Here is a quick picture of Sabita and I on our adventures from last weekend...we are in the boat on our way back from the island on the lake to the mainland. Will write about the festival when I get back...
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Headed to Kathmandu!
Hi all! I decided today to buy a bus ticket to go to Kathmandu for the weekend for an Indigenous Film Festival (Brit, I know you're laughing right now)! It is going to be so great...3-days worth of films by and/or about indigenous communities in Nepal, Bhutan, Australia and several other countries I believe. Unfortunately, Sabita can't join me right away, but she might meet me on Saturday. The bus ride will be 6-8 hours long, depending on traffic, and there probably won't be AC, but I'm so excited to be going on an adventure :) I'll be gone until Sunday and won't have internet access again until then either, so this will be my last post for a few days. Sorry also if I owe you an email; I promise to respond next week!
Here is a quick picture of Sabita and I on our adventures from last weekend...we are in the boat on our way back from the island on the lake to the mainland. Will write about the festival when I get back...
Here is a quick picture of Sabita and I on our adventures from last weekend...we are in the boat on our way back from the island on the lake to the mainland. Will write about the festival when I get back...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Wedding crashers, and sitting in a room full of 'johns'
What a great week and weekend it has been; I have been learning a lot about CWES and its activities, as well as a lot about Nepali culture and customs simply by spending time with Sabita, her family and the communities I have come into contact with. This is a long post...kind of 2-3 posts in 1...because I have been short on time, and because I could not get online on Saturday night. So basically, this is an accumulation of typing over the course of 2 different evening sessions on my laptop...and just FYI, my thoughts are not in chronological order :)
I first have to write about the experience that has trumped all others so far! This morning (Sunday, June 20), Sabita and I traveled with one other MSBK staff member, Anil, to a community just outside the city to meet with a women’s organization that is doing micro-finance work. Impressively, even though the village community where the organization is located is small, the organization has over 200 general members, all of whom are women (men aren’t allowed)! Sabita asked the women to hold this meeting specifically so that I could meet the women and hear about their activities; 9 women, most of whom hold some position in the organization and/or who have taken loans themselves attended. I heard all about their activities via Sabita, who so kindly acted as my personal translator, and again, I was very impressed...however, the most exciting part does not have to do with the work of the organization, and rather, has everything to do with the women themselves, and the selfless hospitality they offered me. As we were wrapping up the meeting, one of the women asked if I wanted to see a Nepali wedding. Ummm, yes, of course I wanted to see a Nepali wedding!!!!! So the women led the way as Sabita, Anil and I followed...it was like we were all old friends, and no longer was the language barrier important...we were out of meeting mode, and truly able to just be humans together...we walked arm in arm down a dirt path to a house that was decorated beautifully. I did not have time to stop to see the altar area that had been set up, or very much else for that matter, because the women led me straight to the ‘dance floor,’ where a live band was playing traditional Nepali music! My backpack was removed from my back and I was pulled by one woman out into the middle of the open dance area...I obviously have no idea how to do Nepali dancing, but I followed along as best I could. At this point, guests at the wedding started taking pictures of those of us who were dancing. Everyone was laughing, including me, and probably at me; I’m sure I looked as awkward as I felt! After several songs, I was presented with a plate of traditional Nepali food and Indian sweets, a flower lei to wear, and was also given a ‘tika,’ or blessing (the red, sometimes yellow or white, mark Hindus wear on their foreheads). For some reason, I was treated as the guest of honor...which is actually not any different than I have been treated during my time here; I am consistently humbled by the kindness and welcomeness I feel everywhere I go. After receiving my gifts, I was pulled out to dance for a couple more songs, and then, before I knew it, it was time to go. I never saw the bride and groom, haha, and I only later had a chance to ask Sabita where they were and why they weren’t at their own wedding. She explained that they hadn’t arrived yet, because part of the celebration involves many family members and friends ceremoniously bringing the bride from her parents’ house to the house of the grooms’ parents’ house (which, after the wedding, becomes the home of the new couple). I also realized afterward, that none of the women whom we had been meeting with stayed at the wedding when it was time for Sabita and Anil and I to leave (we had scheduled another meeting with another women’s organization on the other side of town)...they all left at the same time we did, I think because it is ‘busy season’ for a lot of them, in the sense that it is farming season here. So what it comes down to, is, essentially, I crashed a Nepali wedding with the coolest group of empowered women I have ever met :)
What’s even better about seeing at least part of a Nepali wedding (though I didn’t see the actual ceremony), is the fact that I have now seen both a wedding and a funeral. I attended the funeral ceremony last Monday, I think it was, with Sabita and her mother; it was for a young man, I think 28 or 29 years old, who passed away of cancer. 15 days after someone dies here, is when this ‘celebration’ begins, and the celebration lasts for 3 days. We went to this particular celebration on the 15th day, so on the 1st day of the celebration. A statue/sculpture of the man had been made of bamboo and draped with cloth and put on display under a big white tent at the community house I had mentioned when I posted the picture of Sabita with the painting of her family’s village. The statue sat on a cage-like structure, which had also been draped with many colorful garlands of paper flowers and flags. Many ‘offerings’ were also around the statue - offerings of fruit, flowers, incense, and other food. When we got there, there was not a lot going on. There was a group of mostly men sitting in chairs set up near the statue, which again, was outside the community house under big white tent. And there were groups of people sitting inside the community house at tables eating curried vegetables and Indian ‘roti,’ a type of deep-fried sweet bread, and drinking tea and Tang (a lot of people drink Tang here). Sabita and I joined her mother at a table to eat, and after some time, the festivities began. A group of Buddhist monks and lamas who live at and take care of the community house came out in colorful masks and costumes and began chanting and singing and beating drums and circling the caged statue area under the tent. Everyone gathered around to watch, and people began tossing rice onto the Buddhists as they circled the statue and passed the crowd over and over again. I noticed that many of the women in the crowd had taken their hair down out of braids and buns, and Sabita said this was a sign of mourning. The wife and father of the man who had died, both dressed completely in white, were present in the crowd. The father seemed to have a few ‘parts’ in the show, but the woman did not (side note: women who lose their husbands are referred to as single women, not widows, here in Nepal). The man’s mother was neither dressed in white, nor did she have any part in the festivities or rituals, nor was she set apart, in any way, from the other women present at the ceremony (interesting, I thought). Sabita said that since one woman, the man’s wife, was dressed in white, the mother did not need to be. After the Buddhist men made many circles around the caged statue, everyone who no longer had living parents (Sabita told me all of this as everything progressed) joined in the circling of the caged statue, and also continued tossing rice toward the statue. The performers then changed course and began walking toward the entrance to the community house; so the crowd followed, down a long driveway out to a road area. A ritual then took place, where the brother-in-law of the man who died (his sister’s husband), playfully ‘provoked’ the Buddhist wearing the biggest mask by coming close to him, but then running away when the Buddhist would come after him. This happened several times - this game of cat and mouse - until finally the brother-in-law gave in and let the Buddhist with the mask ‘catch’ him. Everyone laughed and cheered, making it seem less and less like a funeral. Many people and children then ate some of the fruit and other food that had been offered to the man who died, and then the festivities continued. We all returned to the caged statue, where many people joined the Buddhists around the statue, this time, standing still (no longer circling); at first, the men chanted and sang with the Buddhists and then the women joined in. It was very beautiful to hear, and it sounded like the group had practiced harmonizing together...maybe they had, I don’t know. The ceremony came to a close shortly after.
I later asked Sabita if what we had seen was primarily a Buddhist ceremony, since the Buddhist men were the ‘leaders’ of the festivities, and she said no, it was a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. I knew before coming here that although most Nepali people identify as Hindu, Hinduism here in Nepal is really a combination of Hinduism and Buddhism (and Buddhism is really a combination of Buddhism and Hinduism). There are obviously a lot of things that set each religion a part from the other, but at this funeral ceremony, I was able to see taking place exactly what I have read about. A lot of books say that Nepali Hindus and Buddhists have been able to live harmoniously with one another for so long (i.e., religious conflict, at least between Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal, has never really been a problem) because both traditions, in the form which they exist here in Nepal, include so many aspects of the other. I can see now, why, as a Hindu, for example, it would be difficult to hold a grudge against Buddhists, when it was Buddhists who performed the rituals at one of my family member’s funeral ceremonies!
I wish I could keep typing about the other things Sabita and I did this weekend, but I feel like I should move on to a quick internship update. Really quickly...I was finally able to make it out to the island on Fewa Lake where there the Hindu Barahi Temple is located. In true tourist fashion, I asked Sabita to request we pay extra to be able to rent our own boat so I could row it, haha, while most other people went in boats with 10-12 people, and which were paddled by guides. Anyways, it was beautiful! We also went and saw another temple located inside a cave, a place called Devis Falls, and a Buddhist ‘gumba,’ or temple. We were furthermore able to spend some time at Sabita’s parents’ house. There is so much to say about all of these things, but again, I should move on to an internship update...
I spent the majority of last week in the CWES office, however, I did have a chance to participate in/observe two discussion-based meetings put on by CWES off-site. The first relates to the second half of the title of this blog entry. For those of you who are unfamiliar with certain language used when talking about commercial sex work and/or human trafficking, and specifically trafficking of women and girls as, essentially, sex slaves, the title of this blog may have been a bit confusing. Basically, the generic term used to describe specifically male customers of specifically female sex workers is ‘johns’ (on another note, ‘female sex workers’ is preferred over ‘prostitutes,’ so I use this term throughout my writing). One of the ways CWES carries out its HIV/AIDS education and prevention work is by hosting discussion-based meetings targeting different ‘most at risk populations,’ or MARPS. These MARPS get their designations because they are considered most at risk for contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS; examples of such populations are female sex workers, their clients (or ‘the johns’), injecting drug users, and migrant workers and their spouses. To tie all of this together, then, the first meeting I attended and observed on Wednesday was with 8 ‘johns.’ For those of you who know me well, you might be able to imagine some of the things I was thinking as I sat in a room with these men (some of whom appeared to be no older than 15 or 16), who themselves self-identify as clients of female sex workers (whether they have been clients only once or on a regular basis, I don’t know). On one hand, I was angry at them; I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who I knew had sexually exploited a woman, or women, by paying for sex...let alone, sat in a room with eight of them. Sitting with my thoughts, while at the same time struggling to not be judgmental was difficult. On the other hand, like I said, they seemed so young, so I felt sadness for them, as well. All of them had to have been between the ages of 15 and 25, at the most. I obviously could not understand exactly what was said during the discussion, since it was all in Nepali, but because I have read so much material about CWES’ HIV/AIDS education and prevention work, I had an understanding of what kinds of questions were being asked by the CWES facilitators. From what I could gather from the participants’ responses and body language, as well as from the quick interpretation I received at the end of the discussion, it sounds like most of the men there had never been tested for HIV/AIDS...unfortunately, statistics show, especially due to the high risk behavior of these men, at least one of them has probably already been infected by HIV. The goal of CWES is not to make these men feel ashamed, though again, it was difficult for me to not want them to; rather, the goal is to encourage them to, initially, make small behavior changes to decrease their risk of getting HIV/AIDS (e.g., wear condoms), and then only later, maybe change the way they choose to live their lives completely (e.g., stop being ‘johns’ altogether).
The second meeting I went to (Friday) was similar, though there were different people present than at the first meeting. It was at the drop-in clinic CWES partners with and which CWES staff refer MARPS to when the MARPS decide they want to get tested for HIV/AIDS and/or other STIs. The people who were present were some of CWES’ volunteer peer educators (male and female), some staff of the drop in clinic, as well as a couple of female sex workers (like the ‘johns’ I met, these women were so young...probably not 20 years old yet). The meeting consisted of a short, light-hearted ‘quiz’ competition, where folks who answered questions about HIV/AIDS awareness correctly got a prize (the prizes were wrapped, and I just realized I don’t know what was inside...I will have to ask), and then concluded with a short discussion just with CWES staff and the peer educators. It was, a second time around, a mix of emotions as I sat in the room with the young women who are selling their bodies for money. Part of me wanted to tell them that they don’t have to do what they are doing, and I wanted to try to help them figure out other options for themselves; I wanted to encourage them to continue school and to tell them that they should never let any man treat them with disrespect. Aside from the language barrier, though, I couldn’t have said these things for other reasons...again, CWES’ aim is not to make the women feel ashamed of themselves, but rather, to help them assess their choices in hopes of encouraging them to make healthier ones...eventually, ending with them no longer working in the sex industry. These women were more than likely NOT being trafficked, which, I guess in many ways is a ‘relief,’ if I can use such a word in this context. Instead, they were most likely women who have chosen to be female sex workers (though I use ‘chosen’ with caution, here, since often times poverty forces women into commercial sex work...they have to get money to eat and fulfill other basic needs somewhere, and without an education/without the same education males receive, this is often difficult). So another reason why I could not have told these young women all that was on my mind is because CWES has taught me that in Nepal, many women maybe start this kind of work out of desperation, but later decide to continue because it is considered ‘easy work’ - it is not domestic labor, nor is it physical labor in the traditional sense of the word... plus, it does not require them to work outside in the hot weather.
Aside from the tremendous amount I have learned from reading about HIV/AIDS education and prevention, attending these meetings has taught me other things I have never had to consider before. Without the ability to voice what I am thinking and/or feeling, again, partly as a result of the language barrier and partly as a result that I have yet to be asked my opinion (and if I were to be asked, I’m not sure I would share what I was truly thinking), not only makes me ‘the American girl who can’t speak Nepali,’ but also has created a different type of group relations experience for me...in other words, I am not used to being the quiet one! I have had to learn how to sit with my thoughts and feelings, and how to save them for later for my journal. All of this has been challenging, like many other things here, but ultimately, I think it is all good for me, too :)
Lastly, here’s a little shout out to the best dad in the world on Father’s Day... love you Daddy...and another one to my favorite kiddos, Megan and Zoe! I miss you little ladies and can’t wait to see you when I get back...thanks, Mandy, for reading and commenting :)
Will post again soon!
I first have to write about the experience that has trumped all others so far! This morning (Sunday, June 20), Sabita and I traveled with one other MSBK staff member, Anil, to a community just outside the city to meet with a women’s organization that is doing micro-finance work. Impressively, even though the village community where the organization is located is small, the organization has over 200 general members, all of whom are women (men aren’t allowed)! Sabita asked the women to hold this meeting specifically so that I could meet the women and hear about their activities; 9 women, most of whom hold some position in the organization and/or who have taken loans themselves attended. I heard all about their activities via Sabita, who so kindly acted as my personal translator, and again, I was very impressed...however, the most exciting part does not have to do with the work of the organization, and rather, has everything to do with the women themselves, and the selfless hospitality they offered me. As we were wrapping up the meeting, one of the women asked if I wanted to see a Nepali wedding. Ummm, yes, of course I wanted to see a Nepali wedding!!!!! So the women led the way as Sabita, Anil and I followed...it was like we were all old friends, and no longer was the language barrier important...we were out of meeting mode, and truly able to just be humans together...we walked arm in arm down a dirt path to a house that was decorated beautifully. I did not have time to stop to see the altar area that had been set up, or very much else for that matter, because the women led me straight to the ‘dance floor,’ where a live band was playing traditional Nepali music! My backpack was removed from my back and I was pulled by one woman out into the middle of the open dance area...I obviously have no idea how to do Nepali dancing, but I followed along as best I could. At this point, guests at the wedding started taking pictures of those of us who were dancing. Everyone was laughing, including me, and probably at me; I’m sure I looked as awkward as I felt! After several songs, I was presented with a plate of traditional Nepali food and Indian sweets, a flower lei to wear, and was also given a ‘tika,’ or blessing (the red, sometimes yellow or white, mark Hindus wear on their foreheads). For some reason, I was treated as the guest of honor...which is actually not any different than I have been treated during my time here; I am consistently humbled by the kindness and welcomeness I feel everywhere I go. After receiving my gifts, I was pulled out to dance for a couple more songs, and then, before I knew it, it was time to go. I never saw the bride and groom, haha, and I only later had a chance to ask Sabita where they were and why they weren’t at their own wedding. She explained that they hadn’t arrived yet, because part of the celebration involves many family members and friends ceremoniously bringing the bride from her parents’ house to the house of the grooms’ parents’ house (which, after the wedding, becomes the home of the new couple). I also realized afterward, that none of the women whom we had been meeting with stayed at the wedding when it was time for Sabita and Anil and I to leave (we had scheduled another meeting with another women’s organization on the other side of town)...they all left at the same time we did, I think because it is ‘busy season’ for a lot of them, in the sense that it is farming season here. So what it comes down to, is, essentially, I crashed a Nepali wedding with the coolest group of empowered women I have ever met :)
What’s even better about seeing at least part of a Nepali wedding (though I didn’t see the actual ceremony), is the fact that I have now seen both a wedding and a funeral. I attended the funeral ceremony last Monday, I think it was, with Sabita and her mother; it was for a young man, I think 28 or 29 years old, who passed away of cancer. 15 days after someone dies here, is when this ‘celebration’ begins, and the celebration lasts for 3 days. We went to this particular celebration on the 15th day, so on the 1st day of the celebration. A statue/sculpture of the man had been made of bamboo and draped with cloth and put on display under a big white tent at the community house I had mentioned when I posted the picture of Sabita with the painting of her family’s village. The statue sat on a cage-like structure, which had also been draped with many colorful garlands of paper flowers and flags. Many ‘offerings’ were also around the statue - offerings of fruit, flowers, incense, and other food. When we got there, there was not a lot going on. There was a group of mostly men sitting in chairs set up near the statue, which again, was outside the community house under big white tent. And there were groups of people sitting inside the community house at tables eating curried vegetables and Indian ‘roti,’ a type of deep-fried sweet bread, and drinking tea and Tang (a lot of people drink Tang here). Sabita and I joined her mother at a table to eat, and after some time, the festivities began. A group of Buddhist monks and lamas who live at and take care of the community house came out in colorful masks and costumes and began chanting and singing and beating drums and circling the caged statue area under the tent. Everyone gathered around to watch, and people began tossing rice onto the Buddhists as they circled the statue and passed the crowd over and over again. I noticed that many of the women in the crowd had taken their hair down out of braids and buns, and Sabita said this was a sign of mourning. The wife and father of the man who had died, both dressed completely in white, were present in the crowd. The father seemed to have a few ‘parts’ in the show, but the woman did not (side note: women who lose their husbands are referred to as single women, not widows, here in Nepal). The man’s mother was neither dressed in white, nor did she have any part in the festivities or rituals, nor was she set apart, in any way, from the other women present at the ceremony (interesting, I thought). Sabita said that since one woman, the man’s wife, was dressed in white, the mother did not need to be. After the Buddhist men made many circles around the caged statue, everyone who no longer had living parents (Sabita told me all of this as everything progressed) joined in the circling of the caged statue, and also continued tossing rice toward the statue. The performers then changed course and began walking toward the entrance to the community house; so the crowd followed, down a long driveway out to a road area. A ritual then took place, where the brother-in-law of the man who died (his sister’s husband), playfully ‘provoked’ the Buddhist wearing the biggest mask by coming close to him, but then running away when the Buddhist would come after him. This happened several times - this game of cat and mouse - until finally the brother-in-law gave in and let the Buddhist with the mask ‘catch’ him. Everyone laughed and cheered, making it seem less and less like a funeral. Many people and children then ate some of the fruit and other food that had been offered to the man who died, and then the festivities continued. We all returned to the caged statue, where many people joined the Buddhists around the statue, this time, standing still (no longer circling); at first, the men chanted and sang with the Buddhists and then the women joined in. It was very beautiful to hear, and it sounded like the group had practiced harmonizing together...maybe they had, I don’t know. The ceremony came to a close shortly after.
I later asked Sabita if what we had seen was primarily a Buddhist ceremony, since the Buddhist men were the ‘leaders’ of the festivities, and she said no, it was a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. I knew before coming here that although most Nepali people identify as Hindu, Hinduism here in Nepal is really a combination of Hinduism and Buddhism (and Buddhism is really a combination of Buddhism and Hinduism). There are obviously a lot of things that set each religion a part from the other, but at this funeral ceremony, I was able to see taking place exactly what I have read about. A lot of books say that Nepali Hindus and Buddhists have been able to live harmoniously with one another for so long (i.e., religious conflict, at least between Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal, has never really been a problem) because both traditions, in the form which they exist here in Nepal, include so many aspects of the other. I can see now, why, as a Hindu, for example, it would be difficult to hold a grudge against Buddhists, when it was Buddhists who performed the rituals at one of my family member’s funeral ceremonies!
I wish I could keep typing about the other things Sabita and I did this weekend, but I feel like I should move on to a quick internship update. Really quickly...I was finally able to make it out to the island on Fewa Lake where there the Hindu Barahi Temple is located. In true tourist fashion, I asked Sabita to request we pay extra to be able to rent our own boat so I could row it, haha, while most other people went in boats with 10-12 people, and which were paddled by guides. Anyways, it was beautiful! We also went and saw another temple located inside a cave, a place called Devis Falls, and a Buddhist ‘gumba,’ or temple. We were furthermore able to spend some time at Sabita’s parents’ house. There is so much to say about all of these things, but again, I should move on to an internship update...
I spent the majority of last week in the CWES office, however, I did have a chance to participate in/observe two discussion-based meetings put on by CWES off-site. The first relates to the second half of the title of this blog entry. For those of you who are unfamiliar with certain language used when talking about commercial sex work and/or human trafficking, and specifically trafficking of women and girls as, essentially, sex slaves, the title of this blog may have been a bit confusing. Basically, the generic term used to describe specifically male customers of specifically female sex workers is ‘johns’ (on another note, ‘female sex workers’ is preferred over ‘prostitutes,’ so I use this term throughout my writing). One of the ways CWES carries out its HIV/AIDS education and prevention work is by hosting discussion-based meetings targeting different ‘most at risk populations,’ or MARPS. These MARPS get their designations because they are considered most at risk for contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS; examples of such populations are female sex workers, their clients (or ‘the johns’), injecting drug users, and migrant workers and their spouses. To tie all of this together, then, the first meeting I attended and observed on Wednesday was with 8 ‘johns.’ For those of you who know me well, you might be able to imagine some of the things I was thinking as I sat in a room with these men (some of whom appeared to be no older than 15 or 16), who themselves self-identify as clients of female sex workers (whether they have been clients only once or on a regular basis, I don’t know). On one hand, I was angry at them; I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who I knew had sexually exploited a woman, or women, by paying for sex...let alone, sat in a room with eight of them. Sitting with my thoughts, while at the same time struggling to not be judgmental was difficult. On the other hand, like I said, they seemed so young, so I felt sadness for them, as well. All of them had to have been between the ages of 15 and 25, at the most. I obviously could not understand exactly what was said during the discussion, since it was all in Nepali, but because I have read so much material about CWES’ HIV/AIDS education and prevention work, I had an understanding of what kinds of questions were being asked by the CWES facilitators. From what I could gather from the participants’ responses and body language, as well as from the quick interpretation I received at the end of the discussion, it sounds like most of the men there had never been tested for HIV/AIDS...unfortunately, statistics show, especially due to the high risk behavior of these men, at least one of them has probably already been infected by HIV. The goal of CWES is not to make these men feel ashamed, though again, it was difficult for me to not want them to; rather, the goal is to encourage them to, initially, make small behavior changes to decrease their risk of getting HIV/AIDS (e.g., wear condoms), and then only later, maybe change the way they choose to live their lives completely (e.g., stop being ‘johns’ altogether).
The second meeting I went to (Friday) was similar, though there were different people present than at the first meeting. It was at the drop-in clinic CWES partners with and which CWES staff refer MARPS to when the MARPS decide they want to get tested for HIV/AIDS and/or other STIs. The people who were present were some of CWES’ volunteer peer educators (male and female), some staff of the drop in clinic, as well as a couple of female sex workers (like the ‘johns’ I met, these women were so young...probably not 20 years old yet). The meeting consisted of a short, light-hearted ‘quiz’ competition, where folks who answered questions about HIV/AIDS awareness correctly got a prize (the prizes were wrapped, and I just realized I don’t know what was inside...I will have to ask), and then concluded with a short discussion just with CWES staff and the peer educators. It was, a second time around, a mix of emotions as I sat in the room with the young women who are selling their bodies for money. Part of me wanted to tell them that they don’t have to do what they are doing, and I wanted to try to help them figure out other options for themselves; I wanted to encourage them to continue school and to tell them that they should never let any man treat them with disrespect. Aside from the language barrier, though, I couldn’t have said these things for other reasons...again, CWES’ aim is not to make the women feel ashamed of themselves, but rather, to help them assess their choices in hopes of encouraging them to make healthier ones...eventually, ending with them no longer working in the sex industry. These women were more than likely NOT being trafficked, which, I guess in many ways is a ‘relief,’ if I can use such a word in this context. Instead, they were most likely women who have chosen to be female sex workers (though I use ‘chosen’ with caution, here, since often times poverty forces women into commercial sex work...they have to get money to eat and fulfill other basic needs somewhere, and without an education/without the same education males receive, this is often difficult). So another reason why I could not have told these young women all that was on my mind is because CWES has taught me that in Nepal, many women maybe start this kind of work out of desperation, but later decide to continue because it is considered ‘easy work’ - it is not domestic labor, nor is it physical labor in the traditional sense of the word... plus, it does not require them to work outside in the hot weather.
Aside from the tremendous amount I have learned from reading about HIV/AIDS education and prevention, attending these meetings has taught me other things I have never had to consider before. Without the ability to voice what I am thinking and/or feeling, again, partly as a result of the language barrier and partly as a result that I have yet to be asked my opinion (and if I were to be asked, I’m not sure I would share what I was truly thinking), not only makes me ‘the American girl who can’t speak Nepali,’ but also has created a different type of group relations experience for me...in other words, I am not used to being the quiet one! I have had to learn how to sit with my thoughts and feelings, and how to save them for later for my journal. All of this has been challenging, like many other things here, but ultimately, I think it is all good for me, too :)
Lastly, here’s a little shout out to the best dad in the world on Father’s Day... love you Daddy...and another one to my favorite kiddos, Megan and Zoe! I miss you little ladies and can’t wait to see you when I get back...thanks, Mandy, for reading and commenting :)
Will post again soon!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Shreeganes Samudayik
I am only able to upload one picture per post, so below is my attempt to get 3-4 up here; enjoy :)
This one is of me with several school-aged children on the trip I took with Sabita and MSBK last Saturday; we were in a rural community called Shreeganes Samudayik. The other woman in the picture is Sussma, MSBK's financial officer (the one who is helping Sabita teach me Nepali). The boy sitting next to me is one of the ones I spoke to for a long time; his name is Assis.
This one is of me with several school-aged children on the trip I took with Sabita and MSBK last Saturday; we were in a rural community called Shreeganes Samudayik. The other woman in the picture is Sussma, MSBK's financial officer (the one who is helping Sabita teach me Nepali). The boy sitting next to me is one of the ones I spoke to for a long time; his name is Assis.
Sabita ji
This is my wonderful friend Sabita; the painting behind her is of her family's village, Durung, and is painted as a stage/theater backdrop in a community house here in Pokhara. We met her mother at the community house because there was a funeral ceremony and rituals going on for a young man who had died of cancer. Sabita did not know him, but her mother invited us to the ceremony so that I could watch; it was fascinating and I hope to post more about it, as well as pictures, later!
Fewa Lake from Lakeside
This is an evening shot of Fewa Lake from Lakeside (not Damside); so breathtaking!
Pokhara market, and "global love"
This one is of the market area here in Pokhara. There are three different street markets all near each other: New Road, Chipledhunga (meaning 'large rock' - there is a big rock on one of the street corners), and Mahendrapool (meaning 'king's bridge' - there is a bridge named by, not after, a king nearby).
Lastly, I wanted to share this op-ed I read in Nepal's largest selling English newspaper, "The Kathmandu Post." It is called "Global Love," and was written by Bhuwan Thapaliya yesterday, June 15; it describes so much of how I am feeling here in Pokhara! If you are interested, you can find the original post at the following website: http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/06/15/oped/global-love/209441/
***
We call our modern world a “global village”, but the bitter truth is that modern society is as isolated, disintegrated and fragile as ever. Considering so, I believe that the globalisation of love is the cry of this century. You may well exclaim in astonishment: can the globalisation of love ever be realised? My answer is yes. Let us love each other, and light the lamp of universal solidarity to lift the darkness from every corner of this world.
You may say that it is impossible, but we will never be successful in pushing the boundaries if we simply stick to things we already know are achievable. I sincerely believe that all humans are closely interrelated and are stalwartly connected by the quintessence of their humanity.
We are all analogous — one to another. There are no separate humans: in the entire universe, humans are basically the same. Their eyes wish to see the panorama of love. Their ears wish to hear the symphony of love. And their hearts wish to be embraced by love. So I don’t believe in a personal God. I believe in the universal God called Love.
I have an enormous love for my wonderful nation but it is not merely the land of my birth that I love. I am a global citizen of my own imagination and I love all the nations of this precious world of ours with equal grace, because humans are the offspring of the divine seed called love.
We are alive because of God but we are living because of Love. In my opinion, there is no heaven and no hell. If there is anything, there is the caste of love and as the snow melts in the sunshine, desolation melts upon the dawn of love. Truly, it is love that sustains us and transcends our life with its interminable warmth.
O’ brothers, O’ sisters, all arise! Get off your couch and step into the real world and see bloodless skeletons of the living dead, loitering in the street; a heart of stone without a trace of soul. Go out to places you don’t know. Eat the foods you haven’t tasted before and wear the costumes you haven’t worn before. Talk to people you don’t understand, and understand the people whom you fear.
Be with them who are too weak to stand up for what they believe in, and be with them who are left behind by the injustices of society. Be with them, and let them be with you. Put your hands around their shoulders and walk a mile or two with them, and tell them that everything will be fine — democracy and humanity still work.
Remember, life is not permanent. Don’t become addicted to yourself only. Set yourself free from yourself and taste life with all its sweetness. Go, stroll beyond your own life and explore the life of those who are struggling for their survival on the battlefield of hunger and strife.
Go, unearth the humanitarian legacies and carry them forward, for the betterment of humanity. Then the globalisation of love can certainly be achieved, my friend.
***
Lastly, I wanted to share this op-ed I read in Nepal's largest selling English newspaper, "The Kathmandu Post." It is called "Global Love," and was written by Bhuwan Thapaliya yesterday, June 15; it describes so much of how I am feeling here in Pokhara! If you are interested, you can find the original post at the following website: http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/06/15/oped/global-love/209441/
***
We call our modern world a “global village”, but the bitter truth is that modern society is as isolated, disintegrated and fragile as ever. Considering so, I believe that the globalisation of love is the cry of this century. You may well exclaim in astonishment: can the globalisation of love ever be realised? My answer is yes. Let us love each other, and light the lamp of universal solidarity to lift the darkness from every corner of this world.
You may say that it is impossible, but we will never be successful in pushing the boundaries if we simply stick to things we already know are achievable. I sincerely believe that all humans are closely interrelated and are stalwartly connected by the quintessence of their humanity.
We are all analogous — one to another. There are no separate humans: in the entire universe, humans are basically the same. Their eyes wish to see the panorama of love. Their ears wish to hear the symphony of love. And their hearts wish to be embraced by love. So I don’t believe in a personal God. I believe in the universal God called Love.
I have an enormous love for my wonderful nation but it is not merely the land of my birth that I love. I am a global citizen of my own imagination and I love all the nations of this precious world of ours with equal grace, because humans are the offspring of the divine seed called love.
We are alive because of God but we are living because of Love. In my opinion, there is no heaven and no hell. If there is anything, there is the caste of love and as the snow melts in the sunshine, desolation melts upon the dawn of love. Truly, it is love that sustains us and transcends our life with its interminable warmth.
O’ brothers, O’ sisters, all arise! Get off your couch and step into the real world and see bloodless skeletons of the living dead, loitering in the street; a heart of stone without a trace of soul. Go out to places you don’t know. Eat the foods you haven’t tasted before and wear the costumes you haven’t worn before. Talk to people you don’t understand, and understand the people whom you fear.
Be with them who are too weak to stand up for what they believe in, and be with them who are left behind by the injustices of society. Be with them, and let them be with you. Put your hands around their shoulders and walk a mile or two with them, and tell them that everything will be fine — democracy and humanity still work.
Remember, life is not permanent. Don’t become addicted to yourself only. Set yourself free from yourself and taste life with all its sweetness. Go, stroll beyond your own life and explore the life of those who are struggling for their survival on the battlefield of hunger and strife.
Go, unearth the humanitarian legacies and carry them forward, for the betterment of humanity. Then the globalisation of love can certainly be achieved, my friend.
***
Monday, June 14, 2010
A reflection (mostly) about...you guessed it...gender...
A lot has happened since the last time I posted!
I spent the day following the wonderful welcome I received at CWES last Thursday reading and learning about the organization and doing some preliminary research on other organizations that have peacebuilding initiatives, since CWES wants to add peacebuilding to its list of activities/programs. As I read, I realized that most nonprofits/NGOs have some sort of peacebuilding initiatives, or at least it seemed this way, though they all do something different. I also read a paper about how so many organizations are simply ‘adding’ peacebuilding as an area of focus because that is what a lot of larger organizations and foundations want to fund. Hopefully, though, I will be able to help CWES come up with a plan and program that will be meaningful and make a difference.
I continually feel more blessed as I spend time here in Pokhara. One reason, is because I have essentially also been ‘adopted’ by Sabita and Upendra’s organization, MSBK...which is so cool, because I kind of have two internships now. On Saturday, Sabita took me with her and several field staff members to two rural communities about 30 minutes outside of Pokhara. MSBK went to conduct some assessments and gather information about school-aged children who are in some way ‘sponsored’ either by World Vision or another partner of MSBK’s (I’m still trying to figure out how all of it works). Children from many different schools all met at one designated school to have their height and weight recorded, their picture taken, and to answer questions about their favorite subject in school, what they eat for lunch, which Nepali festivals/ceremonies they like best, etc. The children were so sweet and many of them spoke very good English. They also taught me some Nepali! There were two boys, one from each site we went to, who were very eager to learn about the US They both asked similar questions: like what the name of the National Anthem is (the first time, I couldn’t remember, which was embarrassing!), who I thought was going to win in the US vs. England World Cup match, if we have mountains like Mt. Everest, etc. One little boy asked me the name of a mountain in the US because I said we didn’t have any big mountains like Mt. Everest, only smaller mountains, but I said we had a lot of them because the US is so big compared to Nepal. I said Mt. Bachelor, which is the mountain I grew up near in Oregon (again, because I was embarrassed I couldn’t think of any better response), and then one of his friends made fun of me because I didn’t know its height when he asked haha...Sabita tried to make me feel better by saying that in the 5th/6th grade, I probably knew a lot more about mountain heights and such things because that would have been what I was probably studying in science class. I still felt silly, though...it was like that show “Are you smarter than a 5th grader,” or whatever, and on Saturday, I apparently was not! Oh ya, and one of the boys asked me if the US was a republic, haha... the kids were so great!
On that note, though, I learned a good lesson about how gender plays out in the classroom and why girls receive less attention and praise in school. I spent a large amount of my time at both of the schools we visited talking to these two boys - not on purpose, they were just eager to talk to me, and weren’t afraid to show it and be outgoing (i.e., they were socialized to be this way). The girls on the other hand, were more quiet and often partially covered their mouths with their hands as they spoke (out of nervousness and self-esteem, I am thinking...and also a result of their socialization). They didn’t seek me out to ask me specific questions and they also moved away when boys came over to talk to me. The result was that I praised the two little boys for how good their English was...further reinforcing the idea that boys are ‘smarter’ than girls and do better in school. Well, there is a chance that the girls’ English was just as good, and they just didn’t have the courage/confidence to act the same as the boys and/or maybe it is culturally/socially unacceptable for them to act the same way as the boys...probably both. It is also probably true that their English wasn’t as good as the boys’ - and this goes back to the beginning of the story, that girls are paid less attention to and praised less in the classroom.
I didn’t realize all of this until I went home and journaled about my day...I was so disappointed that I had fallen into the ‘societal trap’ that is patriarchy and gender discrimination. It was a good/hard lesson learned, and my goal is to not fall into this pattern in the future.
Anyways, on Sunday I also got to go into a migrant community with CWES. They were conducting a review of a women’s embroidery training program they had been a part of, as well as of a school-related program they had conducted in the community (again, I’m still not quite sure what exactly the program was). I was expecting something very different than what actually happened there! My thought was that the participants themselves - the women who had gone through the training and the children - would be ‘reviewing’ the programs/assessing them. This, however, was not the case. There were teachers there, who gave feedback, but most of the feedback came from politicians representing multiple political parties and the government who were there. I think we got to the community around 12:00, the meeting started around 12:30, and we then sat there through speeches by these politicians (all men) until about 4:00 pm! It was obviously more difficult for me to concentrate than it was for others, since I didn’t understand anything anyone was saying (though my supervisor in CWES tried to translate some parts of the speeches afterwards); but wow, I have to say that Nepali people are so patient! Each speech was 20+ minutes long, with short introductions by CWES staff in between...not many people talked to one another during the speeches, nobody got up to use the bathroom, there was one communal water bottle going around, but it ran out quickly so after that, nobody had anything to drink (and although we were under cover in an open air meeting space, it was still 80+ degrees with high humidity). Even the children sat quietly and patiently through all 4 hours of the program! Some women gave speeches, like the woman who conducted the embroidery training and several CWES staff members, but their speeches were much shorter than the men’s/politicians...which might sound obvious, but it was just so interesting to observe, especially since that’s all I was observing since I didn’t understand what was being said. I also gave a short speech, haha, per invite from the CWES staff person who was the team leader for the day...mine was very short and my CWES supervisor translated. I was nervous, but it went okay :) Although I didn’t technically have a ‘weekend,’ I don’t really feel like what I’m doing is ‘work,’ so I guess that’s good...though I am looking forward to taking some time next Saturday to do some exploring I haven’t had a chance to do. As you can tell, I didn’t have time to take the boat ride to the temple at the lake or anything like that (though I did rent a bicycle yesterday for just 3 days to see if I want to rent one for the rest of the summer).
And today, I’m back in the CWES office reading and learning about more programs. I had a long conversation with my supervisor this morning about the HIV prevention and education program they conduct with female sex workers and their clients. It is very comprehensive and impressive; I hope I get to see some of it ‘in action’ at some point, in the sense that there are peer educators and community mobilizers that work for CWES who go out into hotels and restaurants here in Pokhara and surrounding areas in order to identify female sex workers and their clients, so that they can then teach them about HIV/AIDS and hopefully encourage them change their behavior in certain ways so they are less at risk for contracting the disease and/or other sexually transmitted infections. CWES also partners with another organization in Pokhara that conducts free testing for all of these things for women and men.
Lastly, and unrelated to work, Sabita and I are becoming great friends. I learned that her husband is doing his master’s in human ecology in Belgium, which sounds so interesting, and that he will be home for the first time in 3 years at the end of 2010. They have only talked via email except a couple of times!!!! I miss all of you so much, but cannot imagine being away from the people I love for that long! She is very strong, and is so supportive of his studies! I also learned from her that she is currently working on her own master’s thesis! She doesn’t have to take any more classes, so is in the writing process now. She is doing it on socioeconomic empowerment for women in a particular community that I, again, have now forgotten the name of (I need to be better at writing things down). I haven’t learned many details of her study, yet, but I hope to soon :)
Like I said, I miss and love you all. Will post again soon :)
I spent the day following the wonderful welcome I received at CWES last Thursday reading and learning about the organization and doing some preliminary research on other organizations that have peacebuilding initiatives, since CWES wants to add peacebuilding to its list of activities/programs. As I read, I realized that most nonprofits/NGOs have some sort of peacebuilding initiatives, or at least it seemed this way, though they all do something different. I also read a paper about how so many organizations are simply ‘adding’ peacebuilding as an area of focus because that is what a lot of larger organizations and foundations want to fund. Hopefully, though, I will be able to help CWES come up with a plan and program that will be meaningful and make a difference.
I continually feel more blessed as I spend time here in Pokhara. One reason, is because I have essentially also been ‘adopted’ by Sabita and Upendra’s organization, MSBK...which is so cool, because I kind of have two internships now. On Saturday, Sabita took me with her and several field staff members to two rural communities about 30 minutes outside of Pokhara. MSBK went to conduct some assessments and gather information about school-aged children who are in some way ‘sponsored’ either by World Vision or another partner of MSBK’s (I’m still trying to figure out how all of it works). Children from many different schools all met at one designated school to have their height and weight recorded, their picture taken, and to answer questions about their favorite subject in school, what they eat for lunch, which Nepali festivals/ceremonies they like best, etc. The children were so sweet and many of them spoke very good English. They also taught me some Nepali! There were two boys, one from each site we went to, who were very eager to learn about the US They both asked similar questions: like what the name of the National Anthem is (the first time, I couldn’t remember, which was embarrassing!), who I thought was going to win in the US vs. England World Cup match, if we have mountains like Mt. Everest, etc. One little boy asked me the name of a mountain in the US because I said we didn’t have any big mountains like Mt. Everest, only smaller mountains, but I said we had a lot of them because the US is so big compared to Nepal. I said Mt. Bachelor, which is the mountain I grew up near in Oregon (again, because I was embarrassed I couldn’t think of any better response), and then one of his friends made fun of me because I didn’t know its height when he asked haha...Sabita tried to make me feel better by saying that in the 5th/6th grade, I probably knew a lot more about mountain heights and such things because that would have been what I was probably studying in science class. I still felt silly, though...it was like that show “Are you smarter than a 5th grader,” or whatever, and on Saturday, I apparently was not! Oh ya, and one of the boys asked me if the US was a republic, haha... the kids were so great!
On that note, though, I learned a good lesson about how gender plays out in the classroom and why girls receive less attention and praise in school. I spent a large amount of my time at both of the schools we visited talking to these two boys - not on purpose, they were just eager to talk to me, and weren’t afraid to show it and be outgoing (i.e., they were socialized to be this way). The girls on the other hand, were more quiet and often partially covered their mouths with their hands as they spoke (out of nervousness and self-esteem, I am thinking...and also a result of their socialization). They didn’t seek me out to ask me specific questions and they also moved away when boys came over to talk to me. The result was that I praised the two little boys for how good their English was...further reinforcing the idea that boys are ‘smarter’ than girls and do better in school. Well, there is a chance that the girls’ English was just as good, and they just didn’t have the courage/confidence to act the same as the boys and/or maybe it is culturally/socially unacceptable for them to act the same way as the boys...probably both. It is also probably true that their English wasn’t as good as the boys’ - and this goes back to the beginning of the story, that girls are paid less attention to and praised less in the classroom.
I didn’t realize all of this until I went home and journaled about my day...I was so disappointed that I had fallen into the ‘societal trap’ that is patriarchy and gender discrimination. It was a good/hard lesson learned, and my goal is to not fall into this pattern in the future.
Anyways, on Sunday I also got to go into a migrant community with CWES. They were conducting a review of a women’s embroidery training program they had been a part of, as well as of a school-related program they had conducted in the community (again, I’m still not quite sure what exactly the program was). I was expecting something very different than what actually happened there! My thought was that the participants themselves - the women who had gone through the training and the children - would be ‘reviewing’ the programs/assessing them. This, however, was not the case. There were teachers there, who gave feedback, but most of the feedback came from politicians representing multiple political parties and the government who were there. I think we got to the community around 12:00, the meeting started around 12:30, and we then sat there through speeches by these politicians (all men) until about 4:00 pm! It was obviously more difficult for me to concentrate than it was for others, since I didn’t understand anything anyone was saying (though my supervisor in CWES tried to translate some parts of the speeches afterwards); but wow, I have to say that Nepali people are so patient! Each speech was 20+ minutes long, with short introductions by CWES staff in between...not many people talked to one another during the speeches, nobody got up to use the bathroom, there was one communal water bottle going around, but it ran out quickly so after that, nobody had anything to drink (and although we were under cover in an open air meeting space, it was still 80+ degrees with high humidity). Even the children sat quietly and patiently through all 4 hours of the program! Some women gave speeches, like the woman who conducted the embroidery training and several CWES staff members, but their speeches were much shorter than the men’s/politicians...which might sound obvious, but it was just so interesting to observe, especially since that’s all I was observing since I didn’t understand what was being said. I also gave a short speech, haha, per invite from the CWES staff person who was the team leader for the day...mine was very short and my CWES supervisor translated. I was nervous, but it went okay :) Although I didn’t technically have a ‘weekend,’ I don’t really feel like what I’m doing is ‘work,’ so I guess that’s good...though I am looking forward to taking some time next Saturday to do some exploring I haven’t had a chance to do. As you can tell, I didn’t have time to take the boat ride to the temple at the lake or anything like that (though I did rent a bicycle yesterday for just 3 days to see if I want to rent one for the rest of the summer).
And today, I’m back in the CWES office reading and learning about more programs. I had a long conversation with my supervisor this morning about the HIV prevention and education program they conduct with female sex workers and their clients. It is very comprehensive and impressive; I hope I get to see some of it ‘in action’ at some point, in the sense that there are peer educators and community mobilizers that work for CWES who go out into hotels and restaurants here in Pokhara and surrounding areas in order to identify female sex workers and their clients, so that they can then teach them about HIV/AIDS and hopefully encourage them change their behavior in certain ways so they are less at risk for contracting the disease and/or other sexually transmitted infections. CWES also partners with another organization in Pokhara that conducts free testing for all of these things for women and men.
Lastly, and unrelated to work, Sabita and I are becoming great friends. I learned that her husband is doing his master’s in human ecology in Belgium, which sounds so interesting, and that he will be home for the first time in 3 years at the end of 2010. They have only talked via email except a couple of times!!!! I miss all of you so much, but cannot imagine being away from the people I love for that long! She is very strong, and is so supportive of his studies! I also learned from her that she is currently working on her own master’s thesis! She doesn’t have to take any more classes, so is in the writing process now. She is doing it on socioeconomic empowerment for women in a particular community that I, again, have now forgotten the name of (I need to be better at writing things down). I haven’t learned many details of her study, yet, but I hope to soon :)
Like I said, I miss and love you all. Will post again soon :)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
And the excitement begins...
I have somehow managed to pick up a wireless signal at the house tonight; hopefully I’m not breaking any laws or something!
Ever since being here in Pokhara, I admit, as many of my classmates have after being in their internships for a few days, I have fallen in love with the city and people here. The very first 2 hours I was here at Sabita’s house with her, she made me a meal, and then apologized for only taking part of the day off of work, instead of the whole day; I was just thrilled to have an ‘instant friend’ here! In hearing that she was going in to work to attend a meeting with a Peace and Justice Studies alum, Shobha, from the organization SAP-Nepal in Kathmandu, I (possibly presumptuously) asked if I could join her at the meeting. She had said it was a meeting about a watchgroup doing work on women in politics, so I was obviously instantly interested and excited. She said it would be okay for me to join her, so I did. Sabita, and my good friend Upendra from my cohort, work for MSBK-Nepal; the translation of the Nepali words in the title are Human Resource Development Center. I am excited to work with this organization when I am not working with CWES. Interestingly, the meeting was conducted completely in Nepali (so I didn’t understand much), but all of the handouts and notes on the whiteboard were in English; thus, I have some great notes about women in politics!
After the meeting, I had a lovely conversation with Shobha and Sabita in Sabita’s office over tea, and then we took Shobha to the airport to fly back to Kathmandu. Then Sabita and took me to the market to get some water bottles and snacks to keep with me when I am not able to eat meals at home. We ride everywhere on her little moped/scooter, which is so great! Traffic in Pokhara is nothing like in Delhi or Mumbai, so I feel safe riding with her. She also took me to a little area called Lakeside (near Fewa Lake), which is the big ‘tourist spot’ here in Pokhara. It reminds me of downtown Lahaina, Maui; it’s just one straight street with hotels, restaurants, small dance clubs, internet cafes, and shops lining both sides. This is apparently where the best rate is for exchanging money, surprisingly I think, so I did that while we were there. Sabita took me to the edge of the lake (breathtaking!) where people can rent boats to paddle out to a small island where there is a Hindu temple in honor of a goddess...although I am here as an intern, and attempting to ‘fit in’ as best I can, there are definitely certain ‘tourist’ attractions that I would love to do, and this is one of them! There is also a Buddhist temple near Lakeside, but it requires a hike up a mountainside to get there - again, something I will definitely be doing, even though it means I am deemed an “American tourist.” Aside from seeing the lake and exchanging money, we didn’t spend much more time in Lakeside this particular night, but I will report out when I go back :)
I also spent part of yesterday and today with Sabita at MSBK. Yesterday there were a lot of their field staff members coming in and out of the office, so I met all of them and wrote down their names so I can try to remember. Yesterday was also when I stole away for a bit to answer emails and post my first blog entry. Last night we came home early, and I also fell asleep early. I thought I had perhaps escaped the worse of my ‘jet lag’ because of the length of my journey, but exhaustion really set in last night. I was writing in my journal one minute, and the next, I woke up sweating profusely 2 hours later (the temperature stays in the 80s-90s at night, and unfortunately, the fan in my room doesn’t work even when the electricity is on).
Today has been the most exciting yet, though! I have been going on walks every morning, since that’s the only time it’s bearable outside to do so, and today I found a sleepy little community called Damside, also by Fewa Lake (there is Lakeside and Damside). I found a place there where I can rent a bike for a day if I want to go riding around Pokhara and a quaint little cafe that sells “6-grain trekking bread,” which is good, because although white bread has been okay so far, that combined with white rice multiple times per day is making me feel a bit ‘starchy.’ I again spent part of the morning/afternoon in Sabita’s office, this time, essentially taking Nepali language lessons from Sabita and MSBK’s financial officer, Sussma, for several hours (which was super fun...lots of laughing at me and the way I pronounce things). Then, finally, I got to go to CWES. They had requested that I be there at 2:00 pm today, so Sabita took me, and when I got there, I felt so welcomed! They had called a meeting, to which many of their staff and board members attended, in my honor. Everyone did introductions, and then the Director of the organization, Bishnu, gave a brief overview of CWES’s projects and programs. After this, it was so sweet, they presented me with flowers and some ceremonial neck scarves to wear, as they thanked me for coming to Nepal to work with them. The volunteer board chair, Sarala, also came to the meeting (which means she took time off of her ‘real job’ to come). Again, I felt so welcomed by them, and so grateful for this opportunity. I will be working with CWES Sunday-Friday (Saturday is their only day off), 10am-5pm (except they said if I want to leave early sometimes to go sightseeing, I can). I will be in the office tomorrow, but already on Sunday, will be my first visit into the ‘community.’ I will be traveling with several CWES staff members to a village nearby, to observe a program they run where community members evaluate the organization’s programs and services. Although it will be in Nepali, Bishnu told me I would be able to observe many things in the village, since life there is very different than in Pokhara. I am so excited to go!
I think I will sign off now, since Sabita and I are going to cook spaghetti together; it was her idea, so that I can eat something other than Nepali food every once in awhile. She said she has only had it in restaurants, but never cooked it herself, so I said I would assist :) Just before I started typing, we had a long conversation about Hinduism, and I probably overwhelmed her with questions. It’s so fascinating to hear about it from someone firsthand, rather than reading about it in a book! She said she would take me to worship at a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, and a Christian church here in Pokhara before I leave, so that will be so exciting, and right up my alley! We are definitely starting to bond and become good friends.
Thanks for reading all :) Miss you and love you.
Ever since being here in Pokhara, I admit, as many of my classmates have after being in their internships for a few days, I have fallen in love with the city and people here. The very first 2 hours I was here at Sabita’s house with her, she made me a meal, and then apologized for only taking part of the day off of work, instead of the whole day; I was just thrilled to have an ‘instant friend’ here! In hearing that she was going in to work to attend a meeting with a Peace and Justice Studies alum, Shobha, from the organization SAP-Nepal in Kathmandu, I (possibly presumptuously) asked if I could join her at the meeting. She had said it was a meeting about a watchgroup doing work on women in politics, so I was obviously instantly interested and excited. She said it would be okay for me to join her, so I did. Sabita, and my good friend Upendra from my cohort, work for MSBK-Nepal; the translation of the Nepali words in the title are Human Resource Development Center. I am excited to work with this organization when I am not working with CWES. Interestingly, the meeting was conducted completely in Nepali (so I didn’t understand much), but all of the handouts and notes on the whiteboard were in English; thus, I have some great notes about women in politics!
After the meeting, I had a lovely conversation with Shobha and Sabita in Sabita’s office over tea, and then we took Shobha to the airport to fly back to Kathmandu. Then Sabita and took me to the market to get some water bottles and snacks to keep with me when I am not able to eat meals at home. We ride everywhere on her little moped/scooter, which is so great! Traffic in Pokhara is nothing like in Delhi or Mumbai, so I feel safe riding with her. She also took me to a little area called Lakeside (near Fewa Lake), which is the big ‘tourist spot’ here in Pokhara. It reminds me of downtown Lahaina, Maui; it’s just one straight street with hotels, restaurants, small dance clubs, internet cafes, and shops lining both sides. This is apparently where the best rate is for exchanging money, surprisingly I think, so I did that while we were there. Sabita took me to the edge of the lake (breathtaking!) where people can rent boats to paddle out to a small island where there is a Hindu temple in honor of a goddess...although I am here as an intern, and attempting to ‘fit in’ as best I can, there are definitely certain ‘tourist’ attractions that I would love to do, and this is one of them! There is also a Buddhist temple near Lakeside, but it requires a hike up a mountainside to get there - again, something I will definitely be doing, even though it means I am deemed an “American tourist.” Aside from seeing the lake and exchanging money, we didn’t spend much more time in Lakeside this particular night, but I will report out when I go back :)
I also spent part of yesterday and today with Sabita at MSBK. Yesterday there were a lot of their field staff members coming in and out of the office, so I met all of them and wrote down their names so I can try to remember. Yesterday was also when I stole away for a bit to answer emails and post my first blog entry. Last night we came home early, and I also fell asleep early. I thought I had perhaps escaped the worse of my ‘jet lag’ because of the length of my journey, but exhaustion really set in last night. I was writing in my journal one minute, and the next, I woke up sweating profusely 2 hours later (the temperature stays in the 80s-90s at night, and unfortunately, the fan in my room doesn’t work even when the electricity is on).
Today has been the most exciting yet, though! I have been going on walks every morning, since that’s the only time it’s bearable outside to do so, and today I found a sleepy little community called Damside, also by Fewa Lake (there is Lakeside and Damside). I found a place there where I can rent a bike for a day if I want to go riding around Pokhara and a quaint little cafe that sells “6-grain trekking bread,” which is good, because although white bread has been okay so far, that combined with white rice multiple times per day is making me feel a bit ‘starchy.’ I again spent part of the morning/afternoon in Sabita’s office, this time, essentially taking Nepali language lessons from Sabita and MSBK’s financial officer, Sussma, for several hours (which was super fun...lots of laughing at me and the way I pronounce things). Then, finally, I got to go to CWES. They had requested that I be there at 2:00 pm today, so Sabita took me, and when I got there, I felt so welcomed! They had called a meeting, to which many of their staff and board members attended, in my honor. Everyone did introductions, and then the Director of the organization, Bishnu, gave a brief overview of CWES’s projects and programs. After this, it was so sweet, they presented me with flowers and some ceremonial neck scarves to wear, as they thanked me for coming to Nepal to work with them. The volunteer board chair, Sarala, also came to the meeting (which means she took time off of her ‘real job’ to come). Again, I felt so welcomed by them, and so grateful for this opportunity. I will be working with CWES Sunday-Friday (Saturday is their only day off), 10am-5pm (except they said if I want to leave early sometimes to go sightseeing, I can). I will be in the office tomorrow, but already on Sunday, will be my first visit into the ‘community.’ I will be traveling with several CWES staff members to a village nearby, to observe a program they run where community members evaluate the organization’s programs and services. Although it will be in Nepali, Bishnu told me I would be able to observe many things in the village, since life there is very different than in Pokhara. I am so excited to go!
I think I will sign off now, since Sabita and I are going to cook spaghetti together; it was her idea, so that I can eat something other than Nepali food every once in awhile. She said she has only had it in restaurants, but never cooked it herself, so I said I would assist :) Just before I started typing, we had a long conversation about Hinduism, and I probably overwhelmed her with questions. It’s so fascinating to hear about it from someone firsthand, rather than reading about it in a book! She said she would take me to worship at a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, and a Christian church here in Pokhara before I leave, so that will be so exciting, and right up my alley! We are definitely starting to bond and become good friends.
Thanks for reading all :) Miss you and love you.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Greetings from Pokhara...finally :)
Greetings from Pokhara!
I finally made it - after approximately 84 hours of traveling! This post is a play by play of my journey... sorry it’s kind of long (and sarcastic) but I feel I owe it to some of you who have been waiting for calls/emails/blog entries :) Maybe this will begin to explain the craziness that was my trip here...I can only now start to laugh about some of it haha...
My adventure began early in the morning on June 4 at the San Diego airport. It was smooth sailing (or flying, that is), from SD to Chicago and even from Chicago to New Delhi. The 15 hour flight to Delhi was long, but bearable, and gave me some time to catch up on sleep and romantic comedy watching. When I got to Delhi, I was directed to take a shuttle from the international terminal to the domestic terminal, which made sense to me, considering my next flight was from Delhi to Mumbai. When I got to the domestic terminal, however, I was directed back to the international terminal, at which point, there were no more shuttles running. Getting back to the international terminal in a cab would have been easy, had I exchanged some of my US cash for Indian rupees; however, since this was not the case (I had only been in India for literally 30 minutes, and don’t remember seeing a currency exchange yet), the cab driver began asking me for ‘gifts’ from the US in place of money - such as my cell phone, he suggested. I DON’T THINK SO! I finally talked him into taking $10 US dollars, but it took a lot of difficult coaxing, which was even more difficult given the language barrier. I had to get back into the back of the cab to pay him, as well, and I’m not exactly sure why, other than he kept saying the police would see us (sketchy).
Anyways, back at the international terminal, I found out my flight was delayed...don’t worry, it was only delayed 6 hours! So I managed to get on an earlier flight that would (or at least I thought) give me enough time to make my next connection in Mumbai to Kathmandu. After switching my flight, it was after 11:00 pm (June 5), and I still had to wait until 3:30 am (June 6) when my new flight was scheduled to leave. To make things more complicated, I was trying to call and/or text my parents to tell them I made it safely to Delhi, but my phone wasn’t picking up any service; plus, in order to get online at the Delhi airport, you needed a password that you could only receive via text...WHAT?! Finally, I was desperate enough, and asked nice man sitting next to me if I could have the password sent to his cell phone so I could send an email and/or use Skype. Thankfully, he agreed!
Again, the flight from Delhi to Mumbai was good, other than the fact that it was scheduled to leave around 3:30 am, but we sat on the airstrip for so long, I think we left closer to 4:30, which put us getting into Mumbai a little after 6:30 am. When we landed, I knew it was going to be tough to make my connection to Kathmandu, which was scheduled to leave at 8:00 am (still June 6). At this point, I had prepared myself to not make at least one of my connections, considering my trip to Pokhara involved 5 flights on 3 different airlines (BTW, if you ever travel anywhere, never put yourself through this...pay the extra $ to get to your final destination in as few flights as possible, it will save you stress, and as I’ve found out the hard way, $ in the end)...this also meant that I was having to collect my checked suitcase at every stop and recheck it. Anyways, I figured I would just be able to hop on a flight to Kathmandu later in the day. So after collecting my suitcase in Mumbai, it was about 7:00, so I knew I had to hurry... I asked 2 different people how to get to my gate and they directed me from the international terminal to the domestic terminal...this time, it didn’t make sense, since I was flying out of India and into Nepal, but I figured that after asking 2 airport personnel, I should trust their advice. There was no shuttle at this airport, so this time, I exchanged some money to get a cab...7:15 am. The same was true about my cab ride in Delhi, as well, but there basically are no traffic laws, and if there are, nobody follows them...plus, even though it was still early in the morning, it was already like 90-some degrees with at least 90% humidity (or at least it felt this way)...going on day 2.5 with no shower, yummy! The cab driver dropped me off, when I learned that I was at the right terminal, but it was still quite a walk to the Kingfisher Airlines counter, where I needed to check in, so I hopped in a little 3-wheel cab/bike thing (I forgot what they’re called) to get there...7:30 am, flight leaves at 8:00, losing hope...and then the cab driver is like, “What time does your flight leave?” I should have lied, but didn’t think about why he was asking, and so I said, “8:00 am.” He then proceeds to slow the vehicle almost to a stop, and tells me that he will hurry and take me the rest of the way only if I pay him $25 US dollars. “Okay, just keep driving!” I didn’t even want to argue.
All the hurrying and the $25 cab/bike ride later, I come to find out that the flight I was supposedly scheduled on didn’t really exist...again, WHAT?! Apparently it was cancelled long before I ever left SD, but nobody ever told me. I knew this flight had been cancelled and rescheduled once, clear back in April, but apparently it happened a second time. So now I didn’t have a flight to Kathmandu at all...which wouldn’t have been a problem, had there been another flight to Kathmandu out of the Mumbai airport for anything less than 48 hours!! P.S. crying in life can sometimes get you things you want, but just FYI, crying at the airline ticket counter can rarely and/or never bring about (a) the magical appearance of flights to your city of choice, or (b) even a discounted ticket to get you where you are going. I paid “up-the-wazoo” to...get this...fly back to Delhi (yes, where I had just arrived from), and then on to Kathmandu. But wait, it gets better, the flight to Delhi left at 8:00 pm (June 6) and the one to Kathmandu left at 1:30 pm (June 7)...awesome! So, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm on June 7, I paid to sit in this swanky hotel lounge so I could have internet, food, and sleep on a couch rather than an airport chair. Then after flying into Delhi, I learned that people are not allowed to enter the airport until, at the most, 3 hours before their flight...so my trying to get in at 10:30 pm on June 7, when my flight left on June 8 at 1:30 in the afternoon, did not work (sorry mom and dad, I didn’t tell you this part)...so I spent the night at this “visitors lounge” across the street from the airport, yes, in a chair, for some other odd amount of money...again, the lesson here is pay the extra money to get the good flights in the veryt beginning! I spent the night/morning reading, playing cards (which is obviously not common in India, by the way people were looking at me), watching Twilight, New Moon, Coyote Ugly and Center Stage (bahaha) and attempting to sleep. By this time, I realized I desperately needed some rest, and a shower, so since I was going to also miss the last flight out of Kathmandu to Pokhara on June 7 (figures, right?!), I decided to book a hotel (the Kathmandu Guest House) online, instead of staying another day/night in another airport lounge.
I made it to Kathmandu by 4:00 pm, to my hotel by 5:00 pm, and was in bed by 7:00 pm. The hotel was nice and peaceful, and I wish I would have had more time to explore it and its surrounding area (called Thamel), but I was simply too exhausted. There were a lot of backpackers and hikers staying there (and yes, most of them were white, Brit haha), and two couples from Ireland who I think were ‘swingers’ traveling together.
And this brings me almost to the present. I left for Pokhara the morning of June 8 (yesterday) at 9:00 am and arrived by 9:30 am. Sabita, the wonderful woman who is so graciously allowing me to stay with her, was at the airport with a cousin, a friend, and a car waiting to pick me up. Since arriving yesterday in Pokhara, it has been a rush of emotions... relief for finally being ‘somewhere’ after spending so many days/nights on airplanes and in airports (I was beginning to feel like Tom Hanks in “The Terminal); gratitude, for the hospitality everyone I have met has showed so far; freaked out, in that it only now is starting to feel like I’m REALLY going to be here for 8+ weeks; homesick, since everything is so different from La Pine and SD; sadness, because I miss all of my family and friends; excited to start my internship with CWES tomorrow; and simply overwhelmed by everything.
I’m going to hold off writing about what I have done since yesterday afternoon, through today, since this post is already so gosh-darn long! I’ll post again in a few days telling you more about Sabita (who, just quickly, is so kind, and I could not have asked for a better hostess/house-mate), CWES, and Pokhara, my new temporary home :)
Again, hopefully this helps some of you realize why you haven’t heard from me...it’s not that I am not thinking about you, it’s just been nearly impossible to think about blogging and/or answering emails...and additionally, I have not really even had access to the internet much (even now, I’m typing this in Word, in hopes of posting it later today by going to a cyber cafe or something). My mom and dad are really the only ones who have been getting my EXPENSIVE text message updates (yes, my phone eventually started working at some point on my journey).
Hope all is well with all of you; and don’t forget to leave comments if you can, I love reading them. Miss you and love you!
I finally made it - after approximately 84 hours of traveling! This post is a play by play of my journey... sorry it’s kind of long (and sarcastic) but I feel I owe it to some of you who have been waiting for calls/emails/blog entries :) Maybe this will begin to explain the craziness that was my trip here...I can only now start to laugh about some of it haha...
My adventure began early in the morning on June 4 at the San Diego airport. It was smooth sailing (or flying, that is), from SD to Chicago and even from Chicago to New Delhi. The 15 hour flight to Delhi was long, but bearable, and gave me some time to catch up on sleep and romantic comedy watching. When I got to Delhi, I was directed to take a shuttle from the international terminal to the domestic terminal, which made sense to me, considering my next flight was from Delhi to Mumbai. When I got to the domestic terminal, however, I was directed back to the international terminal, at which point, there were no more shuttles running. Getting back to the international terminal in a cab would have been easy, had I exchanged some of my US cash for Indian rupees; however, since this was not the case (I had only been in India for literally 30 minutes, and don’t remember seeing a currency exchange yet), the cab driver began asking me for ‘gifts’ from the US in place of money - such as my cell phone, he suggested. I DON’T THINK SO! I finally talked him into taking $10 US dollars, but it took a lot of difficult coaxing, which was even more difficult given the language barrier. I had to get back into the back of the cab to pay him, as well, and I’m not exactly sure why, other than he kept saying the police would see us (sketchy).
Anyways, back at the international terminal, I found out my flight was delayed...don’t worry, it was only delayed 6 hours! So I managed to get on an earlier flight that would (or at least I thought) give me enough time to make my next connection in Mumbai to Kathmandu. After switching my flight, it was after 11:00 pm (June 5), and I still had to wait until 3:30 am (June 6) when my new flight was scheduled to leave. To make things more complicated, I was trying to call and/or text my parents to tell them I made it safely to Delhi, but my phone wasn’t picking up any service; plus, in order to get online at the Delhi airport, you needed a password that you could only receive via text...WHAT?! Finally, I was desperate enough, and asked nice man sitting next to me if I could have the password sent to his cell phone so I could send an email and/or use Skype. Thankfully, he agreed!
Again, the flight from Delhi to Mumbai was good, other than the fact that it was scheduled to leave around 3:30 am, but we sat on the airstrip for so long, I think we left closer to 4:30, which put us getting into Mumbai a little after 6:30 am. When we landed, I knew it was going to be tough to make my connection to Kathmandu, which was scheduled to leave at 8:00 am (still June 6). At this point, I had prepared myself to not make at least one of my connections, considering my trip to Pokhara involved 5 flights on 3 different airlines (BTW, if you ever travel anywhere, never put yourself through this...pay the extra $ to get to your final destination in as few flights as possible, it will save you stress, and as I’ve found out the hard way, $ in the end)...this also meant that I was having to collect my checked suitcase at every stop and recheck it. Anyways, I figured I would just be able to hop on a flight to Kathmandu later in the day. So after collecting my suitcase in Mumbai, it was about 7:00, so I knew I had to hurry... I asked 2 different people how to get to my gate and they directed me from the international terminal to the domestic terminal...this time, it didn’t make sense, since I was flying out of India and into Nepal, but I figured that after asking 2 airport personnel, I should trust their advice. There was no shuttle at this airport, so this time, I exchanged some money to get a cab...7:15 am. The same was true about my cab ride in Delhi, as well, but there basically are no traffic laws, and if there are, nobody follows them...plus, even though it was still early in the morning, it was already like 90-some degrees with at least 90% humidity (or at least it felt this way)...going on day 2.5 with no shower, yummy! The cab driver dropped me off, when I learned that I was at the right terminal, but it was still quite a walk to the Kingfisher Airlines counter, where I needed to check in, so I hopped in a little 3-wheel cab/bike thing (I forgot what they’re called) to get there...7:30 am, flight leaves at 8:00, losing hope...and then the cab driver is like, “What time does your flight leave?” I should have lied, but didn’t think about why he was asking, and so I said, “8:00 am.” He then proceeds to slow the vehicle almost to a stop, and tells me that he will hurry and take me the rest of the way only if I pay him $25 US dollars. “Okay, just keep driving!” I didn’t even want to argue.
All the hurrying and the $25 cab/bike ride later, I come to find out that the flight I was supposedly scheduled on didn’t really exist...again, WHAT?! Apparently it was cancelled long before I ever left SD, but nobody ever told me. I knew this flight had been cancelled and rescheduled once, clear back in April, but apparently it happened a second time. So now I didn’t have a flight to Kathmandu at all...which wouldn’t have been a problem, had there been another flight to Kathmandu out of the Mumbai airport for anything less than 48 hours!! P.S. crying in life can sometimes get you things you want, but just FYI, crying at the airline ticket counter can rarely and/or never bring about (a) the magical appearance of flights to your city of choice, or (b) even a discounted ticket to get you where you are going. I paid “up-the-wazoo” to...get this...fly back to Delhi (yes, where I had just arrived from), and then on to Kathmandu. But wait, it gets better, the flight to Delhi left at 8:00 pm (June 6) and the one to Kathmandu left at 1:30 pm (June 7)...awesome! So, between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm on June 7, I paid to sit in this swanky hotel lounge so I could have internet, food, and sleep on a couch rather than an airport chair. Then after flying into Delhi, I learned that people are not allowed to enter the airport until, at the most, 3 hours before their flight...so my trying to get in at 10:30 pm on June 7, when my flight left on June 8 at 1:30 in the afternoon, did not work (sorry mom and dad, I didn’t tell you this part)...so I spent the night at this “visitors lounge” across the street from the airport, yes, in a chair, for some other odd amount of money...again, the lesson here is pay the extra money to get the good flights in the veryt beginning! I spent the night/morning reading, playing cards (which is obviously not common in India, by the way people were looking at me), watching Twilight, New Moon, Coyote Ugly and Center Stage (bahaha) and attempting to sleep. By this time, I realized I desperately needed some rest, and a shower, so since I was going to also miss the last flight out of Kathmandu to Pokhara on June 7 (figures, right?!), I decided to book a hotel (the Kathmandu Guest House) online, instead of staying another day/night in another airport lounge.
I made it to Kathmandu by 4:00 pm, to my hotel by 5:00 pm, and was in bed by 7:00 pm. The hotel was nice and peaceful, and I wish I would have had more time to explore it and its surrounding area (called Thamel), but I was simply too exhausted. There were a lot of backpackers and hikers staying there (and yes, most of them were white, Brit haha), and two couples from Ireland who I think were ‘swingers’ traveling together.
And this brings me almost to the present. I left for Pokhara the morning of June 8 (yesterday) at 9:00 am and arrived by 9:30 am. Sabita, the wonderful woman who is so graciously allowing me to stay with her, was at the airport with a cousin, a friend, and a car waiting to pick me up. Since arriving yesterday in Pokhara, it has been a rush of emotions... relief for finally being ‘somewhere’ after spending so many days/nights on airplanes and in airports (I was beginning to feel like Tom Hanks in “The Terminal); gratitude, for the hospitality everyone I have met has showed so far; freaked out, in that it only now is starting to feel like I’m REALLY going to be here for 8+ weeks; homesick, since everything is so different from La Pine and SD; sadness, because I miss all of my family and friends; excited to start my internship with CWES tomorrow; and simply overwhelmed by everything.
I’m going to hold off writing about what I have done since yesterday afternoon, through today, since this post is already so gosh-darn long! I’ll post again in a few days telling you more about Sabita (who, just quickly, is so kind, and I could not have asked for a better hostess/house-mate), CWES, and Pokhara, my new temporary home :)
Again, hopefully this helps some of you realize why you haven’t heard from me...it’s not that I am not thinking about you, it’s just been nearly impossible to think about blogging and/or answering emails...and additionally, I have not really even had access to the internet much (even now, I’m typing this in Word, in hopes of posting it later today by going to a cyber cafe or something). My mom and dad are really the only ones who have been getting my EXPENSIVE text message updates (yes, my phone eventually started working at some point on my journey).
Hope all is well with all of you; and don’t forget to leave comments if you can, I love reading them. Miss you and love you!
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