Children and Food and Rain Festivals. OH MY.

WoW. So, the last post only took me a week to write, but hopefully this one won't take me as long. Anyways...I am going to break this post up by days and experiences for the sake of remembering everything.

Monday

Monday was my first real day of work. Our (the flatmates and me) normal morning routine is to wake up around 4:30 am when the first taxi drives by, fall back asleep until 4:37 when the morning first dog fight occurs, fall back asleep until 4:57 when the shops start to open and then from there, realizing there is no way you will fall back asleep. Since Monday I have gotten a lot better about realizing my need for sleep, so I have started sleeping with ear plugs and my face mask. Two things I never thought I'd do - I hate in when the parents are right. Needless to say, my morning routine has stretched out to start at about 7:30 a.m. when the blanket I have been granted sweats me awake. From there we sit in our beds and chat for an hour, get up and shower, brush our teeth, head downstairs for Dal Bhat (I cannot wait for some special K), and then start our walk to work.

Our walk to work in the morning is about 1 and 1/2 miles uphill (no joke), which takes about 20 minutes. I wear a face mask once I get to the street to save myself from the pollution, and take it off when we get to the Bakery. Ah yes, the bakery. The bakery, Figi Bakery, has become a main staple in our day. However, on Monday, the bakery was closed. SAD day. So we skipped the bakery and headed in to work. Monday was a pretty good day at work....can't really remember if anything special happened. After work, Nathalie and me came to the internet cafe and I caught up on some emails, and started my last blog until the power went out. We ended up going for a walk around Patan and then headed home and resting for the remainder of the evening. I lied down on my bed just to think for a minute after dinner, and passed out until 11:30 when Chloe woke me up and told me to go to bed. Love my flatmates.

Tuesday

Tuesday we woke up around the same time and puttzed around again. Yet again, nothing was to extraordinary about this day. We went to the bakery, which was open - HORRAY!! I got this Pain au Chocolat...my reminder that there is another world out there. HEAVEN. Nathalie and I, along with Chloe, have become a huge fan of Apple Juice. Its become funny to me that drinks out here costs more than food....totally backwards from America, but then again, we are in Nepal. Work was long, and stressful, more on that later. However, we decided to head out in the city of Kathmandu after work to go to the mall and get new "Sunnies" as Chloe the Aussie calls them.

During our walk were weren't chased by any monkeys, but I did walk right along side a cow and did walk within reaching distance of a wild monkey sitting there eating an ice cream cone - I kid you not! I didn't have my camera, but the flatmates got some quality shots. We got to the mall and found a small supermarket. Nathalie and I were starving and found some waffers, the ones with creme in the middle and the plaid looking shapes...anyways, she Hazlenut and I lemon. Nathalie and the flatmates finished off her packet and treated ourselves to some new Sunnies. Chloe and Me some FLASHY Gucci sunglasses (Mine, red with sparkles and Chloes large and green) and Nathalie some red Versaches (Sp?). 620Rs. SCORE. Talk about quality ;).

After shopping we decided to head to a restaraunt to get a quick drink while overlooking the Kathmandu Valley. It wasn't exactly a good lookout due to the pollution, but we had a drink and good fun. I ended up getting an Everest Delight - Vodka Ice Cream and Lemondae - I am begining to sound like an alcoholic but you can be reassured that my main liquid involves liters of water. Nevertheless, we headed home, ate some dinner....again (I am so sick of rice). During dinner the host dad offered us to wath a movie with him. Some Jacki Chan movie, don't remember the name. After 10 minutes, Sanjv decided to watch another movie - we chose "Swing Vote." I started falling asleep but quickly woke myself up. Chloe and Nathalie decided to call it night, leaving me in the movie room with Sanjv. A little awkward at first but I am a firm believer in "Its only as awkward as you make it." I ended up falling asleep a few times and woke up in time to catch the last 5 minutes. I am not going to give away the end, but might, by simply saying don't waste two hours of your life. When I went back to bed I fell quickly asleep to wake up to a verrrryyy interesting morning.

Wednesday

I woke up Wednesday morning to my flatmates starring at me, asking me how I could have slept through the night. I guess earlier in the morning we got a strong whift of the river which practically suffocated everyone but me. Let me tell you that this smell is worse than any rendering plant you have EVER smelled. Along the river, about a 2 minute walk from our house, is a few miles of Shanty Towns ... the smells KILLS. Anyways, it wasn't the greatest start to the morning. We were having a hard time rotating through the bathroom and our German roommate, bless her heart, was so fed up that she took her wash bucket and headed downstairs in her tshirt and underwear. HaHaHa. When she closed the door we all started laughing so hard I nearly wet myself. In this culture, you don't show your shoulders or knees - WoW. Anyways, she comes back up about 15 minutes later, completely flustered and freaking out because the water won't turn off. So she throws on a pair of "trousers" (all this new slang of mine is so much fun), didn't even BUTTON them, and ran to our host dad's room - again, we couldn't stop laughing. Summary - the water was turned off, but that was only the start of a very difficult day.

So we all got showered and things were going well. We decided to skip breakfast (can you blame us?) and headed to the internet cafe to catch up on some e-mails before heading to work, but first a stop at the bakery. We get to the Bakery and it was closed. You should have felt the sadness in the air. It is so clean, and calm, and a sanctuary to the crazy life of Nepal. We ended up walking back down the hill to a shop and bought a few packets of crackers for less than 60Rs and headed back to the bakery steps to eat in our misery. How stupid are we. That's what we got for skipping breakfast.

We headed into work for one of the craziest days of my life. I will talk more about work later, but long story short, it left us all a little down, hot and bothered, and Maggie (Our German roommate - who will be the first to admit she is 100% German) was very irritated. We all had a plan to head to Durbar Square after work, a famous place with lots of Temples. Well, I guess Nathalie approached Maggie because she seemed bothered and Maggie started shouting at her in German and then asked Nathalie how she felt....Maggie is bothered because she can't understand us, particularly Chloe and I when we are talking to each other because we talk to fast. I knew I talked fast, but I didn't realize how fast until I came out here. I wish she would tell me when she doesn't understand me, which she has, but I have become super concious of talking slow around her. I am going to stop there because...yes. Ask me for more details if you wish.

Anyways, Maggies upsettness left her wanting to not come with us to Durbar Square, so after work we headed there with another "mate" Jacob from Denmark. Jacob said he thought he knew where it was, but after we started walking he said he didn't see anything familiar (Have I not learned my lesson on following people?).

Anyways, so after asking we finall find Durbar (sp?) Square. It costs 200Rs to get in. However, when everyone else this guy in a blue shirt started talking to me, asking me where I was from and what I was doing in Nepal. He said since I was a volunteer I could get in for free - the others weren't very happy with me =). So he then informs us he is a guide and would be willing to take us around for a small fee. We all look at each other and decide we just wanted to look around, so we walked away after smiling and saying thank you. So as we are walking EVERYONE is starring at us. These two guys whistle and point to this temple and tell us that we can go in. Come to find out its an old palace which was only open that day and today because the Rain Festival was going on. We walked inside and the architecture was AMAZING. Shout out to Peter - you'd of loved it! Anyways, so this guy in the blue shirt followed us in. WTHECK. Anyways, so then he approaches the others that are with me and says something super insightful and we ended up hiring him for the remainder of the evening - probably one of the best decisions we've made in a few days.

So he takes us around and then tells us more about this rain festival that was going on. Apperently it only happens once a year, and we picked the perfect day to come. He asked if we wanted to head to the parade/festival, but first warned us there would be thousands of people there. We all agreed that we wanted to see it so we headed out. The crowds started becoming more and more crowed and heavy and the next thing I know, I look up and there is this large Christmas tree looking thing being pulled by thousands of men in this circle. We find a "safe" spot and watch all these men doing the rain dance, until we realized that if we didn't start running for our lives, we would be trampled...possibly to death. So we started running. My foot got caught on some trash and I remembered screaming and I don't remember much else until all the men were running past me with this rope that was holding this tree up, situated on top of this chariot looking thing. Talk about death-defying. My heart was racing faster than it has ever been and never have I ever been more afraid of my life. It wa like a running of the bulls, but in Nepal. I was packed in a small shop with a good handful of Nepali people who were also fearing for their life. We soon moved back out onto the street and I asked Raj, our tour guide, what the sign, held by the man in front of us said. Raj said that it read something that if we decided to pass that man, we would be risking our lives and that they advise against it. I wish I was better with words to describe exactly what was happening around me, but I got lots of video and pictures with my camera - coming to a YouTube near you in the next 30 days.

OH - FAB 5. There is a temple dedicated to Kama Sutra (sp?). In the temple there are like 80+ positions carved into the wood. It was built to teach young people how to have good sex. Young as in people getting married at the age of 7 (back a few years ago). I couldn't believe it! Later Raj asked us a riddle. 10 Elephants with 24 legs, how could that be. We answered and he said he wasn't asking us Kama Sutra - you had to be there.

We decided to relocate to another spot to watch the madness continue. Like I mentioned, there was this THICK rope that was pulled by (come to find out Newari) men, which was attached to the tree. We were told it was very common for the tree to fall over - GAH. So they get down the street and discover the tree is about to fall over. It was like clock work, but long story short, they raised this rope up onto the roof tops and people just kept handing the rope roof top to roof top, all working together to keep the tree from falling over. Did I mention there was a Priest at the bottom of the tree in a hut? I wonder how he felt as the chariot tilted side to side. As we were standing there this man dressed in colorful wear came up and performed some sort of Hindu thing on me. Gave me a dot and put flowers in my hair and said a chant. He did it to Jacob, Chloe, and Nathalie as well and then asked us for money. WHAT?! Jacob paid - we did not.

After that we decided to press on. I have never been starred at or felt like more of an outcast in my ENTIRE LIFE! WoW. I don't ever want to be a celebrity. I couldn't handle it. Raj then took us to the Temple of 9,999,999 Buddahs (or something to the effect). It was SUPER cool. We walked through all these back alley ways we'd of never found if not for Raj.

After the temples he was walking us back to point A, the square. On the walk, him and I were ahead and he started asking me my plans for the weekend were. To bad I am already busy or Raj wanted to take me on a date...at first I thought he was just being friendly and had asked the other girls as well, but come to find out, he was seriously interested. Thats when Chloe came up with her idea for the business cards ;).

After he dropped us off we thanked him and said his goodbyes - he winked at me. Must be the blonde hair. Or Hindu dot, which everyone except I had wiped off at this point. Jacob ended up going home and the girls and I found this cute restraunt over looking the square. It was another one where we had to take off our shoes and sit cross legged. It was such an incredible view overlooking all the temples and things. We decided that we were just going to order some appetizers and then the main course. For drinks we ended up getting Fruit Lassie. Some kind of mixed fruit juices with yogurt. Nathalie inhaled her and downed her 2nd before Chloe and I finished our first. HaHaHa. We ended up getting Veg. MoMo's, Potato Chili, and Chabati, along with lots of water. After finishing that we ended up deciding that we weren't really hungry, but then decided that we were lying to ourselves and ordered another round of Potato Chili along with some ice cream - the waiter suggested "21st Love" so that's what we got - a flavor I can't quite explain. After dinner we decided to catch a taxi home - 80Rs - and pretty much crashed right away. It ended up being quite an amazing day.

Thursday

Today was nothing special. We woke up and had a better shower routine and a new outlook on the day. We went to work and most of the children were absent due to the festival, a nice change of pace. Two of the people I am pretty much treating on my own are making HUGE strides. Dinnesh is 22 and can now extend his wrist almost as well as his good hand. Then there is Sanjv, the cutest little girl who we know have rolling side to side on her own. Today we got her to hold her knees together - a huge feat considering that the day before she couldn't lift her leg off the bed. The brain is an amazing thing. We ended up hitting up the bakery twice today. I got another chocolate thing in the morning, and an apple pie in the afternoon. I wasn't going to get anything on the way home from work but when the apple pie came out, none of us could resist. Then I am here =). Whoot. OH, so for breakfast, I just wanted plain rice. Actually, I didn't want anything, but they wouldn't have any of that. SO I just asked for no veggies. They have a rule in the house that you can't waste food, but always give us way to much even when we ask for less. Well, the host dad came down and basically refused to let me eat it plain, so I poured some soup on it.....GAHHHH. I just want a morning with NO breakfast! We shall see what the night brings.

(WARNING: The following gets graphic)

Work

For a matter of putting things into a clearer picture, I work in an insane asylum, or so it feels. I am working with children with disabilities, and they have all completely stolen my heart - I love them. However, it is sooooo upsetting going to work every day. There is not enough staff to handle all the kids, the hygine is HORRIBLE. The kids droll all over themselves, wet themselves, but the ladies don't care. They let them sit in it for a little bit (they don't wear diapers - its a luxury over here), and then take off their pants, hang them to dry on the line, put on a new pair of pants, and continue that cycle all day. Needless to say the building REEEEEEKS. The ladies are not gentle with the kids at all - I opened to door to take a kid from therapy back to the classroom to find one of the ladies literally punching one of the kids in the face. We are told that its culture, but in America they would be in jail in a heart beat. There are kids who should be on a liquid diet, but rather inhale all of their food and cough it all up for the remainder of the day. These ladies need to be educated! GAH. Then they sit there and talk in their language, which I accepted from day one. However, it is driving Maggie up the wall that she doesn't understand what they are saying - she reallllly needs to start taking the culture on if she is going to be here for another 4 months =).

I have a new respect for parents of kids with Autism. They can be such a bundle of fun once you find a connection, but that has probably been one of the most trying things on my patience I have ever encountered. They are so sharp and brilliant, but these ladies don't give them the time of day. They actually don't give any of the kids the time of day. If it weren't for the 6 volunteers, the kids would sit in these chairs (which they do until we take them out), tied with a string, sitting there hitting themselves all day....no joke....its not pleasant at all. But the kids make my 3 mile walk worth it everyday and each of them have touched my life in a very special way. I know what I am doing here is a great thing, but its hard seeing their conditions day to day.

OH, the exciting thing of today...wasn't very exciting. Instead of helping with the last patient, I stood out in the bus with these kids, trying to keep them wrangled for 30 minutes until someone FINALLY came to drive them away - it makes no sense. NO SENSE at all.

I really should stop ranting, but I will proably rant some more when I get home. I have clearly written to much for one day, but I thank you all for reading.

On a brighter note, I am looking forward to the weekend. Back to Thamel tomorrow night for a night out and then going on my motocycle ride to a lost village in the Himalayas - I couldn't be more excited.

That's all for now! Nameste!