Off to the jungle!!!!

As if my trip couldn't be more amazing and unique, I now have another incredible journey ahead of me! On Sunday morning Adelaide and I will be leaving for a three day jungle safari in Chitwan National Park!!! One day is spent riding elephants! I cannot wait to touch and look into the eyes of these beautiful animals. There will be bugs galore, but I'm going to suck it up, and try not to be such a girl :) Can't wait to update my blog with my upcoming adventures and pictures!!!

reading groups

Everything has basically shut down because of the strikes, so the majority of my teaching has been at AmaGhar, rather than the school for the Little Sisters Fund, because I can't travel anywhere! I think I mentioned before that I have set up reading groups with all the children at AmaGhar. I'm also teaching computer programs, but the reading is more fun, and such a wonderful way to get to know the children individually. It's so exciting to see what books they will choose. Of course the pattern is that the boys read books related to football (soccer) or Spiderman, and the girls range between mystery and princesses. With the reading groups I am teaching better english as well as learning to read with punctuation in their voices.

When working on a word or sound, I laugh when I realize that not only are the children mimicking my voice, but my facial expressions as well! I have to remind them to copy the sound, not me! The hardest sounds are the combinaton of "sh" and "th." With the "th" combo I've taught them to stick their tongues thru their teeth to make the sound properly. "Stick your tongue out!" I repeat. I've been spit on (accidentally of course!) and shared a lot of laughter, but they are all working so hard. It warms my heart when those who are more advanced readers help their brothers and sisters, rather than make fun of them. There is so much love and respect between the children, which is such a large part of making AmaGhar feel like a real home. I am also part of the love and respect, and honestly feel as if I have been adopted by AmaGhar. The house mothers are so sweet and live to feed me until I am ready to burst. The children are full of endless questions, hugs, smiles, and laughter. And their voices are all so beautiful. They sing their prayers after dinner and even if I'm two floors down, and I can hear their sweet voices perfectly clear.

Yesterday afternoon I had also taken on the role of house doctor! Within two hours I bandaged SIX children in some way. I asked if they were purposely hurting themselves! I think it was just to get my trademark kiss on the forehead once the bandaging has been finished :) I asked Bonnie and she said it is very common for that many children to fall or trip, but they are coming to me for the attention and a new face. I don't mind one bit!!!

It's official?

So, word is that the strike (bandh) is now official. NOW official?! What has the past week been?! The difference in the "official" aspect is that now stores and most of the city is closed down, not just transportation. But, what doesn't make sense is that the children are going to school today, but haven't been going to school the past week. I have tried to stop making sense of all this! Strikes of all kinds are so common, that it doesn't seem to phase the Nepalese, just a part of life. What saddens me though is that all these countless strikes seem to be continuing the developing aspect of this country. Children are out of school for indefinite amounts of time. Businesses and banks are never certain when they can open. Transportation is either full-swing, or not allowed. How is a country supposed to progress if any sense of regularity is lacking?

Picture info

Just an FYI, if you want to look at all the pictures I've posted so far, or slower than the Flickr slideshow, just click on one of the pictures. This will take you to another screen and allow you to look at all the pictures individually.

Transportation Strike

And the strike continues.....I think this is day six. With the strike also comes blockades, so if you have private transportation, it still is dangerous to drive. The first strike was from students, wanting a discount on public transportation after the fare increase. The second strike was from actual gas stations, locking down their facilities. Regardless of a strike, the petrol (gas) situation is always chaos. People wait in their cars and bikes for hours just to get gas. Lines are usually two rows deep. I keep trying to imagine what would happen in the States if there was a gas shortage or transportation strike - unthinkable!!!

For five of these six days, the children have also been out of school. Needless to say, we are all feeling an awful case of cabin fever!!! I hope to be going into the city tomorrow to teach, but I won't know until the morning if I can travel. I am beginning to understand why the Nepalese never plan in advance - there is too much uncertainty in their lives!

I posted more pictures today!

Yay for earthquake survival food!

Bonnie was doing inventory of supplies for AmaGhar's earthquake survival kits. Most of the food was close to expiration, so she decided to cook it for lunch. When Bonnie came to our door asking if we wanted pasta and tomato sauce, Adelaide and I were running down the stairs!!! Oh the joy of eating something different!!! We both inhaled the pasta and were also treated with Tang! I felt like I was having a Thanksgiving feast! It was quite humorous though that few of the children shared our excitement about the meal. Most didn't like pasta, others wouldn't try it. Being typical teenage boys, I laughed as the boys mixed their pasta with Tang, hoping for a better taste! At least the kids know they don't share our passion for Italian food!

Rainy Days....

Now that it is officially Monsoon season, the rainy days are endless. Also pretty common are the kids not having to go to school because of yet another transportation strike. Having the combination today of both a rainy day and all the kids having school canceled made for great fun, but so tiring :) Thank goodness our new volunteer, Adelaide, is now here, so she was a great help!

In addition to drum lessons and building lincoln log houses, I also had my normal routine of computer lessons and reading groups. These have been great ways to get to know the children individually!

New pictures from today and the past week!

Micro-buses

I'm not sure if I've mentioned my transportation of the micro-buses, quite the experience! I feel like I'm in a clown car, with all the people crammed in, arms and heads out the windows. Seats look like they would fit two people, but they intend for five people to sit there! This morning I had to put half of my side out the window in order to avoid being sat on.

Micro's also take part in creating the craziness of the traffic. But, I had to smile this morning when I realized that despite the insane driving, the driver will always stop for a crossing duck family, or the street dogs slowly crossing the street. And, of course, you must stop for the cows!

I've experienced both sweetness and anger on the bus. Last week I was stuck in the middle of a brawl between two women who were fighting over the front seat! I got elbowed in the side and knocked to the floor, and I was just trying to get out of their way! But, the next bus I was able to see the true sweetness of the Nepalese. The bus was crammed with people as usual, and a woman got on with a baby in her arms. Without hesitation, a man reached for the baby to hold her for the mother, because she couldn't sit. It was such a great moment to experience!

I'm getting better at pronouncing my bustops, otherwise I can't get on or off! I either get ignored, headshaking that means yes, or the headshaking that means no!

Pictures!

Yay! Picture problem solved! I just had to manually make the size smaller. Check out the new pictures on the Flickr box. You can click on any picture to make it bigger, and I think it will have a description.

Miss you all!
mckenzie

thermometers....

I haven't been feeling well the past few days - sore throat, headache, body aches. I'm sure it's just from doing so much, and getting used to the air pollution - not that DC is any better though! I've been laying in bed resting and drinking lots of tea and water. Anyway, today one of the housemothers said my head felt hot and I should take my temperature. She went to a drawer, pulled a thermometer out, and walked away. I put it under my tongue and waited, but nothing happened, no change in the color. I walked to other room and asked why the thermometer wasn't working - everyone burst into fits of laughter. They said it was because I had a rectal thermometer in my mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was crying from laughing so hard!!! I was led into the medicine room and given another thermometer. Again, I put it under my tongue and there was no change. So, I went back and asked if I was using the right one this time. Again, more laughter! Come to find out that Nepalese don't put thermometers in their mouths, but in their armpits. I nearly vomited thinking about all the germs I had put into my mouth in a matter of minutes, but was grateful to not have a fever :)

Great day in the field!!

Today was soooo much fun, beginning the process of planting rice! We worked on turning the soil, and I think next week will be the actual planting of the rice. I did quite a bit of hacking into the ground. I must say my hard labor skills are supreme :) The best part was when I got one foot stuck in the mud, the tool stuck in the ground, and when I tried to move I fell backward - full body into the mud!!! Everyone was laughing hysterically, including myself! At that point, I couldn't have gotten dirtier, so I had no qualms about mud fights!

Halfway through our day the monsoon rain started and it was POURING!!!! I did my best to climb the rocks and mud, and thankfully didn't fall at that time. My only injuries from today are blisters from the tools - a sign of my hard work :)

Not sure if any of the pictures from today will download, but if you see a picture in the Flickr box with mud and rain, that's from today!!!

more sights...

I forgot to mention a few other sights, one comical, the other not.... I laugh when I see boys and men wearing tshirts of Brittney Spears (back when she was a teenager)!!! The sad visions are the countless number of street dogs. Nepalese do not have pets, so instead of being properly cared for, there are endless puppies and dogs roaming the streets. My first instinct was to of course pet them, but with the risk of rabies I just have to pass them by. Thankfully there is an organization that works to care for these poor animals.

Sights of Nepal

I saw a few things today that I'm realizing are a normal part of life in Nepal. While riding on my bus I saw a demonstration of Tibetan monks and other protestors in front of the Chinese Embassay. I can't get over the sight of a monk being pulled by his arm down the street, and police vans crammed with shouting protestors.

Soon after, I saw a young boy carrying a refrigerator, yes a refrigerator, down the street! Studies have shown that the Nepalese porters have the most practical way of carrying heavy items, by strapping them to their heads in a certain way and letting the "package" rest on their back. I cannot believe the amount of weight these small people can carry!

A few hours later, back at AmaGhar, I created the drama for the evening when I saw my first gecko, crawling around my room! I thought it was a lizard and screamed! All the kids came running and were trying to chase it out the window. Bonnie came running too, thinking something was really wrong :) She said I should never fear a gecko because they eat the bugs I don't want in my room! I guess if I would have known that beforehand I wouldn't have been so scared!

Tomorrow I am learning how to plant rice! I'm sure there will be some hilarious pictures from that scene!

Week two!

Beginning of week two and things are getting a bit easier! I'm still adjusting to food, internet unreliability, handwashing clothes, and no hot water, but now those only seem like luxuries. I hope to soon master the art of washing my clothes in less than 8 hours! And, using less water so I don't flood the bathroom like I did this morning!

Today was my first day of teaching at the school for the Little Sisters Fund - such fun!!! I am teaching english (communication and pronunciation) to kindergarten and first grade. I'm also doing the same for ninth graders, but with them also working on writing skills. I was a bit intimidated by the older class, but only from my own shyness :)

I take three buses to the school, and three buses back home. It's a bit difficult to figure out the transportation system with no order, but I'm managing! I try to sound like I know what I'm doing, but I always get a giggle when I speak a Nepalese word! Today I experienced the true kindess of this culture when someone realized I couldn't find my bus. He walked with me for about five minutes, in the direction I needed to be in. Such a sweet thing to do!

I was able to download a few pictures, which are on the right side in the flickr box. Some are from the Bangkok airport, the cultural show of the Little Sisters Fund - dancing and beautiful costumes, and a few sights of Kathmandu. I think there's a few cow shots as well - they are all over the road!!!