Blogs from Nagarkot, Nepal, Asia - page 3

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Asia » Nepal » Nagarkot September 1st 2007

Tuesday was the festival of Janaai Purima, this is a festival for the high caste Hindu (Brahman- which is the caste the family I am staying with is in). This is the day the men change their janaai or thread necklace they wear and everyone else (including me!) receives a protection cord from the Brahman priest, it is a yellow thread tied around you wrist. I had also bought tikas for the girls to wear on that day in Bhaktaphur. Of course they wanted me to wear one too, so I complied...knowing full well I looked more like an extra in a Gwen Stafani video than a Nepal celebrating the holiday. Sujata, Pradeep and Rosana (their 7 year old cousin) walked an hour to Masadeb Pokhari, where there were sets of 4 drumming men in various ... read more

Asia » Nepal » Nagarkot September 1st 2007

Sabina asked me if my mother can read and write. She was impressed when I said that she could. She said that her mother cannot. Sabita, who lives next store, also said her mother cannot read or write. Sobito (FYI, I have no idea why, but it seems that girls of a similar age in this village also have similiar names) Nepal who lives down the street, said her mother went to school until grade 7. When their mothers were growing up, their parents reasoned that since the girls would grow up to be wives and work in the home, there was no reason to teach them to read and write. I was surprised to learn the girls I am teaching are the first generation of girls in which the majority of them will be able ... read more

Asia » Nepal » Nagarkot September 1st 2007

I had asking where Sobito Nepal was, as I hadn't seen here is 2 days. She is one of the "regulars" that usually come over to visit and play cards. The family told me she was having "means" or menustration. It was her 2nd menustration, so she must stay alone in her room for 5 days. On your 1st menustration, you stay alone in your room for 14 (!) days. When Nepali women have their period, they are not allowed to prepare food (which perhaps may be a blessing in disguise for the neer ending tasks of a house wife here).... read more

Asia » Nepal » Nagarkot September 1st 2007

I asked Pradip if he knew any famous Americans. He knew George Bush and Bill Gates. I asked him where he knew Bill Gates from, he said from television. I asked if he knew any other famous Americans; he thought for a whole and said, "I know you." So the 3 most popular Americans ( in no particular order) are: George Bush, Bill Gates and Nicole :-) I didn't realize before how little information about the US comes here. Some people get the BBC channel in their home, and that is about the only source of US information. There also is a strange phemonon (sorry, this blog doesn't have spell check) of Nepali's wearing shirts with Americans on them. You see ALOT of people here wearing Britney Spears shirts. You will also see various other ... read more




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