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