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Published: December 17th 2006
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Namaste!
Back in Fishling, enjoying the nepalie village life, away from noisy, dirty Kathmandu. I needed to be out, sometimes it is too much! Even Kathmandu is a very inspiring place, with great people, but there is a lot going on that can be give you a ‘too emotional day’!!
And yesterday was one of those days … even it was just a day like the other ones, sometimes you think you got used to everything, and the next moment you don’t know how to handle everything anymore!
Our friends from the US (Ashley and Cody) left on Monday morning, too soon to have seen everything, but what to do … it is always too soon! Nepal is a very magical country, with a nature and people who inspire you so much! When you think you have seen everything, you didn’t see half yet! And that is why tourists are coming back year after year. Very nice, every time we come, we find same tourists, who came back, or who (like many others) got stuck in this amazing country! It is so hard to leave, to end the trip, because it always feel like you just arrived, and like you
have been here for ever!
The concept of time is very vague here - life for most nepalie families has barely changed over the centuries, so the passing of a couple hours or even a few days has little meaning to them. Everything is ‘on time’ in the West, but here you only have before, now, after … And we can learn a lot from that, because every tourist coming here likes it!
Our wedding is coming soon, and we are both really excited!! In 10 days my family is coming, and right now we are preparing a bit here in the village! Everything has to look good, so some rooms in the house need some more paint, clean up a bit, put some more lights … It is traditional to clean up the whole house for a wedding! And also the clothes are being made; only I’m the lucky one who already has the Sari made! But I need the most: jewels, tika, bangles, and lots of gold …
And we are giving a big party in Kathmandu on January 3rd! Also some preparation … and of course, all of you are invited, just let us know!
For the rest is everything going well here, the orphanage, the Thamel-life, … When I was thinking that OHC (www.orphanhelpcenter.org) was going well, and I could find some other project, I was wrong … Things are well, but I feel that I can make a bit difference, and that the people there really appreciate when I come to spend every day some hours with them and the kids. We talk a lot about the kids, try to help them as much as we can with homework (even they don’t like it always when we make them do things over), and than the daily life: playing, sometimes fighting, eating, and going out now and than …
And my nepalie class is still going on every day! Nabin is a great teacher, explaining a lot of my difficult questions, and repeating a lot what I forgot (again). It is getting difficult! After the first part, I’m busy with the “more advanced nepali”, and everything is changing. More slang, more the nepalie they use on the street, but for sure not easier!
Yesterday I had one of those typical ‘nepali’ days; people who have been here will understand why I
say this! You wake up in the morning, thinking about all the things you have to do that day, but knowing that you probably only will do 2 of them. Even a day is not that short, In Nepal, everything takes 4 times as much time! First thing, drink a tea, to wake up, nice tourists next to you … “so how long are you here for?” … “Where are you from?” … “Working or tourist?”… And 1,5 hour is gone.
I had to go to the tourist police, get a police report for my stolen wallet, so I try to find a taxi! First walking out of Thamel, every shopkeeper trying to get your attention “Namaste Didi” … “Excuse me” … “Nice pashmina, very cheap” … “Good price for you, madam”. And than finally finding a taxi that wants to go by meter, and doesn’t try to rip you of right away! But watch it, when you look away for a second, suddenly the meter shows a double price!
The tourist police: “Your wallet got stolen? Where?”
“In Thamel”
“No-no, where you from?”
“Belgium”
“Nice, Europe, I speak un petit peu Français. Comment allez-vous?”
“Tres bien, merci… Can you give me a police report, please?”
“Who stole your wallet?”
“I don’t know”
“How long are you staying in Nepal?”
“4 months”
“Do you speak some nepali?”
“I’m learning nepali”
“Good!! Namaste! Tapaaiko naam ke ho?” (= what is your name?)
“zucht” …
“You didn’t bring your passport? We need your passport, Didi, you have to go get it, and than come back!”
Decided to walk back to the hotel, to get that passport, a walk of 25 minutes, over the walking-bridges over the busy road! Terrible way to walk back, but the only way! Everywhere people selling stuff on the street, pushing each other and suddenly in the middle of that mass an old man sleeping on the ground, a “holy man trying to catch you to put that tika on your forehead (and than let me pay for it), a blind child begging for money, kids breathing glue and asking for biscuits, a woman without legs trying to grab your ankle … Thamel, finally (“Excuse me” … “Nice pashmina, very cheap” …)
Fast going to the hotel, to get this all done, 2,5 hours passed already.
In the hotel:
“Namaste Didi, the police called, they come to get you, you have to wait here”
“They come to get me???? Tell them you haven’t seen me!”
Very friendly of them, but no need, and I don’t like this “over-friendliness” a lot. Trying to hide in the rafting office in middle Thamel, I see the police-van coming, go fast inside, but too late, they stop and come to get me.
“Didn’t you recognize us? Didn’t the hotel people tell you to wait for us?”
“No Sir, didn’t know…”
6 policemen to come to get me!!! In the middle of Thamel! They have way too much time!
Everybody staring at me, of course, and next … they put the sirens on.
All for a stupid police report I probably won’t need.
Missed my Nepali class, time to go to the orphanage, in Naya Bazar, where every day the same people are staring like it is the first time they see a white girl! And than the comments all the boys give, it can be really bad.
The kids are there “Namaste, Leen miss”, time to make homework; some of them already don’t speak English to me anymore, just Nepali (too fast of course). Always the same little problems, mistakes, and it is not easy to make homework in a room with 15 brothers and sisters!!! But all by all they are doing great!!!
“6 o’clock I ‘ll see you back, Kalu” But it is 7:30 by now, time to leave, go eat Dhal bath (did I ate already today??)
The best dhal bath is in Takali, and you can eat as much as you want for less than 1 euro! 10 minutes longer before you are able to stand up after 3 plates of food …
Freezing cold, where is a good pub with a fire? In the middle of the pub, a wood fire, and of course lot’s of smoke, but we don’t care. It is cozy, all people come together to talk, make fun, tell their stories, get drunk, drink hot Rum punch!
And the day is over, I can scrap 1 thing of my list, the other 9 are for tomorrow …
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katrijn
non-member comment
super om te lezen ik kan het me voorstellen, of toch niet??!!