Going to Nepal

Joe's wild, zany adventures to Nepal and at home.

30 April 2004

After blowing off the steam earlier this week, things are settling a bit. It only took 6 weeks. I'm continuing to test the patience, but it'll be good in the long run. At least that's what I keep telling myself. Sometimes it works, sometimes, well, I'm an adult right? I had tea with another volunteer yesterday, she just started her teaching assignment. LOTS of questions. Basically you come over here with this IDEA of how YOU"RE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Survey says: WRONG. You can make a small difference, but to radically change the way that people think in the course of, for her 4wks or myself 3 months, it just doesn't happen. You can begin to crack the surface of how they think, perhaps slightly alter the thought pattern, but not a drastic change. And if you were to alter that thought pattern, you could hurt the child's chances in the future because the whole system is set up for the kids to think in one way and one way only. She was shocked to hear that I teach the LwrKG and SrKG classes. Apparently none of the other volunteers has kids younger than class 2. Yea me. The thing for me is that in those classes I feel that I have the most potential to break the normal thought pattern. They are younger and it is not as ingrained. I chisel away.
In other minor news, I have found a place that sells CHOCOLATE CROSSAINTS. They aren't the best in the world (Bread Garden by the Claremont Hotel has that title), but they work in a pinch. I only have them two or three days a week, anymore and I would get on a plane and go home. I have also come to the conclusion that the Atkins diet would fail here miserably. Rice and potatoes are in EVERY meal. Despite this, I have lost weight.
Tomorrow, or likely while you all are out on Friday night, I'll be in Kirtipur visiting a few friends. Haven't been there yet. It's about 8k south of Kathmandu, and only 40minutes on the bus. I may ride the cycle. Anything to get out of Kathmandu. The weather has actually been rather nice lately. Smog still isn't great, but the days are a bit clearer. I have seen the Himalayas everyday this past week. They call my name. I have already left my foot print on this country. Perhaps next time.

27 April 2004

I'm breathing. Deeply. This is something that I tell people to do regularly when they get stressed. I'm not really stressed, just having a few more realizations today while being stressed. So, I still have trouble dealing with the very little ones. They play games with me, "Sir (i'm still not used to this), can I sharpen my pencil?" The pencil is usually just fine. "It's okay Shruti, the pencil is just fine." The tactic is to avoid doing the work, or at least delay it for the 1 minute it takes to sharpen a pencil. I know what is coming. I listen carefully. Snap. "Sir, can I sharpen my pencil?". I look, the pencil tip is now broken. I smile. BREATH my brain screams!!!!!!! I suck in air. My lungs fill. I DO NOT feel the tension leaving my body. "Shruti, did you break your pencil?" "No sir." "Sharpen your pencil Shruti.". I am cracking inside. The seam starts to split. BREATH BREATH BREATH. I am trying to become the Zen master. How exactly is it that this 5y/o has gotten me? Oh, that's right. I don't give her what she wants, she takes it. How can she do the Class Work without a fuc..........er, functioning pencil. Right. Here is the question: Do kids accross the US play these games? Or am I just the prime target due the fact that I don't speak the language? I have realized that my growing frustration is from the fact that I don't speak the language. I want to be able to help these kids with any issues they might have, but since we cannot communicate, that is a near impossbility. Most with the LwrKG and UprKG kids. They play the most games. Is this the case in the states as well? Barb? Lick? Carin? Little help with the younger kids.
Not to much else has been going on. The monsoon season is on it's way, as the pictures of hail will tell. Today it rained about 2" in an hour, there was about 8" of water on the street in front of the school. I'm worried about my room when I get home. I leave the windows open during the day so that the room can air out. My backpack has gotten a little moldy. I don't want to know what the down in my sleeping bag looks like. I air it out every three days. Lots of things happen on the third day. I look foward to all of them. I shower, shave (only the sides now), CHANGE UNDERWARE and t-shirt. Pants are worn for six days. I would change socks, but I don't wear them anymore. OH, a few nice side benefits of not wearing shoes and socks: My feet don't stink (steve, seppo, joe, fam, you must appreciate that) and I'm starting to loose hair on them where the strap is (darren will be jelous and ang won't be albe to make fun of them anymore. HA). I went to the Pakistan embassy to get a visa today. The visa costs vary by coutry. The UK-$70. The US-$120. HUH? Since I already have the plane ticket, I had to spend the afternoon finding a place that I could get $120. That took an hour. Banks don't sell US dollars. So I had to bike around looking for a money changer that wouldn't rip me off. Now I get to go back tomorrow and get my passport back. Anyone know if you need a visa for Turkey or Morocco? Anyone? Bueller? Right. Didn't think so. Thanks for reading.

25 April 2004

Yesterday shall be known from now on as "Adventures in Nepali Cycle Travel Day". Nima and I decided to take a cycle trip south of Patan to a town called Bungamati. The day was stunning, as they have been the past few days, so we set off at about 9. 12k later we arrived at our destination. Bungamati is a small Newari town of about 8,000 people. They are so entrenched in their culture that the older people of the town don't speak Nepali, only Newar. Nima told me that he didn't understand any of the conversations taking place as we cycled through. We stopped at a temple (why else does one go out of Kathmandu?), and realized that Nima's tyre (haha steve) was going flat. He set off to find a cycle shop while I took pictures. There were many people in the square surrounding the Temple, washing cloths, taking baths, and generally milling about. 10minutes later Nima came back without a repaired tyre and less air than he left with. We decided to walk back about 2k to where we had seen a repair shop. Fixed flat, and we were on our way again. Cycling south still, it began to rain. We took shelter under a roof for a bit, then headed off again. As we were just starting to ascend a particularly rough bit of road, I ran over a rock, no big deal. We both dismounted (riding single speeds is FUN, fun I tell you). As I grasped the handle bars, the skewered to the right, funny, the wheel remained straight. HUH? The stem had broken inside the headset and YEAH, no more steering. We both commented on how it was good that it had happened while we were walking. We trugged back through the mud for an hour to the cycle shop, and the gentlemen repaired the cycle for 275r (just under $4). At this point we were deadset against going any further away from Kathmandu, and headed home.
While having an afternoon snack with Nima on Friday (french toast-this spurred my memory), I recalled the last time I had made french toast, about a year ago for a high school classmate who I was trying to impress. This got me thinking about the past year. 12 months ago I was working 55hrs a week. 9 months ago I was going to school at Berkeley extension. 6 months ago I was working part time and going to school (and doing well!!!). Three months ago I left a job that I loved, the comfort of my own place, and two months ago I was trying to figure out what the hell I was doing in Nepal. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings.

22 April 2004

The past 24 hours have brought about a DRASTIC change in the order of things that one needs to be concerned about while living in Nepal. Let us briefly review the current top Three candidates:
3) THE MAOIST INNSURECTION. Before leaving the states, this was the primary concern. They have been busy, but mostly in the outlying areas. Beni rasied their stock in the concern department just prior to the trip to Pokhara. Things have not been quiet since then, but as they operate mostly in the coutryside, I don't spend a lot of time shaking in my boots about them.
2) THE POLITICAL DEMONSTRATIONS. For the past three weeks, this has been at number due to the everyday occurance and the fact that I ride by a college EVERYDAY. In fact they were burning tyres this morning as I rode by. I was thanked by several people, smiling meekly I got back on my cycle, because I had other things to worry about..........
1) RANDOM LEOPARD ATTACKS. That's right folks, in your very own neighborhood, five minutes before you ride you cycle by, 10 minutes from the center of a city of 1m, a leopard decides to enter a house, sniff the kids, startle the parents, maul an army man and get shot. I, fat, dumb and happy, ride on by, BLISSfully unaware of the situation. I find out later that night watching the news. Lovely. Just lovely.
Editors note: number 1 did happen, but the author wishes it to be known that the writing is purely sarcastic. SO RELAX. Oh, and the website for Nepali Times is: http://www.nepalitimes.com

21 April 2004

Group mentality. This concept does not applies to the children of Nepal. I don't know how much it applies to the educational system in the states, but here, if someone else is doing it, YOU WANT TO. It's not a small desire, if someone gets noticed, then you have to as well. I gave them an assignment out of the book. Read the words (we did this one at a time), then colour the pictures. Whenever one of them would say "Teacher look." Then the rest of them would say "Teacher look", and wow, everyone needed me to look at theirs FIRST. As I looked at the drawings, I thought about the rest of the classes. It seems that if one of the students needs a)water b)bathroom c)sharpen pencil, then they all do. Sometimes I get asked "Can I go to the toilet, I mean to drink water?". This question usually occurs right after the classmate has asked if they could do that. Then I considered the way they play games. When playing basketball, they won't pass, all they do is run around with the ball, it isn't about scoring points, it's about having the "ball". And it doesn't even have to be a sport. One of the students in my class 1, 2, 3 was caught cheating. Her paper was torn up by the teacher (don't get me started on that), and she was made to sit in the hall. When I came into the class room EVERYONE want to tell me how this girl was a cheater. I explained to them that they all had cheated while I had been there and to chastice this girl was pointless because they all had done it. I thought the issue was settled. However, when the principle came into the room 5 minutes later, one of the students thought that it would an even better idea to tell the principle. After the priciple had left, I asked this student how she would feel if she was the one who had cheated, and how it would make her feel if someone had told the principle about it. She said that she would feel "very sad.". I asked her how she thought her classmate felt. No response. It seems that from a very young age, these kids are almost trained to point out the faults in all of their classmates, to try to get attention, to not let someone else do something that you can also do. Like go to the toilet.
Other than that things are great. I didn't feel so well earlier this week, but I think that has passed. I had a salad yesterday, it's strange the things that I have craved here. Mostly greens. The western food they make just doesn't turn out the same. But salad, hell ask Gorecki, it's just greens. Carrots, lettuce (when you get it), cucumber, they all taste the same here. BUT you have to make sure they soak it in iodine water. This is key.
School is good. I realized that teaching young children is not for me, at least not here. The language barrier is a bit much to try and over come with a 3y/o. Perhaps this is also hard in the states, but wow, does it wear on the patience.
I rode through another protest (I think?) today. There was a HUGE crowed outside the army base that I ride by everyday. T.V. cameras, etc. I do my best to avoid these, but when I don't know when/where they happen, my ignorance is certainly not Bliss. Thanks Edward. In other isolated news, literally the kind that makes me feel that way, Alex got engaged this past weekend. Again, that strange feeling of missing the goings on in the Bay Area comes back to haunt me. That, however, has not stopped me from prolonging my trip. I have decided to spend 10 days in the following locations, breath ma: Thailand, Pakistan, Turkey and Morocco, the to cross over to Portugal and catch a train to France to see Nico, Germany for Alex, and Denmark for Mikkel. I'll see you all in September!!!
Lost some where in the world.

17 April 2004

This was a lazy day. Washed a t-shirt this morning, then lounged around the house reading. I actually had the audacity to take my shirt off and read on the balcony on the third floor. I feel very strange doing this, as I wear a shirt and pants most of the time. I have a great tan on my arms, but the rest of me is pretty damn white. I'm wearing shorts now while riding the bike, but pants at school. The legs zip back on. No one said anything, but it was more a self conscious thing. At home I love nothing more than wearing just shorts. At about 2:30, I decided to leave and just ride the cycle around town ( I have changed cycles. The "new" one is single speed, steel, a nice spungy seat for my big ass, and brakes that wouldn't stop a go-cart rolling on a track). Mostly just meandered the back streets aroung Durbar Square and Kanti Path (this is where they held the protests). On my way there I rode through another protest for Human Rights. This is the third protest that I have been through in the past week. I don't know what the first two were for, but they were there. One was quite small, but they were burning tires. How many times in your life have you actually seen this happening? For me, it is a very passionate display of one's feelings. The only problem was that there were only 20 people milling about this tyre burning. C'est la Vie. For some really good news of the goings on in Nepal, do a google search for: Nepali Times. They are a great weekly, with some good critizism of Mr. GWB. Reminds me of reading the SF Bay Guardian.
Oh, and the reason that I look 14 is that I shaved. No more Bokka. I like it better with than without. Pictures to follow. Patience. Patience. :D


16 April 2004

Happy Post Tax Day!!! I hope that this season was survived by all with at least some happiness. I know that Uncle Sam will take his fare share of mine when I get home. BUT I FILED AN EXTENSION, so I don't have to pay until later, but pay I will. Bastards. If only losing several months wages was deductable. Or volunteer work. Things are going great here. School has been in session for two weeks and we still have yet to get text books. This makes teaching a bit difficult. I work from last years text, and can't really give homework as they don't have the books. I get the sense that the reason we started on the first of the month was so that the school could collect a full months tuition. Compouding this lack of educational materials is the fact that there are students in grade one who should be in Sr.KG and kids in Sr.KG who should be in Jr. One of the teachers told me to just hold their hands. I try, but this slows down the progress of the entire class. Example: Sr.KG has 5 students. Three of them can listen and write the following sentance: THIS IS A LION. Two of them can't spell "this" or "is" or "a" or "lion". A bit frustrating. So I have those who can help those who can't. This breaks down into all out copying. It's fun. No, really it is. I'm starting to enjoy it.
There isn't to much else to report, Ma you don't have to worry about my safety, every time I leave someplace after 7, I get asked to call them and let them know I arrived home safely. I feel as though I'm 14 again. Speaking of which, I also look that way again. Love to all.

14 April 2004

Well this past week was Nepali New Year. And I had a great post, but lost it somehow, the second in under a week. Apparently not only did I come to Nepa, but I went 57 years into the future. It's now 1 Bisak (month) 2061. Strange. There were no parites, I was up til midnight reading social theory. A very sedate new year, not like running about San Fran looking for lost souls. That is the final shot of that joke. :D So to celebrate I gave a lecture to the new group of volunteers on cultural intergration from a westerners view point. I may not be an expert, but I have been here longer then they have. They appreciated it, mostly asking questions about the educational system.
On monday night I went to the Himalayan Buddist Meditation Center for a meditation session. This was the first time in my life that I have done anything like this, but with my budding interest in Buddism, I was really looking foward to it. We sat on cushions on the floor, with the correct psture (they told us to imagine someone pulling a the point in your skill where the spinal column meets the skull), let me tell you, this hurts after about 1minute, and we were there for 40. The first twenty minute session we focused on the elements of the body: water, bone, blood, and air. I had some very strange sensations while this was taking place. I felt alternately like I was very small, as thought my back was being pushed into my hands, almost as though my body did not exist. THe other sensation was one of almost seperating from myself. ALmost a flying sensation that we all experience in dreams as a child, but much more intense and real. Almost as though I was being drawn upwards. I would have thoughts while this was taking place, so it wasn't as though my mind were blank, just focused on the experience that it was going through.

10 April 2004

So here is the long anticipated blog about trekking, Pokhara, and the events that took place in between. Trekking was to be a fairly uneventful village trek, but it turned FUBAR. We, Birman the guide (also Nima's brother in law), took the bus out to a little town an hour from Kathmandu. The bus ride was in itself an adventure. Buses, apparently, can go quite fast through tight S turns, meanwhile 6ft. men must squeeze into spaces that Claire would find uncomfortable. Fun stuff. For the first three days of the trek we would be staying with familes in what was described to me as " a traditional rurual Nepali experience. You might be sleeping with goats, cows, yaks, chickens, etc. " I was fully prepared for this. It's actually worse than it sounds. The first floor of the houses were generally a barn of sorts, then the family slept above. Not a problem. The first night was wonderful. The family was very nice, their house sitting above a little river valley which I took time to explore, reminded me of the Bear Creek area, just not quite the volume of water. The only thing that bothered me was that the windows were shuttered at night. NO LIGHT whatsoever passed into the room. It was very disconcerting. I woke up several times while trekking wondering where I was. They wouldn't let me sleep outside, I asked. Things were going well on day two as well. On the morning of the third day I had some breakfast of museli, and we were about to take off, when they offered to make up some popcorn. This is a normal breakfast in the rural areas. They threw in some roasted soy beans. I ate up. About an hour into our walk, I started to not feel so well. We pressed on as the walk that day was only two hours. Arriving at the house we would be staying at, I was not a happy camper. I laid down for a bit of a nap. Still not feeling well, I decided to try to the toliet. Twenty minutes and no relief later, I again tried to nap. At this point, I knew I had a problem, but wasn't sure to what extent. I opted to try and sleep it off. This didn't happen at about 11:00, I made a hasty exit to the balcony and let fly with breakfast, on this poor families front step. For 15 minutes. Half an hour later, another quick visit to the balcony. Again I tried to rest. I asked Birman how far it was to Nala, the closest place we could get a taxi. Two kilometers. An hours walk. Okay, lets go. But wait!! I made another trip to the balcony, careful to not get the steps as I noticed they had cleaned them. We gathered our stuff. Down the stairs, into the front yard, I feel it coming on again. Here, there anywhere, I don't like this green eggs and ham. We ended up calling an ambulance and getting a ride down to Banepa. I was now on my way to a hospital. I don't like hospitals. One bag of IV fluid (not BLOOD), a little anti-nausa medication, and three hours time. I kept increasing the flow on the IV because they told me when it was done I could leave. They would come in and lower it, leave, and I would raise it. Maybe they were lowering it while I slept. Bastards. We caught a taxi back to Kathmandu, but there were several police check points because a)the maoist had bombed Bhaktapur the day before b) there were HUGE political rallies in Kathmandu that day. I spent the next few days getting over the end of food poisoining and the beginning of Giardia. That seems to be on it's way out now. Thank goodness.
Pokhara. I spent 6 relaxing days there. Waking up in time to see the Himalayas, staying late enough that most of the shops were closed. I picked up a few things for people. Apparently embroidered t-shirts are the thing there. So I had some made in custom designs. It rained, thundered and lighteninged everyday that I was there, mostly in the evening around 5:00. You could almost set your clock by it. I had flash backs to the High Unitas in Utah. One day it was so bad that it crushed the thatched roof of one of the restaurants.
I am now back in Kathmandu, land of the "faster" and cheaper internet and food. When I got back they tried to extract 400r for a taxi ride to Balaju. I laughed. The metered ride to the airport was 160r. I was pushing for either a metered ride or 150r. They were pushing for 200r. It's very hard to get the taxi drivers from the airport to use the meter. We settled on 180r. And that brings us up to right now.

08 April 2004

Oh, yeah, watching champions league futbol, GO CHELSEA!!!!!
Dateline Pokhara-
Life has been tough, no working, no plans, no troubles, no women. :D Pokhara is a laid back little town situated on a lake in central Nepal. It reminds me a bit of Tahoe due to the mountainess surroundings. This morning I got up at 5 to catch a ride up to the top of Sarankot to see the sunrise on Annapurna and Macuhhapuchhare (Ma-chu-pu-cha-re), wow. On the summit by 5:45, what an amazing sight. The mountains don't appear to the 6000m-8000m monsters that they are. Lots of pictures, I'll get those posted along with more stories from Pokhara when I get back to Kathmandu. Tomorrow is two months. Strange, it doens't seem that long........

05 April 2004

Sorry for the delay in posting, been trekking, and a few other minor adventures (think medical treatment), but I'm alive and in Pokara for a few days relaxation. I'll post more when I get back to Kathmandu. They only have dial up here and its ALOT more expensive than in the City. Flight here was nice, still no mountains. Seems that the haze covers the coutry. I've met the people in the new program to Nepal, there are 15 if them. I'll be giving a talk on Cultural Intergration from a Westerns Perspective. Life is good and, thankfully, I'm alive.