This week was all about mud

Hey everyone!

I've given up on posting pictures, because the connection is so poor! I also haven't been online forever! Life without internet and cell phones is pretty nice. A million things have happened in the past week, so let me fill you in as much as I can...

I am working on four projects:

1. I teach English to the children in the village of Gothatar. I walk 45 min there and back. The class starts at 7am, so I wake up at 5am or earlier. My kids are adorable and fun. The older class is getting more courageous. They have learned English from a book, so the words are there, but they have never attempted to use it. I am teaching this class grammar and pronounciation. Today we learned how to emphasize question words and answer words. Often they miss class because they have to till the soil or do a ritual bathing, but I always have a good group. The kids wear the same clothes everyday... which are falling apart and either too big or too small. They are very humble and grateful, but they are also kids... so they can be brats too! My younger class is adorable. They love to draw pictures, so I save the last 10 minutes of class for drawing pictures of what we learned (eg. today we learned to correctly pronouce the letter B. and talked about yesterday, today and tomorrow. They had to draw B words or what they did yesterday) Compared to where we started, they have made so much progress! They are being creative and bold! I love the class. It has been raining a lot at night, so my outdoor classroom is really muddy, but we just embrace it. I hang out in the mud with the cow looking on, and flies swarming... it's great!

2. Orphanage work. In the evenings, I am going to different orphanages that VSN is working with to mend clothing for the children. I am also teaching some of the older kids how to sew on buttons and mend basic tears. The kids are precious. One orphange has 43 kids and 2 staff members. When I walked in, 20 kids latched on to me and wouldn't let go! I was doing the whole walking with 2 children wrapped around each leg! Loved It! I am going back to that orphanage on Wednesday! A volunteer who works at one, mentioned the atrocious conditions of the clothing, and I said, "I can fix them!" The kids gather round as I sew. The other night, I brought several things home, to do after dinner. Aama (my Nepali mom) came upstairs and helped me. She also came with me to my knitting class! My family (in America and Nepal) are the most charitable people I have ever met!

3. I started a second women's income generation program today! This is a prescedent for VSN, and I am so excited. The women's knitting group in Gothatar have all made hats and booties... VSN is ordering 160 hats to give to the orphans, so the women will definitely make money. Tomorrow, I am traning a committee (selected by the women) in recording keeping and sales. They are stoked.... When I walk home from Gothatar, I am giddy. The second group will be a little more challenging. It is in the landless community, and we found a landless woman to be the instructor. We found 7 women to form the group, but 20 showed up... overwhelming the teacher. I am presently drafting a budget to show the costs of these programs, so they can be perpetuated. If anyone reading this blog is interested in helping... email me at tahoeliz@yahoo.com. $20 can go a long way! I'm just putting it out there, because I spent all my extra cash (and then some) getting here. Otherwise, I would do more more more!

4. I am working to help VSN become an international NGO. This includes my efforts with the landless community water project. If we partner with other NGOs and are set up to receive large donations, so much can be done. I have seen first hand that this organization has pure motives and a sincere desire to help Nepali people. VSN is helping individuals not causes, so I believe it is a worthwhile effort. Tez, the founder, has asked me start an chapter in the US. I am seriously considering it.

Wow... I have so much more to write, but I have to go! On Wednesday and Friday I went to a Hindu wedding (it is a five day affair). Milan and Tumala dressed me in a Saree! I looked hot in my lime green and yellow sequined number! I also got to ride on the back of a motorcycle through the psychotic traffic of Kathmandu, where there are no rules... none!

Lovin it here! I miss you all!
Namaste
~Liz