Birds I & II

Birds I

The birds are singing wild songs
harmonizing in jagged leaps and bounds
of voice...
like the frenzy of humanity
speaking different words
to the same, ancient tune

Birds II

A pigeon nurtures her young on my balcony, and so I write softly, whisper-words, tiptoe-sounds, hoping I can fool her into believing that I'm just another fixture...a tree, a plant, a flower...in her world of root and branch.

If I could only fool myself as well, maybe then I could be happy...to sway in the breeze, drink life from earth and sky, bear fruit that is worth savoring, quietly, a picture of peace.

Catholic Church Bombing

Heidi and I were shocked last Saturday when we heard that a bomb exploded at the Church of the Assumption in our neighborhood here in Kathmandu. It happened just a few minutes after the beginning of Saturday Mass. Three people were killed and thirteen others were injured. A small, fundamentalist Hindu group, called the Nepal Defense Army, has taken responsibility for the bombing. Although reports of violence in Nepal have been increasing in the past few months, for the most part, this violence has not been of a sectarian nature. As small minority religious groups, both Christians and Muslims have faced opposition in Nepal, but this opposition has rarely resulted in violent attacks during worship services. Actually, the most similar event in recent years, the bombing of a mosque, was done by this same group. Many have hoped that the declaration of Nepal as a secular state would result in greater tolerance among different faith groups. Within hours of the bombing, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim leaders arrived at the church to offer their support.

This latest violent event hit particularly close to home for us. The Catholic church is about a five minute walk from our house. We occasionally attend the Sunday Mass, which is conducted in English. We have heard reports of other bombs being detonated around Kathmandu, but they are usually used as a tactic to draw attention to a particular cause- designed more to scare than to do any lasting damage. This incident was different. It seems that it was intentionally set off near the beginning of the church service, at a time when many people would be in the building. The pressure cooker bomb was filled with nails and other shrapnel; obviously intended to kill and seriously injure people. Personally, we are not sure how to react to this news, and I think we are both surprised by the fact that even though this feels close to home, it hasn't really affected us.

This event reminds us of the fact that, in many parts of the world including our own country, religion is used as a platform to perpetrate acts of hatred and intolerance. One of the partners that MCC supports here in Nepal is the Inter-Religious Council Nepal, a group of religious leaders who are attempting to build bridges between the different faith communities. It's encouraging to know that although there are those who use religion to destroy, there are many more who are using their religious values to create, build and sustain.

Up A Hill

Those of you who have been reading our blog since we arrived in Nepal may remember this post (http://neffusinnepal.blogspot.com/2008/08/monkeys-mountains-and-music-videos.html). It was one of our first hiking outings in the Kathmandu Valley, and this "hill" kicked our butts. We ran into a herd of crazy monkeys, ran out of water and were constantly harassed by mosquitoes. After two hours of uphill climbing, with no end in sight, we gave up and followed our wobbly legs back home. Since that fateful day when we left the hill broken and defeated, Ben and I have talked about going back to conquer that monstrous mount. Okay, maybe "monstrous" isn't the right word. We're not talking about the 30,000 foot peak of Mt. Everest. We're talking about a 7,000 foot high hill, not even the tallest in the Kathmandu Valley. Of course, this is probably an even stronger reason to go back. It was after all, a hill…and even Jack and Jill climbed up a hill.

Ben's time is running out in Nepal. He leaves in two months. With the monsoon season quickly approaching, we decided it was now or never. Heidi opted out. For some reason, she didn't share this drive to take on the hill that had so easily defeated us. On Saturday, Ben and I, with much sweat and many breaks, gracefully ascended to the lookout on the top of Nagarjun Ban. When we arrived at the top, I had one of those "this is why I love Nepal" moments. Next to the lookout tower, there is a small Buddhist stupa. On this particular day, there were probably a hundred Buddhist nuns, seated cross-legged next to the stupa. Holding prayer beads, they chanted their prayers in unison, with a few of them chiming in with traditional instruments. With this as the background, we sat on the tower and looked out over the valley. It was a scene that would be hard to capture anywhere else in the world. Here in Nepal, it is almost commonplace, but not commonplace in a way that causes you to forget how beautiful it is. It's just that you can almost expect that the unexpected will happen here. On Saturday, we expected to reach the top of the hill and enjoy a pleasant view. We did not expect to stumble upon a vibrant and enchanting ceremony. It was certainly worth the climb.

Our destination is the high point of this ridge.

Sweaty Ben resting on the lookout tower.

The stupa, surrounded by prayer flags.

The praying nuns.

As you can tell, Ben fared better than I did.

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!