Nice material for new comers to Kathmandu. It helps the new visitors to Kathmandu to understand where to go for a safe massage and avoid going against law, thanks.
Luck you. Hi, after reading your blog post I just wanted to reassure you that after living in Khartoum for the best part of my life there would be so many people willing and wanting to help you, they are some of the loveliest people in the world and I say that from great experience. Just so you know I am also a young white girl with a very English surname and considering what the English did to their ancestors, I can confirm that about 90% of the entire population are very peaceful and just well, kind. I was worried when you said you were without a passport as I grew up travelling and know to cling on to my passport with everything I've got. You were lucky to land the Kanon, I lived fairly near to it. I hope you feel better about flying soon but I do want to say that Sudan is not scary, it is a beautiful and cultured place and there is always and I mean always going to be someone there willing to help you just because you need help, but you have to show respect and trust them as you would one of your own. I wish you all the best in future travels, enjoy yourself!!!!
Thanks for the story. I would second it as I was on the same flight and stayed in the same hotel. Though I was in business class, I was not given any special treatment as people would have thought. When the emergency landing was announced, we in business class didn\'t even see the oxygen mask dropping and I couldn\'t find safety instruction sheet in the back-seat pocket. I thought it was very odd in such situation, given the fact that we are focred to see the safety instruction video every time on board. Anyway, Lufthansa ground crew at Khartoum Airport had no capacity to handle such emergency situation (not sure they got any training for it). They could not handle simple tasks like organizing passengers and sending them to the hotel. No communication from Lufthansa for some 30 hours and the Lufthansa desk at the airport refused to pick up calls from the hotels where the stranded passengers stayed just not acceptable by any measure. I absolutely lost trust on Lufthansa and lost the image of its professionalism and the commonly recgonized German discipline. Customer first is just a marketing slogan nowadays to many companies, Lufthansa is not an exception! We had patience, plenty, given the circumstance. It\'s hard to believe for some 30 hours Lufthansa was not able to find a solution to deal with the emergency and communicate to its customers. It reached the point of being totally irresponsible, to say the least. Only money concern could explain why Lufthansa did what it did. Like you, I had to give up my hope on Lufthansa after 26 hours waiting and bought a new ticket through my agency back in the States to get me out of Khartoum. I finally managed to get out Khartoum but my luggage experienced the same as yours. It\'s over now. I\'m still waiting for an apology from Lufthansa, but I know it will never come given what we had experienced.
thanks for your comment, and for reading! hope you made it to your final destination with your luggage. i have yet to send a note to Lufthansa, but i am not expecting any sort of response, unfortunately. first and last time i will fly Lufthansa, unless i absolutely have to.
Holy Crap! I'm exhausted just by reading the story. Praise God you all are safe and that even though you had troubles, you have made it to where you were going. I know that the work you do is worth the troubles you experience. We'll probably see that in your next post ;)
You are write. I can also say I am a victim to that b/c my wife doesnt make it when ever I wanted what ever I do, unless she wanted to make it. I would rather see porn than asking my wife, knowing she will refuse, and being disapointed. it is measerable Life. But, I still love her.
Your focus was mainly on bad experiances You have tried to express what you are facing here in Ethiopia. I know life in Ethiopia will be difficult for you since you are from US, where everything is perfect. I don\'t have any argument for the points you mentioned but at least you have to mention good experiances too. The cockraches, life without water and electricity... hmmm; anyway there are houses for rent which have 24 hr water and electricity services and no cockraches. I\'m sure you can afford the price and you should have to live there. Don\'t be amazed for the bad experiances you are suffering here; you would have to expect it before you came to Ethiopa. I\'m affraid because you will be busy in editing my grammar and spelling errors; my English skill level is not that great. So I shall stop writting my comment here. Thanks, i like your openness.
Good to hear from you!
Abere Shiferaw
Haramaya University
Harar, Ethiopia
thank you i have read most of your articles and really loved the way you describe our nepal , yes am a nepali too but did my schooling in india , your articles reminds me more of SAMRAT UPADHIYA'S ARRESTING GOD IN KATHMANDU , its got alot of short stories and they are all as beautiful as your articles, where are you these days , do write to me sometimes would love to hear from you , reading your articles am sure your a humble , sweet and more over beautiful person , god bless
Great I feel great to get all these information about Kathmandu, the part which I have never seen or been....amazed, got mixed feelings. send me ur ID so we can communicate each other and more information as well..If u r in Kathmandu..please let me know so we can discuss more things about Kathmandu...thanx
God never wastes a hurt Wow Michelle, after how long we've known each other, I feel like I just learned a decade more about you! I'm happy for you that your enlightenment is leading you onto bigger and better things! I now understand even more why you are passionate about the things you are passionate about. It's obvious that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. I'm proud to call you a friend! Keep leading the charge!
thanks, dylan! i had a habit of keeping all of those things hidden out of embarrassment, but it's been a relief to be more open about it. and it's been wonderful to have you as a friend for all of these years!
never n ever hip hop is not dead and never dead in tz cs we have talented musician especially KIKOSI CHA MIZINGA who they spread message directly thru HIP HOP.KIP IT UP
I say welcome to Nepal I read your blog about your experience of how the dance bar or dance club are making good money using young girls .well!! you must already have an answer to this .don't ya ?? If you ask me it's the best feeling to be called a Nepali & the proudest moment when the world knows Nepal as the country of Mount.Everest but there are many things that needs to be settled here before our every question can be raised & answered.As for now their is no one to listen to any sensitive issue.Keep up your good work !!
hi michelle ,
i have read your blog and found it to be very interesting . i am also an expat in Dar and gives a lot of insight of sex in tzn .
please do update on your further studies .
thnx .
A taste of Tanzania Hi Michelle, great observation there about Tanzania.
Shall I say I am ashamed, sorry and or sad to hear the sex workers story? I am Tanzanian born and bred but left the country 11 years ago to study abroad , I have seen and heard of prostitution but I didn't think it was that bad! I have recently been thinking of going back home, but before I make my mind completely I have to do a lot of research on how life is nowadays, posibilities of getting a good job and all, I hope with my experiences abroad and all it shouldn't be hard, I don't know! I can only try.
I am 32 and single and going back home single means of course go out and meet people and hopefully meet the right guy but I'd hate to think that you go to a club or pub and there are women out there selling themselves right infront of your eye like that and would hate to think since I was single obviously won't be alone in a club but chances are men would look at you thinking you are just one of them - I am talking about places like Q bar - I never knew there was such a place to begin with.
I would have a different motive i.e go out have fun with friends if a good, DECENT and around similar age man comes along great if not it's great too... but I would mainly want to going out, have fun and enjoy a drink and dance a night away.
It's sad to see men at that age behaving like dogs using poor women like that, at the same time I do understand that life in Tanzania is hard but there's always a way , these women are also looking for quick money they don't want to work hard, I know a lot of young women who have done well for themselves but they had to work really hard to make it, sure everybody works hard but unfortunately you probably would have to work harder in countries like Tanzania isn't that better than selling yourself? what about all the diseases like HIV and stuff? people are dying everyday over this and to actually think I'd be puttiing my dating life at risk for possibly dating a man who has been out with a prostitute is absurd!
I can blame lack of education to many of these women but these men I would imagine them to be well educated not necessary all of them but majority are and they should know not to encourage these women, if non of these men offered to pay for it, these women would be discouraged and probably would never come back.
I guess I have a lot to learn before I completely decide to make a move or perhaps I should go back already in a relationship but unfortunately It's not like I cant just go buy that ' someone' like buying a nice top from a clothing store :( if it was that simple I'd probably do that to avoid the disappointment.
Thanks for the post and all the best in Tanzania :)
Keyla.
Interesting Journal I am Tanzanian living in Japan. i enjoy reading your journal and about my city, Dar. Best wishes for your research and let me know if you need any help.
Take care.
Max
rediculous It is clear that youre a homosexual. Perhaps you do not know it yet. If youre into women, than realize it and act on it. Nobody will judge you for it. However, there is no need to say youre doing research. By your writing it is quite clear that this is not the case.
Travel with safety Aha.... I have one Nepali friend and he is going to visit his hometown by the end of the upcoming march and I am going along with him too. I have made all the necessary arrangements including airlines tickets, Travel Insurance package, travel cheque, cameras and everything else. But can you pre-list me the places which I shouldn't miss to visit while my tour to Nepal. Apart from this am I permitted to stay there extending visa if I wish to stay furthermore?
Nepal: My realisation I was in Kathmandu,Pokhara, Butwal, Sanauli and Lumbini. During my 15 days stay in Nepal my realisation has been that regarding sex entertainment Kathmandu is like any other tourist well known spots. It is not that all girls and women are slutty or can be easily available. They are available to them who are interested in them. May it be that to an interested client there is a little more options and outlets available in Nepal because night club and bar signs are freely used in Nepal to hide the explicity of sex trade.
It was all along there but after the maoists upsurge sex trade has received special impetus.
Entrie law and order has gone in the hands of the youg communist league activists. Most of them are extortionists, drunk and made the bars, night club, strip tease shows, massage parlours as their easy target to earn money. They encourage operators of the clubs, bars and brothel to make more business. Since they are in the ruling bloc the operators too have been using them to ward off police raids.
"The poor girls are in a soup", said a teacher of school in Pokhara. " The poor girls who are sold to the brothels across the border are exploited by the brothel owners and now if they work within the country they are being exploited by the communists".
The "Are you married, do you have kids, and why wasn't your Husband with you" question seems to be common to both Africa and South East Asia. While you were in Nepal this question popped up a lot in your post and appeared in your South Africa post as well. Are you finding that this is just a common theme with under developed countries? Usually in the U.S. is and maybe Canada and Europe it's more where are you from.
First Clue to that 10% Michelle, since you said your room smelled like insecticide that might be one reason the other 10% that you're studying for your research project, might not want their house sprayed. Also the whole communing with nature may be another factor.
Ashok Sharma
non-member comment
Nice material for new comers to Kathmandu.
It helps the new visitors to Kathmandu to understand where to go for a safe massage and avoid going against law, thanks.