And so it begins

Namaste!

This post is basically going to tell you what all I've been doing during my first four days in Nepal, answer a bunch of questions my sister so kindly bombarded me with on my last post, and of course, some pictures, so here we go.

Monday- Day 1

I got to the airport early in the morning by American standards, but definitely not by Nepali ones. By 7:30 the Nepali are out and about, making their way to work or school, and all sorts of shenanigans any American wouldn't dream of at that time of day. I was picked up at the airport by some people who work for ELI Abroad, the company I'm with, and they took me to the volunteer house in Kathmandu. For breakfast, I got some toast and Nepali tea (very similar to what we would consider to be chai). Their tea is a staple. They will drink it almost anytime of day and at any temperature. Iced tea does not exist here, which is crazy considering it's gotten above 90 degrees every day I've been here. 

Anywho, then I got to rest a bit, and get settled before heading out to the Monkey Temple with the other volunteers. Two of ELI's Nepali staff showed us around Swayambhunath, teaching us a bit about Buddhism and the temples we saw. And yes, there are a ton of monkeys everywhere. Someone even got "attacked" by one, because it wanted the food she was carrying. Basically it just snatched it out of her hands. She was fine, so no worries. After walking around the complex of temples, we got some lunch at a rooftop cafe. Everyone had momo, which are basically Nepali dumplings that are either veggie, chicken, or buffalo, and come with a certain sauce. They were pretty delicious, and super cheap (about $2). After lunch we all headed back, and called it a day.

Tuesday- Day 2

In the morning, I had my orientation with my roommate and project partner. We learned a bit more about the Nepali culture (like how 80% of the country is Hindu and 10% are Buddhist, and that eating with your left hand is considered filthy), and our project. Basically how it's set up is that in the (early) morning, we go to an orphanage, and help the lil' chitlins get ready for school, or with their homework, or anything that needs to be done. Then we get a few hours break before we go to the Buddhist monastery in the afternoon and teach some little monks in English. The afternoon brought a small tour of the city, basically mapping out where we had to go for each part of our day. We also got to see the orphanage and monastery for the first time.

Wednesday- Day 3

First day on the job! We were still guided by ELI staff to both of our project sites, but we were definitely tested on the way. At both the orphanage and monastery, we were incredibly confused, and never quite sure what we were supposed to be doing, but we've been told that it takes a few days to completely understand what's going on. The kids at both places are absolutely adorable. At the orphanage, even on the first day, we were getting hugs, and requests to play with them. The monks are a bit shier, but still precious.

After we all got back to the house, the two other girls who are here and I went out in search of some balloon/harem pants, because it is boiling here constantly, and we're all required to have our knees covered. It was pretty interesting. We were told that we shouldn't pay more than 500 Nepali rupees (about $5) for a pair of pants, but everything was either unmarked, or marked too high. We needed to play the bartering game. We all succeeded in various stores getting prices down to around Rs 550, and made a shopkeeper or two laugh on the way. But hey, mission accomplished, right? And now I have a kickin' pair of green swirly pants that don't make me want to jump in a bathtub of ice with every step I take.

Thursday- Day 4

Today! At the orphanage this morning, the kids were all super happy to see us and we got loads of hugs off the bat. Then a few went off to a dance class, and we were left to watch about 5 or 6 boys. They ended up playing and entertaining themselves, but that doesn't mean I wasn't still confused about what was going on. At the monastery, we started to get a better feel of what the monks actually know. They've got counting and the alphabet down pat, but addition and some words still trip them up a bit. That's fine though, gives us something to do. After all that, we managed to take the micro-bus all by ourselves back to our house (see below). It was a pivotal moment. No biggie.

And now some thoughts and answers to Marijke's questions!!

The driving here is absolutely insane. It pales in comparison to anything that I've seen before. Lanes are only seen as a suggestion, cars and motorcycles weave in and out of each other, and honking is commonplace. I now understand all the travel book warnings about renting a car or motorcycle- any western driver would probably have a panic attack and an accident. I actually rode in a public bus on my first day (the micro-bus mentioned above). Again, probably not what you're thinking. The buses here are old, white vans that people just hop on and off of. It made me think of what a mini-bus would be in South Africa (at least according to my sister's description). They can be jam-packed. One time I counted 22 people in one of these things, not including the driver, and money-handler. I've even had to stand in one, which was a challenge, since Nepal is a country of small people, so I was basically doubled-over, trying not to hit my head on the roof. It was definitely an experience, but I survived despite a few bumpy roads, so that's definitely a bonus!

Other things that have struck me as different include stray dogs barking at all hours of the night, and keeping me awake, no street lamps, cows in the middle of the road, and a need to be incredibly straight forward and not say things like "no, thank you," but just saying "no" instead. It's difficult for the Midwesterner in me! 

It's also incredibly dusty. People ware face masks to try to reduce the amount they inhale. Yes, I have bought one, but wearing it is uncomfortable and hot. I'm not really a huge fan, even though I know it's better for me in the long run. The dust also gives me the feeling that I'm never going to be completely clean until I'm back home.

The jet lag also hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. A nap on the first day and a couple of nights with melatonin has done wonders. 

Questions

Can you see lots of mountains from the city?

Lots? No. Some? Yes. It's a bit difficult at time though, since there's a ton of dust in the air and the buildings are so close together. But if you manage to get on a roof then you can get a pretty decent view of the mountains which surround the city.

Have you almost been run over by a car or motorbike yet? 

Numerous times. The streets are really narrow, and the drivers are a bit crazy as I've explained. There are also no crosswalks, so if you think Ann Arbor has crazy pedestrian right-of-way expectations and crazy drivers, YOU KNOW NOTHING! It usually isn't that bad to get across the street, but at busy intersections, if you aren't aggressive then there's no way you're getting across. You just have to stick out your hand, and walk. The cars will stop and the motorcyclists will swerve around. A bit petrifying at first, but I'm growing accustomed to it. 

Have you tried any Nepali food? 

Oh, so much. I've had momo (described above), and their traditional dal bhat. Dal bhat is a rice dish that's served with a lentil sauce, and is kind of curry-esque. The Nepali traditionally eat this twice a day around 9am and 7pm. It's pretty tasty. We've had it in our house twice already. They also love their tea, which I have every morning. 

Or learned new words? 

I've learned a bit. Since the staff all speak English, and I'm working with kids who know a bit of English, I haven't yet been presented with the need to learn a lot. But I know the basic "hi," "thank you," and "my name is Lena."

And what does Turkish Delight actually taste like?

Turkish Delight is first off covered in powdered sugar, so there's that. It's also chewy, which I wasn't expecting. But it has a very nutty flavor, pistachio I think. It's good, but I don't think I could eat a lot of it at once. 

Photos

First pic at the Monkey Temple

And around the back

Monkey 

Buddha shrine

Some Jesus-light over the mountains

Rooftops of Kathmandu