Sunday, September 30, 2012

Exciting Day at Sushila Orphanage

Saturday was a very exciting day for us at Sushila Orphanage. The Nepal Scouts came to visit. There were about 25 girls and boys aged 14. Nepal Scouts are co-ed so boys and girls. They brought all kinds of gifts and food and supplies to the kids. It was a big event even the local newspaper showed up and apparently I am going to be in it. The kids were not that excited about it though. The older boys hid and didn't even come out to greet them. The younger ones were very shy and did not really want to be with them. I think it was like they felt they were on public display, a side show, the Scout girls were telling the orphans how adorable they were and how cute they looked. I was of course very protective of them and made sure we all stuck together. They don't expect donations and do not want people to fuss over them. They are so happy with their lives and routine that any disruption is seen as a invasion. Attached are some pictures of the day.

The family holding Lord Ganesh outside. Not sure what the festival is called but every now and then you have to take the statue of Ganesh outside of the house.

The happy family. From back to front, Kumar 16, Grusah, Rajendra 14(yellow shirt center), House Mother, Dolly, Shumjana, Shova, Bikash,Gunjin (hiding her face she is camera shy) Shova, Sharan, Subista in orange, the sweetest and smartest girl I know, and Ayaaz.

Grusah, Mother and Dolly. They are from India but moved to Nepal, the husband (father) abondoned the family when the girls were very young because the mother did not give him a son. They struggled for many years and eventually she got the job of house mother, were they all live and share 1 bedroom. They are really lovely people and care for the children very well. They consider themselves a family.


Friday, September 28, 2012

Big event in Pepsi Cola Town Planning



On my morning walk I noticed the streets were particularly busy with cars,trucks, motorbikes and pedestrians all walking in the same direction. I thought it was perhaps the Friday morning ritual, getting ready for the one day off. Then I came to the main junction in town and the road leaving town was closed so I deducted it must be a strike, they happen here randomly but everyone knows when there is one. Then a couple of students from my school ran up to me and explained there had been a plane crash 1km from the airport. Then I arrived home my house mother told me the same thing, the news had spread from mouth to mouth and over the news cast to fast. The accident happened at 6:40am and by 7 the whole town knew. It was the topic of conversation all day at school, everyone was talking about it. The place was carrying 19 people, 6 British, 6 Chinese, the rest Nepali crew and sherpas. They were headed to Mt Everest base camp for a trek. Apparently a bird flew into the engine and the captain lost control. He managed to steer the plane away from the houses and town and so it crashed nose first by the river bank. All were killed. You have to understand in a place like this, this is absolutely the biggest story to break in a long time, so naturally everyone had to get to the crash site to see it for themselves. My friend Bruwan offered to drive me and some people to the site so we went. The site was on the other side of the river to which there is no road so people were crossing the river by foot to get a closer look. The site has been cordoned off by the army but still people had to get close to have a look. I asked Bruwan if they were coming to pay respects, he said no they are just curious. Talk about gawking!
Here are a few pictures of the day.



The crash site

This is the founder of the orphanage's Aunt guess how old she is?

The crash site

 The Girls - Shova, 11 Gunjin 8, Subista, 7, Shumjana 11


Sharan, he wanted to try on my glasses

Thursday, September 27, 2012

In the year 2069

The Nepali Calendar is approximately 56 years and 8½ months ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The Nepalese New Year falls in the middle of April. Unlike Gregorian months, the lengths of Nepali months are not predetermined, and change from year to year, varying from 29 days to 32 days. That makes me 108 years old!!! It is really confusing at school because they use both calendar so I am never really sure what day it is or year! 
 
Today I saw a man on a motorbike, a very common thing here, except this man was carrying a very special passenger  behind him. It was a very large sow!! It was dead of course draped over the seat as he raced down the street. Wish I had my camera with me.

The kids are busy getting ready for exams which start next Friday. Then 2 weeks holiday don't forget they go to school year round with only about 3 weeks off the entire year, so this holiday is the biggest in the country. 

I am still amazed how hard the kids of the orphanage work. They come home from school, do chores, study from 4 until 6pm, get up at 6am study until 8am then go to school. Crazy!! But they don't complain, it is the only life they know. It was so sad today I was in Sharan class, he is in grade 4 and in his class is a poster with all the kids birth dates, and parents birth dates. His was blank they are not exactly sure what his date of birth is. I asked the teacher why they just did not choose a date so he doesn't feel left out, she said they never thought about it. Because the birth dates of the kids at the orphanage are unclear they all celebrate their birthdays on the same day.

Another strange custom I became aware of last night was this. I actually notice Bikash and Ayaaz who are 7 and 8 had this long tuft of hair on the crowns of their heads. I thought someone did a bad job cutting their hair, but yesterday they got fresh hair cuts and still this tuft of hair is there. So I asked one of the older boys and he told me when a young boy's father has died he must wear this tuft until he is 10 years old. Talk about standing out in a crowd, but again it is the norm here so no one pays attention. 
Attached are a few photos of the day.

Simply beautiful.

old style house

Rajendra and Kumar both 16 hand washing the school uniforms after school for all 10 kids.




Monday, September 24, 2012

The saddest thing I ever saw

Today on my morning walk I saw a little dog lying on the side of the road, he had been run over by a car, his back leg bone was protruding through the skin. I thought he was dead. On  my way to pick up Laxmi at the special school I passed it again only this time it was awake and lying there unmoved , it was getting eaten by flies, the vultures will be there by morning. It broke my heart to see this helpless little dog suffering, I actually for a moment thought of picking up a brick or rock and ending it's life but I did not have the courage nor the strength. Nature will run it's course.
On the way to the school I was walking with Sharan one of the boys in the pictures from yesterday, I asked him if he wanted an ice cream or something, he said no. The kids from the orphanage are so used to not having anything they don't even want it when it is offered. They did make me promise that after the exams next week that I would take them to the Fun Park which is a small amusement park should be fun.
I also spent the morning at the primary school, which is in a separate building down the street, grades 1 -4. There are on average about 25 kids in the classrooms which are about 8 feet square. They are packed 4 to a bench and keep their backpacks on the back of the bench. The smell of urine permeates the building it is overwhelming at times but they are so used to it they don't notice. There is a plan to move them to the larger school, and to redesign the classrooms there. At 4pm I was at the orphanage and the kids sat at their benches, just like the school benches until 6pm which is dinner time. They work, study and draw each day for 2hours after school, no TV here!! But the kids are so happy and grateful to be in a nice home with a great mother and they are so happy to have so many brothers and sisters, they really are a family.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Orphanage day

Yesterday I spent the morning and afternoon at the orphanage. This home has 10 kids ages 7 - 15. All the kids attend the CBIA School which I work at. It was wonderful to get to know them and play with them. I mostly had the 5 younger kids ages 7-9. The morning was filled with chores then studying the play time. We played a game called Carrom Board, you can see in the pictures and video. These kids have no parents or family to take them they were literally left on their own, but thanks to the good work of some people they have a nice home to live in and a great house mother to look after them. I will be going daily after school to help with the studies. Children here go to school 6 days a week. The grade 9-10 students attend school from 6:30am until 6pm. All they know and all they have is their education, they understand fully that the only way out for them is by education, it is taken very seriously here. Here are some pictures of the day.
The older kids were did not want to play with us. They are Shumjana who is 10, Shova, 10, Rajundra 14 and Kumar 14.


the kids from the orphanage i work at in the fron is Ayaaz aged 7, the Shubista she is 9 and Sharan also 9

This is Gunjin she is 8 years old


Sharan and Bikash who is 9.


Friday, September 21, 2012

DAY TWO AT SCHOOL


Today I had the honor to be a judge for the debate team. The debate topic was "Science. Boon or Bane". When the teacher was telling me about it I just could not understand what he was saying, so he got the dictionary out and showed me the definition for the word "boon", it means good, now I knew what bane means so it was clear to me now the debate was about "Science, good or bad". There is another word they use here, it's tiffin, it refers to a short break or lunch. So when the teacher was explaining to me that the debate was after tiffin, I was like what? So again we got out the dictionary and looked it up. Such old words they use here, must be from being so close to India. The kids did pretty good with the debate except they were on microphones and an amp, so sometimes it was very loud. It was great fun and the kids were pleased with themselves, and I learned some new scrabble words. Here are a few pictures of the sunset today. |




hanging out by the side of the road




Thursday, September 20, 2012

Namaste

Namaste is the traditional greeting use in Nepal. You place your hands together in prayer position over your heart and say "Namaste", translated means "I bow to the God in you". I have managed to pick up the language fairly easily. I can say, "Tapailai kosta ccha?" "how are you" and answer, "Malai ramro ccha." " I am good". People are very eager to speak English so I tend to ask in Nepali and they respond in English, it's a struggle for me to practice the language.
I started my placement today at the school, the only way to describe it is like "Little house on the prairie." The school is old and beat up the classrooms are small, the kids sit and the old style table with the wooden bench, 3 or 4 to a bench. Whenever the teacher walks in or out they all stand at attention until dismissed. It was funny today, they were all standing and not moving, I was told they were waiting for me to leave the class. There is a lot of improving to do with the teachers. The style of teaching is very old school (forgive the pun). They read from a book and expect the students to retain it. My job will be to help develop the teachers and curriculum to make it more interactive and fun for both student and teacher. My schedule will likely be 7:30am at the orphanage, 9am at school until 3pm, then back to the orphanage until dinner at 7:30pm. Both the school and the orphanage or walking distance to my house so it's very nice to casually stroll down the street to work. Eventually I suppose I will get to know the shop keepers on the way so I can say Namaste to them. Sorry no photos today, it's all work now.

Woody's trip to KTM

Woody trying to impress the monks

That Woody always trying to get there before me


Woody on the stupa, almost got us kicked out by security!

A new day in Kathmandu

Today my guide took me to Boudnapath Stupa. It is a Buddhist Stupa and the largest in the region. It was very beautiful and peaceful there. The trip there and back of course is a whole new story.

Monks entering Temple

Boudnapath Stupa



smaller stupa

prayer flags





Monks


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Festival Day


     Today was the festival called "Teej" it is the fasting festival for women.. The festival is a three-day long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. Through this religious fasting, Hindu women pray for marital bliss, well being of their spouse and children and purification of their own body and soul. The women all wear red saris and offer fruit and gifts to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parbati.
On the way to Temple

Schools are closed and everyone takes part in some form or another, here are some pictures and video. We also went into the city today of Kathmandu it was crazy, dirty, loud, crowded,old and fun.




lining up for Temple

waiting to get into the Temple

Festivities at the Temple


Monday, September 17, 2012

VSN Projects


Yesterday we went on a tour of the projects VSN (Volunteer Society of Nepal) has in the area. New Life orphanage houses 25 children aged between 5 and 15. The home itself was a little run down, needs some fresh paint and tlc, I am considering offering to pay for the paint and getting a few people together to paint the kids rooms. The other is Bright Futures and it houses 6 kids, this home was in much better condition. They also have a school CBIA (Career Building International Academy) which has 600 students. The government schools here are run really badly and so no one wants to send their kids to them so they pay to send them to private schools. I will be working at New life and CBIA helping the teachers and the kids with English conversation.



children's room

older boys room

school bus

typical street scene

street view


Sunday, September 16, 2012

Swimming Day


Yesterday we took the kids from the orphanage swimming, there were 20 kids from 5-14. We had great fun in the pool, I was tossing them about, just like I did with Mark and my nephews. Got a sunburn though, it was cloudy but still this tender white skin is not used to it. Here are some photos of the day.

This is the school bus we had 26 people in here, 4 in the front, 1 on my lap
inside school bus

dashboard

swimming pool,. very nice!


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Where's Woody?

You might be asking yourself: "Self, I haven't seen Woody lately, what's up with that?".
Well the answer my friends is written in the wind, oh wait that's a song. The answer is Woody, unlike me did not have his shots before coming to Nepal. I warned him about drinking the water but he would not listen. So this is what he has been up to for the last 3 days.
this picture was taken by flashlight because the power is off, my room is on the generator but not the bathroom. power is off for 7 hours a day but it's totally random.

Food Porn (not)

My sister asked about the food here. Well let me tell you. Everyday I get up and have tea at 7:30, which includes, duud chiya (milk tea) with toast and nutella!!! Then at 9:30 is breakfast which is basmati rice (baht) and lentils (dahl), the lentils are cooked like a soup so you pour it on top of the rice, then you get a side of vegetables, sometimes spinach with green beans or potatoes with peas and tomatoes. It's really quite good BUT you have the same thing for dinner at 7:30pm except they change the vegetable to whatever they have. I am already sick of rice. Today, Saturday was a special surprise, we had for breakfast rice with egg on top, no dahl!!
dahl bhat

Momo's
As for lunch we have been going out because we are sightseeing, this often includes the national dish of Momo's, which is a dim-sum dumpling stuffed with vegetables or buff, yes buff not beef(cow,Hindus), so it's water buffalo. They are very good BUT had them 4 times now. They also have for lunch chow mein with buff or chicken, had that once. Haven't had any fruit, fresh greens, coffee, cheese, yogurt,ice cream, popcorn, chips,pizza, wings,beer,wine since being here. But have had Pepsi-Cola after all that's the name of the town, cost about .25cents for a bottle. Once I know my way around I can make my way into the city where there is a Pizza Hut, KFC and American style restaurants. Dinner is in 45 minutes, guess what's for dinner.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Getting there is half the fun


You cannot believe the chaos in the streets here. Everything from motorbikes, cars, trucks, three-wheeled things, chickens, dogs and cows all roaming freely and without any rules. When the bus does arrive you squeeze yourself in and hang on. Our seat was not fastened to the floor so we were bouncing all over the place. Have a look at the video for a sample, please note this is actually not as bad as I have seen. Hold on!

Sightseeing in Kathmandu

After the morning session of language training our guide to us to a place called Pashmuti. This is a very holy place for Hindus, it is the main site for cremation. The following pictures depict cremations which Hindus believe to be a public affair, once the fire is finished the ashes are then brushed into the Bagmati River which will eventually end up in the sacred Ganges.

body being cremated for unknown reasons there is no foul smell, must be the wood or the way the body is prepared.

body prepared for cremation

body being prepared
The smoke is from a cremation the body must be cremated on the same day as the death.

monkeys live here also, our guide was very afraid of them for she had been attacked as a child

such cute little things but fierce