back in Shangri-La?

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Well, the first 36 hours back in the ‘Du have been really great. I am actually happy to be back here! Or maybe the fact that I have an endpoint in sight and a job come August have changed my perspective….

Anyway, Kiran, Chandra, and another nephew met me at the airport Monday night and brought me back to my flat, which was spotlessly clean thanks to Sita. And it’s warmer! Evenings are still chilly, but not nearly as bad. The long underwear can be packed away!

Yesterday was very busy. I stopped at the Fulbright office to pick up mail and money and check in with Peter about my plans to return in May. Then I met with Deepti to come up with a game plan for the next couple weeks to get my intervention up and running ASAP.

After a “rejuvenation” massage that was really nice (despite the electricity going out in the middle of it, which meant no more soothing sounds of a sitar or electric waterfall), I went shopping for participant incentives for the women who will be participating in my program. I stopped at a little shop in the Bhat Bhateni area and bought 25 each of hair clips, bracelets, and mini lipstick tubes to make little gift bags. The women in the shop were thrilled—after all, I spent $25, cleared them of a lot of their inventory, and said I’d be back for more of the same in a couple weeks. Then I went to the supermarket and bought 50 little handmade paper bags to put the gift bags and condom goody bags together.

The city is kind of eerie. Because of the fuel shortage, there are fewer cars on the road (which means a bit less pollution). Lines for fuel are wrapped for blocks all over the place, people are hanging out in their cars or on the side of the roads waiting and reading the paper, and police are standing close by with batons and shields in case people get overly frustrated and rowdy. (One police officer almost tripped me with his baton when he dropped it behind him.) And of course, taxi fares are outrageous.

Last night Kiran came over for dinner that Sita cooked—your typical dhal bhaat and veggies. They talked for a while about how they are from the same caste, and how I can’t eat anything too spicy or oily. He really liked her food. She stood very close to me while talking to him though, I think because she is so shy. I brought her a pink purse and a lipstick and blush from the U.S. that I gave to her yesterday morning, which she loved. She’s so cute…it’s amazing how you can grow fond of someone without even having the ability to communicate that well.

Kiran and I planned out our time for when Andrea will arrive and caught up on the news in Kathmandu. He left early though, because I was exhausted. And then I woke up at 5:30am today, apparently still on some U.S. time zone.

I think as long as I can keep a busy schedule these next 10 weeks will go quickly. And now that I feel well and am warm I am much happier! Let’s just hope I can avoid the Giardia that a couple of other Fulbrighters have picked up…

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