the last day (for now), saying goodbye, a bonfire, tika, the snuffles, homecoming

I leave Nepal this evening, and will soon be swinging haphazardly up the east coast on my way back to Bowdoin, Pre-O, and the massively busy schedule that descends at college. However, my parting is sweet as I very much look forward to seeing my friends again, and the (before unrealized) luxaries of hot showers, clean air, avocados and peanut butter. I also suspect I will come back to this place within the next year, and see many of my new friends again.

My last two weeks at Sankhu did fly by, though they were a little complicated by a 5-6 day stomach illness that converged with my final week, a little dissapointing as I wanted to be playing lots of frisbee. Even relaxing in the room, though, has a lot of value, especially given my genetic and personal tendancy to filling up my days with constant productivity. One lesson Nepal gave me is definitely the value of relaxation and reflection, both of which I don't make enough time for in my life. Despite being ill I still managed to do some activities with the kids. My favorite was a way to re-use plastic water bottle, as the other volunteers consume bottled water in large quantities (I treated my water in Sankhu instead of buying it which was much safer than in Kathmandu). All the kids cut the tops of the bottles off in petal outlines, and then painted the insides to make colorful flowers. We put them out to dry in the sun, and later i was (falsely) told that Sagar mama (who runs the Sankhu home) had thrown them all away. This devastating news luckily turned out to be false and they are really adorning the office (so cool!). I also got to make a sweet bonfire my last night in the village, and the children roasted marshmallows to make s'mores, which was a chaotic whirlwind of hands, pointy sticks with marshmallows slipping off of them, and frantic shouts of "bisquit!" and "chocolate!". Ah well- nothing can go entirely as planned. Saying goodbye to the children was difficult, but we were all cheered by the thought that I would be returning within a year when I take a semester off from school in the spring. I think a photography program is increasingly likely, though I also have dreams of making an "Art camp" similar to the "Music Camp" the children had several years ago. This will most likely prove to be a plan for several years down the road.

Since returning to Kathmandu my time has been a whirlwind of shopping for presents, tying up loose ends with Raksha Nepal and the Naya Bazaar location of PA Nepal, and trying to track down the packages my mother sent me (dear mom: they have been located, but I lack the time to go and fetch them, as it could take all day, and plus, where will i put the contents when I'm leaving in several hours? thanks so much though! i will dream of their (chocolatey?) contents when i'm on the plane...). I have also contracted some kind of cold, which I only hope serves to knock me out on the plane so I'll get more rest than usual. Last night I said goodbye to the other kids, and they gave me an enormous tika (the red dot on the forehead that is both a blessing and good luck) that looked like a third eye, and they waved goodnight as I motor-biked away.

Soon I will be flying back to the US, where I'd love to talk and hear from all of you who have been reading this blog. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions, ideas or comments at rosalind.gael@gmail.com. I am sure this won't be my last post, as there are many cultural readjustments, reflections and realizations to be made, not to mention a photography program planned.

Note: Dear father, I hope this post satisfies your demands (how rude!) for information about the last several weeks. if not, i suppose i will just have to call you when I land and give you an affectionate tongue-lashing.

unexpected internet, a whole new level of hospitality, the introduction of s'mores, the approaching end

After returning to Kathmandu from Sankhu I moved into Raksha, the women's organization I've been working with, for five days before returning to the village. My new home was with three women: Menuka, the president of Raksha, Isu, the16-year-old who is waiting to join university, is remarkably capable at everything, and cooks all the meals, and Goma, a 17-year-old girl who is between secondary and college-level classes. They are all accomodating to the point of insanity- I don't think I've ever been more closely observed in my life, either due to my American odditities, or out of an intense interest in welcoming me to their home. I've taken to calling Isu, jokingly, Ahmah (mother) as I call Menuka, at her insistance, DiDi (big sister). Honestly, I don't even think my mother ever tried to nurture me this much, and that's saying something! The women provide me with a bed, and a delicious breakfast and dinner of dahl baht twice a day, as well as free internet and intense scrutiny (I mean this in a loving and slightly exacerbated kind of way).
A general day looks like this: I wake up around 7:00 am, do some exercises, eat some snacks I brought myself and drink tea as I wait for "lunch", the first meal of the day served around 10 or 11 (me so hungey!). While I wait I read, play my guitar, work on Raksha business, or check my e-mail (a little obsessively after so little internet connection in Nepal). I then work on Raksha's needs (currently a good brochure) until 2 or 3, after which I run some errands or take a private and relaxing tea in a cafe, and then make my way to PA Nepal in Naya Bazaar to play with the kids until 6:30. After some hectic games, homework help, and general confusion I went with some of the volunteers to get a snack before dinner (crafted by Isu around 8:30 or 9:00). One of the house rules was that I had to by 8:00 pm, which made it harder to hang out with other volunteers, but allowed me to get to know my hosts even more.
Though I loved staying at the house, I suspect I didn't have enough time to adjust to it, or for the wonderful Nepali women to relax and let me into the kitchen. Despite many assurances that I can, in fact, cook, Isu and others would not let me cook, do dishes, or really any chores whatsoever. One night I distracted Isu with "Pirates of the Carribean" and attempted to sneak into the kitchen to make honey popcorn as a surprise (a snack I've made a million times). I was probably there less than a minute before I was found out and lightly scolded. After I convinced her to let me make it Goma hovered over me as I attempted to cover the open saute pan on the gas stove with a metal plate, and hold on to the burning handle with a peice of folded newspaper. In the end my half-burnt, undercooked popcorn was hardly convincing, and i'm sure I won't be allowed to try again... Though their extremely kind hospitality is nice in concept, I really want to help, and to truely be a sister of the house rather than a guest- I'm sure this comes with time, time which I regrettably do not have.
I am out at Sankhu for the next ten days or so, after which I will return to Kathmandu for a few days before I fly off to college. Sankhu surprised me with a stellar internet connection in town, which will make a photography program (which seems to be quite doable!) and weekly e-mails much easier, especially when/if I return in the Spring. I am looking forward to coming home, but there is much I want to do before then, and I know the days will fly by. First on the list is to introduce the kids (and foreign volunteers) to S'mores, an American classic. Then I need to play some more frisbee with them, learn a Nepali song on my guitar, and enjoy this wonderful space full of people and children I will not forget.