Sunny...With Clouds Moving In

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” (Maya Angelou)

The morning seminar ended and everyone was supposed to go back to their villages, more than half of us woke up with a horrible stomach virus (me included). I spent the next two nights in the Big House sleeping and being pretty miserable, however, I didn’t have it that bad compared to some. Two of the girls ended up having to go to the hospital. No one could figure out what it could be because not everyone got sick. Anyway I eventually made it back to Kalimati and started to feel better. Then it came back even worse. I eventually took medicine and finally began to really recover. So much for a good end to seminar! The only good part was that I got to spend extra time with O and Sm because they couldn’t go back to their villages. Even though we were sick we got to watch movies and even eat a little when we started to feel better.  Even though I wasn’t bad enough to go to the hospital and even though I have been sick in college, I was homesick. I missed my bed and being able to have all the things I am used to when I am sick at home. It made me feel a little silly but it also made me think how lucky I am that I am so well taken care of at home. It is hard when you are sick far away from home and I really experienced that. Fortunately I got to talk to my parents and friends, which always helped.

Finally I was all better and ready to work! That next week I had to catch up on lots of things I had missed (activities) especially because we were preparing for winter break. The kids at school have vacation in January because it’s really cold and the classrooms are really open. We hung posters at the schools for our photo club and computer club we are starting as well as the mask workshop for the Happy Child Club. It was fun making the posters and we all really hoped lots of kids would come (which they did)! Another thing over winter break is English class…and me being the only American in the group got asked to teach it. I was really happy because I have been thinking bout getting certified in teaching English so I could go overseas and teach after TBT. This was a good chance to see if I liked it at all. I love it! I have only had a couple classes but my kids are amazing. They are enthusiastic and want to learn and are just so sweet. They know a lot already because they have English class in school so I get to do fun stuff with them. I am really happy I like it so much and I really think they like me, which makes me feel amazing!

Before I knew it, it wads Christmas! I don’t celebrate Christmas with my family (even though the Israelis think that all Americans do. S even said she forgets I’m Jewish sometimes) I love the lights and the decorations. I usually celebrate it with friends and I love being with all the people I care about. We all went out to dinner in Thamel, which was all lit up. Everyone was in a good mood…. except me. We had dinner with C’s parents (who were visiting him) and by the end of the meal I felt a bit overwhelmed and bored with the Hebrew. Then when I finally went to pick up my laundry (M had dropped it off for me when I was sick and I hadn’t been able to get it because she had my receipt and had been in the village) it closed early. I just felt depressed. I just wanted my clothes and to speak English! I acted pretty badly towards everyone and apologized the next day. I guess it was just a hard night and I took it out on the people I live with. I will try to be better about that because they didn’t deserve that.  Things improved when we had a seminar for the guides of the guides. We had fun and the kids really liked the information we gave them. I felt better and was glad I got to spend time with these amazing kids.

After the week I had had I decided I needed a little vacation. So I packed a bag and went to visit Mahadev-Beshi! WOW! It was incredible! Everyone is so relaxed and free. Every view is amazing and there is land as far as the eye can see. They really do everything themselves and work together. They all help cook every meal and make their own food (I made cheeses!) and it was such a sense of satisfaction and goodness. On my first full day there I went for a hike with GB to a waterfall! The walk was so beautiful and it was so incredible peaceful. I love Kalimati but the noise and pollution can be a bit much sometimes. Here the air is clean and the only noises are the kids yelling “Namaste” and the trucks for the stone quarries. We sat at the edge of the waterfall and took an awesome nap in the sun. We had a big dinner together that night and O and I ended up making our own deck of Taboo cards which was so much fun! It ended up that I could stay an extra night, which was great, but 3 people from Kalimati were coming. I was glad but at the same time my short vacation was over. The next day I went on a walk with O and GB . We lay in the grass and ate oranges and took lots of silly pictures. Eventually we left because we knew Kalimati had probably arrived. We had a big Shabbat dinner and after we made a bon fire. Their neighbors came and joined us and at one point I realized that the only languages being spoken were Hebrew and Nepali and somehow I understood it. It was a wonderful way to end my stay in Mahadev-Beshi.

The next day GB and I left to go back to Kalimati. I had my SAY activity and then we went to Thamel to use the internet and had dinner (Italian) and then met up with everyone else who had come back later. Then on Monday it was my birthday! It was one of the most amazing ones I had ever had! S lured me into the kitchen with the promise of oatmeal and everyone was sitting there with the room decorated with cake and candles! They bought chocolate cupcakes from the bakery and GB had baked me the best cake I have ever had! Then they gave me my present, a beautiful pair of earrings and a matching ring. Wow it was so sweet and the jewelry was so amazing. Then we watched a video Dad had sent me, which was one of the nicest gifts I have ever gotten. He had made a video of so many people saying happy birthday. It was funny and sweet and I almost cried (which, if you know me is saying quite a lot). After cake I went to daycare and had circle time with the kids which is always fun! Su got them to sing happy birthday in Nepali, which was absolutely adorable! Then I went to school to go teach English, which was fun and my kids, gave me a butterfly made out of paper for the New Year! When I came back we had a meeting with the Nepali staff. They got me a cake! It was so sweet! They really are wonderful and I am so happy I got to work with them! After I went to an internet place nearby and saw lots of wonderful messages from my amazing friends and family. I am a very lucky girl. I finally tore myself away and went home and got ready for dinner. We went to Or2k and had a really good time. There were 16 of us and we ordered lots of food and toasted to the New Year! I even got more presents! Al got me a hot water bottle and O knitted a beautiful cover for it! O and N got me candy and Si gave me a present from M because she couldn’t be there. It was all so kind. After dinner we ended up at some outside crazy trance dance party. I wasn’t really into it at first but then O got me up and dancing. It was a really special birthday. You don’t turn 24 in Kathmandu every day!

Some New Years Resolutions for 2013:

Be more positive

Trust more

Eat better/take better care of myself

Get certified to teach English

Learn to cook

Learn to sew (basic)

Travel South East Asia

Continue to love life

At last we come to this week in which I have been very busy! I had my youth activities (SAY and HCC) and meeting with the staff of the daycare, English classes, and planning for a special activity with the SAY club (basket money). I also went with the daycare to the fun park with all the kids! Something interesting that happened was on Wednesday. After my staff meeting I went to Koleshwore School and met up with S, El, and Ni to walk through the neighborhood of Koleshwore. I feel weird using the term “slum” but that is exactly what it was. It actually made me want to continue to volunteer. Despite the filth and poverty, it could actually be a beautiful place. There is so much land. If it could somehow be cleaned it would be a nice area. It made me sad to see so much pollution but on the other hand it makes me sad when there is a bit of land in the states and it is immediately torn down for yet another apartment complex or parking lot. I don’t know, the world is a really weird and backwards place sometimes.

Unfortunately Wednesday night and Thursday I began to loose my patience with my group which I think is understandable considering we live and work together and are pretty much around each other all the time. Everyone had very different and very strong personalities and I sometimes it’s really hard. In college I shared a room but it was only twice (once my freshman year and my semester in Italy) but even though we had to share space, we had different classes and if we wanted we didn’t have to see each other during the day if we didn’t want to. Here, you don’t get a break. I am a person that really needs their space so it’s not really a surprise that almost 3 months in I went a little nuts. After my activity on Friday I went to Thamel and got a room at a hostel. It was a very good idea. I had privacy, hot water, electricity, and internet! I skyped for a very long time with absolutely no interruptions and had a long hot shower! Then I went to dinner and ate a lot and read my book and came back and skyped and read more. It was a fantastic night and I woke up feeling more refreshed that I had in a long time. I think when things get a little crazy it’s important to take time and recharge a bit.

The next night I went out with Eand N. We had a nice big dinner with lots of wine! We ate and talked and went out after to a bar for a bit. It was nice to relax and drink a little and have a fun night out. Then I went back to Swayambhu and slept there and have a very peaceful night sleep. The next day I had the basket money workshop with the youth, which was good but boring. I had planned the whole workshop with S and C and we didn’t get to help at all or really be involved which was frustrating. I was glad it went well but glad when it was finally over.  Then things took a downward turn. Things had been a little claustrophobic for me in Kalimati with the group but after dinner at O and N’s the other night I had had it. I won’t get into specifics but I just feel like my group doesn’t care about me. They speak in Hebrew most of the time and don’t talk to me as much and I just don’t feel close to anyone anymore. I am just extremely thankful that I love Kalimati and the work I am doing.  It is also really great that I am so close to the people in the other areas. I just wish things were better with my own group. You can’t have everything though. Fortunately Nepali Seminar is on Wednesday so I will get some time away. Hopefully everything will be a bit better after some time apart.

Signed,

Tired and Troubled