Hi sorry i haven't posted anything for a while- its just the internet is so slow here and we have limited free time! But let me think whats happened...
Well we lost one volunteer- he got sent home, we were all totally gutted and it really affected us as a group but its been nearly a week so things are getting back to normal now and he has settled in back home- not surprisingly he has the luxury of hot showers, lie ins and whatever food he wants! To be fair i am getting used to the cold bucket baths i really dont mind them and the food is tasty- my mums a really good cook, so is my dad come to think of it and i get up about 7:30-8 everyday which isn't too early considering i go to bed between 9 and 10 usually- 11 if im feeling a lil wild lol!
On saturday we went to the zoo in Jew (its a place in Kathmandu) lol which was nice and the animals wernt kept anywhere near as badly as i thought they would be- but the cheeter's enclosure was so small and that was very sad. Also we rode an elephant and it was fun but i felt bad for the poor elephant it was so old and it had 5 ppl om it plus the driver at once! But hey it was an experience! And then we went to for some good food at a local resteraunt which was meto cha (tasty)...
The other day i got up at 4:45am and got ready to leave for the temple at 5am but typical of Nepali time we didnt leave till about 6:30am lol! But it was great and worth it when i got there- we went to the temple in the side of the hill/mountain which is up loooooooads of steps and it has a beatiful view! I went with my hajur amma (grandma), bainni (lil sis) and didi (big sis but we also use it for aunty which is what i mean in this case) and we did puja on the big statue of Kali/Durga and it was lovely and i was able to kneel and i recite the 108 names on my mala and i was chanting mantras and singing bhajans which led a local man to ask if i was nepali! Then i came home at my breakfast and went to work lol!
On friday we are going to Thamel (in Kathmandu) to try and arrange/find out information about the bunjie jump! What bunjie jump i here u ask? Its the 3rd biggest jump in the world or something and its very close to the Nepali/Chinese border! It looks amazing and i really want to do it- its over a river with the most beautiful scenery around and a well nice hotel (which im sure we cant afford!) Soo exciited! And then after we are just gna get some grub etc maybe go to the shisha bar for abit and then get up early in the morning and do some serious sightseeing with a tiny spot of shopping!
Its Shivaratri (Hindu festival) next week and im hoping that im either going to Pashupatinath which is a huge complex of temples and it where the funeral ghats (pires for cremation) are and itd where all the sadhu's and sanyassi's hang out and smoke the 'erb (as this is typical of Shiva devotees- hence why the Ganga is called Ganga- after the river Ganges which runs through Lord Shiva's hair! Or il be going to Chitwan with my host family (one of the most beautiful parts of Nepal iv heard) which has an amazing national park! And then the following saturday i think im going to Budhanilikanta (something like that anyway) so go to the sleeping Vishnu temple because its a rare huuuuuuuge murtiy (statue)/temple devoted to the aspect of lord Vishnu sleeping on his bed of snakes in the middle of the sea! I cant wait- here and pashupatinath are the two places that i most want to go! But getting inside to do puja is going to be tricky but im gna give it a go- hopefully with the divine on my side (and my nepali family on the other lol)!
In our local village we have found our own little tea room that we love and have nicknamed starbucks! Its great we go in everyday for chiia (tea in nepali) and sometimes noodles but always chocolate and biscuits lol! Its great though cos we get loads of community interaction and we are starting to really get to grips with he Nepali language and this helps alot and also the locals and ur family just really appreciate u trying.
Also we taught the other day for the first time! It was really good- i froze up to begin with my partner was great so then i eased up and joined in and took over at times and then really got involved with the kids checking there sentances etc ( because we taught verbs, adjectives and nouns which most of the kids where pretty good or excelllent at) and then we had to set them homework and everything! I cant wait till next weeks class! Plus its really good cos these are the kids that we are building the new school for- we taught in the current building which is just awful, dark and cold- it really reminds you of why you are here, to give these kids and environment in which they really want to learn and where they dont have to worry about the ceiling falling in on them (well thats abit of an exadge but the school building is buggered!) Oh and the other day on the contruction site all the kids from the school came and made a huge chain and helped us bring all the brick up from the bottom of the slope! It was so sweet and cool to watch- the kids are great! and then we got involved too!
Anyway i better but il post again and hopefully have some really exciting cool stuff to tell u! I miss everyone and cant wait to see u but i am having an awesome time here- sometimes its just so surreal to think im in Nepal doing all this stuff- but u kinda dont think about it u just adapt...as Bal (the other groups supervisor would say) dont compare just adapt! And that is what i have done...
Pheri batola x x x
