Hello! I am feeling a little rughaa (cold) coming on. This isn't surprising as just about everyone is sniffling, but I hope to feel better soon. Tomorrow I am going to visit a Home for the Destitute and Dying that Mother Teresa started. There is also a children's shelter there. It will be interesting to see it, but I hope not too depressing. The flood in Eastern Nepal has made the power shortage even worse. Now we go 16 hours a week without electricity.
I am starting to feel the culture shock this week. Now that I have a defined schedule it is becoming trying. My language skills still prevent any in depth conversation with people and I finished my book so I don't really have anything else to do. I don't like the smoke from the kitchen or the mosquitos so while dinner is cooking I get a little antsy. My niece cries a lot which gets irritating. She is 6 and with low blood sugar she turns monster.
Yesterday was fathers day. Since my dad is dead we honored my brother instead. My sisters came to visit and they were nice. I played with the kids and it was fun, but I had a bit of a sinus headache for some of the time and I wanted to take a nap. The kids kept busting in and waking me up. I slept really well last night though.
Overall things are going well though. Sunday we leave for the Chitwan which will be awesome. I hope I see a tiger! I will write more then.
Love, Hailey
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
periods suck
I hope this isn't too graphic to be telling ALL my friends and family, but oh well. I am untouchable at the moment and it is a very enlightening experience.
As an untouchable, I eat in off to the side of the kitchen by myself. I am not allowed to turn on the water or touch the tap at all. It's a little awkward when I have to call my little brother to turn it on for me after going to the bathroom. Especially when he doesn't hear/understand, or maybe just ignored me this morning. I decided to use Purell instead of feeling any more embarassed. Tomorrow is the 4th day and I have to clean. I will wake up extra early (chito) and wash in the cold morning (bihana), then I will wash all the clothes (lugaa) I have been wearing as well as put my sleeping bag out to air. That's a lot of work! It is so different and I feel lucky to be able to get so much cultural knowledge so personally. At the same time though, I feel like I have super intense cooties and I feel isolated and lonely.
It is interesting, but I am glad it will be over tomorrow. My neighbor is going to teach me to cook! I am excited. She has a really nice more western kitchen. I can try out the gas stove.
Hailey
As an untouchable, I eat in off to the side of the kitchen by myself. I am not allowed to turn on the water or touch the tap at all. It's a little awkward when I have to call my little brother to turn it on for me after going to the bathroom. Especially when he doesn't hear/understand, or maybe just ignored me this morning. I decided to use Purell instead of feeling any more embarassed. Tomorrow is the 4th day and I have to clean. I will wake up extra early (chito) and wash in the cold morning (bihana), then I will wash all the clothes (lugaa) I have been wearing as well as put my sleeping bag out to air. That's a lot of work! It is so different and I feel lucky to be able to get so much cultural knowledge so personally. At the same time though, I feel like I have super intense cooties and I feel isolated and lonely.
It is interesting, but I am glad it will be over tomorrow. My neighbor is going to teach me to cook! I am excited. She has a really nice more western kitchen. I can try out the gas stove.
Hailey
wheeeee
The past week has been a bit of a rollercoaster.
First, I got lost. It was soo scary. After class I went with some girls to visit Megan's family. It was fine and they were nice, but then I had to try to get home. That morning I was very groggy I hadn't slept much the night before and my tummy hurt. I hadn't paid very good attention to the path. I went one way and then another, asking for instructions only to go the wrong way again. It was getting dark and I became convinced that somehting terrible was going to happen. I was looking for a woman to ask directions from and fighting tears. I asked a lady where Changatalli was and upon finding out I was still in the wrong place started really crying. Her whole family came and tried to help me. A young man offered to walk me to the village, called the program house who called my family and in the end I made it. My family has since been teasing me and telling me not to forget the path. I wont!
My Nepali has been rapidly improving however and I feel like I can kind of communicate now. It is really exciting and empowering.
My family feeds me like crazy and the food is ekdam mitho (very tasty), if rather fattening. It is also fresh though which is cool. I picked some of the corn, peppers, and soybeans that I eat. I haven't gotten to milk the cow yet though.
I learned to shower in a petticoat last night and I also washed my clothes. Its nice to be clean.
On the other hand, I got my period today so we'll see what kinds of restrictions and pollution rituals I will follow.
It's getting dark and I have to go. I will try to write more soon.
Love Hailey
First, I got lost. It was soo scary. After class I went with some girls to visit Megan's family. It was fine and they were nice, but then I had to try to get home. That morning I was very groggy I hadn't slept much the night before and my tummy hurt. I hadn't paid very good attention to the path. I went one way and then another, asking for instructions only to go the wrong way again. It was getting dark and I became convinced that somehting terrible was going to happen. I was looking for a woman to ask directions from and fighting tears. I asked a lady where Changatalli was and upon finding out I was still in the wrong place started really crying. Her whole family came and tried to help me. A young man offered to walk me to the village, called the program house who called my family and in the end I made it. My family has since been teasing me and telling me not to forget the path. I wont!
My Nepali has been rapidly improving however and I feel like I can kind of communicate now. It is really exciting and empowering.
My family feeds me like crazy and the food is ekdam mitho (very tasty), if rather fattening. It is also fresh though which is cool. I picked some of the corn, peppers, and soybeans that I eat. I haven't gotten to milk the cow yet though.
I learned to shower in a petticoat last night and I also washed my clothes. Its nice to be clean.
On the other hand, I got my period today so we'll see what kinds of restrictions and pollution rituals I will follow.
It's getting dark and I have to go. I will try to write more soon.
Love Hailey
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Mero Pariwaar
I moved in with my family yesterday! My family has 7 people. My aamaa, Sarada, my older brother, Rajindra, and his wife, Anita and another older brother who is studying in Australia. Then there are the brother's son and daughter, Rajib(8) and Rejina(7) and me. They are all really nice and welcoming. The house is very traditional with mud floors and a woodfire oven. It is beautiful. There are marigolds on the porch outside my window and behind that are rice fields and trees and brick houses. I just love it. I was listening to "We Both Go Down Together" last night and I thought wow, this is just like my relationship with Nepal in so many ways. It stuck me when I paused it to say something to aamaa and then turned it back on to hear "Now while your head is spinning, hold tight, it's just beginning." Then there's "You come from parents wanton, a childhood rough and rotten. I come from wealth and beauty, untouched by work or duty." It was just super pertinent when i heard it.
Unfortunately I am not feeling well today and last night a tummy ache kept me up most of the night. I think it might just be cramps but I don't know.
I have to go to a lecture now but I will write more later.
Unfortunately I am not feeling well today and last night a tummy ache kept me up most of the night. I think it might just be cramps but I don't know.
I have to go to a lecture now but I will write more later.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pictures?
I am trying to put up some pictures. Let's see if it works...
FAIL.
I will try again later. Also check facebook.
FAIL.
I will try again later. Also check facebook.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Wow Part 2
The People:
There are 12 students. They are all from Pitzer and Colorado College except me, Claire (Swarthmore), and Luke (Pomona). Everyone is really nice and I am having fun getting to know them. The staff are totally awesome. So far I have had 3 teachers, they all have slightly different accents and stuff, but they are all wonderful at what they do. I just had a lecture on the geographical politics of Nepal. It was REALLY interesting. I learned that they don't have a government right now. The changes here are monumental. It is as if American citizens decided to completely rearrange our states and everything to accomodate all ethnic groups and such. In Nepal they are trying for a complete democracy in which every group has a voice. There would be a state for the different language groups and everything. It is really amazing. I hope it all works out though because foreign meddling is making it hard. For 4 months they haven't had a government. The president is a ceremonial figure and right now they are trying to elect a Prime minister. The normal way to do this would be to give it to the party with the most votes. There is no majority but the Maoists have the most votes. Other people (the old elites) are trying to make it so the Maoists don't get to choose the PM. It is all very complicated. I can't believe this is all happening right now! Anyways, it's almost dinner time so I better go. If you have any questions please comment! I can't seem to get my whitman email, so aol or facebook is the way to go for that.
Love, Hailey
PS Bekah, I am counting on you :).
There are 12 students. They are all from Pitzer and Colorado College except me, Claire (Swarthmore), and Luke (Pomona). Everyone is really nice and I am having fun getting to know them. The staff are totally awesome. So far I have had 3 teachers, they all have slightly different accents and stuff, but they are all wonderful at what they do. I just had a lecture on the geographical politics of Nepal. It was REALLY interesting. I learned that they don't have a government right now. The changes here are monumental. It is as if American citizens decided to completely rearrange our states and everything to accomodate all ethnic groups and such. In Nepal they are trying for a complete democracy in which every group has a voice. There would be a state for the different language groups and everything. It is really amazing. I hope it all works out though because foreign meddling is making it hard. For 4 months they haven't had a government. The president is a ceremonial figure and right now they are trying to elect a Prime minister. The normal way to do this would be to give it to the party with the most votes. There is no majority but the Maoists have the most votes. Other people (the old elites) are trying to make it so the Maoists don't get to choose the PM. It is all very complicated. I can't believe this is all happening right now! Anyways, it's almost dinner time so I better go. If you have any questions please comment! I can't seem to get my whitman email, so aol or facebook is the way to go for that.
Love, Hailey
PS Bekah, I am counting on you :).
Wow.
I made it! The trip over already seems like a long time ago. I have learned so much already it seems impossible that it has only been 4 days. I already know how to have a basic conversation with people! I know how to wipe with my hand, eat with my other hand and how to wear a sari. We move in with our host families on Tuesday. It is very exciting. I have been having crazy dreams while I try to process all that I have learned. The other night I dreamt that I got my host family and it was just a widower. I was upset because I wanted there to be women and children so they got me a new family. I guess that shows my anxiety as far as the family goes. I am nervous and excited.
I live on the ground floor of a family's home (ghar) right now. 6 girls are in there in 3 rooms. Our landlady is very tidy, which is really nice especially when it comes to the charpi (toilet). My bed is on the floor on a small mattress of sorts. The room is pale green like Phoebe's old room in the gorge. It is so hot that I sleep outside my sleeping bag at night. We have mosquito nets, but they aren't completely necessary because the bugs are mostly outside. I am making friends with the landlady. We watched the opening of the Olympic games inside and her son speaks English.
I woke up at 5 this morning and went for a run/walk with some other girls. I only got sorta lost. :) Then at 8 we had breakfast of little flat breads and bean soup. Language class went from 9-11 and 11:30-1:30 with a break for tea (chiaa) and mango (aap). Then I had lunch daalbhaat as usual and then I came over here. Language class is really intense with only 3 students in a class speaking only Nepali as far as possible. Luckily, Nepali isn't a terribly hard language to learn and it's fun! Using it is the best part. In 10 minutes, I have a lecture on Geo Politics, so I ought to go. After that we have a few hours off and I will write more then. At 6 is language review and then dinner at 7. I usually go right to sleep afterwards.
I love you all! Hugs and Kisses!
Hailey
Mom- Everyone loves my hat! The Nepalis say "raamro topi" and waggle their finger as a compliment on it.
Ty- I promise I will call you soon, probably tonight for you.
Sarah- I keep thinking of you because in class the teachers ask "what is your friends name?" "does she like X" etc. Hope NZ is treating you well!
I live on the ground floor of a family's home (ghar) right now. 6 girls are in there in 3 rooms. Our landlady is very tidy, which is really nice especially when it comes to the charpi (toilet). My bed is on the floor on a small mattress of sorts. The room is pale green like Phoebe's old room in the gorge. It is so hot that I sleep outside my sleeping bag at night. We have mosquito nets, but they aren't completely necessary because the bugs are mostly outside. I am making friends with the landlady. We watched the opening of the Olympic games inside and her son speaks English.
I woke up at 5 this morning and went for a run/walk with some other girls. I only got sorta lost. :) Then at 8 we had breakfast of little flat breads and bean soup. Language class went from 9-11 and 11:30-1:30 with a break for tea (chiaa) and mango (aap). Then I had lunch daalbhaat as usual and then I came over here. Language class is really intense with only 3 students in a class speaking only Nepali as far as possible. Luckily, Nepali isn't a terribly hard language to learn and it's fun! Using it is the best part. In 10 minutes, I have a lecture on Geo Politics, so I ought to go. After that we have a few hours off and I will write more then. At 6 is language review and then dinner at 7. I usually go right to sleep afterwards.
I love you all! Hugs and Kisses!
Hailey
Mom- Everyone loves my hat! The Nepalis say "raamro topi" and waggle their finger as a compliment on it.
Ty- I promise I will call you soon, probably tonight for you.
Sarah- I keep thinking of you because in class the teachers ask "what is your friends name?" "does she like X" etc. Hope NZ is treating you well!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Halfway!
Hi all,
I am in the airport in South Korea killing time before I go to Bangkok and then on to Kathmandu. This airport is awesome. I am in a museum with free internet! I had a smackrel of Haagen-Das (spelling?) and I am ready to move out. The plane boards in 20 minutes and I still haven't done my essays so I better go work on them.
Love, Hailey
I am in the airport in South Korea killing time before I go to Bangkok and then on to Kathmandu. This airport is awesome. I am in a museum with free internet! I had a smackrel of Haagen-Das (spelling?) and I am ready to move out. The plane boards in 20 minutes and I still haven't done my essays so I better go work on them.
Love, Hailey
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