Namaste

We had a party in Gotthatar... We colored and played games. We ate cookies... and I thought that should be enough to make a good with party. We had a lot of fun, but as I was preparing to leave, Ramilla made me sing for them. So I did, then they said that I had to dance. I told them that I couldn't dance without music. So they all started to clap and sing Nepali folk tunes. Then, Suresh started to dance... and I couldn't help but join him. So for the next half hour, I danced and learn to dance with the kids and women.

This was definitely the highlight of my Nepal experience.

They all ran out to watch me walk away, and of course said 'Namaste'.

This was the hardest day... harder than climbing the Chola Pass with no skin on my feet.

My children of Gottathar

Suresh's little sister sleeping as we played

I'm going to Everest... do you want to come?

Simon Says

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes

The boys

Film of me folk dancing!

My women. (Radika's in the middle w/ me)

The only time I really cried was when I had to say good bye to these women. I gave Radika a hug, and the tears just came... totally unexpected. They made me promise to come back (with a husband).

Party with VSN.

Currently there are so many volunteers. It was an early going away party for Rick, Jessica, Hanna, and me. The new group is pretty young (I think because it's summer).



See below what these amazing women have done in such a short time!

I love them so much, and I'm so proud of their efforts and enthusiasm.

Our last Sunday with the young adults

Church members

I see this cow everyday when I walked to Gottathar. It has a tika. :)

Me in the recording studio

We ended up using a different voice for narration, but it was fun to record. I even sang a little between takes.

Young Monks

Monkey Temple... sans monkeys.

Just as I was leaving (around 9:30 am) all the monkeys started running up the stairs to the temple. It was actually really great to watch. I have video footage of the little monkeys hanging on the moms' stomachs as they ran. Monkey temple is one of the oldest temples in Nepal. It also unique because it has a Buddhist stupa and a Hindu shrine.

Spinning the prayer wheels at the Monkey Temple.

I went early in the morning, so I saw many locals worshiping. Rashan, a Nepali guy that I met there, showed me around and gave me interesting facts etc. about the temple.

A little boy on the side of the road.

Just Friends

PDA is not acceptable in Nepal (unless you're a guy). Everywhere there are guys, old men, young boys holding hands or with their arms around each other. It is totally cultural. Friends are just affectionate. Men and women (husbands and wives even) do not show affection in public ever!

Women working as a walked down the street.

Me, Riza, Laxmi

Riza is the daughter of Tej, VSN's director. Laxmi is the housekeeper for both our home and the VSN office. Laxmi has two little children, a boy and girl, but she spends most of her time working... sadly. She is always happy though. She speaks no English, so it was good to practice Nepali w/ her. Riza and I bonded one day as we sang "itsy bitsy spider" and "bah bah black sheep". Now she won't leave me alone if I'm in the room. During our going away party, Riza kept us entertained by singing the same songs over and over again. She's so beautiful! Her mother, Ranu, is gorgeous.

Just a man I was walking behind on the way to the VSN office.

I started to get paranoid as my time grew short, that I did not have images that adequately captured my daily experience in Nepal.

Abines, Me and Bryony at the Editing Suite
This is the room where I've been spending most of my time. I arrive before 7:30 because Ranjit, one of the assistant, has to go to animation class at 7:30. Bryony had difficulty dealing with interpretation... having a 3rd party tell Abines when that we wanted to shave off a half second from a clip... was really frustrating. Anyway, we convinced them to teach us how to use the editing software. It sped up the process, but we are still super slow. I thought Bryony had really good taste, and I'd seen some pictures she'd taken, so I asked her to help her with the project. It turns out, she was an ad exec for huge companies like Dove and Nestle. We both have artistic backgrounds and totally saw eye to eye on where the film was going. Bryony is awesome... a great friend.

Goodbye to Rick

He is off to graduate from medical school, so he wasn't that sad to go. It was wierd when a new volunteer moved in his room. Sean from England arrived at 2:00 am. When Rick left, they made momos ( a huge feast)... Thankfully the new kids in the house can pull their weight eating 150 momos.

Hunchha

Namaste

Yesterday there was another strike, so I walked to town, so I could work on the film. It took me an hour and a half. Sounds long, but I did 6 -10 hour trekking days... Actually, I got a ride part way with Sugandha because he had to pick someone up from the airport. Apparently it was risky, but we drove with a sign on the car that said tourist (and even better, a white person in the front seat to look official). We were going in different directions, so he dropped me after a few minutes. A bus came - let me stop here and clarify that the day before, the Maoists had announced the Banda for the following day. Banda is the word for strike, but that is a misleading translation. The drivers are not striking.... the rebels are preventing anyone from using transportation. They throw bricks at buses and burn tires if you are on the road. Back to the story, so a bus came. I got on, and we drove for about a minute. Then some guys with black arm bands stopped the bus and made us all get off. I later found out that they were Maoists... they weren't violent at all. So I walked. Good thing it was early in the morning.

I don't know why I am always talking about the strike... it is such a minor part of my life.

The other night, I watched some traditional dance. It was actually Hindu religious dancing, where they tell stories. We were coached through yoga breathing (closed eyes etc) for about 20 minutes before the dancing began. And on the dance floor was a little god (statue) with candles etc. They were performing it for her. They used masks and lots of hand gestures. It was really interesting.

I was invited to lunch with a family in the village I go to. I see them everytime I walk by, but they are not involved in any of my classes. Anyway, we were eating and I asked the mother why she did not come to the mother's group. (VSN gives classes every other week to mothers about hand washing, wound care, nutrition, etc.) I found out that they did not know about my English classes, the knitting class, the health classes... nothing. I was confused because they live next door to where the classes are held. It turns out, they had not been invited. I don't know why. I am frustrated, but also glad. If this is happening in one small village, I'm sure it is happening elsewhere. I let the VSN staff know, so we can address it.

Right now I am off to Gottathar to see my kids. We are having a "party" which will include singing Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, playing simon says and coloring. I will miss the kids the most when I go.

I'm off to walk in the heat :) I'm using an umbrella to block the sun, so I'll still be super white when I come back!