"Danger" and Lumle

Chris, Hannah, and I haven’t done much sightseeing these past few days because the Sam’s House kids didn’t have school on Wednesday or Thursday, so we stayed home to play with them. We played outside a lot, and then on Wednesday afternoon we took them out to a Nepali movie. It was an action film (the title is the Nepali word for danger), but most Nepali films seem to follow a fairly similar plotline, regardless of genre. Even though it was in Nepali, we English-speakers didn’t have much difficulty following the action. My favorite part of any Nepali film is the moment when either the hero or heroine realizes they are in love, and then follows a dream sequence song and dance number featuring the couple. Mina and Maya, two of the older girls, are particularly good at reenacting film scenes, so I hope I’ll get to see their rendition sometime soon.

I caught some kind of stomach bug on Wednesday evening, as Chris assured me I would at some point, but am now feeling much better. We also had some frustration with our travel plans because one of our return flights got canceled, but with some help from Jennifer didi (Chris’s wife, another Sam’s House trustee, and my former academic advisor at UMM) back in the States, we got things straightened out. We seem to be at the point of our trip where the novelty of being in a new culture is beginning to wear off a bit, and now we’ve settled into being in Nepal and at Sam’s House. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just an inevitable part of traveling.

On Tuesday the three of us, along with Dinesh and Manju, one of the Sam’s House children, visited Lumle, the village where Manju lived prior to coming to Sam’s House. I was excited to see what a rural village is like, since we’ve spent all our time so far in the city. After a 30-minute hilly and winding taxi ride, we arrived in Lumle. As soon as we got out of the vehicle and Manju recognized where we were, she took off without us knowing where she went. The village is on a hillside and the houses are all surrounded by tall corn and other crops, so it was a little hard for us to get around. I was even a little worried (and probably irrationally so) that we weren’t going to find Manju, or that she thought we were bringing her back for good, or who knows what else. She’s a very quiet kid, and she doesn’t speak much English, so sometimes I worry about how she’s doing or what she’s thinking. Of course, we eventually found her at her cousins’ house. Manju came to live at Sam’s House because, for whatever reason, her parents were unable to care for her and she then lived with her elderly grandmother. Her grandmother is very old and frail, and she knew that she was not going to be able to take care of Manju forever, so she decided to send her to live at Sam’s House. Manju’s relatives said that her grandmother was out working in the fields, and they sent someone to go and get her so she could see her granddaughter. We drank some chiyaa and waited. Suddenly Manju’s grandmother arrived. She’s probably in her 60s, but she looks like she could easily be about 90—-Nepali farmers live a very tough life. The look on her face was so, so touching. She was so happy to see Manju. She came to Sam’s House to visit Manju a year and a half ago, but hadn’t seen her since then. There wasn’t a dry eye to be found. Her grandmother insisted that we come back to her house and sit, and she kept telling us thank you, over and over. She was just so grateful. She fixed Manju a plate of rice—-every grandmother in the world wants to make sure her grandchildren are well-fed—-and then brought the rest of us a glass of the most revolting milk I’d ever drank in my life. It came fresh from the cow, tepid, with a little dirt and grass mixed in for flavor. Of course, we couldn’t refuse, and I was touched that she would offer us something as valuable as milk to drink. We listened to her tell us about how Manju used to take care of her, and how she gets lonely now without her. It is amazing to me how she knew that Manju was much better off at Sam’s House, though—-this is just the way things have to be. I can’t think of a more unselfish action than giving up your child (or grandchild) to give them a better life. Manju’s grandmother lives in a tiny, one-room house with corrugated tin walls. The entire house is about as large as an American bathroom or walk-in closet. I’m sure that it was extremely difficult for her grandmother to earn enough money from farming to support both herself and Manju. After we sat and talked for a few minutes, it was time for us to leave, which was heartbreaking. A bus ticket into Pokhara to visit Sam’s House would probably only cost a few U.S. dollars, but it would be a huge amount of money to a rural Nepali like Manju’s grandmother.

Throughout the trip Chris has been telling Hannah and me stories about the circumstances from which many of the Sam’s House kids came, but seeing how happy and well-adjusted they are now, it’s almost hard for me to believe him. Our trip to Lumle was a good reminder of just how far the kids have come, and just how necessary orphanages like Sam’s House are.

PARAGLIDING!

Finally, after two and a half weeks of waiting, Hannah, Chris, and I went paragliding this morning. We made our appointment on one of our first days in Pokhara, but rain forced us to postpone. Then every time we tried to reschedule, it ended up being either rainy or cloudy. Because we are approaching monsoon season, it rains most nights and usually for a little while during the day. When we saw it was sunny this morning, we quickly called the paragliding company and they said we could try to go today, as long as the weather stayed nice. We hurried to their office, climbed in the back of a truck, picked up the pilots on the way, and drove for 30 minutes up to Sarangkot, a village way on top of a big hill. When we got to the top, the pilots laid out their parachutes and Hannah and I got harnessed up (there were only two pilots, so Hannah and I went first and Chris went after we landed). We got instructions on how to take off—-start walking when the pilot tells you to walk, then start running when he tells you to run, and don’t sit or jump—-and then, before we knew it, Hannah and her pilot were launching. I waited for another anxious 15 minutes before we got a good wind and Anil, my pilot, said it was our turn to go. And then we ran off the top of the hill and were in the air, just like that, flying over Pokhara. It was amazing. We could see monkeys playing in the trees below, and farmers doing their daily chores, and kids playing outside, and cows grazing, and we just soared above it all. I asked Anil if he could do some stunts, and when we climbed high enough he did a “wingover,” which I don’t really know how to describe but involved sort of swooping back and forth quickly, in a stomach-turning, roller coaster-y sort of way. Waaaay fun. And then it was time for us to land. I was supposed to start running when we got close to the ground, but, of course, in my non-graceful sort of way, we basically just hit the ground and stopped. Hannah got the whole landing on film. Then the pilots went back to the top and we waited for Chris to fly down and join us. Paragliding is definitely one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, and I think Hannah and Chris would agree.

long overdue

I didn’t realize it’s been so long since I updated. Hannah and I started volunteering at the kids’ school this week, so I’ve been busier than usual. Where to begin…

Hannah and I got kurta surwaals made for us this week. We brought Asuna, one of the didis, along with us for help. Hannah got a blue iridescent kurta (top) with a pink surwaal (pants) and pink scarf, and my outfit was all dark pink. After we picked them up from the tailor we immediately tried them on for the didis, who, of course, were delighted. We both wore our new purchases to school yesterday. All the women teachers wear kurtas, so it was nice to feel like I fit in.

Chris, Hannah, and I also made jello (or “jelly,” as it’s called here) for the kids as a special treat. They loved it. I could barely make myself swallow it. Nepali jello does NOT taste like American jello.

Earlier this week the 3 of us climbed to the top of a huge hill, where there was a tower overlooking Pokhara. It was a tough climb (for me, at least—I’m by far the least athletic of the bunch) but the view was worth it. I felt even more out of shape when we encountered 3 kids about halfway up. We had gotten off the path a little, so Chris asked them for directions and they steered us right. The 2 girls had huge baskets on their backs and looked like they were on their way to cut grass and collect it in the baskets. I felt especially ridiculous when they effortlessly bounded up the hill in their flip flops and we were breathless and unsteady in tennis shoes and Keens.

The biggest event of the week was volunteering at the Gorkha English Boarding School. On Tuesday Hannah and I got on the school bus with the Sam’s House kids and went to school to teach English conversation skills. Neither one of us knew quite what to expect, but I think we both did a pretty decent job of thinking on our feet. I played a lot of Hangman and answered a lot of questions about myself. Some of the older kids were incredibly shy and somewhat unresponsive, and I don’t think I was fully prepared for that. I’m so used to the Sam’s House kids, who jumped all over Hannah and me the very first time they saw us. And I was also a little frustrated with myself, for being less prepared than I should have been. Thursday, however, was a much better day. I came to class with a human scavenger hunt game, where the kids asked each other questions (in English) to find classmates that fulfilled items on a list of requirements (for example, find someone who has traveled to a foreign country, find someone with their shirt untucked, etc.). I think they enjoyed it, and at the very least, it encouraged them to talk to their classmates in English for a little while. Some highlights of the day: The 6th graders sang “All the Small Things” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends” for me—hilarious. One of the 3rd graders painted me a picture of some kind of purple animal. I got a lot of “Are you married?” and “Do you have a boyfriend?” On Tuesday the 7th graders asked me to watch their after-school piano lesson, and they played a Nepali song. I’ll teach again for the last time this coming Tuesday, before the school days are taken up by midterm exams.

Hannah and I also were asked to help coach volleyball practice yesterday and today (at 6:30 am. Eeek.). Poor Hannah—she plays soccer at Yale, and would love to help coach soccer practice, but Nepalis don’t seem to be used to women playing competitive football. She did a great job of pretending that she plays volleyball, though. I tried to help the girls with hitting, blocking, their rotation, and their defense. They’re great at the fundamentals but struggle a little in a scrimmage situation, so we worked on that a little. I had a blast. My favorite part of each practice was the chiyaa break—what tastes best after a hard workout? A steaming cup of tea and milk, of course.

Chris, Hannah, and I are getting some internet time in Lakeside this afternoon, and we are all anxiously awaiting tomorrow, the kids’ day off from school, so we can spend a little more time with them. I can’t believe this is the end of our second week at Sam’s House—time is flying by!

Chris uploaded 8 new pictures today, so make sure you check out his blog, too.

Saturday fun

This morning as I was having morning chiyaa and biscuits, Asuna (one of the didis) came up to me, pointed to the tika on her forehead, and said, “You like?” Tika is red vermillion powder placed on the forehead as a blessing or as decoration, and the didis wear it almost daily. I said yes, and she put one on my forehead too. It was very sweet--I guess we’re BFFs now.

It was kind of rainy this morning, and the kids got one of their twice-weekly baths this morning, so we decided to play inside to stay clean and dry. (These kids are tough. They shower outside with cold water and get soaped up by the didis in a somewhat assembly line fashion. What do they do in the winter?) Chris had brought a friendship bracelet kit along from the U.S., so we spent the better part of the morning making bracelets. Then this afternoon everyone piled in a van and a taxi and went to Lakeside for ice cream. The kids put on all their best clothes, including new shirts that Hannah brought, and even the didis got all dolled up in their best kurtas. (Most Nepali women wear kurta surwaals, which are long tops, loose fitting pants, and a scarf, in pretty much every color and pattern you can imagine. To get one, you go to a tailor and pick out the fabric you want and then get one made especially for you, which Hannah and I plan to do. How often do you get the chance to get clothes made just for you?) The kids were pumped. They sang songs on the way to Lakeside (except for Amrit, who sat grumpily with his hands over his ears), including Jingle Bells, the only one in English. Everyone had a great time.

At 3:00 the kids’ dance teacher came to the house. Hannah and I warmed up along with them, and then watched some of the older girls do a traditional Nepali dance (I think). They are very good dancers. I am not.

Tonight Chris, Hannah and I are staying in a hotel in Lakeside. When Chris suggested a weekly hotel stay, I didn’t particularly care either way, but now that we are here, I’m glad. Our lives at Sam’s House aren’t particularly busy or stressful, but it will still be nice to just relax a little. Peace and quiet seem to be precious commodities in that house.

Make sure you check out Chris's blog as well. He has much better luck posting pictures than I do (maybe he's just more patient...) and is uploading some as we speak.

Mmmmmm.

I’m too full to sleep so I thought I’d do some blogging yet tonight. Chris, Hannah, and I ate dinner at Dinesh and Rekha’s house, and it was so, so good. Of course I like the didis’ daal bhaat, but this was just amazing. Snacks to start—fried rice puff things, peanut masala, vegetables—and then rice flavored with dates and fresh coconut, chicken, zucchini curry, some bean dish that was great, spicy mango chutney, and cheesecake to finish. I rolled out of their house. Sadly, Chris informs me that even if I stumble upon the rare Nepali restaurant in the U.S., it will never taste the same as the food here.

Yesterday during our afternoon snack, I wanted another cup of chiyaa (sweet tea with milk), so I asked the didis if I could make it and they showed me how. I think I did all right, if I say so myself. Today was laundry day, so I got my first taste of laundry, Nepali style. It involves a lot of swishing, soaking, and scrubbing your clothes on the cement with a bar of soap and a brush. This definitely isn’t the country to wear a shirt for 5 minutes and throw it in the wash—you make sure your clothes are good and dirty before you put the effort into washing them. The didis have also been letting Hannah and me help with more of the chores, like dishes and the kids’ laundry, although I still feel like I’m not doing enough. I feel a little guilty when I’m outside playing football (or soccer, for the Americans reading this) with them and the didis are inside cooking.

Today Chris, Hannah, and I visited a Tibetan refugee camp. After China took control of Tibet, many Tibetans fled to Nepal until Nepal stopped accepting the refugees. Now, they live very poorly and often rely on tourists for their income. We’ll go back another day to watch the Buddhist monks say their daily prayers—we were too early today.

Tomorrow is the kids’ day off from school. They shower in the morning, and then around noon we will all go to the Lakeside district of Pokhara—the tourist area—for ice cream. From 3:00 to 5:00 a dance teacher comes to the house, so I’m pumped to learn along with them. Then tomorrow night Chris and Hannah and I will stay in a hotel in Lakeside, just to satisfy our spoiled American selves and eat something other than daal bhaat for dinner (although, surprisingly, I’m not sick of the food. Yet.).

quick update

Last night Hannah and I had a homework assignment from Rekha to practice our Nepali with the didis. As they were cleaning up after dinner, we went in the kitchen and asked our first, incredibly basic Nepali question: "Tapaaiko naam ke ho?" (What is your name?) and they immediately burst into an uproar. They thought we were hilarious. We spent a lot of time talking to them, and they were very patient with us. Then, later when we were getting ready for bed, Susma (one of the didis) peeked into our room, gestured to the chairs in the living room, and said, "Talk?" So we sat up and talked to them until we had exhausted all the Nepali and English phrases we both knew. They kept asking us if we were tired and wanted to go to bed: "Problem?" No, no problem, we're not tired. We were so excited they wanted to talk to us!

We've got to get back to the house--the kids are home from school. Yesterday it was raining but today it looks like it will hold off, so we will get a chance to play outside with them.

Sam's House, at last!

Hannah, Chris, and I arrived in Pokhara yesterday morning, after a 20 minute flight from Kathmandu overlooking the Himalayas. We were all a little tired of the chaos and pollution of the big city and were looking forward to the more serene town of Pokhara--and, of course, anxious to see the kids. Sam's House, or Kopila Children's Home as it's called in Nepal, welcomed us with open arms. We first met Dinesh, the orphanage director, and then the giggly didis (house mothers). Sandeep, the only child that is too young to attend school, waddled out and handed us little flower bouquets. Adorable. After settling in, touring the house, and eating a huge plate of daal bhaat tarkari (rice, lentils, and curried vegetables), we finally got to walk to the bus stop to meet the kids after school. They bolted off the bus when they saw Chris, and gave him excited hugs, but I expected them to be shyer around Hannah and me. Not true. They ran up to us, too, hugging us and saying, "Namaste! What's your name?" and starting to tell us all about their day. We spent the rest of the night playing some handclapping games, talking (the older kids know quite a bit of English), handing out presents from the States, and trying to learn their names. It's just so great to finally be here, after hearing so much about the kids from Jennifer and Chris. I can't wait to get to know them better!

This morning Hannah and I had our first Nepali language lesson from Rekha, Dinesh's wife. I'm thankful she is so patient, to say the least. We'll have 3 more hours tomorrow, and then 2 on Thursday and 2 on Friday, and then we have to fend for ourselves. We have little homework assignments to do tonight—conversations we are instructed to have with the kids and the didis.

I'm in the process of uploading a few pictures to my flickr page, but it is taking foreeeeeeever. I'll let you know when they are available. I'll never take high speed internet for granted again.

Pictures!

Chris posted a handful of pictures this morning on his blog. I hope to post more soon, but this should give you a little taste of what we are seeing.

Chris had some things he needed to take care of before we leave Kathmandu tomorrow morning, so Hannah and I are about to go do some shopping on our own, without Chris's helpful Nepali language skills. Many Nepalis, especially vendors in the tourist areas, speak a passable amount of English, but it will still be a fun challenge for us to communicate.