A Panoramic View of Kathmandu

I am glad I got to the internet cafe right after the power came back...people swarmed here. The power goes out basically whenever it feels like it. On Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 -9pm the area I live in has a blackout...it's actually not bad, and kinda nice to sit by candle light and headlamp. :) For 2 hours one of those days, I sat around with Liz, Diebou, Tara and my family making finger puppets and playing games. It was great.

So often, at least a dozen times a day, I say to myself "it's the Nepali way." What with the power going out; the smells - and seeing kids pee right in the middle of the fruit and vegetable market - the smells the smells; the crazzzzzy drivers (I still have my toes!); teachers at school just not showing up to class (yah, I know...no phone calls, no notice - they just don't show up when they feel like it); HA! a National Holiday being called less than 12 hours before the day of the holiday(because of the new President and people in office - only in Nepal!); people constantly being late - on Nepali time (however, I must admit I am completely falling in to that category - not for school or yoga - but other than that, what's the hurry?!); the side to side head nods (which I also must admit I am doing as well) - it can be a little confusing though, especially when teaching. I'll ask them "do you understand?" and the students will give a side to side nod...ummmmmm...is that a 'yes' or a 'no'...so I mostly assume that they don't understand and I will find a more simple way to explain; also the leering men - gross! especially in a group of 3+ foreigners - oh TJ save me :); people just tossing their trash where ever they damn well please.
I find that Nepal is FULL of paradox. The people here talk about making a more safe and healthy environment. Yet, they continue to pile trash on the streets, pee and shit where ever because they gotta go (sorry if that's too much, but it's true), the drivers that are nuts! which cause endless accidents, and probably loose several toes a day. Also the poor dogs...there are so many strays searching through all of the trash, with rib cages bulging out and horrific looking cuts, bites, flee infestations, swollen body parts. It breaks my heart. If I were to live here permanently I would end up adopting so many dogs - and puppies. It's even worse that there is no care, no neutering, so there are more and more dogs by the day...though a lot die as well.
Despite all of the negative things, Nepal has such beauty...Kathmandu, not so much. Though the temples are a huge exception, they are phenomenal, and you won't find trash around the temples. I love my house and find it has it's own Nepali charm, probably because I love Didi and Amma so much, and we got hot water - wahoooo! There may be some really nasty men, like in all countries, but there are amazing people here as well. When ever I am in a foul mood, or stressed out walking down the street, if I see a child, I just find myself smiling. And smiles here are contagious. The mother will smile, the children will smile, and that makes up for the desperate fight to keep my toes and the gross men. It is amazing too that considering the conditions of living here, you will always see Nepali's laughing and smiling.

We take so much for granted in America.

As far as the political situation here, the election in April was majority Maoist. That was for seats in the Parliament. They have a majority of seats. There was another election, last week, for President, and Vice, etc. and to vote on that were the people holding seats in the Parliament. The Maoists did not win that. Now they are on the opposition in party (like Democrats vs. Republican, but more extreme), but at least they are still involved and not rioting and being overtly violent. The BIG issue, which caused several strikes, was when the new Vice President gave his acception speech in Hindi which was translated into English, and only spoke to the benefit of the Indian people in Nepal specifically in the Terai Region - close to the Indian boarder. People were pissed, and rightfully so...especially if a Nepali speaks neither Hindi nor English - how the hell are they supposed to understand what their new government official is saying! And there are SO many issues - health care, infrastructure, basic sanitary needs, education, the list goes on - and for him to only speak about the Terai Region regarding people who are not native to this land is, well, it's fucked up. The Parliament was just voting today whether or not the Vice should give his speech again, in Nepali - which I think is obvious - YES! so that is the brief synopsis of what is going on here.

I hope you enjoyed this pamoramic view of Kathmandu.