A Few Lessons about that thing we call LIFE

One of my goals for coming on this trip I have to admit were a little selfish. Don't get me wrong- the major goal was to help people in need and do a good service (of course)- but really I wanted to grow and learn and do a good service within myself. Is that such a bad outlook to have?

I was eating brunch by myself the other day, enjoying a nice, smooth, cheap cafe latte, when my mind started wandering. I thought I might share a few lessons I realized while I was contemplating life and writing in my journal. The following may place me in a little area of vulnerability, but hey- I am feeling compelled to share. So, here they are:

1) LIVE SIMPLY and aim to be a little less selfish (note above opening paragraph)- I am the first to admit that I have a tendency to be selfish. Sometimes I am quick to speak, without thinking, and it offends people I love. Sometimes I put myself way before others I care about. Every once in a while, I choose to do something that benefits no one but myself. I think everyone does these things from time to time. And you may have your own personal interpretations of how you are 'selfish'. Some, depending on their background, may feel selfishness is one key to survival. I aim to be more self-less, one key adjective that perfectly describes my mother. I am not necessarily talking about material things, that is not my business. I am talking about small acts of kindness, big gestures of compassion and an overall sense of living for others. That is my big life changing realization. And I know it will take some work, but I really believe I can do it. It is a tough balance, I think- to be self-less without taking good care of yourself, but with a little soul searching, deep thinking, and focused acting, anyone can be sure to accomplish.

2) A wise, famous Tibetan Monk once said that the purpose of life was to achieve happiness. I couldn't agree more. Do what makes you happy and make that your priority, mixing in compassion for others in there. What makes me happy is making a child laugh, even if I have to tickle them to do so. I am happy when I feel myself making a difference, even if its a small, untangible one. I am happy to know I make other people happy. When I feel I have completed more than my to-do list, I feel accomplished and therefore a sense of happiness. Traveling the world and exploring people and places makes me happy. There is a long list that brings me happiness, and I think one important facet of life is discovering that. What REALLY makes you happy? I have uncovered some things that I never thought about makes me happy- we can discuss over a cup of coffee one day.

3)While in Nepal, I learned a different sense of the word FAMILY. You will always hear me say how lucky I was to be brought up in such an unconditionally loving family. I never went a day without hugging, kissing or being told I love you from my family members. We were and remain incredibly close. My brother, mother and father are my best friends. Its such a neat connection. But when I came to Nepal I was blown away by my Host family, and their genuine love for me. I couldn't believe how nice they were, how they treated me with respect- even though I was different, and how they relied on eachother and the simplicity of their life to make them happy. I could talk for days about them. When we live in a world that is so quick to judge others based on anything that is different (religion, race, disability, education level, sexuality, political views- to only name a few), it is such a breath of fresh air to see people from across the world living in opposite of this stereotype.

These are just my initial interpretations of my trip. I am sure, as I decompress and really have some time to think, I will realize a little later even more things I have learned. For now, I feel really amazing and accomplished and adjusted to my new sense of self.
Thanks for reading.
Love,
J

Going up, up, up

Today was the day after an innocent man was beaten to death by Nepalese police. Who knows why? I think because the new prime minister has been elected, that the police are trying to send a message to anyone who deviates from the law. This man failed to stop at the police line (maybe 3-4 feet further, the newspaper said) and the police didn't stop beating him until he was dead and they transported him to Patan Hospital- where medical staff denied treatement stating the patient was already dead. Anyways, that is not a so-nice story but wanted to give you the reason for today. Because of this incident, the Kathmandu Valley was closed. That meant that we couldn't take Manisha to the doctor (she has a urinary infection) because all of the taxis and buses were on strike. It also meant that school was closed and the children could enjoy a Holy Day. I had been thinking for a while that before I left I wanted to take ALL of the children up to the Temple because of the whirlwinded success of taking them up on the terrace.
I went to the market and on a whim bought a handful of apples and bananas for the children to enjoy as a snack. I never really see them eating fruit so I thought it would be a nice treat. And, they loved eating the cut-up pieces of fruit. They even were polite to each other and only took one piece at a time, passing the plate to their brother or sister next to them. We mentioned a couple of the older children that we were going to take EVERYONE up to the Temple, but not until later in the afternoon. Well, word traveled fast and before I knew it I had children grabbing my legs, hugging me from behind and jumping up and down in front of me as if to say "Oh my goodness, we are going UP! Let's go NOW!!!!!" Well, how could we say no to all of this excitement? It is the most energy I have seen in these kids since I have been here.
We got Kamal, Anjana and Manisha ready and braced ourselves for what we were about to experience. Promod grabbed the back of Kamal's chair, and Galchan took hold of Manisha and Anjana. (They can share one wheelchair because Anjana is so tiny) We started with our normal Morning Walk Route. I could sense the enthusiasm coming out of Kamal's bright whites. He was in heaven thinking about what he could see. There are many ways to go up to the temple. 99% of the ways are via steps. There was no way we could carry these children and their wheelchairs up 365 steps, so luckily Galchan knew a side road. We ventured up this road, continually dodging motorbikes and pot-holes. Kamal's wheel came off of his wheelchair 8 times during our trip, holding us back about 15 minutes total. But that was okay. I was so impressed with the shear strength that Promod and Galchan took to push these kids up this steep road- all for a common goal. The kids wanted to see Kamal, Anjana and Manisha go up to the temple just as much as they did on their own. It was so cute to see the kids checking on K, A, and M throughout the journey. I tell you, it was amazing. When we finally reached the top, we stopped at the World Peace Pond. And the view of the valley was priceless. We all relaxed a bit and enjoyed seeing the kids finally able to SEE what all the others can see every day.
I am so thankful for this memory and really hope these kids can hold this day in their heart for a long time.

Money is Small thing and Love is a Big Thing

I have been so fortunate in life to be surrounded by some really neat people that have had a profound affect on my life and Nepal has been no deviation from history. My Ama is very wise and always has something to say worth noting. Yesterday, we were eating daal bhat and discussing money, traveling, helping people, Sita wanting to study abroad and not having enough money, school children asking us for 5 rupees, (randomly) etc. Sita had just returned from bringing vegetables to her neighbor. I asked her why (knowing its not like they have a lot of extra vegetables to be giving) and she responded "because we like to help people- it makes us feel GOOD". (with emphasis) Then the topic of conversation turned to money and in particular the fact that none of us had any. I told Sita I couldn't wait to see financial success and security and that I was determined to do so asap. This topic rolled around a few times and then my big sister mentioned, almost out of the blue "Do not ever give us money. It is no good to us. All we need is your love, sister". I think she wanted to make a valid point that my money was no good to them because I was their family. Ama belted out a few minutes of Nepalese "Mother Talk". When she speaks, everyone listens. She is like the most feared and loved person in the house. I could understand the jist of what she was saying and the quote that will stick with me most is when she said "Money is a small thing, but love is a big thing". It was just a simple phrase that is one of the million reasons why I am the luckiest daughter in the world, both in Nepal and USA.

So, I may have mentioned this before... We have a beautiful 5 month old baby boy in the house. The first couple days I was here I asked my family what his name was, and they replied 'Babu". Um, excuse me. What? He doesn't have a name? Its been FIVE months! So, of course I half-jokingly told them he should be named an American name. Actually, the most loving name I could think of was JACK. My family looooved it. For the last 5 or 6 weeks Babu has been changed to Jack. That has been his name. Dibya even tells her neighbors that her baby brother's name is Jack. And when they ask why, she says that Jessi Didi loves my baby brother and she named him. (how cute?!) I didn't really think that the name would stick like that, but it did. Yesterday, Sita told me his name became officially Jack. I haven't seen the birth certificate or anything, but she said that they wanted him to remember his big sister, Jessi, always. She also said that when people ask "Who gave this boy an American name?" And now they can all respond "Jessi Didi" gave him the name. I am still in a little bit of shock and kept waiting for Sita to say "Jiskeko!" (just kidding!) But her face was as serious as it could be. Now the cutest baby in the world has the name of a man I call my hero, my father.

The children have been extra lovey-dovey this week. I couldn't be more happy about that! I think my affection has worn off on them, that Kamal even gave Don Dai (the first male volunteer) a kiss on the cheek! We sort of gently told them I was leaving yesterday. But I don't think it registered. The Dai wanted to tell them very gently (almost misleading-ly, against my request) because he was afraid of how they would react and not be able to concentrate on their exam coming up. So, I went with it. I leave tomorrow. I am sure there will be a couple of blogs regarding my last days. I will tell you next time about bringing all of the children, wheelchairs and all, up to the Swayambhu Temple. About 3000 calories burned later, the children were as happy as they could be. What a great activity to end my visit here. I will definitely write more details that are surely worth reading.

Time to play for my last evening- a mixture of emotions swirls through my heart.
Love,
J

This might change your life- cause mine did.

I left Swayambhu yesterday around 9:30 a.m. (just in time for my tofu dal bhaat, my FAVE!) and headed to Thamel for my weekly stay in civilization. Yesterday morning before I left, I took the children for their morning walk around the Temple. Anil and Dawa were being a little naughty and trying to push my buttons. They would lighly jog up ahead, make me worry, look back to see my experssion- and when they saw it was of disapproval (these kids are MY responsibility and what would I do if something happened to them??), they quickly returned to our single line. Oh- is this what raising kids is going to be like, Mommy??

Srijana (7 years old and has the body of a American 3 year old- so tiny) wanted to hold my hand the whole time. That is my girl right there. She has really started to open up and her personality has really begun to blossom. When she first came to the Home, she was extremely quiet and shy and so was her brother, Raju. Over the last 6 weeks I have seen such a transition. She is starting conversations, learning the English alphabet, and initiating singing songs (Ohm, Shanti, Ohm!!! -google it-). Her small village spoke their own dialect, so I think she was extra reserved when she first came a couple months ago. I can see her continue to develop and become into her own little person- very satisfying for me because she was actually one of my projects. I wasn't playing favorites, I don't think, I could just sense that she was one of the children that needed me the most. I feel accomplished.

Side note: Sita (my sister) teaches the children that could not register for school in time during the day. For the past couple of weeks, Sita has been buying the children little things- like biscuits, gum, small cars, tikkas etc. She will bring them things from home as well. Sita does not make a lot of money. Believe me, I live with her, I know what her resources are. In fact, Sita has not even been paid by Dai yet and she has been working for him for 6 weeks. Who knows? When I asked her about that, she explained that she understands the Dai has to feed the children and when he gets donor money, he will pay her. I thought about this for a little while. Is Sita doing these nice things because we (volunteers) bring the children weekly products like medicine, pencils, notebooks, etc from our supply room at the VSN office? I quickly retracted that thought (and even felt guilty) when she told me why she feels compelled:
"To me, these children are like my own brothers and sisters, same like Dibya. They have no mothers and fathers. Who will bring them these things? Who will bring them small things that bring big smiles? It makes me feel good to do nice things for them. I cannot do much hard work because of my disbility, but if I can do these small things and make them happy, then I have achieved my goal."
Her response definitely got me thinking about a lot of things in life. Maybe it will for you, too.

The other day I asked Kamal if he wanted to go 'mati' (up)? I have noticed that Kamal, Anjanna and Manisha cannot participate in morning walk (but it is just very difficult to bring their unstable wheelchairs outside to the rough terrain around the temple). When the children go upstairs on the terrace and run around, all those three children can do is hear their footsteps. I do not even want to know what their brains are doing and hearts are feeling. When I asked Kamal to go up, his smile got 10 times brighter and he paused the normal 2-3 seconds before answering (as if to formulate the words from his brain to his mouth) and excitedly belted "Yeah!". I carried him like a young child with his body facing mine and his chin resting on my shoulder. He gave me 6 kisses on the cheek before we reached the top (I started giving him kisses on the cheek when I first got to the home, and he responded with such a genuine affection, I make it a daily habit now). When we got to the terrace, some of the kids yelled DIDI!! and motioned me to bring Kamal to them. They were so excited to see their brother participating with their daily regimen of playing on the terrace. I rested Kamal on my lap so we could avoid him possibly falling on the hard concrete (very little body control). I heard Kamal say "Ama" and with his crinkled upper limb, stuck in elbow flexion, he pointed to my left. I saw Ama looking and smiling up at us and remembered what she once told me about Kamal. (Translated by Sita):
"Do nice things for Kamal- make him better- give him strength and confidence to walk- And God will look after you for the rest of your life"
Ama really loves Kamal- he is such a special little man- and her words have just plain STUCK.

Kamal had a smile from ear to ear. Eventually, Anjanna made it up compliments of Dawa. She is much smaller and easier to carry. Dawa rested her on the balcony (it is very wide) and she started pointing and screaming with big smiles everything she never had the opportunity to see. From the terrace, you can see the road I walk on and never considered to be special. I walk on it every single day. I mean, its just a road. This road is full of people, taxis, monkeys, dirt, cement drop-offs, and is the same type of road you see all over KTM. I never looked at this road like Anjanna and Kamal did that day. To these kids it was more than a road- it was a land they considered unknown- a special land that if they could walk by themselves that they could explore and be considered "normal". I will never forget the expressions on their faces that early evening. Anjanna would point and tap me on the shoulder every little thing she saw, like I had never seen it before. But when she did this, I saw a different side of the road. I saw a different part of life. It really brought some depth to my frame of mind. Kamal would whisper into my ear everything he noticed about the road that I suddenly noticed as well. (A kite, the peacock that lives next door, a woman wearing a saari with sparkles, a baby monkey hanging on for dear life to its mother). I think we will go mati every day now until I leave.

I spent my morning at a restaurant called OR2K. www.or2k.com
My new favorite place in Thamel. And if you are planning a trip here, you must come in for its fresh mint lemon tea and fruit salad.

I keep thinking about how these kids have changed my life. I am a better person because of them.

Hope you liked my story.

Love,
J

My Week So Far......

I returned home from Pokhara last Thursday night, a little later than I expected. The rafting trip was so cool. It was like we were rafting through the Amazon rain forrest, the view was so perfect. I have never seen anything like it, even in pictures. I so wish my camera was waterproof! We rafted down the Tisuli river, and apparently during monson season it is the best time to do so. What I didn't realize was WHERE we were rafting... all the way to Chitwan! So when we got off at the stopping point, we still had a 4-5 hour bus ride back to Kathmandu. Oops. And with the local bus diminished speed, a few traffic jams here and there and one too many stops along the way put our time of arrival back in KTM at 8:30 p.m., 6 hours later than I originally thought! Oh well, seeing those waterfalls and greenery were well worth it.
Friday was the day we took thethree disabled chidren to the specialty hospital for an assessment on their physical therapy regimen. Dai and took the 3 of them in a taxi and it was their first taxi ride EVER! That was so fun! I put Kami (He has CP) in my lap because he has very little control over his head and body and the roads in KTM are too bumpy for him to ride alone. He smiled the whole way!!
The all-day marathon therapy session was well worth it, in my opinion. I am anxious to get this therapy notebook under way for future volunteers working in the home. I felt we got to a very good start and was extremely happy with the assessment and exercise plan. yay!
That night was Christine and Latissa's last night in Thamel so we had a volunteer dinner planned to celebrate and say our good-byes. Earlier that week when I had told Sita of my plans to go to Thamel, I could see her face light up in excitement. I am not sure she ever gets to go to Thamel due to her difficulty in getting around and just the Nepali culture here- people tend not to venture off unless going to see family members. So, I invited her to come with me and her face got even brighter. I wasn't exactly sure how Sita would act around a bunch of foreigners, who tend to be a lot crazier than your traditional Nepali- but I didn't care. If I could take Sita to Thamel and make sure she had a good time, then it was all worth it to me. And she did and that is all she talked about for the next day or two. Mission accomplished. :) She even commented that 'Tonight, I am same like tourist' Hilarious!
The next day was Saturday, our favorite day with the children because its their 'holy day' and the day they bathe, clean, play, and nap. Its a lot of fun because we feel we don't have to be so focused on school stuff. The kids get a break from the normal stresses of school and we get to make crafts and play red rover and be kids again ourselves. This Saturday was a little special because it was the Saturday before a big Festival here in Nepal. Translation: a FANTASTIC day to make a day trip to the Market. Ama and Sita would not take no for an answer and invited us to the Market with them. P and I thought it was the small market around the corner, but no it sure wasn't. We hopped on a Tempo bus and traveled all the way to Durbar Square... oops. Four or Five hours later we were making our way back to the children, exhausted from a day of dodging people, bargaining, and enduring the heat. All well worth it though.
I made my way to Thamel on Sunday, the 31st because it was our monthly volunteer dinner. All the new volunteers are here for the start of the 1st of every month, so it is a good way to meet and greet and relax together outside of placement. I spent the night in Thamel Sunday night and went to the VSN office to do some work and pick up necessary materials and medication for the home. I had a very productive day and felt good about it.
That night I felt a nasty sickness come on full of vomitting and a horrific stomach ache. I have had it for 3 days now and all I want is to eat a meal and not picture what it would look like 3-4 hours later. Have no worries, Ama and Ba are waiting on me hand and foot. They even heard me get up at 3 and 4 a.m. this morning and woke up with me, held my hair, and then tucked me back into bed. Ama made me this really disgusting tea/medicine this morning that my stomach just couldn't handle. But at least she is trying to feed me homeopathic medicine!
Keep your fingers crossed for a full recovery sooner than later :)

I leave the home on the 14th and will have a couple days in Thamel before my flight to Tokyo. I am going to be extra sad to leave this place that I have genuinely been able to call home.

Love
J

Thinking about writing a book- wanna help?

The thought has crossed my mind to write a book, accurately depicting my experience as a volunteer in Nepal. I have seen many things, so many different things here in this country that I think it would be an amazing thing to get it all down on paper. I am not exactly sure how to really write a book because I have never done anything like it before. All I know is I have almost finished one journal and need to get another. I could write it from the basis of a VSN volunteer, talk about my experiences working with this company, the home, Thamel, my hospital experience and everything else. I would need a professional to get the ball rolling so if you know of anyone or are interested- let me know! I am so intrigued with the people, culture, and scenery, that I think I could really paint a cool picture. But obviously not alone. I would sell the book and donate at least half of proceeds to VSN..... Just a beginning thought. Who knows what will happen!!?/

A pretty peacefull place called Pokhara...

Well, I made it here to Pokhara on Monday afternoon. The bus ride from Kathmandu was lengthy, curvy, hilly, bumpy- but well worth it. I am taller than 80% of the population here and buses are not made for tourists, even if they are labled so. I felt like I needed the exit row or something on this bus!

I was greeted at the tourist bus station in Poh by a man holding the Hotel Grand Holiday sign, so I knew he was the right guy. Just like getting out of the airport in KTM, you have many taxi drivers anxious to take you to your destination. It can be overwhelming, but thank goodness this man, Janauk, knew my name and what I might look like. He took me to the Hotel on a motorbike, my first ride while in Nepal. It was fun, yet a little scary because I wasn't wearing a helmet! (living life on the edge, baby).

As we pulled up to the Hotel, I was immediately greeted by Uzie's older brother who is the owner of this hotel. He was extremely enthusiastic, yelled my name, called me sister, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I love Pokhara!! He quickly took my bags and showed me to my room. Dai made sure I knew that anything, he meant ANYTHING, I needed that he would help me take care of. That is one of the best things I have found in Nepal: genuine, caring, GOOD people. I wanted to waste zero time, so I dropped my bag in the hotel and set off for some city exploring. Pokhara is a much smaller version of Thamel, if it can even be compared. Tourism is big here, made obvious by the numerous shops, restaurants and taxis along the main strip. But the biggest thing I noticed was Pokhara is much cleaner and has less begging or people pushing to sell you things. Ahh, a much needed breath of fresh air.

I stopped at an internet cafe and was shocked at how high the prices were. 60 rupees an hour for internet? That is ludicrous, but I got suckered in. There, I met a German girl also traveling alone named Shenya (prounounced "Jen-ya") and we decided to hang out for the day. We browsed the shops and sat for dinner at the first restaurant sign we saw "Continental food served here". The weather had been beautiful and sunny all day until we decided to leave dinner, and then the clouds opened up hard core. It rained for 24 hours straight accompanied with thunder and lightning. This unexpected weather change definitely put a damper on our bike ride and hiking trek we had planned together for the next couple days.

The next morning I planned a yoga and meditation course. This four hour course was held in a Buddhist man's home. Quite interesting. There was one other older gentleman from Italy that took the course with me. We practiced meditation that I had no idea what I was doing and yoga moves that made me so sore the next day. I told Max that we are definitely doing yoga together when I get back to Atlanta because it did bring a special air about me when I was done.

That afternoon I decided to indulge in a massage that the Dai made a special deal for me. The woman, she was actually the wife of the Buddhist yoga instructor, came to my hotel room. This is a story in and of itself that only a special audience will be lucky enough to hear....

That evening I met up with Shenya and an English boy named Marcus who she had met along the street. You never know who you are going to meet. He has been living in Tokyo for the past 4 years so we had some things to talk about. We had a good time, ate some dinner, met some funny Scottish trekers, and I was home by 10 p.m., still dodging rain bullets.

This morning was our hike up one of the nearby hilltops/mountains. We went with a Chinese couple who were really sweet. Our guide took us first on a canoe to the base of the mountain. That was such a peaceful, smooth ride. We reached the base ready to sweat, and we definitely accomplished our goal. The 4 of us followed our guide, who was traveling at a decent pace. To go up the mountain, we had numerous steps made of rocks, so it wasn't just a hill going upwards. This trek put the Swayambhu temple steps to shame. It took us a good hour to get to the top and by that time our clothes were drenched with sweat, not rain. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and we could not see Mount Annapurna.... That was a dissapointment, but at least we got to see a nice view of the Pokhara valley. We headed back south looking for our next points of attractions: the Cave and the Waterfall. Pictures to come soon.

Its time to leave for 'reality' tomorrow. This has been a very nice few days of relaxation and Jessi time, but there is still much work to do at the Children's Home. I leave tomorrow on a tourist bus that will drive 3 hours, stop along a river and then we white water raft for 3 hours on the way to KTM. I figured I needed one more bout of excitement!!

On Friday, we are taking the 3 disabled children to the specialized hospital for an update on their progress and physical therapy. I am looking forward to this all-day event and making the physio notebook so that is much easier for future volunteers working in this home.

Much love to all,
I can't believe my trip is more than half-way over.
Jessi :)

I found a roller coaster in Nepal: it has 4 wheels and is called a MICROBUS

The children are going on a morning walk every day at 5:45 a.m. Its the cutest thing ever. The first day was a couple days ago. I woke up, put on my shoes and rushed over- I did NOT want to be late for this! They were all lined up, in ascending height of course, waiting patiently for me. I could tell they were all excited that I was going on Morning Walk because they had a little extra pep in their 'Good Morning didi!!'. Seriously, they are all so cute when they make their line because dai makes them put their hands out in front of them and scooch backwards or forwards to have the perfect arms-length distance in between them. I situated myself toward the front so I could keep my eye on the smaller children. Immediately, Nabi grabbed my left hand with both of his as to tell me he really wanted to walk with me this day. I gladly accepted as he is one of the smaller, cuter and needier children!
Our walk consists of going clockwise around the base of the hilltop/mountain that the temple sits on. We pass other native Nepalis, with traditional clothing and then running shoes. There are also a few men actually running or jogging. This is the only place in Kathmandu that I have actually seen people exercise. You also have a few Monks going on their daily walks, a few beggars sitting and waiting for you to drop a rupee coin. How could I forget the monkeys that seem to have tripled in number since I got here, with their little babies attached to the mother's bellies and then learning to jump from tree to tree. Its kind of funny- the monkeys wait until the slightest break in people to cross the road and they totally lave us alone as we alk, skimming their tails.
Its a lovely sight to see- these kids getting their blood to flow so early in the morning. Onlookers see my hands in theirs and look with question and some, respect. Others may dismiss the latter and insert: indifference. One man even asked Anil if I was his Ama. He said 'No, mero Didi' and he smiled genuinely as we passed. I am not sure what others may think when they stare at me (labeled: TOURIST) with the children, who seem so comfortable with me- the foreigner, and quite frankly, I don't care. I am really beginning to get a grasp on that: living life, having confidence in your decision, and not letting others influence your decisions.
There is a little fish pond that we stop at and the kids go crazy. Its pretty cool- there are lots of fish that are all sorts of colors and sizes. This stop is a nice rest before the homestretch. I am looking forward to these daily morning walks with the children! Maybe one day we will pass Ama and Ba!

So, the other day I found a roller coaster in Nepal. ITs got 4 wheels and is called a microbus. Dai and I had some errands to run. Well, actually, I had some errands to run and Dai was nice enough to come with me. I would have had no idea where to go. We hopped in a bus from the base of the Temple and the driver would not leave until it was completely ful. this concept takes the American phrase "packed like Mexicans' to a whole new, unfathomable level. We even had people hanging on from the slideing door. the roller coaster analogy was so true, I tell you. From Swayambhu to the downtown part of KTM, there are so many pot holes, divets, and uneven terrain. I am so impressed we didn't have multiple flat tires and I can still feel my stomach dropping like I just got off the batman ride at Six Flags. :)

So, tomorrow I leave for Pohkra. I can hardly wait to visit another side of Nepal. I am going by myself and now that I really think about it I have never really done that before- taken a trip all by myself. I know no one, but have been put in contact with a couple people that are going to look after me- one being the owner of a Hotel that will pick me up from the bus stop. Stay tuned for more pics and blogs from this beautiful place they call POHKRA.

Love
J

Health Check and More

Every Saturday is the children's 'holy day'. They do not go to school and this day is full of bathing, washing clothes, beating mattresses and other various chores. I got to the Home bright and early, in time to witness their bathing regimen. As part of the health team, we are responsible for keeping tabs on their regular hygeine and I wanted to be able to report my findings. It was such a cute sight to see. All the kids, boys and girls, are in lines. There were about 4 lines of 5 kids, evenly spread like peanut butter and jelly. Dai has them to an exercises routine: jumping jacks, leg kicks, running in place, frog jumps. He says this will help them warm up before they wash with cold water from the tap. They have so much fun with this! And Dai is such a smiley man that laughs all the time, so I can tell he really has fun with this routine as well.
The children one by one come to the water supply and crouch down, like they are using the charpi. They do this so they can utilize all the water poured on their body. I helped scrub their heads and backs, and the children helped each other as well. I was impressed with their method of bathing, and utilizing all of their resources (not many) to make their weekly 'shower' worth it. The water supply is limited, especially around the Swayambhu area, so bathing only happens on Saturdays. Its the same with my host family.
The children are all laughing when the cold water hits their skin and they look intent when they are scrubbing themselves. They take bathing seriously and do a good job.
After that, the children washed their clothes, and did some random chores while we were waiting on the doctors to come for the health check.
We do a health check at every home once a month. We keep variables like height, weight, skin condition, eyes, GI problems, scabies, lice, worms, etc, documented and updated. The two doctors finally showed up, along with the rest of the Health Team. We took 2 kids at a time and the doctors performed their assessment, while P and I were coordinating and writing down. Some of the kids needed de-worming pills, eye checks, antibiotic creme for cuts, wart removal creme, anti-histamines for allergies, and ear drops. P and I documented all of this on a white erase board so that we can keep up with the 19 children for the rest of our time here. We are implementing multi-vitamins daily and vitamin B syrup at least every other day (we have a low supply of this, so we have to ration out until we can get more donations.) So, overall, our chilren were fairly healthy with only a few minor medical conditions. Probably the most significant one, is one of the disabled children and incontinence. This presents a major hygeine problem. But we are doing our best in physio and with the consultation of local physicians on how to make this better for everyone.
I am heading back to placement now after a day off yesterday in thamel. We had our weekly volunteer meeting and then went to dinner to eat 'real' food (pizza) and have some much needed adult beverages and social time. :)
I sort of miss my dal bhaat, though. I never thought I would say that out loud.
Love,
Jessi

I have a story to tell...

It was Sunday, the day I was going to Norvic to have my stint removed. I had been at the Home in the morning, giving medicine, vitamins, making sure they wash their hands, usual stuff. I came back home around 9:15 or so because God forbid I ever miss a meal at home. That is like the ultimate sin at my host family's house! If I don't finish all my food they think I am sick, or worse, hate their food (which also means them!). I ate my dal bhaat and there was even some roti (chapati) mixed in there. yum! I was outside by the well brushing my teeth while my didi was washing clothes. Scan below to see a visual- pics are in a previous post.
I walked faster than normal to the drain and before I knew it my body hit hard on the concrete floor. Toothbrush in hand, I fell down bracing myself with my forearms and skinned myself on each extremity. I fell so hard that Ama's look on her face was sheer fear- like someone had gotten run over by a car or something. My ego was the only thing shattered, and I quickly picked myself up. Immediately, Ba and Ama brought me into the house and checked me for broken bones, it seemed. Ba busted out the trusty tiger balm (go ahead a chuckle), and put it all over my visable wounds. They were so concerned and sad that I had fallen. I reassured them that I was totally okay. I could tell that this event was going to ruin their day and they were more concerned than I have seen an adult in a very long time.

Ama and I left for the bus stop on our trek for norvic.

One thing to note- Ama and I rode in a micro bus together and she would not let me pay for our bus fare. I thought it was only natural for me to pay, since she was just riding with me to make sure I knew how to go. When I reached my hand full of rupees to the driver for payment, Ama sternly yanked my hand away. In nepalese, she firmly stated "Are you my daughter, or are you not my daughter???!!!" and with my tail in between my legs I replied 'I am your daughter'.
We got out of the bus and Ama walked with a purpose to the hospital. Along the way she would make a couple statements in her native tongue and would laugh at my confused look, obviously understanding nothing she was saying. This communication is somehow working for us...haha.
Ama left me at Norvic only when she knew Bigyan was there. The hospital visit went well and Bigyan was patient enough to stay with me and take me to his house afterward (future blog).
The story I want to tell is about my return home the next day. I walked in the door and immediately noticed Ba looking so sweaty and fatigued. Did he just run up the Monkey Temple steps? Keep in mind Ba is 65 years young. He is in good shape because of the intensity of his daily duties. But something was different today. He had dirt stuck on the sweat in the creases of his neck. He was sipping cold water and wiping dust from his shirt. I asked him what had happened and he took my hand and led me outside. Tears came to my eyes from what I saw next....
The outside looked completely changed. Ba had slaved all day and all night on reconstructing the outside because of my scary fall. He took out the old well and filled it with cement and then brick. He (and another family member who traveld 45 minutes by bus) scraped and scraped and scraped all the dangerous grime near the tap. They could not stand the fact that I fell, and they worked so intensly on not letting anyone else have the potential to fall. The sight was amazing. Now, there is a brand new well pump firmly planted near the drain, so water does not have time to sit and get slippery. I could not believe my eyes. I could not believe that Ba thought to do this and in fact came through with it. The positive thing is, that this new well does allow water to come out more easily. I wish I had a picture to show you. I just wanted you to know that my family is the best host family ever.
I am so thankful to have the opportunity to get to know them and they make me want to be a better person. This is only one (well, maybe a big one) example of how they show their goodness. I will have more examples on future blogs! Can you believe this gesture?!
Love,
J

Day Bike Trek

Journal entry 8/15/2008:
I woke up this morning to Ba's chanting at 5:00 a.m. How does he stand to get up that early? (The Monkey Temple Marching Band was only in the background this time)I really want to sneak a peak and see what accompanies his grunting and shunting, but I am too scared! (And tired :) P and I were somewhat groggy, but I was amped for my bike ride with Emma later in the morning. We left for the children's home around 7:45 a.m. and hung out and played hangman with the kids. We are trying to help them as much as possible with their English, while at the same time picking up on more Nepali. When the language barrier takes its toll, I try and interact with them in a universal lanuage: "High fives (although they didn't really know what this was at first), 'Miss Mary Mac-mac-mac', airplane, tickle monster"- you know the usual. This always seems to get them smiling and wanting more interaction and gives us all a break in the challenges of real communication.
I only had time to eat two apples and a mini-banana for breakfast, which I was fearful would not be enough energy for a 4-5 hour bike ride. I was hoping I had a chance to eat some oats (per Max's advice:), but there was zero chance of that if I wanted to make our 10:30 departure time. I live about a 30-35 minute walk to Thamel, and I was already speed walking fearful of my potential tardiness.

We left for our trek in the middle of Thamel. That was a little crazy to say the least. Dodging cars, people, motorcycles and more people for the first 20 minutes definitely challenged our technical ability on two wheels. We then headed North, and out of Kathmandu. The streets began to become less and less busy and we immediately felt it easier to breathe! More greenery appeared that we had only seen from afar- in the hilltop region. That was really nice. We stopped for tea (typical) about one hour into the ride. This little tea shop was really cute and it was literally a shack filled with only bare essentials in the middle of no-where. Apparently, our guide Padam, is some semi-pro cyclist in Nepal and met a few cycling buddies at this stop. One of them rode with us the rest of the way for part of his training. We kept going North, and stopped for lunch in Thoka. Our off-roading was difficult and draining. Emma and I kept compimenting our decision to do this trek. It was such a good way for us to see some beautiful sights and get some hard core exercise in. We were back in Thamel by 3 p.m. and I made it back to placement in time for physio session in the afternoon.
I can't wait to come back here and go for 2 or 3 day trek with Max!

Hope you can see the pics above.

Love,
J

Bhaktupur- Quite the Adventure

The trek started from Hotel Tradition around 10:30 a.m. We were supposed to leave at 10 a.m., but you have to factor in 'nepali time', which always adds an extra 20-30 minutes. We walked to Ratna Park, where the 'bus station' lives, We walked out of Thamel and a little South past where Bigyan works at the Bank. (About 25 minutes).
The buses are all labeled in Nepali script, so of course we do not understand a lick. Um, how the heck are we supposed to find our destination? This is so crazy! There is so much yelling, and traffic, and people going everywhere and jumping in and out of buses- nothing like I have ever seen before. So, we just ask around to the drivers and find the one that nods 'yes' to Bhaktupur.
The 5 of us jump in and our first bus ended up not getting us very far. the roads in Nepal are less than reliable and for the first 100 yards I felt I was on the bumper cars ride at Six Flags. My stomach literally dropped to the floor the pits in the road were so deep. Well, we sort of got the picture when the bus driver turned off the engine and all the pasengers left the vehicle :)
On attempt #2, we found another bus in the midst of all the chaos (people yelling destinations, and trying to get you on their bus, passengers hectically attempting to get to their destinations- lots of honking- its pretty stressful!!). The 20 rupee ride tooke a little over an hour. We were definitely winging it because none of us (Michael, Christine, Latissa, Emma and I ) had ever been here... We finally made it!
We saw the signs and followed the way to the entrance. A man stopped us. What? 750 rupees tourist tax to enter? Are you kidding me? No way we were doing that. 750 rupees = two night stay in our favorite hotel in Thamel... We used the charpi there and said "No thank you" and ventured on our way to a different back entrance (My apologies, Nepalese govt). We walked out the same road, hooked a left and found a smaller path seemingly headed to the right destination. We were right! We totally skeemed our way into Bhaktupur Durbar Square! Not that we were totally proud of that or anything, but we do stand strong to not be ripped off yet another time....
(I have heard people say that there are 3 religions in Nepal :Buddhism, Hinduism and TOURISM) Go figure- it doesn't surprise me at all.

The area was nice and much cleaner and less crowded than typical Kathmandu. The roads were stoned and the buildings looked totaly historic- similar to Kathmandu Durbar Square in that regard. I definitely got some good pics.
We ate on the terrace of a restaurant- some local hotel- and the view was amazing. I ordered veggie chow mein for 60 rupees and a banana laggi (could have done without the later).
In Nepal, it always takes FOREVER to get your food at a restaurant. If you get your food within 30-45 minutes, you are doing good. So by the time our food came, precicesly 53 minutes later, we were satiated.
The whole time we were in Bhaktupur, we were on the look out for men in uniform looking for our tax-paid ticket. If they demanded this, we definitely would have been screwed.
I wonder how long this 'secret entrance' will go unnoticed? It wasn't like it was easy to find- we definitely had some meticulous eyes in our group. They definitely do not take our volunteer card here! ha!
I was sitting on the bus and noticed something worthwhile about Nepali people. They definitely do not have a complex about what Americans would consider rude: staring. People uncontrolably stare at you for minutes upon minutes to the point that they will not look away, even if you stare back. That was an amazing and uncomfortable discovery....
People are also riding on the roof of our bus.... In America, I am pretty much sure that is very illegal, but the Nepalis consider it custom (and its free, so why not!!?)

I will write about my mountain bike trek and more about my host family and children in the home ASAP!

Love,
J

A Day off!

I didn't really expect to be so happy to be in Thamel, so soon after I was placed in my village. I just got there on Saturday, but have definitely had an adjustment period. The old volunteers say it is completely normal to feel worn-out and mentally drained, so that makes me feel better. I also think that last week's stay in the Hospital took more out of me than I ever want to admit.

We woke up this morning to Ba coming into our room and turning the light on at 6:30 a.m. He had been awake since 2 a.m., paying respects to his mother. She died on this day, many years ago, and it is some sort of Hindu ritual to pay respects. So, that is what P and I were hearing all throughout the night?! Ba's chanting and reminiscing caused us to wake with huge circles under our eyes. But 6:30 a.m.? Seriously Ba? I tried to pretend it just wasn't happening, but Ba really needed to get some sort of cooking pot that was stored underneathe P's bed. I immediately thought, thank goodness today is my day in Thamel! P and I laughed it off.

This morning, just like every morning, we were bombarded with Sita bringing us food and chiyaa. Its like they have a ticker on our eyes or something, that the millisecond we open them in the morning, they come in offering food. Can't we get a moment to ourselves??! Again, P and I just laugh with eachother because we know our family means the absolute best. And how can you get frustrated with being waited on hand and foot? I took ONE (not the 5 that they offered me) roti and a mini-banana and called that breakfast.

We went to the Home, around 7:30 a.m. (as soon as we can). As we exit the house, Sita always says "Leave slowly, come quickly". I think she really means it. When she heard I was taking a day off, she said (hopefully jokingly) that Ama was going to buy a string and attach it to my leg so that I could not leave again. All I can say to that is "Wow". As we approached the Home and were greeted with hellos, we noticed that most of the children were deep in thought, studying with the teacher that comes before school. They do study a lot- before school and after school in the evenings. I like this part of the structure. I stole a couple of the girls to get some physio in, and they told me they feel "Bohlio" (strong).

At 9:30 a.m., we walk the kids to school. What is cute about this walk is that before they leave, they line up in order of ascending height in the front yard. Only when the line is perfect do we leave. I walk toward the front, and P toward the back. Its about a 5 minute walk to school, dodging mudd puddles, speeding motorcycles, and fast-paced pedestrians. The children sort of fight to see who is going to hold my hand. I make them hold eachothers.

We dropped them off and started our trek to Thamel. Its an intense walk- lots of stairs and hills, but we call it our exercise for the day. We had a health talk meeting at noon, so we had a chance to catch up with the other volunteers that are in various placements around Kathmandu. The health talk was mostly on volunteer health- a very important topic. Its funny that we all feel so comfortable talking about our own bowel movements, etc. Its like an instantaneous bond we have. We are all going through our own issues, so we totally understand eachother.

I was feeling a little 'off' today, so I left the meeting as soon as it was over. I headed to indulge in a hour's massage. Probably the best decision I have made in recent memory. I paid 600 rupees (with 20% volunteer discount) and had a fabulous hour. The funny thing to note is that here in Nepal, you will never get a male masseuse if you are a female. That just wouldn't work in this culture!

Feeling rejuvinated, I went back to Hotel Tradition for my HOT SHOWER!! I felt like a new woman and came to use the internet and upload pics. Some of us are meeting at 7 p.m. for a little dinner in Thamel. Tomorrow, I will go to Bhaktapur for a little day trip with Christine and Latissa and anyone else who wants to go.

I am really thinking of taking about 3 days a traveling to Pokhra and having some solitude. More on this at a later date when I have more details.

Thanks again for reading and all the comments/emails. It makes me feel connected to home, knowing that people closest to me are keeping up with my travels.
Lots of love always,
J

The Children- I would take them all home with me if I could afford them!

I must first start off by stating a fact: VSN really discourages us from posting pictures of the children's faces and telling you exactly where this home is. I apologize, as if I were you I would want to see what they look like. But I must comply with VSN's request to keep the pictures that we post from a far away distance.
:)



There are 19 children ranging in age 6-14 living in this home, a 30 minute walk, west of Kathmandu. Many of them were saved from another home in which the conditions were so poor, they weren't fit for wild animals. The home is fairly 'new'. It has only been established for about 4 months now. P and I are the second set of volunteers to be working in the Home.
The Dai and Didi, house managers, really take on the mother and father role. This is so pleasant to see and not common among the other placements that VSN serves (so I hear). We are very lucky to be able to work with this particular Dai and Didi (who are married and run the house fairly structured and treat these children as their own).

Dai is an energetic man, who likes to laugh a lot, so we automatically have a connection. He walks around the streets of our village acknowledging more people than not, and he always wears the brightest smile. Everyone loves him in this village and he seems to be the pseudo mayor, helping people when he can, discussing issues, making a positive impact. He knows everyone, so I feel safe when I walk with him. He takes care of me, making sure I know where the internet is (he made the owner give me a good deal) and if I want to buy fruit, he brings me so that I don't get ripped off. A few days ago, he heard of an orphan boy living by himself inside the Swayambhu Temple. He asked me to walk there so that we may get a glimpse of this boy and somehow, someway bring him into his home. We had no luck together, but Dai was persistent. He went the next day and found the boy, interviewed him on his cell phone (poor quality), so that he would have proof and the cops would tell him it was okay. I pointed out to him that I respected this characteristic, the god-like one, and he told me it was the only way he knew how to live. He said he truly believed in karma, and that he wanted to have the most positive effect on people. His spirit is so unbelievably genuine- I aim to be more like him.

The children in this home are amazing. Really, I am so impressed with the air around them. When P and I walk inside the home, they immediately put their hands together and in unision, almost, yell "Namaste, Didi!!!". That is my favorite part of the day. Most of them are here because of their family's poor economic backgrounds- their parents just could not afford them. Some of their parents are dead, and others parents were so affected by the Maoist group, that they sent their kids here so they would be more safe.

You would think there would be hatred, negativity, or sadness in their eyes. But, its really just the opposite. For the most part, these children are completely 'normal'. They get excited when P or I bring a new (new means donated and probably about 10 years old, at least) book or game, they lean on us when they get a boo-boo, they are so cute when they read out loud and sing the ABC's in English, they look to us for reassurance when they are reading a new sentence, they smile when we give them affection, and they tuck their tail in between their legs when they know they just did something naughty, and we have to correct them. So, don't they sound pretty normal to you?

I am not sure what I was expecting. I think, maybe, the worst. Dai and Didi have done a good job of structure in this house. These children always get plenty of rice to eat (In some of the homes, the children are unsure of their next meal), they know to wash their hands with soap before meals, and they brush their teeth twice/day.

This home is not perfect, by any means. The biggest problem in this house is that there is a HUGE water shortage. Generally speaking in Nepal, there is a shortage of water, meaning most of the people here only shower once/week. But particularly in this home, the tap is unreliable. For now, they are saving whatever rain-water they can to wash their hands and clothes with. P and I are currently teaming up with VSN to figure out a solution to this problem

The children get mostly rice and just a little vegetable with their meals. It could definitely be worse, but this diet causes them to have many deficiences. P and I are implementing daily multi-vitamins and B complex supplements. (All donatable goods) This deficiency causes them to have sores on the outsides of their mouths- not aesthetically pleasing or comfortable to say the least.

One last thing- our initial take on the improvements of the house is the chores list. There isn't one. We feel that if the children have a list of chores (keep in mind their are 19 children and many things to do around the house) that this will help them stay organized and know who has what job on a particular day. Organization is key when attempting to keep structure for 22 people living in the house.

I do physio 1-2 times per day with three of the children. This is a daunting task due to the nature of their conditions. More on this topic later, as it is my goal to really re-vamp their current routine. The previous volunteers have done a really good job of getting it started, but I feel that with more research and learning and effort that the physio aspect could really blossom.

So- a long post already, and I could even write more. There will be more on the Home later. I hope you are enjoying the pics!!
Love,
Jess

My Home in Nepal....

It has four rooms: 3 bedrooms and a kitchen, although the kitchen is nothing like you would imagine. There is a tiny refridgerator (made in 1985) that is supposed to keep milk and veggies cold only for a day or so due to the load sharing (when the electricity gets cut out on scheduled days/times). There is a mini-table and mini-seats for us to eat our dal bhaat. When I eat, I eat in between my knees that are as high as my shoulders. Maybe I am too tall for this set up? I say mini because its sort of like eating on the floor the height is so low. The charpi (toilet) is outside, past the tap hooked to the fence. The back-yard is tiny, and there is even an area in which they throw trash like banana peels and apple cores. The monkeys tend to gravitate there, especially when P and I are 'showering' (quotations are used because its hardly a shower- the tap goes to our waist!). The best part of the house is the terrace. This is where my family lays their clothes to dry and where we can sit and enjoy the evening cool. The other neat thing about the terrace is the Children's Home has one, too. My house and the home are neighboring buildings so when I go on the terrace at home, I can see the children playing on theirs. They yell to me "Namaste Didi!!"

My Ama is a thoroughbread Nepali woman. The lines on her face show her hard work from over the years. She speaks no English, but somehow we understand eachother. She is caring, genuine and loves to laugh at me trying to speak her language. When I was sick, she felt my head and thought I had a fever. She brought me lemon tea and a little snack she said would make me strong. She caters to everyone in her family and I love that about her.

My Ba is a smiley man. He insisted on walking P to Thamel a few days ago, and when I wasn't home by dark last night he went out looking for me. How cute is that? He makes sure I eat first when the meal is served. Ba walks an hour every morning with Ama. They always come back with fresh vegetables and fruit for the day. I think that is how the Nepali do it. Ba holds his little grandson and sings Hindu songs to him. He is very gentle.

The other great things about this house is the little baby "Jack"- I named him (4 months) and little girl, Dibya (3 years). Jack and I play airplane and tickle monster. I bounce him on my legs and I learned how to change a Nepali 'diaper'. The first day I was there, I asked if I could hold him. My sister said "he is your baby, too" . Wow, they really do consider us like family.

My Sita- bahini (Sita is her name) is the sister in the house who also teaches at the Children's Home. She speaks English (moderately) and if it weren't for her, the frustration level would reach a point of no return. The language barrier is frustrating, but we are getting by. Sita is very patient and has become the house translator. Yesterday, she was at work which posed for a bit of a challenge. All I wanted to do was have a little Jessi-time. So, I told Ama that I was going to go use the internet, and used my fingers to type on my imaginary keyboard. I thought that would be enough for her to understand. She gets her shoes and starts walking with me. I thought maybe she was going to walk me there and then maybe go to the market or something. Boy was I wrong. She definitely came with me to the internet cafe, sat behind me while I typed away emails. Oh, where was Sita when I needed her?!

The amount of genuine care that my Host family represents is unbelievable and I am so thankful for that. They really are catering to our every need. They believe in being true hosts. They have adopted us into their family. They are respectful and always want us to be happy. If we seem sad, or unwell, they will do whatever is in their power to make us feel better. That is such a neat thing to be a part of.

I have to run to a Health meeting. I will write more on the Children soon.

My Day........

I had an 8 a.m. wake up call. I woke up groggy, probably from the benedryl I have become addicted to at night here in Thamel. I was on a mission: drop my laundry off, find some breakfast my stomach could handle and checky my email (quickly) all before 9:30 a.m. when the Hotel car would be ready to take me for my follow-up appt at Norvic. It always excites me when I see an email from anyone back home and today I had a few! (Thanks!) I especially get excited when I see one from Max. They are usually long, descriptive, warm and they have a way of making me feel fuzzy inside. :)
Mission accomplished. I was back at the hotel by 9:20 a.m. and the car was pulling out at 9:30 a.m. SHARP. Off on our crazy journey to the hospital. Vishnu, my driver, spoke some English which is always nice. I have referenced before, but riding in any sort of moving vehicle in Kathmandu raises your blood pressure exponentially. It really is mayhem. Twice, no three times, Vishnu decided the Kia in front of us was not driving fast enough so he ventured outside his lane and into oncoming traffic (Um... heloooo?? Precious cargo, Vishnu!!) and then swiftly swerved back into the correct lane. I don't think an 'Oh Shit" handle big enough has been invented yet....
The other hurdle for me and Vishnu was the fact that Nepal's government is in wacky sorts right now and political demonstrations are common. Although intriguing, they are not conducive to any citizen trying to get somewhere on time because they (policical demonstrators)have not a care in the world except what they are 'demonstrating'. As a result, traffic stops, drivers get frustrated and turn off their cars, and passengers watch with meticulous eyes, somewhat helpless.
The sight was like one I have not ever seen in the U.S. Not as crazy as I imagine those hippie protestors against Vietnam, but most definitely worth writing about. Nepalese cops are everywhere, trying to maintain peace. Onlookers are watching cautiously and taking photographs to document the activity. Demonstrators are chanting and shouting and holding up flags, while some are getting arrested for performing an unjust or violent act. This goes on for about 20-30 minutes or so. And finally, the police take control, and traffic can resume. Like that- a flip of a switch. Weird!
Poor Vishnu. He was a stressful little driver. I could tell by his excessive (emphasis- EXCESSIVE) honking and grunting. He did kindly let me use his cell phone so I could call my doctor and update him on my lack of progress. Dr. Khadgi responded with a slight chuckle and "Welcome to Nepal, my dear. Take your time." because he knew he was not going anywhere either.
We made it! Nothing looked familiar to me about the area surrounding Norvic. I was scared Vishnu may have misunderstood me. We were right. But I realized I had no idea what to do. Do I have a formal appointment? How does this medical system work here? I went to the desk, they made me pay 2700 rupees to see the doctor. WHAT? Who am I seeing, the King? Only Gold and 19 bottles of top shelf tequilla cost 2700 rupees here. Just a joke. We get so used to spending such little money. I did not care. My doctor is worthy of my 30/40 USD. :)

I waited only 5 minutes to see the doctor (reason #2100 I love NEPAL!) and my visit went well. I felt good and so did he. I am on the way to 100% recovery!! yay :)

We had our monthly volunteer meeting today. It went well and now we are on the way to our volunteer dinner. I will write more about the meeting and my placement ASAP.
I am going to leave tomorrow and begin my life with the host family. I can't wait! Stay tuned for details!
Thanks so much for reading. I love it here and am so happy.

J with lots of smileys

Meeting the Children for the first time.

Today was the day we were all sent to our placements. There are about 6-7 Children's Homes that VSN works closely with to place volunteers in the Kathmandu Valley area. Since I wont be placed officially until I am well, I went along for the ride to meet the children and my host family. Purvi (England- we call her "P") and I are placed together in the Swayambu Temple area, 25 minutes walk to Thamel. There are 19 children living there and three of them are disabled needing 'physio' daily. I think this is why I was placed here because of my physio background.

The first thing I noticed about this home was it is anything but posh. Previously an abandoned building, it is old with only the bare essentials. The charpi (toilet) smells and the walls, once white, show rust and dirt stains all over. But, the first thing I noticed about my placement was the children. They were so bright and friendly when we showed up, waiting for us at the door. They immediately put their hands together and said with enthusiasm "namaste didi!' (Hello sister!). Every single one of them said this with a smile. What a warm initial meeting.

We were then walked to our family's home. P and I will share a room, totally do-able. The walls are sky blue! That made me smile. Our aamaa and baa welcomed us with smiles. They speak no English, so our Nepalese we know will definitely get better! We were instructed to sit in our room as the other family members brought us chiyaa and snacks. (cut up apples and bananas). Our family was very hospitable. I can tell the language barrier is going to definitely be a challenge. Thank goodness for our training book. P and I will definitely be referencing this pretty much anytime we want to communicate with them. I laugh at myself thinking of those initial moments. No one really knew what to say because we all knew we could not understand each other. Lots of awkward silences. The charpi is outside and its definitely a whole in the ground. P and I have schemed a way to utilize toilet paper and a brown paper bag. We just have to figure out where to hide it. :)
There are 6 others livin in the house: Mom, Dad, Sister, sister and 2 babies. One is 3 (Dibya) and one is 4 months. I promise not to steal them ;)

Our Dai (brother), who is the house manager, speaks fluent English. He wants to teach us Nepalese, so that comforted me and P. He seems so nice and helpful. I could not have asked for a better initial meeting. I can't wait to feel better and be able to spend my time with the children there. They impressed me with their glow.

I took a taxi back to Thamel. We have our monthly volunteer meeting tomorrow at the VSN office. I am so looking forward to the next weeks!

PS- Around the children's home, we have access to internet and phone. Not quite the 'village' experience I was hoping for, but a blessing in disguise. I really feel I can utilize my skills here and have comfort that I am not too far away from society.

much love
J

Norvic Hospital- not exactly the Nepal experience I was hoping for....

Well my friends, who ever said that international traveling did not come with a few bumps in the road? I will make this blog short and sweet because I am feeling I need to go in my hotel and take a nap.
For those of you who do not already know, I was admitted into the hospital here in Kathmandu on Saturday night. It started with a bad stomach ache whose intensity I can equate to birthing the 15lb baby I hope to never have. (naturally) My good friend Christine (Australia) and I got into a cab during the pouring rain at about 1:30 a.m. The cab driver knew we were going to Norvic Hospital so he kept his flashers on the whole time and did not 'take any prisoners' (Jack Prahl reference :) on his way to our destination. I was the only patient in the ER. It took all of the energy I had left after vomitting my life away earlier in the evening to explain my situation to the Resident on call, so thank god for Christine. My clinical evaluation was appendicitis, but after US and CT scan that diagnosis changed. I had an impacted kidney stone that left my right kidney infected and it (the stone) had to be removed laproscopically. The surgery was kind of cool. They numbed me from the waist down, so I could be awake during the surgery. The urologist (Dr. Sanjay Khagdi) expained every detail of the procedure to me while he was performing. I had a front row view from the Sony TV right next to me. I was appreciative of that gesture, but apparently I endured a lot of trauma and had a lot of infection. I then was taken to recovery, where I had to lay flat for 24 hours. I am leaving out some pertinent/graphic details of this story, so that I do not offend people that may be reading this blog in which I do not know very well.... :)
I then was taken to the deluxe room, most likely because they knew my insurance would pay for it. (Thanks Chubb Travelers Insurance!) And boy was that a dream! The room was big, had a TV with HBO I might add, a mini-fridge and a western toilet. This girl was more than impressed. Better than my room at Hotel Tradition! I couldn't really enjoy it for the first couple days, because all I did was sleep to overcome the fevers. But it was nice.

I have to add, that I could not have gone through this without the help of my fellow volunteer Jessica, who is a nurse in D.C. She was with me as much as she possible could and basically waited on me hand and foot. She phoned my Mom with every update. She was my angel.

I am out of the hospital and feeling better. Norvic hospital in Kathmandu is the only private, international hospital here. I felt I received the best possible care! The Sisters were all very nice and attentive. I have nothing but positive remarks about this place.

Sorry to drag the story out, but its really the only thing that has happened to me this week. I wish I could be talking about the village and various other fun Nepali things...
More to come later.
Thanks for all the well wishes!
Hugs!
Jessi

Orientation has begun!

The volunteers and Kevin (our health team leader) met in the lobby of our hotel and walked the 12 minutes it takes to get to the VSN office. (Volunteer Service Nepal Office in Thamel). There are 9 of us, 5 from the US, 2 from the UK, 1 France and 1 Australia. We then sat on pillows in the volunteer room anxiously awaiting our training to start.
We received our training materials, including a language guide, that was ample but not overwhelming. The morning consisted of policies/procedures, conduct code, and general information and introductions. At 10:30 a.m. sharp, we broke for tea (chiyaa). More brief discussions and before we knew it, we were gathering our things to walk across the street for lunch. Emma (the volunteer coordinator here in Nepal) wanted us to experience firsthand the type of meal we will be eating at our host families house: Dhal Bhaad. We sat on pillows and enjoyed our food from a low table.
The best (okay, you will see... second best) part of the meal was being able to eat with our hand. (Right hand of course, left is considered dirty because we utilize the toilet with our left). Dhal Bhaad is a meal consisting of rice, curry, tofu, spinach, egg plant or really whatever the cook prepares. Mainly rice and the Dhal is this sauce to put on the rice. The lunch basically consisted of breaking every single cotillon rule I know to be true. Eating with out hands, cleaning our plates with our fingers and then licking them, and the best part BURPING is actually acceptable. My brother would fit in so well here.

The afternoon consisted of our first Nepalese language lesson taught by Gaurdi. We learned phrases like "What is your name?" "What is your mother's name" "My name is" "Please", "Thank you", etc. We all performed "Raamba"= good and are anxious to learn more! :)

It was sort of information overload today and this will continue tomorrow. Our plan now is to soak this up over some adult cocktails.

Lessons from Nepal:
1) Mocktails are cocktails without alcohol- do not be fooled by this menu choice.
2) You mix every single item on your plate together when you eat- have fun with this!
3) On the streets in Thamel, it is common for someone to whisper to you "smoke hash?" (especialy if you are a man) referring to this illegal drug. Kindly deny as this drug is very illegal here!

One thing I have noticed...

Please do not plan a trip to Kathmandu if you are the type of person that can't live without: heels, gold chains, fresh brownies, starbucks, quiet strolls at night, hot showers, shaving, washing clothes on a regular basis or high speed internet. These luxuries just don't exist here!

I have come to the conclusion that I am pretty much always going to smell a little bit here and I am okay with that. And you know what? Everyone else smells and wears the same clothes for 5 days straight, so its all good. You definitely come in better contact with your 'hippie' side, which I love. :)

I have taken a cold shower every day since I have been here. Its sort of refreshing after sweating all day long, even in my sleep. You kind of always have that 'Nepali glow': a thin layer of sweat, dust, dirt that makes your skin 'glisten'. :) Some may be reading this and go 'ewww', but it helps you fit in for sure.

This morning I had a mega shower. I washed with nepalese soap, which kind of smells a bit so then I layered my own body wash, and then topped it off with a wet wipe. I feel like a new woman! ( I hope that wasn't tmi)

I also went for a jog this morning. I could not sleep and have been up since 4 a.m., so I decided I would venture off for some exercise. I kind of felt like that Nike commercial when the little boy is running through the city... you know that one? I was decked out in Nike, only because that is all I have. (Thanks US soccer!) I ran through the muddy streets, dodging trash piles, people, rocks, holes, and oh yeah a COW. There was definitely a cow walking along the street. It was priceless and a bit scary all at the same time. People stared at me a bit, but most just kept walking, ignoring my presence. One of the most interesting runs I have had in a while.

Off to orientation. Everyone is so excited to begin our training and venture off to the training village on Sunday. That is when these posts may begin to get less frequent.

Lessons from Nepal:
1) Only come here if you are okay with a little mudd in between your toes- this is inevitable.
2) Fresh breads and baked goods are pretty much impossible to find.
3) Pashmina is a very popular item to buy here.... anyone need any?

Hugs from across the World,
J

Mike's Restaurant- American Style

This morning we all woke up a little 'sleepy' due to last night's shenanigans. We first went to Durbar Square to have dinner. Unfortunately, it was raining (duh, its monsoon season!) and dark (black out) so I don't think we got a true sense of what Durbar Square is all about. We all said we would definitely go back, but most likely during the day. (This is kathmandu durbar square, one of three durbar square's in the area). We hear the shopping is great :)
I ordered a traditional Nepali dish as my meal and split it with Latissa (fun, French girl) along with veg momo's. Dipen met us out as well and showed us around.
The best part was that we could not finish our beer in time before closing so they allowed us to leave with the bottles in a paper bag! I do love Nepal!

A little buzzed, we left the "Alina's Bakery" (funny name, it was not a bakery) and traveled north to Thamel. We passed some interesting spots- I guess they are technically Nepali strip clubs (entitled "Red Lips Dance Bar"). We joked about taking our naive friend Dipen in there, but decided against that idea, thankfully. We started to hear American music being played by a live band! Summer of 69! Brown Eyed girl! Needing to feel a sense of home, we ventured to this spot. And what a sight to be seen.... A very mixed crowd, some eating, most drinking, and all smoking the houka. Sold! We found pillows to sit (after taking our shoes off, of course) and immediately continued our party. We ordered Sam Miguel and mango houka for 'dessert'. Needless to say, our 12:30 a.m. arrival back to Hotel Tradition definitely put a damper on our chipper morning. All very well worth it.

Hungry and tired, we decided to eat breakfast at a very nearby cafe called Via Via. It sits in a 100 year old building up a few narrow wooden stairways. Very eclectic. We sat at a table near an open window where we could see the into the apartments across from us and down to the busy street. We hung out, discussed our vague memories of the night before, laughed out loud about them, and discovered some fabulous authentic sweet Nepali tea. (Not as good as Uzie's, though)

Latissa and Trent decided they needed to nap. Christie and I said we could sleep when we are dead. (Makes me think of Lisa). We had plenty of exploring to do! Kristie finally met my saathi (friend) Bigyan at his bank. He was so generous and took about 4 hours off of work to take us to the famous American restaurant Mike's. He even paid for our cab ride (because he knew a cab driver would inflate his prices for us Americans. Bigyan was so patient, answered all our questions, and offered some very useful advice over his first order of Bruschetta. He would not even let us pay for our meal, and we promised to have another to let us repay the favor. Of course, it started to rain. Typical! We moved inside and watched the sidewalk fill with water. While we waited for it to die down, we ordered tea (a typical nepali move at 3pm) Apparently, the rain water is dangerous because of all the pollution here. What would we do without Bigyan? Mike's was started by an ex-Peace Corp volunteer. All the veggies and fruits are washed in iodized water. So I actually ordered a tofu, bean salad! Light and fresh. I am glad we made it to this known tourist stop.

We walked back to his work and on the way I bought my first Kutra. I hope I spell that right. Its a traditional Nepali shirt that woman wear over jeans or pants. Very pretty. Bigyan took me to an ATM and showed Kristie where she can find chocolate! It was a very nice afternoon.

Tonight, we have our volunteer reunion dinner where the old and new volunteers meet. Our first day of orientation starts tomorrow and we will have the afternoon to perhaps go to Durbar Square of Patan- south of the city.

Lessons from Nepal:
1) When crossing the street, walk with a good purpose- the drivers respond better to persistence from pedestrians. They don't get as confused!
2) The rain is polluted! Stay out of it as much as possible.
3) Don't take cabs! They will rip you off if you are not with a Nepali.

Shuva Din! (have a good day!)
Jessi

Swayambhunath = Spirit

The 40 minute trek to this special Buddist Temple (Gumbha) was more than worth it. Uzie was generous enough to walk us up the mountain to the top where this spiritual place sits. Uzie and her family take this walk twice a week, which is quite amazing due to its intensity. The view was magnificent and words cannot describe it. We walked through a small town much quieter and quaint than what we are used to in Thamel. It was a nice breath of fresh air to visualize a different aspect of Kathmandu. At the beginning of our climb, for a split second I thought I was walking up the Great Wall of China because of the steepness and amount of steps. We were very sweaty when we reached the top, but no one cared. From the viewing area, we could see well into the Kathmandu Valley and the pictures will prove its beauty. We walked through the gumbha, clockwise of course, and saw the Tibetan original writings and even a group of monks completing their prayers. Breathtaking. I have a deep respect for the Buddhists and what they believe. I will leave you with this, one of the most beautiful statements I have ever read.

"The way to happiness is to keep you heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, give much. Fill your life with love. Do as you would be done by."
Buddha speaks brillantly.

PS- we are beginning to learn more Nepali! I can say Thank you, good morning, please, and little phrases here and there. I can't wait to practice and learn more!
More to come. Today we are a little sleepy after a long, fun night. We began to explore KTM night life, including the houka!

Lessons from Nepal:
1) The roads are muddy! Be prepared to have dirty feet and shoes 24/7.
2) Nepali people love teaching you- so be interested when you are here! You will be suprised on how much you can learn from the natives.
3) When you speak the language (even if you know only a little) the chances of you getting 'scammed' are far less- so use your cheat sheet!

We learn more and more each day so I will keep you posted!
Much Love,
Jessi