historic times in Nepal

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What an historic time to be in Nepal! Election results are trickling in already, and it looks like the Maoists are taking lots of seats, much to the surprise of everyone. I knew there was something going on when earlier today as I was walking home everyone had their radios on and the broadcaster was saying, “Blah blah blah Maobadhi blah blah blah Maobadhi blah blah.” There have been parades all day throughout the city—Maoist candidates and their supporters marching, chanting, singing, and dancing. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to take photos, but I heard them in the streets near my flat at various times throughout the day. Several districts had to postpone voting because people were setting fire or pouring water over the ballot baskets, or submitting dozens of votes for one person. But I don’t think those few districts will swing the election.

Kiran came over for dinner tonight and we talked politics. I asked him if he voted, and he laughed and said, “No, all politicians are dirty.” He thinks the Maoists won in so many districts because those in the villages, being uneducated, were scared that if they didn’t vote for the Maoists they would be tortured or killed. Nice. But the Maoists also won in Kathmandu, where there are many educated people. Kiran says that’s because their leaders are well spoken and say a lot of good things. “Now we see if they do good things,” he said. I then explained to him the phrase “talk the talk and walk the walk.”

Regardless, this is quite the turn of events for Nepal, particularly after 10 years of insurgency. I can’t wait to hear what the U.S. Ambassador says on Thursday when I go to her house for dinner about the fact that Nepal has elected so many representatives from a communist, “terrorist organization.”

I almost cancelled my bi-weekly massage this morning, not feeling like doing anything even though I’ve been stir crazy. But I’m glad I went. Ramesh (my regular therapist now) did 45 minutes on my feet and 45 minutes on my back, shoulders, and head. It was fabulous! Image a 45 minute foot massage using reflexology and acupressure…. And then for the scalp massage he used mustard seed, which smells really nice. My next (and final) massage is complementary since I had 10 since I’ve been here. But hey, Eastern medicine says that massage is an important part of maintaining one’s health, so I’m just trying to follow the doctor’s orders.

I found out that the massage place is actually part of an organization called Himalayan Healers that trains people from low (untouchable) castes, conflict victims, former sex workers, etc. to become skilled massage therapists. They do an intensive 14 week training on all sorts of massage techniques. The organization is run by a former Peace Corp volunteer. He spent years building the organization, and now there are several “spas” located throughout the country. I found all this out because the owner happened to find my blog. So we’ve been corresponding by email. I’m so happy to know that all of those thousands of rupees I’ve been spending are not only going towards my health and well-being, but also to a great cause. Especially after the interviews I’ve been doing with women who work in “sassage” parlors….

That’s one thing I love about working in a country that’s so “small” in terms of NGOs and foreign aid—you get to meet the actual people who started the organizations and such. I don’t know how many presidents of NGOs I met already—maybe because I’m a foreigner I get in easier. On Monday I have a meeting with the guy who runs the manufacturing place for female condoms in Nepal. I got in touch with him through other contacts because I am in need of female condoms for my study, and now he wants to sit and talk with me about my work. But anyway, it’s nice to connect with other people who are spending a lot of energy trying to do good here. That’s another good thing that came out of this Fulbright—being in country for so long has afforded me the opportunity to make connections that I never would have come across on short visits alone. Unlike in places like the U.S., you really have to be here in person in order to make connections and collaborate.

That’s why I can’t understand how so many academics can do research on a particular culture or in a particular country without a real understanding of the place and the people. (Yes, here we go with another critique of the “ivory tower”.) One question someone asked me at my job talk in Colorado was whether I will expand my work to other countries besides South Africa and Nepal. I replied that to do this kind of work you really have to know the culture and the context in order to do a good job—and learning it well takes a long time. To spread yourself too thin is really doing a disservice to the people you’re trying to help. Those who read about X country, go in for a few weeks, stay at a 4-star hotel, have staff go into the communities to do the study, and come out “experts” are far from it. To not be on the ground in the communities themselves talking to the people you are trying to study is just bad research, in my humble opinion (of which I have many).

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