Hey Everyone! Thanks again for checking in on me and sending me emails with updates from home. I feel like I'm always trying to catch up with emails or putting pictures online, but what to do...slow and steady wins the race, right?
I officially live in the village of Godavari which is just south of Kathmandu. The situation with pubic transportation is just a little different from home! I have to go to the city often for my language classes. The Godavari "bus park" (a open area of dirt at a T in the road) is just a 2 minute walk from my doorstep. I hop into one of these micros and am delivered to the Lugenkhel bus park. Now, don't just going thinking the micros are just like a mini-van. These bad boys some how seem to consistently fit 20+ adults, make it up and down the hills to Godavari without hitting any animals, people, or other vehicles, and only cost 15 rupees! Each trip is interesting to say the least.
I get off the micro at the end of the line in Lugenkhel bus park, which is the hub for activity in the south part of the city. The entire south part of Kathmandu is actually really old and used to be an independent city known as Patan. Patan is now considered part of Kathmandu, but if you are in that area...you call it Patan because it is still pretty distinct. Not only can you find buses, micros, and tuk tuks to just about anywhere from Lugenkhel, you can also take care of your shopping at the same time! To the right you can see pictures of fruit and veggie stands, which further down turn into clothes. Then, if you hang
a right, you walk into the crowd in the picture below. The whole street is line with shops and street vendors down to Patan's Durbar Square. The shopping area is known as Mangal Bazar, and I have already purchased one sweet pair of chapals (the local cheap plastic sandals that everyone wears for everything) and a great shawl to keep me warm in our chilly house.
Throughout Kathmandu, there are many temples, square's, marque's, etc. Each major area of the city seems to have a main square. (Don't quote me on this because I'm still learning my way around!) But, on my way to language, I run into Patan Durbar Square, which you can see in the picture. There are actually several more really cool building that help make up the whole square but I couldn't fit them in one pictures. If you are interested in more pictures, just look up Patan online and you will usually see pictures of this square.
And, if I need to walk to new places in the city, there are lots of very helpful
l street signs that assure I will find my way.
I also get the pleasure of walking down a great little street known as butcher's ally. Early in the morning, I often get to see large buffalo bodies being disassembled or maybe smaller animals like goats, which are displayed for you to view and purchase. Or, if you prefer chicken, you can choose your dinner from one of the baskets below and they can kill and pluck if for you right on the spot.
Picture from butcher's ally.
To the left, is a picture of another main type of public transportation in the city. These little guys are called tuk tuks and run routes all over the city. You can just wave one down and hop in the back, and once you get to your stop, bang your knuckles on the roof and the driver will let you out.
This last pictures is just a typical set of buildings along a main road. The shops usually go up most of the floors.
I hope you like the pictures! Next, I will try to get up pictures from a home stay I did last week. I stayed with a Nepali family in Godavari and experienced much more of how local people actually live.
I still do not know what I will be teaching, but classes start on the 15th so hopefully my next update will also bring news from the school!
The sign at the gate.
The walkway entering the school....this is the first building you would walk past and another one identical would be on your right side as well.
After passing the between the first two buildings you are in the main part of the campus. This hall is used for art classes and music. (I think...I have yet to go in it!)
To the right is the building for class 8 and the building at the back is the main office and the staff room. We have staff rooms with our desks because we do not stay in one class room...the students stay put during the day and the teachers rotate in to teach their subject. I don't really like it, but I'm getting used to it....definitely keep the day busy and interesting!
This is one of the oldest and main buildings. This is Xavier Hall and it is now the residence for the six Jesuit brothers and priests and at the back is the teachers canteen (where we eat our dal bhaat for lunch everyday).
This blacktop is soon to become my domain! I will be coaching the girls basketball teams...grades 6-10 and this is our main court. The building to the left has two computer labs and a science lab and at the back is the students lunch canteen.
You can see this wall right when you enter the main capus. Live for God, Lead for Nepal has been the motto for the school since it was started. Many of the teachers and students are very proud of SXG and this saying. A lot of our students do go on to be successful leaders in and around the Kathmandu Valley.
This is the lower staff room, which is where my desk is. It is really close to my homeroom class that I start with each morning so that is nice. Also, this is the second basketball court, but the ping pong tables in the background get a lot more use!
This is the back of Loyola hal, which was in an early picture, and the volleyball court. I think we have a boys volleyball team but not a girls team.
