Sorry I haven't written in a while. Last week was super busy at school and I have been working my butt off. It is great though.
On Thursday I went to a student's birthday party, Barsha - in grade 9 - and it was so much fun. The party was with Patel, Sudha, Barsha's wonderfully hospitable family and myself. The father played an old school accordion, the brother played the drums, the mother played the cymbals, and everyone was singing and clapping. It was so great to be a part of. They sang songs, accompanied by performing a ritual, to Krishna, Shiva, and about birth. We ate papaya, chocolate, and these soft deserts that are I think just flour, water, and sugar-water soaked (so rich!). Then we went to the other room, took pictures, drank tea, laughed and talked - until selfish Patel asked for the remote and turned the television on, I know, he is so dumb and inconsiderate - then we ate dinner. Lots of it.
That is one thing that is sooooo hard to do here - eat. It is an insult to not ask for seconds, and eat fast, and even more of an insult if you don't eat it all of your food. In the US I would not eat this much in my first helping if I was the one filling my plate - here I am eating soooo much more!!! Another thing about it is that it is a ton of starch - rice or roti and potatoes for every meal, some times even for breakfast. AND our dinner is always late. Amy and I have asked for it to be at 7 or 7:30, which happens for a couple of days, and then is at 9 - 9:30 again...ahhhhh! I am going to the gym now though, which is awesome.
I wish that it was safe for me to go hiking by myself. If it was I would go on every day I have off. Liz and I went to Sivapuri National Park yesterday to do a day hike. It was so refreshing to breath in fresh air and move around in nature. Not so refreshing though that I have a huge blister on my left heal. Not as big as my mutilated feet from a couple of years ago. (Some of you know what I am talking about.) But large and in charge nonetheless. Why??!! I have such bad luck, or some thing, I just don't get it. But I still love hiking; not only to get exercises but to get out of the city.
Living here has made me realize that when I do work again out of the US, I want to do it some where more remote. I am so sick of the city. I am sick of the pollution, the hacking and spiting, the honking and the traffic, the trash, the smells, the busy feeling, and most especially the stares. It's bad. It's really annoying. A lot of people here just have no shame and have no qualms about how they treat other people. Reading in the lonely planet that you should never raise your voice, touch some ones head, or stare at some one is a total joke - they are implying that is not appropriate in the Nepali culture, things they don't do and you should follow as well. People yell all the time. People are always hitting each other - oh it is hard in class some times. Parents are constantly smacking their children upside the head - not all parents of course, but not a day has gone by that I haven't seen it at least 3 times. And people stare. Maybe it is because I am white. Maybe because I live in a very non-tourist area, there seems to be a lot of it. Maybe people just stare because they like to stare. I don't know, but it does get annoying. I am one to people watch...I always have been. But there is a difference when you are watching some one, they see you watching them, and you avert your eyes or smile. Here people - men are the worst, but women and children definitely do it - stare with gaping black holes of mouths and if you look at them they just keep on keepin on. I mock their faces, and that usually makes them stop, for a few seconds. Long enough for them to register that I am mocking them...but then once you look away, there they are with their big gaping mouths - ready to catch a fly.
Don't get me wrong, I still love it here. It just gets to be a lot some times.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Fuck.
Fuck. I just got back from the immigration office to renew my visa. First let me express how shitty, stupid, frustrated, and pissed off I am. Now let me tell you why.
I am in Nepal for 2 too many days...little did I know that you could only be here for a grand total of 150 days on a tourist visa in one stay. so...this sucks balls (grand parents, and any one who is offended I apologize)- big ones. Now I have some options:
A)Go to India, or somewhere (I already have a valid Indian visa) for 15 days(=$$$)
B)be daring and don't do anything, until the day my final visa here expires and go to the department of departure - where I will have to pay $40 just to go to, and then a fine which I won't know until the day I go and would be a minimum of rs1000. (=$$$)
C)change my plane ticket to leave sooner (=$$$)
D) talk to a new friend, Aria, who has some serious connections with all of Nepal, literally, and was talking the other night about how easy it is to get around things especially with the duration you are here (=$$$, but I don't know how much)
So, now do you see why I feel shitty, stupid, frustrated, and pissed off (and cried in the immigration office).
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I really don't want a lecture about how I should have figured all this out sooner; I know I know I know.
I am in Nepal for 2 too many days...little did I know that you could only be here for a grand total of 150 days on a tourist visa in one stay. so...this sucks balls (grand parents, and any one who is offended I apologize)- big ones. Now I have some options:
A)Go to India, or somewhere (I already have a valid Indian visa) for 15 days(=$$$)
B)be daring and don't do anything, until the day my final visa here expires and go to the department of departure - where I will have to pay $40 just to go to, and then a fine which I won't know until the day I go and would be a minimum of rs1000. (=$$$)
C)change my plane ticket to leave sooner (=$$$)
D) talk to a new friend, Aria, who has some serious connections with all of Nepal, literally, and was talking the other night about how easy it is to get around things especially with the duration you are here (=$$$, but I don't know how much)
So, now do you see why I feel shitty, stupid, frustrated, and pissed off (and cried in the immigration office).
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. I really don't want a lecture about how I should have figured all this out sooner; I know I know I know.
Monday, August 25, 2008
you know...the life
All in all, all is well. I have decided to pick up some MORE classes, so in total I will be teaching 19 classes in 4 days...a little nuts. But like I said in my last post, I want to give these kids as much drama as they, and I, can handle.
I am in my last week of going to yoga class; it's bittersweet. I love going, and learning more and every time getting more focused in yoga and meditation. However, we (Liz and I that is) are almost done learning the entire sets of series, and I will still be doing it every morning. I will probably go to her house when I can to practice, as it is quieter and more neutral...or I will wake up early and do it on my roof. Every one wakes up so early here, so I sort of feel like the (one of the two) white lady in the neighborhood putting on a yoga show...which makes it a little more difficult to concentrate. The plus is that I won't have to wake up at 5:20, catch a tuk tuk, walk to yoga, and then after being so relaxed and feeling so great, going in to crazy Patan, where people stare, hork, honk, and almost drive your toes off - this is when all of the breathing and relaxation exercises go into complete reverse.
So, I am writing the script for classes 9 and 10 and I decided to write something that deals with many issues prevalent in Nepal: race (it is baffling!!!!!!!! there is whitening cream for the skin, and black and Indian people are stared at with horrific faces made to them...I have never seen discrimination like this before. Actually, it is quite disgusting.), religion, education in Kathmandu and in villages - and lack of education, the country's infrastructure, government control, lack of means to transportation, electricity, and clean water all around the country. I am hopeful that this will really challenge these students and make them think about themselves and their position here and how they want to form themselves in this struggling country. The awesome thing is that all of these ideas came from them. I did a mind map around education in Nepal, and there is so much that would be considered a disaster in America that is the back bone of the system here. No matter what the issue is, be it government, economics, sanitation issues, race, technology, family, or religion, I believe it ALL starts with education. Nothing will improve if the people are not educated and are not willing to be educated.
These students are.
I hope that by them speaking the words in this script, they will be more educated and informed about the dire situation(s) here, and that they will be willing to make a change, somehow.
I am in my last week of going to yoga class; it's bittersweet. I love going, and learning more and every time getting more focused in yoga and meditation. However, we (Liz and I that is) are almost done learning the entire sets of series, and I will still be doing it every morning. I will probably go to her house when I can to practice, as it is quieter and more neutral...or I will wake up early and do it on my roof. Every one wakes up so early here, so I sort of feel like the (one of the two) white lady in the neighborhood putting on a yoga show...which makes it a little more difficult to concentrate. The plus is that I won't have to wake up at 5:20, catch a tuk tuk, walk to yoga, and then after being so relaxed and feeling so great, going in to crazy Patan, where people stare, hork, honk, and almost drive your toes off - this is when all of the breathing and relaxation exercises go into complete reverse.
So, I am writing the script for classes 9 and 10 and I decided to write something that deals with many issues prevalent in Nepal: race (it is baffling!!!!!!!! there is whitening cream for the skin, and black and Indian people are stared at with horrific faces made to them...I have never seen discrimination like this before. Actually, it is quite disgusting.), religion, education in Kathmandu and in villages - and lack of education, the country's infrastructure, government control, lack of means to transportation, electricity, and clean water all around the country. I am hopeful that this will really challenge these students and make them think about themselves and their position here and how they want to form themselves in this struggling country. The awesome thing is that all of these ideas came from them. I did a mind map around education in Nepal, and there is so much that would be considered a disaster in America that is the back bone of the system here. No matter what the issue is, be it government, economics, sanitation issues, race, technology, family, or religion, I believe it ALL starts with education. Nothing will improve if the people are not educated and are not willing to be educated.
These students are.
I hope that by them speaking the words in this script, they will be more educated and informed about the dire situation(s) here, and that they will be willing to make a change, somehow.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Not too much is new...I am back in school today to talk to Grade 9 and 10, and get started on the writing. I wish my computer was in working condition...it's a little annoying especially since the library at school is not the best creative thinking environment.
It was Amy's birthday on Friday, so we celebrated Friday and last night. Here, if you are from the states, your birthday is a day and a half! On Friday we went to Pashupatinath, which is outside of the busy part of the city. Hindus go here when they have lost some one, and this is where they cremate their bodies and mourn. The body is sent down the river after the cremation and religious rituals. There are, what seems like 100's, of temples and shrines. It was very interesting to be there. After that we went to Bodnath stupa, I wrote about this great place last month. Following Bodnath, we went to Thamel and had some drinks - I had coffee, as waking up at 5:20 every morning catches up to me, and I haven't really wanted to drink alcohol here - at a restaurant called Rom Doodle. The walls are covered in feet, with writing from people all over the world who trekked in Nepal. It was pretty awesome, and there was live music which always makes it better.
Yesterday, Malai alchi lageo, I was feeling lazy. I did yoga in the a.m. followed by lunch and reading. Then we went out to an awesomely tasting dinner, where there was live jazz and blues. There was reggae night at Sam's, but I was pretty disappointed with the out come. I wanted to dance, but every one was just in their own personal conversation world, except for my friends and I. Some of us danced, but is was not quite what I expected. All in all a great couple of days, and now I am ready to get to teaching.
I am picking up some extra classes which I am really happy about. It is a lot, but we end this term on the 19th of September, and maybe sooner for me as the students have to prepare for their exams. So really that is not much time at all and I want to give these students all the drama they can handle. :)
It was Amy's birthday on Friday, so we celebrated Friday and last night. Here, if you are from the states, your birthday is a day and a half! On Friday we went to Pashupatinath, which is outside of the busy part of the city. Hindus go here when they have lost some one, and this is where they cremate their bodies and mourn. The body is sent down the river after the cremation and religious rituals. There are, what seems like 100's, of temples and shrines. It was very interesting to be there. After that we went to Bodnath stupa, I wrote about this great place last month. Following Bodnath, we went to Thamel and had some drinks - I had coffee, as waking up at 5:20 every morning catches up to me, and I haven't really wanted to drink alcohol here - at a restaurant called Rom Doodle. The walls are covered in feet, with writing from people all over the world who trekked in Nepal. It was pretty awesome, and there was live music which always makes it better.
Yesterday, Malai alchi lageo, I was feeling lazy. I did yoga in the a.m. followed by lunch and reading. Then we went out to an awesomely tasting dinner, where there was live jazz and blues. There was reggae night at Sam's, but I was pretty disappointed with the out come. I wanted to dance, but every one was just in their own personal conversation world, except for my friends and I. Some of us danced, but is was not quite what I expected. All in all a great couple of days, and now I am ready to get to teaching.
I am picking up some extra classes which I am really happy about. It is a lot, but we end this term on the 19th of September, and maybe sooner for me as the students have to prepare for their exams. So really that is not much time at all and I want to give these students all the drama they can handle. :)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Living to the fullest of my ability
I am feeling much better...I stopped the Malaria Meds for a couple days and felt like a queen. Then I started them again - to see if it is the meds or not - and had a fever. So...here is my game plan: I am going to take them at different times in the day - I was taking before bed, but maybe it takes a while for it to go through my system - so starting today I will take in the afternoon and see how I feel.
I feel like it is worth the experiment.
On a different note. Tara, my roommate, and Eve another house mate, are gone. Tara is in Canada, Eve in France and soon to be Poland. Now it is just Amy and myself. At least Amy is great and we get along really well...and laugh a LOT. For some reason when ever we go out together, we have the strangest encounters with Nepalis. (And we started Nepali lessons with Sudha yesterday...YAY!!!)
The night before Tara left we all went out to dinner...All the volunteers, Sudha (Patel's amazing and super sweet wife), Dhruba (who is my age, and her brother - we live together) and Didi (their oldest sister - it was her 1st time out to a restaurant EVER). It was such an amazing time. We were their for hours laughing, eating, and taking pictures. Most of the volunteers and I put together a photo album. They have no photos, so this was really special, and we all cried tears of thankfulness, happiness, and slight sadness as it may be a very long time since the family will have a chance to see Tara and Eve again.
When we left, we all went back to our house and ate ice cream with Amma (the mother of the house) and gave her the album to look at. She was what really made me emotional. She expressed how grateful she is to have all of us stay in her home, and hopes that we never forget her (it is impossible). She was saying that she must have done something spectacular in her previous life to have all of us in her life now, and she considers us her daughters. She hopes that we will all visit again, if not soon with our own families - and that we stay with her again. You have to picture a elder beautiful Nepali woman, who speaks no English, smiles all of the time, and will always look at you straight in the eyes.
I may get frustrated with Mr. Patel for being the most inconsiderate male I have EVER encountered in my entire life. For him not doing enough for the school and not giving enough time...time that is required for things to improve...for him to just TALK about the improvements that need to happen, and admit his follies, yet not DO anything to change that. Yes, I get very frustrated.
But, the students at school, the children in my neighborhood, and especially my family in Nepal makes up for all of that irritation - 3 fold.
I am so happy to be here and to live with these wonderful people. This is something that has changed me, and made me a more well rounded and understanding person, and continues to do so every day I am here.
I feel like it is worth the experiment.
On a different note. Tara, my roommate, and Eve another house mate, are gone. Tara is in Canada, Eve in France and soon to be Poland. Now it is just Amy and myself. At least Amy is great and we get along really well...and laugh a LOT. For some reason when ever we go out together, we have the strangest encounters with Nepalis. (And we started Nepali lessons with Sudha yesterday...YAY!!!)
The night before Tara left we all went out to dinner...All the volunteers, Sudha (Patel's amazing and super sweet wife), Dhruba (who is my age, and her brother - we live together) and Didi (their oldest sister - it was her 1st time out to a restaurant EVER). It was such an amazing time. We were their for hours laughing, eating, and taking pictures. Most of the volunteers and I put together a photo album. They have no photos, so this was really special, and we all cried tears of thankfulness, happiness, and slight sadness as it may be a very long time since the family will have a chance to see Tara and Eve again.
When we left, we all went back to our house and ate ice cream with Amma (the mother of the house) and gave her the album to look at. She was what really made me emotional. She expressed how grateful she is to have all of us stay in her home, and hopes that we never forget her (it is impossible). She was saying that she must have done something spectacular in her previous life to have all of us in her life now, and she considers us her daughters. She hopes that we will all visit again, if not soon with our own families - and that we stay with her again. You have to picture a elder beautiful Nepali woman, who speaks no English, smiles all of the time, and will always look at you straight in the eyes.
I may get frustrated with Mr. Patel for being the most inconsiderate male I have EVER encountered in my entire life. For him not doing enough for the school and not giving enough time...time that is required for things to improve...for him to just TALK about the improvements that need to happen, and admit his follies, yet not DO anything to change that. Yes, I get very frustrated.
But, the students at school, the children in my neighborhood, and especially my family in Nepal makes up for all of that irritation - 3 fold.
I am so happy to be here and to live with these wonderful people. This is something that has changed me, and made me a more well rounded and understanding person, and continues to do so every day I am here.
Class 9 and 10
They gave me some great, amazing, personal writing. I am so happy. All of Grade 10 has turned them in, and I'm only missing 3 from Grade 9. I think this is really going to be great, and so good for them too. I am excited to write the scripts. They will really be able to connect to the material, because it is directly from their lives.
Also, a lot of my students wrote me a message. They expressed how privileged they feel that I am here from the U.S. and came to teach them. They told me how they have never had drama before, and have never had the chance to be taught by some one like me. They wish for me never to go, and especially never to forget them. I could never forget these students. I feel so thankful and grateful to have them as students, and to experience this challenging and wonderful life teaching them, and living in Nepal. Teaching is always a rewarding feeling, whether you are in the States or not. Being here however, has opened my eyes and made me feel more passionately about teaching than I could imagine.
Also, a lot of my students wrote me a message. They expressed how privileged they feel that I am here from the U.S. and came to teach them. They told me how they have never had drama before, and have never had the chance to be taught by some one like me. They wish for me never to go, and especially never to forget them. I could never forget these students. I feel so thankful and grateful to have them as students, and to experience this challenging and wonderful life teaching them, and living in Nepal. Teaching is always a rewarding feeling, whether you are in the States or not. Being here however, has opened my eyes and made me feel more passionately about teaching than I could imagine.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Theatre at School
Since I have been feeling under top notch, I decided to take the rest of the week off. Well, actually I didn't decide my roommates did and convinced me to. If you know me, you know that it is hard for me to just give in and stop. Especially when it is with teaching and theatre. I really only have the energy to do 1 or 2 classes a day, but I have 3 or 4. It is not fair to only show up for some and not the others, because then it would be like I am picking favorites. And really I know I should just rest and listen to my body. I just wish I could understand what the fuck it is trying to tell me!
But classes are going well...besides this week of course.
Class 1 and 2 I am still doing Story Drama which is absolutely amazing and so fulfilling for me and the students. Well, that is with all of the classes really. They are so cute and so engaged. Even if there are 28 of them (class 1)! or 18 (class 2 - which seems like a piece of cake after the 28 students). I really could not do it without Sudha, my translator :).
Class three is OK...I haven't had them for 2 weeks now, so that is a big big bummer especially since I am doing a creative drama curriculum with them, aka episodic drama.
In Nepal, the students learn a lot by repeating what the teacher says and does. It is hilarious, because they have been conditioned to do so. So when I am giving instructions, they will repeat what I say and how I say it and move their bodies like I do. For example, in class 1,2,3 we have travel rituals. We can't start till I say 'Go', then they say 'Go' and then start. We point to the center of the circle, and to prompt them I will say 'point to the center of the circle'. They will mumble something along the lines of 'point to the center of the circle' but I don't think they can actually say all of those words so it's more like 'pon to te cnt v crcl' and THEN they point. Oh, it is so cute. And ridiculously funny.
Class 4 and 5 is am doing a lot of theatre exercises with engaging body, mind and voice...they love anything we do. Lately we have been working on tableaux and filling the negative space. Also creating different environments, and machines.
Class 6 and 7 rock. They are very focused students and so happy to be there. I am doing a lot of acting exercises with them and they catch on really fast. They are great at working together and want to improve. I am going to be working with them more in their English classes. They are almost done learning what they need to for their exams. I got this awesome book of African folk stories, and we are going to act them out. It will be a blast!
so, i know it's not good to have favorites, but Class 8 is my favorite. :) They wrote me stories and poems and jokes, and we are going to act their stories out.
Class 9 and 10 are the hardest for me. A lot of the kids, mostly the boys, are way too cool. So it sucks for those who want to be there and have the impulse to do things, but then they see the kids being too cool and they block themselves. Class 10 is the MOST challenging. I had a conversation with them about it last week. So, hopefully things will continue to improve. I wrote up questions for 9 and 10 to answer. Questions like: what is your biggest fear? what is your biggest hope? What are your goals? If you could be the one person to change Nepal, what would you do and how would you do it?
I told them that only I will be reading their answers, so PLEASE open up and tell me how you really feel about life and your situation. I hope they do. From this I am planning to write scripts for each class and we will put on a play, and also film it. Half of them want to learn about film, and the school has a camera, so I will teach them about film. Also a large number of them want to learn about backstage, so I will have them build our sets and be the behind the camera people. I just hope they give me some juicy details about themselves. I wanted to write a script for them from the start, but I want it do be relevant to their lives. Then they can really connect and see how theatre can really be a great channel for your life.
So, that is what's going on in the classroom...the last week and the following weeks.
I am really so glad that I can be here for these amazing kids. I wish you could all meet them. They don't take school for granted. They know how important education is. It is really good to see coming from a place, where unfortunately the students do take education for granted. Not all, but a lot.
Love you all!
But classes are going well...besides this week of course.
Class 1 and 2 I am still doing Story Drama which is absolutely amazing and so fulfilling for me and the students. Well, that is with all of the classes really. They are so cute and so engaged. Even if there are 28 of them (class 1)! or 18 (class 2 - which seems like a piece of cake after the 28 students). I really could not do it without Sudha, my translator :).
Class three is OK...I haven't had them for 2 weeks now, so that is a big big bummer especially since I am doing a creative drama curriculum with them, aka episodic drama.
In Nepal, the students learn a lot by repeating what the teacher says and does. It is hilarious, because they have been conditioned to do so. So when I am giving instructions, they will repeat what I say and how I say it and move their bodies like I do. For example, in class 1,2,3 we have travel rituals. We can't start till I say 'Go', then they say 'Go' and then start. We point to the center of the circle, and to prompt them I will say 'point to the center of the circle'. They will mumble something along the lines of 'point to the center of the circle' but I don't think they can actually say all of those words so it's more like 'pon to te cnt v crcl' and THEN they point. Oh, it is so cute. And ridiculously funny.
Class 4 and 5 is am doing a lot of theatre exercises with engaging body, mind and voice...they love anything we do. Lately we have been working on tableaux and filling the negative space. Also creating different environments, and machines.
Class 6 and 7 rock. They are very focused students and so happy to be there. I am doing a lot of acting exercises with them and they catch on really fast. They are great at working together and want to improve. I am going to be working with them more in their English classes. They are almost done learning what they need to for their exams. I got this awesome book of African folk stories, and we are going to act them out. It will be a blast!
so, i know it's not good to have favorites, but Class 8 is my favorite. :) They wrote me stories and poems and jokes, and we are going to act their stories out.
Class 9 and 10 are the hardest for me. A lot of the kids, mostly the boys, are way too cool. So it sucks for those who want to be there and have the impulse to do things, but then they see the kids being too cool and they block themselves. Class 10 is the MOST challenging. I had a conversation with them about it last week. So, hopefully things will continue to improve. I wrote up questions for 9 and 10 to answer. Questions like: what is your biggest fear? what is your biggest hope? What are your goals? If you could be the one person to change Nepal, what would you do and how would you do it?
I told them that only I will be reading their answers, so PLEASE open up and tell me how you really feel about life and your situation. I hope they do. From this I am planning to write scripts for each class and we will put on a play, and also film it. Half of them want to learn about film, and the school has a camera, so I will teach them about film. Also a large number of them want to learn about backstage, so I will have them build our sets and be the behind the camera people. I just hope they give me some juicy details about themselves. I wanted to write a script for them from the start, but I want it do be relevant to their lives. Then they can really connect and see how theatre can really be a great channel for your life.
So, that is what's going on in the classroom...the last week and the following weeks.
I am really so glad that I can be here for these amazing kids. I wish you could all meet them. They don't take school for granted. They know how important education is. It is really good to see coming from a place, where unfortunately the students do take education for granted. Not all, but a lot.
Love you all!
Maybe it's the Malaria meds?...
So, I am still feeling fairly shitty, and it really blows. I think it may be my Malaria medication...now it is just headache, body ache, fever, and extreme tiredness. I just emailed the King County health peeps who helped me out to get their feedback, so perhaps I will be going to the Embassy soon to get checked and maybe some new meds. Pokhara is a risk area which is why I took them, and my medicine must be taken 4 weeks after you leave the infected area. Kathmandu is not at risk. However, I will be going back to Pokhara, and to Chitwan National Park which is at risk. Then India, Thailand and Vietnam are all risk areas...and I do not want to be feeling this way for over 5 months. Boo!!!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Jatra!
Festivals!!!!!!!! Today is a festival where you celebrate your brothers and sisters, and eat 9 different kinds of beans and feast all evening. I am going to the monkey temple, Syambouth, today. As you know, I love monkeys!
Tomorrow is the Gai Jatra, Cow Festival, where people dress up like cows and parade through the 3 major squares, singing and dancing. I am very excited for that tomorrow! Cows are also very cool! I wish I had a cow costume, but I will Moo very loud! :)
I am feeling much better, thank goodness. So I can celebrate to the fullest.
Tomorrow is the Gai Jatra, Cow Festival, where people dress up like cows and parade through the 3 major squares, singing and dancing. I am very excited for that tomorrow! Cows are also very cool! I wish I had a cow costume, but I will Moo very loud! :)
I am feeling much better, thank goodness. So I can celebrate to the fullest.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Why being sick in Nepal sucks
Being sick in Nepal sucks, for so many reasons.
At least it's not a stomach thing, which in my opinion is the worst of all sicknesses. I have, what feels like, a sinus infection - tremendous headache, pressure in my nose, stuffed up, sore throat from that lovely nasal drip, and a slight fever. The reasons why it sucks so bad to be sick in Nepal?
*No T J, no Mom, no Dad, no Alicia, no Michael to help make me feel better.
*The pollution doesn't help.
*Wanting to go to yoga, but at 5:20 in the morning it feels impossible to wake up.
*Wanting to go to school to teach. I didn't go yesterday, so I will make those 3 classes up next week. At least I don't teach Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
*Going to school and having low energy...once I walk in the school yard all of the students run up and say "good morning, miss". It sucks not to be able to show them how really happy I am to be greeted in such a great way.
*I am so restless when I am sick here...I just want to go out and do things. But with such low energy it feels impossible.
*Hearing people hork - the term for coughing and hacking out some nasty snot and phlem - makes me feel even more sick.
and it happens all the time.
*It is challenging, though it is getting easier, to communicate with the family I live with, about how I feel and what is good to eat and not good to eat.
*I can't just chill and watch movies, until my computer is fixed (which is going to be about $100 - yuck!)
*there are no chairs or couches in our living room and sitting on the floor gets a little old, and painful after a while.
I hope I get over this soon. I got some cipro from the pharmacy (you can get basically what ever you want in the pharmacies here, like Mexico) and that has been helping since I think it is a bacterial infection.
I must go, and rest.
At least it's not a stomach thing, which in my opinion is the worst of all sicknesses. I have, what feels like, a sinus infection - tremendous headache, pressure in my nose, stuffed up, sore throat from that lovely nasal drip, and a slight fever. The reasons why it sucks so bad to be sick in Nepal?
*No T J, no Mom, no Dad, no Alicia, no Michael to help make me feel better.
*The pollution doesn't help.
*Wanting to go to yoga, but at 5:20 in the morning it feels impossible to wake up.
*Wanting to go to school to teach. I didn't go yesterday, so I will make those 3 classes up next week. At least I don't teach Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
*Going to school and having low energy...once I walk in the school yard all of the students run up and say "good morning, miss". It sucks not to be able to show them how really happy I am to be greeted in such a great way.
*I am so restless when I am sick here...I just want to go out and do things. But with such low energy it feels impossible.
*Hearing people hork - the term for coughing and hacking out some nasty snot and phlem - makes me feel even more sick.
and it happens all the time.
*It is challenging, though it is getting easier, to communicate with the family I live with, about how I feel and what is good to eat and not good to eat.
*I can't just chill and watch movies, until my computer is fixed (which is going to be about $100 - yuck!)
*there are no chairs or couches in our living room and sitting on the floor gets a little old, and painful after a while.
I hope I get over this soon. I got some cipro from the pharmacy (you can get basically what ever you want in the pharmacies here, like Mexico) and that has been helping since I think it is a bacterial infection.
I must go, and rest.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Namaste!
Oh, it was so great to get out of the city. Away from the smells and the sounds and the feeling of not breathing due to those factors. We took a bus there which was about a 7 hour breathtaking drive. Right when we got off the bus we were harassed by SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many people trying to get us to stay at their hotels or guest houses. All saying, "stay here, it's the best in town!" We were so overwhelmed we just walked into town, got a drink, and chilled...then we found an awesome place that was clean, had hot water, and a TV to catch up on what's going on in the world. It was only $150rs per person a night - the currency is about 66 - US dollar. Pokhara was amazing and beautiful. We stayed on the lakeside, just north of the main strip. No creepy dudes, no toes almost taken off, no big dogs trying to bite my ass.
We just chilled the first 2 days, walking around and rented bikes to go around the lake...probably the most uncomfortable bike I have ever ridden, but what are you going to do? :) It was still awesome. We hiked up to the World Peace Pagoda which was amazing...and very peaceful, go figure. Coming back from there I had my first encounter ever with leaches...they are so weird! what the hell is the point, ecologically, of a leach? I didn't get too many, maybe like 5 or 6 and bloody socks. Tara, on the other hand, got 17! Her ankles were covered in blood. Needless to say she threw those socks away.
The next day, Monday, Liz and I went trekking. It was awesome. We started at a village called Naya Pul at 1100meters and hiked up to a village called Tikedhungha (1350m), so that was an easy day. No rain, and not too hot. The second day we hiked to Ghorapani (2750m - over 9,000ft) - that was an intensely sweaty day. We had to walk up a stone stair case that was 3,820 steps high, according to our map - and it felt like it. Surprisingly though, I was not sore. At all of the villages there are tons of tea and guest houses to stay at. We found the best places with great rooms and at only 100rs a night - together, so 50rs = under a dollar. Sweet! I'm pretty sure we got the best rooms in the house, since we were the only people staying there. In Ghorapani the lady, Goma, who runs the guest house was so sweet and invited us to stay for free another night to "make friends". Oh it was so amazingly nice, and I do want to 'make friends' with her. So, TJ and I will have to go back and stay there...she will remember me and said she will give us a very good price. Liz and I were complementing the guest house and our room, and she says, "Oh, Jessika, you like the beds? When you come with your boyfriend you can make cozy in the bed." Ha! It was hilarious. We got a late start that day, because we were talking to our new friend Goma over tea.
This third day was the toughest. We descended basically the entire day. From 2750m to 1100m...whoooooooeeeeeeeeee! That day we got to go to Tatopani, the hot springs which was soooo nice. My legs loved it. We got a room there for 50rs a night - 25rs each, with the bathroom right outside, which is why it was so cheap. It was a nice enough place, our room though did have some gecko turds for us as welcoming gifts on our beds. That night it POURED rain, and we had a tin roof, so it was loud as hell. And I was paranoid of being pooped on by geckos in my sleep, so I did not get much sleep.
We woke up the next day, and we were sooo sore we were walking like horses...I really had to focus on picking up my feet. Especially when stepping down stairs - whoa buddy - I do not think I have ever been that sore in my entire life. The second day was the worst of the soreness for me. This last day we luckily had a fairly easy hike...and it really felt great to walk up hill. We finished the hike by about 1:00, so we decided to catch a bus back to Pokhara to chill an extra night there. The bus was supposed to leave a 2:00, then 3:00, then 4:00, then they finally realized that they couldn't put it off any more - due to a gigantic landslide blocking the one and only main road. There were buses waiting on the other side of the landslide, so we hiked through the landslide - hilarious and ridiculous!!!! I totally got stuck in the mud, as in I couldn't move at all. By the end of the mud excursion I was covered to my knees and elbows, and my shoes were just a muddy blob of goo. Oh, Nepal.
The bus we got was the slowest moving vehicle ever, and it took about an hour to go like 3 miles. So a Nepali family, Liz, and I decided to catch a taxi at this little town...2 hours for 500rs vs. a scary unstable 5 hour bus ride...hummmmmmmmmmmmm. Taxi! It was nice to be back and take a shower, and be in a comfy gecko poop free bed. The next couple days were just chillin days, which was lovely to do before coming back to Kathmandu and school. I have almost all of my gifts done for the entire trip which is great and we got to watch the Olympics and catch up on more world news. This world is crazy. China, well, I think they pretty much blow right now...same with Russia. Nuts. Any who, I am in Nepal, and so happy to be here. Things are still nuts here, but I am staying out of it. No strikes, no cars on fire, no rock throwing for Jessika.
So that was a long winded tell all of my recent adventures in Nepal. I just have to say also, that I am so happy to be here and now that I am living here and settled, I can't imagine it any other way. Well, that's not true...I could imagine it with TJ here...but soon! I can't believe that it is the 11th of August. I have been here for almost a month and a half, and only 2 more till TJ gets here. At first it felt like that would never ever happen, but now since 1.5 months has flown by, I can see the light. :) Love you all.
We just chilled the first 2 days, walking around and rented bikes to go around the lake...probably the most uncomfortable bike I have ever ridden, but what are you going to do? :) It was still awesome. We hiked up to the World Peace Pagoda which was amazing...and very peaceful, go figure. Coming back from there I had my first encounter ever with leaches...they are so weird! what the hell is the point, ecologically, of a leach? I didn't get too many, maybe like 5 or 6 and bloody socks. Tara, on the other hand, got 17! Her ankles were covered in blood. Needless to say she threw those socks away.
The next day, Monday, Liz and I went trekking. It was awesome. We started at a village called Naya Pul at 1100meters and hiked up to a village called Tikedhungha (1350m), so that was an easy day. No rain, and not too hot. The second day we hiked to Ghorapani (2750m - over 9,000ft) - that was an intensely sweaty day. We had to walk up a stone stair case that was 3,820 steps high, according to our map - and it felt like it. Surprisingly though, I was not sore. At all of the villages there are tons of tea and guest houses to stay at. We found the best places with great rooms and at only 100rs a night - together, so 50rs = under a dollar. Sweet! I'm pretty sure we got the best rooms in the house, since we were the only people staying there. In Ghorapani the lady, Goma, who runs the guest house was so sweet and invited us to stay for free another night to "make friends". Oh it was so amazingly nice, and I do want to 'make friends' with her. So, TJ and I will have to go back and stay there...she will remember me and said she will give us a very good price. Liz and I were complementing the guest house and our room, and she says, "Oh, Jessika, you like the beds? When you come with your boyfriend you can make cozy in the bed." Ha! It was hilarious. We got a late start that day, because we were talking to our new friend Goma over tea.
This third day was the toughest. We descended basically the entire day. From 2750m to 1100m...whoooooooeeeeeeeeee! That day we got to go to Tatopani, the hot springs which was soooo nice. My legs loved it. We got a room there for 50rs a night - 25rs each, with the bathroom right outside, which is why it was so cheap. It was a nice enough place, our room though did have some gecko turds for us as welcoming gifts on our beds. That night it POURED rain, and we had a tin roof, so it was loud as hell. And I was paranoid of being pooped on by geckos in my sleep, so I did not get much sleep.
We woke up the next day, and we were sooo sore we were walking like horses...I really had to focus on picking up my feet. Especially when stepping down stairs - whoa buddy - I do not think I have ever been that sore in my entire life. The second day was the worst of the soreness for me. This last day we luckily had a fairly easy hike...and it really felt great to walk up hill. We finished the hike by about 1:00, so we decided to catch a bus back to Pokhara to chill an extra night there. The bus was supposed to leave a 2:00, then 3:00, then 4:00, then they finally realized that they couldn't put it off any more - due to a gigantic landslide blocking the one and only main road. There were buses waiting on the other side of the landslide, so we hiked through the landslide - hilarious and ridiculous!!!! I totally got stuck in the mud, as in I couldn't move at all. By the end of the mud excursion I was covered to my knees and elbows, and my shoes were just a muddy blob of goo. Oh, Nepal.
The bus we got was the slowest moving vehicle ever, and it took about an hour to go like 3 miles. So a Nepali family, Liz, and I decided to catch a taxi at this little town...2 hours for 500rs vs. a scary unstable 5 hour bus ride...hummmmmmmmmmmmm. Taxi! It was nice to be back and take a shower, and be in a comfy gecko poop free bed. The next couple days were just chillin days, which was lovely to do before coming back to Kathmandu and school. I have almost all of my gifts done for the entire trip which is great and we got to watch the Olympics and catch up on more world news. This world is crazy. China, well, I think they pretty much blow right now...same with Russia. Nuts. Any who, I am in Nepal, and so happy to be here. Things are still nuts here, but I am staying out of it. No strikes, no cars on fire, no rock throwing for Jessika.
So that was a long winded tell all of my recent adventures in Nepal. I just have to say also, that I am so happy to be here and now that I am living here and settled, I can't imagine it any other way. Well, that's not true...I could imagine it with TJ here...but soon! I can't believe that it is the 11th of August. I have been here for almost a month and a half, and only 2 more till TJ gets here. At first it felt like that would never ever happen, but now since 1.5 months has flown by, I can see the light. :) Love you all.
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