Only in Nepal on TBT

1.     Getting attacked by monkeys

2.     Being terrified of dogs

3.     Trash being burned all day

4.     Dal Baat (EVERY DAY)

5.     Always waiting for the bathroom

6.     Waiting at least a half an hour for food at a restaurant

7.     Being rich

8.     Power cuts being normal

9.     Cold showers

1. Amazing people all the time 

Orientation Week 1

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Gandhi)

This first week of orientation has been extremely informative, fun, intense, frustrating, and compelling.  We moved into our beautiful house in Swayambhu on Kimdole Street. I share a room with S and Sh, with M, O, and Sm in the room next door and E and C across. 8 people, 6 girls 2 boys, 1 floor, 1 bathroom! There are other bathrooms in the house but only 1 on our floor…its funny most of the time and frustrating at others. But I don’t really mind it. We do the best we can and make it work.

Our days are made up of lectures and study. We have had 3 Nepali lessons where we have been getting a foundation so we can communicate the basics when we go out/work in the villages. We have also had lectures from an Israeli professor on human rights and social justice. We have had 6 so far and have 3 more. The only thing is, they are in Hebrew. It’s amazing that someone is always there to translate, but it’s exhausting and it’s hard to piece the information together no matter how good our translator is.  It’s also hard because the lecturer is very smart and funny and I cannot understand. I have come to dread going to the lectures.

Lectures on the work that TBT does and the different villages have been discussed at length as well. The main point is that we are doing more behind the scenes work than in the actual field. I was upset at first but it makes sense. We will not have anywhere close to the language base necessary to communicate well with the locals. This is also an organization which stresses sustainability and independence. TBT’s goal is to help the villages in a way in which they can eventually phase out so the village can be independent. I really like that message and agree with that goal.

However, I am getting a little tired of our group meetings. They consist of talking about why we are here and what we want to accomplish. It was ok at first but after the fourth one it started to feel very redundant. I have been answering the question of why I want to be here since I filled out the application, I am a little sick of it at this point. I just try to keep in mind that this is the 12^th machzor and that they know what they are doing at this point.

There were two very cool things that we did last week though. The first was to help paint a children’s house. There are places that are children’s protection homes, for kids who have parents but they are ill equipped to take care of them (drugs, jail, etc.). We were there to help paint and decorate the home with the kids! It was amazing! Not only was it the first time out of the house in 3 days, but we actually got to play and interact with the kids. They were so happy and funny. It’s amazing that people can be so poor, have so little, and seem so content. It was a very special morning.

The other awesome thing we did was visit one of the villages that TBT works with (it’s an hour and a half away from Kathmandu Valley) called Mahader-Besi. We had to wake up at 6 which for anyone who knows me knows how I felt about that (absolutely terrible). However, once we got there I was wide awake. It was absolutely beautiful. We spent the morning walking through the different communities and meeting the locals. We went to a place called the leaning center where all sorts of women and children gathered to welcome us. They sang a song and did a play for us and we had a tika ceremony (when they put the red dust on your forehead). It was so intimate and just lovely. I was mad we weren’t allowed to bring our cameras with us, but now I feel like it was a day that was not meant to be captured with technology.  We hiked through fields and quarries and climbed over rocks and a precariously high bridge. Even if I do not get put in the Mahader-Besi village, even if I never go there again, I will remember that day for the rest of my life.

On Friday we ended lessons early to start preparing for Shabbat. It was actually really fun to be in the kitchen with a bunch of people cooking. We made all sorts of food and then had a big dinner later. Each Friday everyone picks an angel card (mine was pleasure) and it is supposed to stay with us all week. C and I went out for a bit after just to get out of the house which was nice and the next night all of us went out to dinner and then to a regge bar where we danced and hung out.

Although part of the orientation this week have been frustrating and annoying, the bonds I am starting to form already are amazing. S and Sh are people I feel that I could go to if I am feeling sad and lonely. C and E could always cheer me up. It usually takes me a really long time to feel comfortable with people. I’m not sure whether it’s the people themselves or the fact that we are in Nepal, on this program, and pushed together (probably a combination) but I really like it. We have a long couple weeks ahead but I know that I will be ok with all of the wonderful people who surround me.

Signed,

Inner Peace 

Week in Thamel

“Not all who wander are lost”

The past few days have been filled with adventure! On Tuesday night we met a traveler in our hostel (A) who told us about an air flight tour of Mt. Everest. The girls didn’t want to go but I did. Usually I wouldn’t have because I had to be up at 5am and I would have been too worried about sleep. But I wanted to do it without thinking and complaining. So the next day A and I took a cab at 5:15 to the airport.  Since I had booked my ticket later we had different airlines so I went by myself. It ended up being amazing. It was a small plane (about 15-20 people) with all window seats. We took off at 6:30 so the sun was still rising so it was foggy when we first got up in the air. Ten minutes later everything cleared and the Himalayas came into view. It was absolutely amazing. The guide told us about what the different mountains were called and where they were and we were allowed to go up front with the pilots when we reached Mt. Everest so we could get a proper view. The only words I can use to describe the whole thing are: breathtaking, vast, and amazing. Getting up early was totally worth it!

The next day, A came with S and I on a canyoning (aka snappling) adventure. A car picked us up and we drove about 45 minutes to a village called Sundarijal. The view was amazing! We walked for about 10 minutes to these little huts where we met our guide and put our wet suits on! We thought we would start right away…we were wrong! First we had to actually hike up the mountain to repeal down it! WEAR HIKING BOOTS! S wore hiking sandals, which were great for the waterfall but bad for the mountain. It took us a while but we FINALLY made it! Once there we repelled down 3 waterfalls, the first one 20 meters, the second 35 meters, and the last one was 40 meters! It was so awesome! I was so proud of myself that I made it up even though I was SO tired. Words of advice: if you are not prepared to climb through a jungle this is not for you! The three of us had a really special bond encouraging each other. By the time we got back to the huts and changed we were in greats spirits. We had an amazing meal and they took us back to Thamel. A wonderful day!

Today we went to Durbar Square (about 20 minutes away fro Thamel). There are all these temples and statues everywhere.  I went with E and S as well as the other American girl (Sh) so the four of us spent the afternoon exploring. There was also a concert going on! Obviously we didn’t know any of the songs and couldn’t understand but it was so much fun! We also ran into a few people from our program and made plans to go out later in the night. After Durbar Square we picked up some things in Thamel, had dinner and met up with people from the program.

Everyone is really, really nice and it was awesome to finally meet the people I’m going to be spending so much time with! However, it was really frustrating not knowing Hebrew.  Everyone was talking and laughing and not only could I not contribute, but I couldn’t even understand what was going on. They weren’t trying to exclude me or anything like that, it’s just everyone was so excited that of course they wanted to talk in their first language (including me).  I know it will get better but I had a couple lonely moments. Fortunately the night ended on a good note and I laughed a lot.

Tomorrow is the official start to TBT. I am excited and a little nervous but just glad it’s finally starting. We move into the house we will be living in for the next 5 weeks. I’m not entirely sure what I have gotten myself into but I guess I’m about to find out!

Singed,

Ready as I’ll ever get

Notes and Observations

1

I   I am staying at the Annapurna Guest House (Hostel). It is in Thamel (the tourist area) and is clean and reasonably priced.

    Spitting, snoting, hacking, and sneezing is not considered gross in public

3
       Streets are two way (no matter how small)

4
    It is very dirty, noisy, and crowded ALL the time during the day

5
   Motorcycles are EVERYWHERE (honking)

6
    Nepali Women are beautiful and wear saris while men dress very Western

7
.   Nepali time is very different from USA time (they run about 30 minutes to an hour late)

8
    There are Israelis everywhere!

9
    Cows curl up and take naps

1
    I am happy 

The Good Kind of Strange

“There are no strange lands, just strangers.”

The past day has been extremely intense. I flew from Israel to Istanbul, from Istanbul to Delhi, and Delhi to Kathmandu!

** Many people are confused if they need a transit visa in India. I did NOT. I explained when I got my boarding pass that I would not be leaving the airport in Delhi and showed them my email itinerary and that was it. When I landed in Delhi there was a man who worked at the airport who took all the people from my flight who were going to Kathmandu as well and we went to an area where he wrote down our names, passport information, and baggage ticket number. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR BAGGAGE SLIP! Once he did that I got my boarding pass printed and went to my gate. Very easy! **

By the time I arrived in Nepal I was so dehydrated and exhausted I was shaking when I got off the plane. I literally had to sit down while filling out my customs forms! I was so tired I lost my jacket….BUT everyone who worked there helped me and I found it! The minute I stepped out of the baggage area it was amazing. The people here are so wonderful; friendly and kind with eyes that smile. Everyone wanted to know where I am from, how long will I be here, and what I will be doing.  When they heard I would be volunteering they were excited and happy. It was amazing.

The cab ride from the airport to the hotel was hilarious! There are no traffic lights and lanes are two way, motorcycles go both ways! But the people there know their own culture and I arrived at my hostel completely unharmed! Then I slept for the first time in a week and I was woken up by the girls from my program arriving! Once they arrived we went out exploring all afternoon! Although I have been to Cairo before this is a completely different world. Although it is crowded and dirty, it has a friendly non-threatening vibe. We walked around and finally ended up at a restaurant called OR2K. We took off our shoes and ate an amazing meal! They had breakfast all day so we got honey pancakes and chocolate banana as well. It was absolutely delicious! We got lost on the way back to our hostel but we just wandered around and had fun.

I am so tired but so exhilarated! These next few days of adventures and exploring ar going to be awesome!

Signed,

Psyched Stranger