Day 0 26th September 2003 Arrival at Kathmandu As we flew over the last mountain range the long shallow pain that is the kathmandu valley stretched out before us. The aforementioned mountain are more like hills now, with gardens terraced right up their sides. Long muddy rivers snake their way down and eventually reached the capital of Nepal, the ancient hippy pilgrimage, the fabled City that is Kathmandu. The plane touched down onto the potholed runway, and I could do noting but gawk at the cows casually chewing the cud at its edges or the snow capped Himalayas that are almost close enough to touch. My passport was stamped by a woman with the third eye, sari and a smile, immediately I was hooked!

 

After literally beating my way through the taxi drivers at the airports main door I realized that I was alone – and what more I was a long way from home, but then a big smile that belongs to a face that was a head above everyone else hit me . Surendra greeted me before bundling both my luggage and I into a taxi we than headed through the crush of humanity towards my hotel which lies on the edge of Thamel, the backpacker center of the City. With Surendra’s help I checked in, dropped my kit and headed out.

Day 1 27 September, 2003

Introduction to VEEP Nepal

Today I was introducing to everyone at VEEP. Alina, who wil be taking on the important task of teaching me to speak Nepalize, and also felling me in on the cultural do’s and don’ts. Surendra, who will be supporting me throughout my stay, showing me around the sights and generally answering all of my questions, Lisa, who I am not quite sure what she does, but seems nice enough anwyhow.
After introductions were completed. I was issued with my VEEP ID card thus turning me form a tourist, one of those foul begins that infect ever corner of the Globe, carrying cameras and insisting the food is better at home, into a Volunteer , some one who tries understand their surroundings whenever they may be.
Once armed with that Vital tool, Surendra and I began the first day of our Cultural tours shopping at Kathmandu Durbar square freak street, Pasupati Temple and finally before heading back to Thamel, thoroughly exhausted. but content also that my travels had begun.

Day 5 1st October 2003

Arrival at Godavari

Over the past few days I have fallen into the easy going routine of Kathmandu life. Wake at eight thirty, shower and breakfast at “ Pumper nickels Bakery having crossoints so fresh they are still steaming and fruit and that puts expensive yoghurts at home to shame. Then back to VEEP for Ten, a couple of hours language lesson with a tea Break followed by an hours lunch break usually taken at either the “Brezel Bakery”or Pilgrims “feed N Read” both patio establishments sit away form the street touts.

After lunch back to VEEP for Alina’s culture lesson followed by Surendra’s or Harka’s city tour. then back to the Hotel for four write up a few notes and back into the hustleand bustle once more as I sourced the shops for dirt cheap copied CD’s and brigtly cloured shirts , for which I have developed a penchant for! Then dinner at KC’s where steak the size of London cost just over a pound, eventually bed

Repeated that for four days, and you have my Kathmanu experience.
Godavari in the other hand is completely different – the people are all very friendly and not because of the want to sell you something either but because they are genuinely nice. The views are fantastic, and life seems to take that slow warm and easy feel that we all remember form school summer holidays past.

My family here is very welcoming, and are all helping me through my interrogations of their society .From eating with my hands to washing my clothes on a rock.
Already, people are greeting me in the streets asking in chopped English, What is your name? Where are you going? Children especially are curious and often follow me along the dirt road laughing, singing and asking question Dogs, Duck. Chicken, goats and cows potter about unleashed and unfenced. Tigers, leopards and wild boar foam the surrounding forests. Life here really is a world away form home, I keep expecting to see David Attenborough, Steve Irwin or Ray Mears around the next corner – it’s crazy.

Day 14th October 10th 2003

Durga Festivals ( Dashin )

Over the past week the country has been busy celebrating Durga’s defeat of the buffalo demon Malaisasura in what is known the Dashin Festivals. As Durga is bloodthirsty type of goddess festivities take on the form of animal sacrifice! Don’t be pot off by this as it is fascinating to observe, and will probably be the only change outside of an Indiana Jones flim, Families also bless crops and farm tools which is someway’s reminds me of Harvest festival at home. Tikka is applied to everybody and anyone the most exertion you can expect form anyone is lifting a glass of tea to drink.
I have begun to make friends in the Village, and people especially children are all asking question about my home and family. I am starting to get comfortable in this community and will be sad to leave it when the times come.

Tihar Festival (Festivals of Light)

Next to the Dashin festivals Tihar is the second most important week in the Hindu Nepali calendar. Festivities take on the form of animal worship (Cow, Dog and Ox, Crow) self worship and brother / sister worship.
Family gather together at this time gifts are exchanged and children go from house to house singing. The whole scene is Very similar to Chrimbo Back hame!

I went “carol” singing with Abishek his friends and santosh last night. The songs covered every possible subject form how cold it was to what we had for dinner! Needless to say many laughs were had, I even danced at one point – which for and Englishmen is a rare thing!

One of the Villagers is teaching me “Karate” every morning how I tell you this mans is just like Bruce Lee! I even have to call him “Guru”!
After less than a month I have fully settled into the Community here. As I wander down the road I kick a ball about with some children before heading past the tea shop (which I inevitably end up in) and down toward the river, after a quick chat with Binod I make my way to the tea shop (there are many) have some food watch some TV and then potter through the botanical gardens.

School Experience
My time at the school was some of the best I have spent during my travels.
Both students and teachers went out of their way to accommodate me, and I was
Made to feel like one of the family."

"Physical education is something the children only have a cursory knowledge of, outside of football and early morning fitness they just don’t do any. Gradually over my stay we moved from basic stretches, hand/eye co-ordination Exercises and cardio vascular fitness up to running, marching and high speed Fitness games. The children lapped up every second of it, enjoying merely to be out of the classroom. Throughout the periods It was important to stress about health issues as well - why we should keep fit etc. Marching
gave me the chance to inspect the students pointing out dirty fingernails, Clothing etc."

"Prior knowledge of you subject is of great importance - The children are Relying on you to teach them new and useful things. If you are interested in a subject, maybe you enjoyed it at school, and you feel you might like to pass it on. Think first, do you really know enough to spend maybe an hour a day teaching it, bearing in mind that the Nepalese are incredibly fast learners, and something that we would take a month to learn here, they have figured out in a week. Not perfectly, but enough to get by."

"To be honest, I think that during my time at the school, I learnt more than the students did. The Nepalese are a magical people, and after coming from a consumerism based society where community spirit is all but forgotten. They have rekindled my faith in humanity."

If you want to know more about the programme and my experience send me e-mails
Alexander Norton Payne

woodybonesmalone@hotmail.com

10 Fore Street, Evershot, Dorchester,
Dorset. DT2 7NX

 

Two weeks prior to my planned departure for Nepal, international news was highlighting an increased flurry of Maoist activity. Thus i was faced with a certain dilemma. I had to decide on reasons of safety whether to go to Nepal or not. I decided to go ahead with my plans. So I arrived in Kathmandu geared up for my month of teaching, naturally safety issues were at the forefront of my mind, only to be quashed minutes into my stay. I thought that the first thing i would notice would be poverty and civil war, but it was the colour and religion of Kathmandu that really took hold of me. Women in bright coloured saris and signs of Hindu and Buddhist devotion swamped the narrow streets of Kathmandu. I was hooked.

The first four days of my programme was spent in a wonderful guest house VEEP had booked for me. In the mornings Harka, my Nepali language teacher would arrive. We poured over Nepali vowels, consonants and vocabulary. Foreign language has never been my forte but i did manage to pick up a little (most in the cuisine sector). After a leisurely lunch break in Thamel, a tourist land of incense, Surendra would meet me at the guest house to go sight seeing.
Then it was on to Godavari. The village I would spend the next month in. Now this was real culture immersion. Godavari is a small village in the Kathmandu valley. Scattered around rice fields are traditional mud brick houses. My family was lovely. It included Grandmother, Grandfather, their daughter and her two children. I did have to adjust however to Nepali lifestyle and habit. Eating with my right hand and showering in a longi under an outside tap became my new way of life.
School was a mere 1 minute walk from my house. The older grades were my favorite. They had never done creative writing before, so I decided to embark on that as my one month curriculum. We started doing descriptive writing which the kids found quite challenging. They were much better at emotive writing, les they get the two mixed up.
By the end of my first week I couldn't walk down the street without the often "Namaste" and "Where are you going?" Friendliness was abundant making me feel right at home.
Spare time was passed drinking tea in the local shops and playing cards with the he other volunteers. My Nepali brother taught me how to play carum and how to loose to an 8 year old game after game. The peacefulness and routine of Govavari allowed me to forget about the Maoist situation.
At the end of my one month teaching the principle told me he was proud of me as I had taught his students something new. However, little did. I know that I was the one being taught. Immersed in a completely alien culture and classroom, it is amazing what one can learn, not only about their surroundings but also about themselves and their homes. Not to mention my newly developed cravings for Dal Baat, And I thought I would never eat rice again once I left Godavari!

Sophie warren.
Melbourne, Australia September 2003
Email:- soph_warren@yahoo.com.au
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