This week we finally had the chance to visit the third location that some people may be working at. The village is 8 hours outside of Kathmandu and the only way to get there is go through a winding road in which there really is only one way. Buses honk their musical horns to let others know they are coming around the bend and if another one is coming also then both must slow down and pray that they both make it through because the alternative is one going off the cliff. When we finally arrived in the village, we looked around at the beautiful scenery and realized just how high in the mountains we really were. At this point we were used to the welcome ceremony in which we receive tika, usually a red powder mixed with rice, placed on our foreheads (and my nose somehow every time) and flower necklaces. We were staying with host families which I was slightly nervous about with my lack of Nepali language skills but excited about as well. The family lived in a beautiful mud house that the father had built and had two sons who spoke some English that made it easier to communicate. The mother used an open fire in the middle of the house to cook the food and to warm the house as well which caused a lot of smoke to fill the house, so much so that I had to leave the room when I went down the small stairs to breathe in some fresh air.
My favorite member of the family was the grandfather or Hajur Bua, a small man with just one tooth, who wore an old blazer from who knows where, and a pair of shorts, in 10 degree weather, and still managed to smile and laugh every time I said any word in Nepali. We learned so much about life in the mountains and how much agriculture controls these communities' lives. We met the incredible youth group there that has meetings once a week and have already helped reduce alcoholism in the community just by raising awareness of its causes. The school we visited has to be moved within the next 6 months because if it is not, it will be washed off the area with the next monsoon season. It was inspiring to see how far they have come but there is still a lot of work to be done. With no internet and very unstable electricity, we were able to really understand the power of disconnecting and focusing on the moment, and see how much more it brought families together. There were definitely no TV dinners in sight. On our way home we stopped at a hospital hat seemed to be quite impressive and supposedly offers lots of free treatments for all kinds of needs. I couldn't help but think if they had this kind of hospital ion a place like Ghana how many more people could use and deserve (especially one very special boy) that kind of care but hopefully this is just a model for future cheaper hospitals in many places in the world. This week we find out where we will be placed and I would really be happy in either village, even if one is an 8 hour ride to the capital city so I shall keep you updated as I find out as well as add more photos.
I seem to have forgotten to mention the monkeys that live near our house here. At first they seem exotic and exciting as previously mentioned but after the latest attack, I know longer hold that special love for them. I had been warned that they like to take people's biscuits or plastic bags but did not think much of it. As my friend and I were walking to the Monkey temple, I was carelessly swinging my biscuits in the air until a monkey jumped in front of us. he basically put his monkey hands on his monkey hips, just like the high school bully in Full House waiting for Stephanie's lunch money ( for those of you unaware of the reference I apologize but you get the idea). I naturally started shrieking which led him and his monkey accomplice to start circling us until I threw the biscuits in the air as he jumped to catch them. He then proceeded to eat every single one in my face and lick the wrapper just to be obnoxious. For the rest of the day I had monkey anxiety and could not be near them without wondering if I would be jumped or not. I know this is all part of the process and hopefully next time I will be able to keep my biscuits and teach the monkey a lesson. For now I'll just hide my food under my coat. Monkeys: 1 Sophie : 0
My favorite member of the family was the grandfather or Hajur Bua, a small man with just one tooth, who wore an old blazer from who knows where, and a pair of shorts, in 10 degree weather, and still managed to smile and laugh every time I said any word in Nepali. We learned so much about life in the mountains and how much agriculture controls these communities' lives. We met the incredible youth group there that has meetings once a week and have already helped reduce alcoholism in the community just by raising awareness of its causes. The school we visited has to be moved within the next 6 months because if it is not, it will be washed off the area with the next monsoon season. It was inspiring to see how far they have come but there is still a lot of work to be done. With no internet and very unstable electricity, we were able to really understand the power of disconnecting and focusing on the moment, and see how much more it brought families together. There were definitely no TV dinners in sight. On our way home we stopped at a hospital hat seemed to be quite impressive and supposedly offers lots of free treatments for all kinds of needs. I couldn't help but think if they had this kind of hospital ion a place like Ghana how many more people could use and deserve (especially one very special boy) that kind of care but hopefully this is just a model for future cheaper hospitals in many places in the world. This week we find out where we will be placed and I would really be happy in either village, even if one is an 8 hour ride to the capital city so I shall keep you updated as I find out as well as add more photos.
I seem to have forgotten to mention the monkeys that live near our house here. At first they seem exotic and exciting as previously mentioned but after the latest attack, I know longer hold that special love for them. I had been warned that they like to take people's biscuits or plastic bags but did not think much of it. As my friend and I were walking to the Monkey temple, I was carelessly swinging my biscuits in the air until a monkey jumped in front of us. he basically put his monkey hands on his monkey hips, just like the high school bully in Full House waiting for Stephanie's lunch money ( for those of you unaware of the reference I apologize but you get the idea). I naturally started shrieking which led him and his monkey accomplice to start circling us until I threw the biscuits in the air as he jumped to catch them. He then proceeded to eat every single one in my face and lick the wrapper just to be obnoxious. For the rest of the day I had monkey anxiety and could not be near them without wondering if I would be jumped or not. I know this is all part of the process and hopefully next time I will be able to keep my biscuits and teach the monkey a lesson. For now I'll just hide my food under my coat. Monkeys: 1 Sophie : 0
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