Don't throw rotis at the Nepalese

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25-NOV-2007
One month until Christmas!

We enjoy chiyaa by the fire at sunrise before heading off for our morning walk. I pick up a couple of those onion-ring type rotis from a different shop than usual and they certainly could've used some help. Halfway through the second one, I decide it's not worth wasting my hunger on and attempt to chuck it down over the hill. But no such luck. I let go of it a bit too late (blame it on the cold) and it ends up at the feet of this middle aged man brushing his teeth, missing him by an inch if that. Shit. I look at him and apologize in Nepali- he has a definite deer in headlights look on his face. I tell him that my throw is very bad and him and his friend start laughing uncontrollably. Whew. Rule number 1: don't ever hit a Nepali person with a roti. Not only are you wasting food, you're offending their cooking and physically assaulting them all in one. Good one, Elizabeth.

We run into the Aama (mother) of the sisters I'd met a few days prior to invite us in for tea and yummy coconut biscuits. And if that's not enough, they graciously hand us each a guava. I had no idea what a guava looked or tasted like so I turned to Steve on how to eat the thing. And he just bit right into it! I would have expected it to be more like an orange or lemon where you dispose of the peel, but not the case. It was the size of a small lemon and yellow-green in color. And it was rather tasty to be completely honest. They had three guava trees in their yard- might have to stop by more often! The girls offered to provide us with information on where we should check out in the valley, as their brother works in the tourism industry, as well as with whatever else we may need while in the area. Very hospitable and refreshing.

I let Steve handle the health checks because I wasn't accomplishing much, and threw half of my clothes into a bag to send home because I just don't use all of them out here. Feels so much better getting unnecessary things out of my hands. As much as I like to buy things, I really am a minimalist when it comes to getting rid of crap I don't use. And I just don't need a different outfit for every day of the week out here- that's just outright showy.

So the bad news- it will cost $170 to send my 6.5kg package home. You have got to be kidding me. But there's Christmas presents in there so I don't have much of a choice. So I swallow my heart and take it. Finnnne.

26-NOV-2007
I grab my hiking shoes on my way out the door because it's their time to go. After all, there is good reason why I bought new ones. On my way to the office, I wander around town looking for one of those homeless guys without shoes. But I really don't feel like carrying around those bulky things all day so I chase down some barefoot street children with large feet and hand them over. I know in the long run, I'm not helping things, but I think this is better than having them just sit around in my room. And they did look really excited. I just need to see one of them wearing the shoes the next time I see them or someone's going down. Don't you dare sell those bad boys...

In the office, I finalize the health report, print out a daily checksheet in order to keep track of the millions of kids at Charity, and organize the health cabinet in an attempt to located all the meds I need for the home. I walk out with a bit medical goody bag.

27-NOV-2007
Today is the first day of health checks with the new diagnoses and checklist system- and all went smoothly! I had to head over an hour earlier than usual because I now have 51 kids to manage, but everyone was taken care of and no one got more than one vitamin- horray for efficiency!

After a satisfying start to the day, I reward myself by shopping for a bit of warm clothes I'll need for Tibet. I picked up a wool shawl from women who were knitting right there on the floor in front of me, wool booties for sleeping, a couple beautiful Tibetan rings, a big bulky wool sweater jacket, and a long floor length skirt on the way back into town (90 Rs = $1.50!). Oh yes, and I found a soap dish that I so desperately needed! Very productive day.

I've been wearing my wool sweater to bed in the sleeping bag ever since. Because it's cold at night.

28-NOV-2007
Health checks with Steve at 7am were an absolute nightmare. It was so inefficient because there's only one box of meds and the kids are down at the school again. This means we have to go down there to take care of them where we end up completely mobbed. I am losing my patience because at least 30 kids are shoving their hands in the box and grabbing stuff out of it. Complete mayhem, but make it out alive eventually.

Steve heads into the office before me, but I need to wait until it gets reasonably sunny enough for the solar panels to heat up the shower water. It was barely lukewarm, so I make it quick. After the weekly health talk, I discuss host family issues with Emma. I'm working up a mighty hunger, so I head to Falafel Chha for one of the best pita sandwiches ever consisting of fried falafel, french fries, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and squash topped with a tasty light creamy dressing. I managed to make a complete mess of myself at the computer as it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to eat.

The rest gathered for a night out, but I headed back home because I needed a break from those things. On my way out of town, I eyed up another pair of those hand-knit wool booties for the office because of the ice cold concrete floors. At one place, the woman said she could make a pair of my color selection if I didn't see one I liked. She showed me up some stairs and into this room completely filled with heaping piles of wool yarn in every color imaginable. I picked out my color choices and she showed me into a room where women and men were knitting away busily by hand and at sewing machines. She offered to have them teach me how to knit sometime and I gladly agreed- that would be such fun!

Since the power was out back home, I ate by candlelight, which was so much easier than actually seeing what I was eating. It went down so much faster and less painfully! Aama seemed to take an interest in my women's magazines I was reading in the shop via flashlight so I gave her the three I was finished with. She was quite pleased, though I'm a bit apprehensive about the topics of some of the articles in there- not trying to get anyone in trouble here.

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