Mom & Dad In Nepal

It's true that love is what makes the world go 'round...but love also makes you go 'round the world (and have crazy, unexpected adventures). Love took my parents halfway across the globe, from Paradise, Pennsylvania all the way to Kathmandu, Nepal, to visit Amos and me!

We welcomed them with very open and excited arms on April 30th, so glad to see each other after an almost 9 month separation. After settling into our apartment, the unpacking and gift-giving began (thwarted only by one missing bag, which was later recovered, and a spilled shampoo bottle, which made all our books smell like plums...could have been worse). It was like a little Christmas in April!

The next few days were spent seeing the sights of Kathmandu (and there are plenty of them). We only got stuck once, in a labor strike, but nothing else deterred our plans, thankfully! We visited all 3 of the city's Durbar Squares (Patan, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur), taking in the ancient temples and palaces, the people, the animals, the crowded buses, and the, um, "aromatic" streets. We walked through Freak Street, visited fair trade handicraft stores, shopped in Thamel, lounged in the Garden of Dreams, and enjoyed some of the lovely restaurants of Kathmandu (without too many stomach issues). We visited Swayambunath Temple (aka Monkey Temple), chasing monkeys with our cameras and haggling with merchants for souvenirs. We hiked to Kirtipur, a picturesque Newari village where our friends live, and had a delicious Nepali meal together. And Amos and I scrounged up the small group of friends we've acquired and had a rooftop bbq--Amos and my dad grilled together while mom and I made apple pies. It was a lovely evening.

During the time my parents were in Nepal, the already shaky political situation was made even more precarious after the prime minister resigned. We were not sure what to expect with this--strikes, unrest, curfews--but thankfully Kathmandu remained (and still remains) fairly peaceful. We're hoping and praying that the situation will be resolved peacefully too.

The 2nd week, we hit the very curvy, very long, very scenic road to Pokhara to spend a few days relaxing. Pokhara is a popular tourist destination, but since it's the end of tourist season, it was even more peaceful and quiet than usual. We spent our days there hiking, then recovering from hiking by swimming, boating, reading, shopping, visiting the museum and enjoying some good restaurants in town. Our last full day there, we rose before dawn and went to the top of Sarangkot--a high hill in Pokhara famous for its breathtaking mountain views. We reached the top to see the sun rising, illuminating the Annapurna Range with brilliant reds and pinks. It was a magical moment. On the way back down, we had a memorable breakfast at a tiny bungalow that could barely pass for a restaurant, served by a lovely village woman and her young daughter--the best breakfast we've ever eaten!

Sadly, all things must come to an end, and we had to say farewell this morning. We woke to cool air, dark skies, and unexpected rain--somehow it was appropriate for a good bye. It was so difficult to say good bye (again), knowing we won't meet again for over a year, but we will feed off the joy of their visit in the months to come. It was absolutely wonderful! Amos and I are so immensely thankful for my parents, and for the love that sent them halfway across the world to us!


Bhaktapur


shopping in our neighborhood


lunch in Kirtipur


a lovely dinner out


the Garden of Dreams


Phewa Lake in Pokhara


romantic hiking


quiet breakfast after the mountain sunrise

Immigration & Compassion

This week, I read an article in Time magazine which told the story of a small, former manufacturing town in Oregon. As the economic crisis claims more and more jobs, the residents of St. Helens are lashing out at an easy target, immigrants. During these uncertain times, they are doing what comes naturally, protecting their own. I understand their rationale. Usually, immigrants, particularly those that are in the U.S. illegally, can be hired for less than what an employer would have to pay a legal citizen. When times are tough, employers may be tempted to hire more immigrants, which means even less jobs for "Americans".

I read this article during a time when I've been thinking a lot about immigration. In poor countries like Nepal, immigration is a common coping strategy. In fact, in many rural parts of this country, immigration, historically to India and most recently to the Gulf States, is almost a part of the culture. There are communities in Nepal where over 90% of the households have at least one family member who is working out of the country at any given time. Remittances, the money that is sent home by migrant workers, accounts for approximately 18% of Nepal's total GDP. Although migrating for work allows many Nepali families to escape the clutches of hunger, it is not without risks. HIV/AIDS has increased drastically in rural communities of Nepal as more and more migrants, mostly men, leave their home communities for months at a time. These men, some of them unknowingly infected with HIV/AIDS, then return to their communities where the disease is spread. In addition to the risk of HIV/AIDS, migrants are vulnerable to exploitation, theft and abuse. During this time, when the world economy is falling apart, the risks are even greater. Of course, for many immigrants, those in Oregon, India and elsewhere, the choice that remains is not an easy one…stay in a host country where the jobs prospects are increasingly bleak or return home to the certainty of poverty and hunger.

In addition to the huge effect that immigration has on Nepal, another reason that I've been thinking about immigration lately is because I feel a bit like an immigrant. I'll be the first to admit that this is not a fair comparison. The differences between me and your average migrant worker are stark. I am in Nepal by my own volition, and I can leave whenever I want. The stipend I get as a "volunteer" is more than the average Nepali makes. Although my skin color is different than most people in Nepal, that difference tends to work in my favor (except when I'm negotiating with a taxi). But I would argue that there are some similarities. I now know what it feels like to be the outsider. I understand the frustrations of not being able to communicate in the dominant language. In many ways, I am a stranger in this place. I spend most of my time being confused. I am displaced from the community that gives me support and a sense of belonging.

So what's the point? Why am I writing this? I guess I'm just saying that for me, recognizing the plight of many Nepali migrants and considering my own feelings of separation, I will no longer be able to ignore the reality of immigration. I will be forced to look past the statistics (the number of "illegal aliens", the number of jobs "lost" to immigrants, etc) and see the faces and hear the stories of real people…stories that will now sound a bit more familiar.

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

n most of our blog posts and in the pictures we've posted on Facebook, Heidi and I have tried to focus on the good things about living in Nepal. You'll see pictures of the Himalayas taken from our rooftop and beautifully crafted temples which are literally around every corner in our neighborhood. We've shared stories of elephant safaris and hikes through villages that are centuries old. Reading these stories and seeing these pictures, a few friends have noted that it appears we are living in some kind of mystical paradise. And there are days when that statement describes how we feel. However, it seems important that we provide some balance to this picture by showing a bit of the ugly side of Kathmandu. The pictures below are common sights from around the city, a metropolis which has grown tremendously in the past few years without the necessary infrastructure to support that growth.

This meat shop, which we affectionately refer to as "that gross meat stand", is just around the corner from our house…which of course means we have to walk by it almost every day.

Shacks line the Bagmati River, which runs through the middle of Kathmandu. Hindus consider this river holy and used to bathe in it during festivals. Most of Kathmandu's trash is dumped here and then washed away by the monsoons.

Dogs are everywhere and usually look like this.

Trash is everywhere and usually looks like this.

Here you get the combination- nasty river, lots of trash and a dog (may he or she rest in peace)

Well Hello, Thailand!

Two weeks ago, in a somewhat uncharacteristic moment of spontaneity, Amos and I ditched our plans to go trekking in the mountains...and instead went to the beach in Thailand! And what a fabulous decision it turned out to be. (Of course, trekking is still on our list, but the beauty of living in Nepal is that we can always do it some other time.)

A week in Thailand. A week of sweating buckets, eating well, breathing ocean air, and being delighted, amazed, and spontaneous.

After spending the 1st night in a Bangkok "Budget Hotel" (think: closet-sized room, concrete floor, no sink, no toilet paper, no covers...and a bath towel that rips while you are drying yourself off, plus loud bass keeping you up all night). At least there was electricity! Thankfully, it went up hill--way uphill--from there.

We took a bus to Hua Hin, a beach about 3 hours outside of Bangkok. It is a cute, bustling town, touristy--but only just so. We were greeted by lovely garden restaurants, sea breezes, and of course, the beautiful sea itself. Gorgeous, gorgeous. We soaked up the bright sun, the white sand, the aqua-colored water, explored the town, enjoyed Thai foot massages, took advantage of the amazing seafood and authentic gelato, and even got to eat Auntie Anne's soft pretzels (they are not so rare in Thailand, apparently)! We rented a scooter for a day and zipped around to other beaches, sites, and to the National Wildlife Reserve. Nighttime in Hua Hin (as is the case in much of Thailand) is alive with markets selling fake brand name clothing, souvenirs, delicious Thai food, and almost anything else you could want (or not want). The quietest place is the beach, perfect for a candlelit picnic under the palm trees. Probably the highlight of the trip was our visit to the Hua Hin Vineyard, a magnificent place with equally magnificent wines. Although we missed the harvest season, we did get to see the elephants they use to harvest the grapes!

The remaining two days of our trip was spent back in Bangkok. We walked the streets, explored surrounding areas, walked through beautiful parks, ate more and more delicious Thai food! We took on the adventure of the Weekend Market, the largest flea market in the world (so I'm told). Large it is. Full of endless shops, sights, sounds, smells, animals bombarding the senses. It was delightfully overwhelming!

Thailand has always been at the top of my Places To Go List...and I'm not taking it off. We would both go back in another spontaneous heartbeat!

What They Don’t Tell You In Orientation…

Those of you who have spent time in a culture that is different than your own can appreciate the navigation that Heidi and I have been doing for the past few months here in Nepal. I thought about this the other day after a meeting that did not happen exactly as I had planned. I scheduled this meeting at 1 o'clock and despite the crazy traffic, managed to arrive on time. Walking toward the person's office, I noticed that he was meeting with several other people. His office door was open so I strategically stood so that he could clearly see I had arrived. We made eye contact, but he did not ask me to wait or usher me in. So I decided to stand out of sight for a few minutes until the other people left. Ten minutes later, three more people had entered his office. He seemed to be holding several meetings at one time- none of which showed any signs of ending soon. Finally, I just walked in, which apparently is what I was supposed to do. We then proceeded to have a five minute "meeting" while the others watched (and periodically offered their opinions on our conversation).

Thinking about this experience on the way home, I jotted down a few other cultural lessons we've learned during our short time here. We waver between being appreciative of these norms and being annoyed- wanting to laugh and trying not to cry.

• It is bad luck for three people to leave a building at the same time. You should do whatever you can to make sure this does not happen.
  
• It is not appropriate for one person to watch while others are eating (unless, in some cases, that one person happens to be a woman). Even if that person is not hungry or does not particularly like the food that is being eaten, the person must participate in eating.
  
• You should always share the food you have with others, regardless of how little you have (or how much you really like your food and don't really want to share it).
  
• You must remain at work until the end of the day, even if there is no power (and therefore, nothing to do) for the last five hours of the workday. It is better to sleep or talk about Indian Idol than to leave work early.
  
• When answering the phone, if you say "Hello", the person on the other line will also say "Hello". This cycle could be repeated indefinitely. It is best to say "Hello" one time, followed by "Who would you like to speak to" in order to avoid the aforementioned cycle.
  
• Nepali's take the phrase "there is always room for one more" very literally, particularly when it comes to public transportation. Heidi and I once counted 31 people in a small van that was clearly designed to hold 12. This also applies to bikes and motorcycles.
  
• You always offer someone tea when they stop by your house or office. Even if they are only planning to be there for a few minutes, you always offer tea. Furthermore, if you are offered tea and the person doing the offering is also planning to have tea (which is usually the case), it is best to accept the offer, because even if you initially refuse, the person will offer so many times that you'll eventually give in.
  
• Related to the point above, you should always offer someone a chair, even if they just stopped by your office to pay a bill or are just browsing in a shop.
  
• When handing someone something, you offer it with your right hand, while placing your left hand at your right forearm.
  
• It is always appropriate to spit, even inside a public transportation vehicle filled with people (see earlier bullet).
  
• It is acceptable to ask people questions that could be considered personal (in other cultures), such as "what kind of birth control do you use?" or "how much money do you have in your bank account?" (and yes, we've been asked both of these questions).
  
• It is always appropriate to answer your cell phone. Always (voicemail doesn't exist here, which is one of the explanations for this phenomenon). Furthermore, when answering your phone, it's always appropriate to proceed to have a long conversation, even if you are in the middle of an important meeting. Leaving the room is optional.
  
• If you are able to string together five Nepali words that sort of make sense, you are deemed an expert (even if you don't know the Nepali word for "expert").
  
• Waiting patiently in line will ensure that you forever remain at the end of the line (in those cases where something resembling a line exists).
  
• If someone asks you a question and you don't know the answer to said question, it is better to offer some kind of answer (even if it's totally made up) than to admit that you don't know.
  

When driving, you should use the horn more often than the brakes.

Into the Jungle

Amos and I spent this past weekend in Chitwan, in the Terai region of Nepal. It is a place known for its mysterious jungles and exotic animals, and for its flat, open spaces and serene beauty.

We arrived Friday afternoon, after a bumpy, winding, 5-hour ride. More than happy to emerge from the crowded bus and uncrumple ourselves, we explored the little town of Sauraha, in search of a place to stay for the weekend. We found a lovely riverside resort with beautiful gardens and made ourselves at home in a little cottage.

On Friday night, we attended a Tharu Cultural Programme in town. The Tharus are an indigenous people group of Nepal, and many live on the outskirts of Sauraha in traditional clay homes with thatched roofs. We were mesmerized as much by the traditional dancing and music during the programme as by walking through the Tharu village. It was so idyllic, quiet, simply beautiful. After the programme, we enjoyed a late fireside dinner by the river...marveling at the peace and quiet surrounding us.

We woke up early to a very foggy, misty Saturday morning, and ventured down to the river for a canoe ride. This was our favorite part of the trip--the dreamy haze over the river, the sounds of birds calling, our guide quietly pointing out the different species of birds and their calls as we glided through the water. It felt so sacred, so unbelievably mystical. After an hour on the canoe, we went offshore, into the jungle. Here, our (impressively knowledgeable) guide continued to point out amazing varieties of birds, as well as evidence of tigers--fresh paw prints and claw markings on trees. We didn't see any large animals during our walk, but it was awing enough to know we were in their territory. I admit I was slightly nervous about running into a wild animal, but our guide seemed pretty calm...and carried a large bamboo stick.

Saturday afternoon was full of elephants. We watched the gigantic beasts getting their daily bath in the river. Although we could have, we didn't join in the bath--it was a bit too chilly, but some other tourists had fun getting splashed and scrubbing the elephants' rough skin. After a delicious lunch of momos and Himalayan tea at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, we made our way back into the jungle, this time atop elephants.

Although we were crammed into a box seat with several other people, the ride was absolutely fabulous. For two hours, the elephants (about 6 or 7) thudded through the dense foliage, occasionally stopping to clear the path by pulling down saplings with their trunks--and eating them. We were thrilled to come upon rhinos--a mother and baby munching away on bushes while we all gawked and snapped pictures like good tourists. We saw another rhino later on, as well as some wild boar that were snacking on what looked like a fox. The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful, just enjoyed another fireside dinner together!

Unfortunately we had to leave fairly early Sunday morning, so after one more walk by the river, we packed up and headed to the bus park...But, due to a miscommunication with travel agencies, our tickets were not confirmed, and we were told that there were no available seats for us. We were obviously pretty upset, (although part of me hoped that we would just get stuck in Chitwan for a few days) but somehow they found room for us on a bus, then dropped us off at the next town to catch another bus--where we were crammed into the very back seat with a couple of other tourists whose tickets had also been overbooked. Needless to say, the ride home was not a nice one, and was severely bouncy--a personal assault to the skeleton. But hey, we got home safely, and that is what matters. Thankfully the actual vacation made up for the not-so-pleasant parts. It was a phenomenal experience!


the resort garden



elephants' bath time



the quiet morning river


on the canoe


traditional clay home


rhinos!

Prayer for 2009

We have found our way through the Advent season, a time when as Christians we wait for the hope that we know is coming. And as 2008 ends and a new year begins, we are still very much waiting for this hope to be realized. As I write these words, bombs are killing people in Gaza, war is being threatened between India and Pakistan, and in my own neighborhood here in Kathmandu, people are hungry. With these images threatening to overshadow the promise that Christmas has brought, I offer this simple prayer for the New Year.

Creator God,

We live in a world that often forgets it was created by you,

We pollute the air you give us to breathe,

We abuse the soil from which you give us food,

With hands that you shaped, we injure and even kill our sisters and brothers,

Through eyes that you formed, we see differences and inequalities,

We use our minds, that you designed, to create unjust systems,

We raise our voices to secure our own rights and freedoms,

You created our hearts for compassion, instead we fill them with greed.

 

With the coming of a new year, help us to imagine new possibilities,

Let us plant trees so the world can breathe,

Let us honor the land as a gift from you,

With our hands, let us embrace our enemies,

Through our eyes, let us see the beauty in each other,

Let us use our minds to create new ways of living,

Let us raise our voices out of concern for the poor,

Fill our hearts with a love that will sustain us throughout this year.