.
Agreeing with Bhutan's COVID-19 prevention measures, Bak shared that her visit would not have been possible without a true leader, which Bhutan is very fortunate to have.
She said, "Your Majesty is an example of solidarity between communities, and Bhutan's response to the pandemic is a testament to the importance of having a dedicated leader. This is an honest assessment from a foreigner who has witnessed their own country's failure in the fight against Covid-19. That's why I know I will never regret this decision, because I know I will be safe here. After three months, let's see what fate decides, but I will never stop returning to Bhutan anyway."
