a nepali education

Home

2010-06-24T19:59:00.000-07:00

When I was small, I had a poster hanging in my room that read "Home is Where the Heart Lies." (Although the picture accompanying that saying was a kitten sleeping in a potted plant, I think the words are what is useful here.) The one house in which I grew up, complete with loving parents, a fireplace, pets, and my own room, will forever be the home with which all other places of inhabitance will have to compete. We all have that one place that is not just where we reside, but is our real home. In that home we can always feel comfortable and find comfort. We know where the cozy blankets are kept, which cupboard the dishes go in, and which toilet handle needs an extra jiggle. But eventually we grow up and leave our homes, and if we are lucky, we may again find a place where we can lay down our hearts. You cannot choose this new home so when you realize you have found one, it may surprise you. For me, it happened in Nepal.

Nepal is quite literally on the opposite side of the Earth and about as different as you can find from my original home. This is a country of contradictions. The cities are polluted and heaving with traffic, but the villages are quiet and made by hand. The biggest mountains in the world are a snow capped definition of majestic, but the trek to see them is a bone-jarring test of will power. The holiest river in the Hindu world is a trash filled stream with a smell that can turn your stomach on a hot, muggy day.

In Nepal, people will stare at you, ask astonishingly personal questions within the first moments of meeting you, comment on the oh-so taboo subject of your apparently daily weight gain or loss, and absolutely crush our western ideal of physical boundaries. And at the same time, they are the most generous hosts to any guest and as affectionate as your own family.

Public transportation requires that you be a contortionist as you jam your too long legs under some bus seat that is made for only two but is shared by at least three adults along with the occasional child that you might very well be expected to hold. You eat rice twice a day, everyday, and in proportions that you didn't imagine yourself capable of. "Pugio" – or I'm full – actually means give me another plate full. A shopping trip can be a single stop at the local tiny store front shop that produces an endless spectrum of items from unseen back rooms, corners, and shelves. Or, you can end up on a day long quest depending on which deliveries are late, which vegetables are in season, which shop is closed for a family wedding, or which festival happens to be tomorrow. The language contains sounds that a foreign tongue can hardly hope to produce. With numerous indistinguishable words, getting on the correct bus or ending up in the right place can be as impossible as a hole-in-one.

You also learn that this is a country where a person will have no need for schedules and day planners. If you arrive on time to anything, you will most likely be the first one in the room. Guests will show up unannounced or two hours late. Work will be called off tomorrow for a national holiday that was just announced or an expected day off disappears when you are told to work through the weekend, which is only one day to start with. And let's not forget about the strikes, the threat of strikes, the cancelling of strikes, the postponement of strikes, or the extension of strikes. The perpetually squabbling government parties really love their strikes.

After living in this seemingly upside-down world, I have learned that this chaos only exists in the eyes of a foreigner. With some time and patience, the extraordinary becomes just plain ordinary. The polluted city gives way to the tree covered hills. The curious stares become the smiling eyes of friends. The eventful, crowded bus rides become unremarkable. You begin to recognize the cows in the middle of the street and are given credit at the local store.

Recently, I returned to Nepal after just a four day trip to India. I immediately found myself on the local Kathmandu bus. The previously undecipherable yelling of the bus runner (which could rival a good ol' fashioned country auctioneer) clearly reached my ears with my intended destination. I crammed onto a seat at the front of the bus with three other people. The music was blaring and the horn honking constant. At the next stop, a family piled into the already full bus. I was handed a small boy as the mother openly nursed a baby while sitting at my feet. A familiar song came on the radio, and we were all hanging onto our seats as the driver seemed to be in some kind of race with the bus in front of us. In that moment, I realized I was not caught in some snapshot image of 3rd world chaos that tourists love to share with their friends. This moment was so much more than that. It was an ordinary moment being shared amongst the very real lives of ordinary people. It was the moment when I knew I was happy to be HOME. The sights, smells, and sounds were all familiar. I felt content, relaxed, and hungry for a heaping plate of rice.

I love Nepal, and even more I love its people. I have laid my heart here, but I am not the worse for it. The pieces I will leave behind in Nepal have already been replaced with all the love that has been given to me. Home is where the heart lies, and I was lucky enough to find mine in this tiny, complex enchanting country buried at the feet of the giant Himalayas.

Can you REALLY play football???

2010-05-31T03:26:00.000-07:00

The major sport here is some good old fashioned football (yes, its a ball you kick with your foot...how did American's come up with the word soccer). If you can play it, you rock. If you are a teacher and you can play it....you are a hero (not me). Being that I don't understand the concept of foot-eye coordination, even the small students had amazing skills in my eyes. They could create a game of football with everything from a rock to a tiny pencil sharpener. I rarely saw them get to play with an actual football. I have no idea how to control a tennis ball or cricket ball with my feet...but these kids sure do!

Last Day of School

2010-05-31T03:18:00.000-07:00

A final memory with my homeroom class....Class 4B.

And a little extra time for being silly!

Science Exhibition

2010-05-31T03:04:00.000-07:00

At the end of the school year, our school puts on a big exhibition including math, science, art and computers. Which for me meant....let the chaos begin. I taught all three sections of Class 4 science along with one section of Class 2 science (my roommate taught the rest of Class 2).

Coming up with projects, selecting and organizing the kids into teams, keeping track of their progress, and being done on time....well, it was a challenge, but the final product worked out just fine. My roommate came up with the idea of doing a whole theme for Class 2...so we learned about 6 organs of the human body. The choices for Class 4 were: plants, the 3 states of water, soil erosion, the rotation of the earth, nutrition, and air is matter.

Class 2 group for the human eye....exciting!

The full body picture AND science lab mannequin...even more exciting!

And....Class 2: The Human Skin

Class 4....showing how water washes away soil when there are no plants.

And the winners of Class 4: Food and Nutrition! (I may have gotten some extra help from my own nutrition teacher back in junior high...thanks Karen!) The kids explained to all the parents what a balanced diet means and what it should contain using foods available in our village here in Nepal.
And...this creative contraption was used to show how the sun (or a kerosene lamp) shines unevenly on the earth (cricket balls) which causes the 4 seasons as the earth rotates.

Darjeeling....#2

2010-05-31T02:49:00.000-07:00

A little more sightseeing around Darjeeling....

This is the Japanese Peace Pagoda built just outside of Darjeeling. The Japanese have built a number of these in different places around the world to promote peace, and in person they are really stunning.

The Ghoom Monastery is one of the oldest and most holy monasteries in the region. Although I'm not a Buddhists, the insides of the monasteries I have visited are something to appreciate. The artistic ability and detail in the paintings, carvings, and wall hangings are incredible.
Both of these pictures are from the main Hindu temple that sits on tip of the main hill in the center of Darjeeling. I think the pictures speak for themselves in showing the atmosphere and color.

I had to throw in one picture of myself so that you at least believed I went in person and didn't just take all these pictures off the internet (and no, I have no idea how to use photoshop). You can see in the background how big the city is and in the top left you can also see some of the mountains. And in January....it was FREEZING.
The people of Darjeeling and the surrounding area have been fighting to be an autonomous state for many, many years. I don't know much about the history, but from asking different people there has been a demand for Gorkhaland since the time of Indian independence. The region is currently part of the very large state of West Bengal and people are unhappy because they have no real voice in the government, plus things like the roads are falling apart.

My visit was great...even if I was alone. I couldn't believe how much of an influence still existed from the British. The area was nothing like the rest of India, but the people were friendly and the mountains were awesome so I was happy!

Darjeeling! (That's India)

2010-05-31T01:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I'm a little behind on the timeline of things, but a least I'm still working on keeping you updated!

Way back when....we had our winter break, I took a solo trip. We had a month long break because it's too cold to be in the school. So, my destinations: Jhapa and Darjeeling. I had to choose somewhere that I could get there and back in a few weeks and wouldn't cost too much money.

First, I headed on an all night bus to the southeast corner of Nepal to a region known as Jhapa. It was amazing to see how completely different the southern part of the country is from the hills where I live. It is flat and hot without a big town in sight there. I had heard amazing things about the two schools that the Jesuits run in Jhapa so I thought it would be a good place to visit. I got to see the schools, a totally new part of Nepal, and could stay with the Jesuits. One of the schools is a St. Xavier's school with classes 1 through 10 where the students are taught in English. The second school is in a village surrounded by tea gardens and was built to serve the children of the tea workers as well as the small local farming village. The experience showed me so many new things....from bicycle rides through tea plantations to students running around with no shoes!

After Jhapa, I hopped on a bus to the Indian border so that I could head on to Darjeeling. Darjeeling is a famous hill station that was built up and visited during the British colonial days as a place to escape the summer heat of south India. I had heard a lot about this place since arriving in Nepal, and being that they even speak Nepali there, I thought it would be a perfect adventure.

Once the bus reaches the Indian border, you have to walk to take a rickshaw across this bridge, which is literally the border. The river bed below is a huge expanse of emptiness where you cross between two very chaotic border cities.
I was the only foreigner in site that day and therefore, the only person stopping to get my passport stamped at the two check posts. This one is on the Indian side of the border.
After another bus and a three hour ride in a jeep up a winding, bumping road hanging onto the sides of the hills, I was amazed to see this huge town built into the hillsides. But, the best part was the backdrop, Kanchenjunga, the world's third tallest mountain peak.

Darjeeling was built up during the British rule and although the city is old now, the British influence is still very clear. The road and even the tiny railroad were all originally built during that time. I could not believe how far we had traveled and how big the place was so far away from any other city.
And yes, I was kind of scared of the monkeys.
One of the main tourists sites is the zoo and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. It was the most exciting place I've ever been, but it was interesting. I most excited to see the snow leopards and even though they were in captivity, I can see why people in this part of the world are so enamored with the beautiful animals.

Below is another picture of the mountains from a walking path around the city.

An Extra Taste of Life

2010-03-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would put up a few more pictures from the daily side of life.

My class taking the class photo for the school yearbook. We are class 4'B'.
View of the Himals....from school! This picture is not doing it justice. If you have time you should open it up big on your computer. Some of our students get this view from their classroom. It's crazy!
Table tennis is big here! And out of my class 4 boys....I hear that Sandeep is pretty awesome.
They are also extremely excited if I ever attempt to play with them!
Mmmmmm.....one of the tastiest things in Nepal....hot chiya (milk tea) from our very own chiya didi at the bus park stand by our house.
Nothing like grading papers by candle light. We are currently up to 12 hours a day with no power, which conveniently always happens to be all during the day....and then they give us electricity from something like 1am - 7am. Thanks guys....just in time for me to wake up!

What's Your Biggest Luxury?

2010-03-25T03:05:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of simple living? Maybe you car pool to work or use energy efficient light bulbs? But, we all still indulge in luxuries right? So what is yours? An SUV instead of a fuel efficient mini car? Maybe you love your grande latte from Starbucks in the morning?

Well, this morning I rewrote my definition of luxury. And here's how it goes: WATER. That's it. One simple word....water. Yes, it is a luxury. Not hot and cold running water at all times of day and night. Nope, just plain water. Like, enough to wash your hands and brush your teeth with in the morning (and notice I didn't even ask for the flushing of the toilet that comes before the hand washing).

There is a percentage of the world that has no clue what it is like to be without a reliable, clean source of water. But here's the news flash that most of the people in that group miss, your the minority. Yes, I know that you have seen the images of women on television lined up to fill their mismatched buckets and bowls of water at the community tap to carry it along the dusty road back home. But, don't scoff at me yet, have you really thought about it? Well, I had to this morning...only for a few hours...and let me tell you something. It wasn't fun.

I had a great morning planned starting with a little sleeping in. Decided to roll my way out from under the covers at about 8:00. Thought I would maybe make some coffee and then wash those sheets that have been sitting in the corner waiting to be freshened up for when I no longer need the warmth of my sleeping bag. Sleepy-eyed, I make my way out to the charpi (toilet...but you throw the water down with a bucket rather than flushing), and discover...no water. Nothing to panic about, there is an extra bucket of soapy water left over from the other day when I washed some clothes. I throw that down the toilet and don't think twice. Surprise number two, I can't wash my hands. Well, I guess I will use the tiny bit of water left from just rinsing my clothes because it only had clean clothes in it. Problem solved.

Wrong. Problem still coming.

The thing is, we live in a village up in the hills and are known for having a plentiful supply of water. While most of the village houses do not have running water, they can fill up tanks at their house for use during the day. Otherwise, they make the short trek with buckets to the village tap and carry water back home, which gives them more than enough for drinking and cooking. Really, my house is lucky, we DO have running water all the way to the house. But, it's the dry season now, so we run out. Lately, we've been running short each day, but not so bad that I've registered what this means. Only yesterday, I was feeling a bit lazy and didn't fill up a single bucket with water. Not the kitchen buckets, not the toilet buckets, nothing. Which brings us back to my morning of consternation.

After the make shift hand washing, I wander to the kitchen for my morning cup of coffee. We do not have a tap in the kitchen so usually a few buckets of water sit on the floor to use for cooking. This morning they were sitting with only the smallest puddle in the bottom. And now the morning wake up call really kicks in...THERE IS NO WATER. I have one last trick up my sleeve, we have a water pump, but it only works when there is electricity. And guess what, yep, this morning no electricity...and the loadshedding schedule says I'm out of luck until noon. Crap....that's 4 hours! Alright, that's life in Nepal right? I figure, I'll combine those puddles of water from the bottom of the buckets for at least one little cup of coffee, I'll just have an apple for breakfast (no water required), and then I'll head to the city to catch up on emails and when I come back...there will be some water.

I get my cup and half of water boiling and save the last half of cup to rinse out our coffee press....stylishly held together at the moment with numerous applications of duct tape. I get to the sink (a cement hole on the floor) and find ants. Damn. In my laziness yesterday, not only did I forget to fill up the water buckets but I didn't finish washing the dishes. One bowl is infested. What to do? No water....remember? If I just had one....one little bucket of water all my problems would be solved. I could wash my hands, wash the ants out of the sink, and be on my way (let's not even talk about how much water it would take to wash those sheets). Ok, I can handle this. I hold the ant infested bowl out the window, knock the ants out, flick the remaining ants off my arms and inspect the sink. The rest of the ant family is looking for a new spot....I have to squish them with my fingers. I lean back out the window to see the ants climbing on the walls. I attack with a broom and then spread turmeric on the window ledge...ok, did I really hear that turmeric can deter ants or am I just losing my mind at this point? Ant problem postponed for the moment...now if only I could wash my hands. Oh well, I wipe them off on my pants.

Whew, everything is ok now. At least until I have to use the bathroom again. I drink my coffee and head into my room to change into some jeans so I can head to the city. Problem still not solved. I cannot even brush my teeth or wash my face. I am losing my will to keep trying. EVERYTHING requires water. When did that happen?

I commence on a silent rant in my head. I can't even wash my hands! How ridiculous is that? Is it too much to ask to just brush my teeth? Seriously! Just my teeth! Let's not even talk about trying to shower or wash clothes. My sink is filled with dirty dishes. Your welcome stupid ants. Hope you come back in an hour. I can't do anything! I'm stuck. Frozen, trying to start the day.

It's now 10:15, and just as I've lost all of my previously positive attitude. The power comes back on. A moment of grace of the electricity Gods. I burst into action! Run downstairs and turn on the water pump. Take all the buckets out to the tap. Brush my teeth with the first trickles of water. Take the first two buckets back to the kitchen and boil drinking water. Start in on the dish washing and pouring the ants down the drain. I fill up extra buckets for the toilet and take the kitchen buckets back for round two. I my face and my hands! It's incredible!

I admit, maybe I sound a bit dramatic about being without water for just over 2 hours. But, it really did put a damper on my morning, and it got me thinking about the lives people face when they do not have access to water. It really must control a person's life. I still think I'm inconvenienced when I miss a shower here or there. Even after living here for over a year, I still take water for granted. How can you not when you grow up with an endless, beautiful supply that can be hot or cold at your demand? So, if you've read this far, do me a favor. Try to go a day without using any water besides the small amount you drink or cook with. Or, at least count or think about it every single time you turn on some water. It will make you think.

Now answer this question again.....what luxuries do you have? Is your list a little longer?

Sports Day (Part 2)

2010-03-25T02:40:00.000-07:00

Yes....even the teachers have to get dirty and participate in Sports Day. The male and female teachers have to take turns in tug of war and a relay race with the parents. The male teachers dominated winning both of their events. The females...well, we got torn up by the moms in the tug of war but had a stronger showing in the relay. Being that I was the youngest female teacher...and have yet to have any children of my own, the running was more my event.
The male teachers taking down the dads in tug of war.
The senior boys relay....I think they are getting ready for the 4 x 100 relay.
I helped "coach" the girls relay teams, which just means about a week of after school practicing with the baton. But, the girls were awesome! Our teams took the first and second places at our own school and the next day we competed at another school and this team took second, with a baton drop!..which means they would have had first no problem.
All of the Panthers watching the events.
I was given the five extra girls that were not involved in the pyramids yet. We came up with this set and the girls had fun. The little one on top had no fear and just climbed right up every time!
The PT display for the parents. Starting in class 1 the kids have to do PT during the games period. It is kind of an old school style jumping jack-type routine. The older kids are really thrilled about it on sports day.
The final score! My team had a strong finish in 2nd place.

Sports Day!!!!! (Part 1)

2010-03-25T02:06:00.001-07:00

What is sports day??? Well, basically the equivalent of a track and field day at one of our elementary schools....only this involves all 1000 students up through class 10! After a few weeks of practice...yes, practice for the sports day....we had two full days of events. Why do we need to practice? Because this isn't just your ordinary track with running and jumping. Students show their best stuff on everything from team marching and human pyramids to leap frog and skin the snake! The colors in the photos represent the school teams. In any school competition whether it is sports or the spelling competition the students compete with their teams. At the end of the year, there is a school champ....which is kind of fun to have the older kids in class 10 cheering on their little teammates in classes 1 and 2.

There are six teams including Panthers (yellow), Jaguars (purple), Lions (green), Tigers (red), Bears (gray), and Leopards (dark blue). The teachers also get assigned a team, and my roommate Pat and I were both Panthers this year.
The team captains presenting the flags in the opening ceremony of the sports day.
Class 1 and 2 boys going all out in the sack race!
Some of the cuties girls from the little classes showing off their winnings in the sack race. Pramitra is the winner in the purple and Rebika with the missing tooth in the red. Both girls are super cute in class as well!
Only class one boys learning how to line up for the 100 meter dash.
Me giving a pep talk to the girls before musical chairs. Some of the best smiles in classes 3 and 4!
Intense musical chairs....you have to earn this one!

The class 4 girls awaiting their teammates in the relay race....lots of nervous anticipation!

Happy Christmas!

2009-12-27T03:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to leave a short note to say Merry Christmas....or Happy Christmas as it is more often said here. Although this was my first Christmas spent away from home, it was not as difficult as I had anticipated. Due to the lack of snow and small Christian population here in Nepal, there just wasn't that same Christmas atmosphere that makes it such a unique time of year. Even though my mind was telling me that I was missing Christmas at home, it just didn't quite feel the same here. But, I think that actually made it a little easier on me so it's all good.

No worries though. I did sing carols with my students at school, and we even had Secret Santa exchanges both in class and for the teachers! My classroom filled up with Christmas trees, snowmen, and candy canes made in art class. And, because our school is Catholic school, we now even have a 3 week winter break, more due to the fact that our classrooms are too cold to sit in right now than for the religious beliefs though. My roommate and I were invited out to dinner every night this week so we have had good company, good food, (good drinks), and lots of singing.

And, now I am quickly trying to put together my travel plans for the coming days. You can look forward to exciting pictures down the road (but don't hold your breathe).

I hope you re all having a wonderful time with family and friends! Remember to count your blessings and realize how special your life is during this time! Thank you all for your thoughts, notes, and your precious time spent reading my blog!

Happy Holiday from Nepal!

Bhai Tika

2009-12-27T02:32:00.000-08:00

During the early Fall, Nepal is known for having a string of holidays and festivals. During a holiday called Tihar there are a number of different celebrations, one of which is called Bhai Tika. Bhai means "little brother" in English, and Tika is the power you put on another persons forehead to give them a blessing. I was able to visit my homestay family again to celebrate Bhai Tika. The comination basically means that brothers and sisters come togehter every year...and this means all the brothers and sisters in the family...to give each other blessings and gifts. First the sisters give blessings and put tika on the brothers, and finish by giving each brother a large plate of good food and treats. Next, the brothers put tika on the sisters and give them money or gifts.
The preparations of colorful tika, oil, and candles.

There is only one brother in my homestay family, which means including me there were five sisters giving tika.

Each sister adds a different color to the line of tika.

Now, the brother has to give the same colors of tika to each sisters. The leave helps keep the tika in a straight line.

My finished tika!

The whole group of kids after the offcials blessings and tika. Next we get to eat large amounts of rice, vegetables, meat, and other treats prepared for the day. Later the mother in the family had her sister and brothers over and they performed the same ceremony.

Everyone in the family participates. These are the three little cousin brothers from next door after they got their tika and treats. They were pretty darn excited about it all!

I am very thankful to have such a great family in Nepal that has included me in their lives. I continue to visit them on a regular visit, and they will be one of the most hart warming memories from my entire stay here. I look forward to learning more about their family and customs during the rest of my stay here!

Part Two.....

2009-10-21T01:43:00.000-07:00

Day three....after leaving Poon Hill, I still had views of the mountains and then dropped back down into the trees for a walk along some water again. Really beautiful and relaxing.

Morning tea stop with monkeys for entertainment:)

We even had some larger wildlife on the trail....well, maybe not so wild. These cows actually stopped to like the salt off of my arm.

Figured I should have at least a few pictures of me or you would think I stole all the pictures from the internet and just said I went trekking!Just before evening and some rain, I made it to my stop for the thrid night. I also walked the second half of the day with some very friendly Germans so I had some company along the way. We had a great view from the guest house both in the evening and the next morning. Below is the Machhapuchhre Himal that is so famous in Nepal.

And again Annapurna South....

On the last day, I had to leave the mountain views behind, but still saw some really beautiful countryside. I loved this house surrounded by the really green rice fields.

I was able to go trekking because of the holiday from school. It is the biggest festival time of year in Nepal so we had to stop for some blessings and tika on the side of the trail. I was again walking the same trail as the group of friendly Germans so I was included in the tika!
And last....these swings made out of bamboo...yes, that is giant bamboo....were all over Nepal during the festivals. I don't know exactly what the tradition means, but I think every Nepali (or maybe Hindu) is supposed to swing at least once in their life. Plus, you can imagine the excitement this brings on for all the kids! Unfortunately I wasn't bold enough to jump in with the Nepalis and try it, but they sure were cool looking.

So, after four days of walking, I got to return to Pokhara and relax for a night. The next day I was back on a micro headed for Kathmandu and had a sleep in my own bed.

Holiday? Let's Trek!

2009-10-21T00:04:00.000-07:00

So when you think of Nepal...you probably think Everst right? Which leads you to surmise that a major part of the country involves that Himalayn mountains. Well, this is all very true, but for such huge mountains, they sure have been elusive. They can be seen from where I live and from Kathmandu, and I've even seen them myself on a few rare and fleeting occasions. But, with a two week break from school, I decided to go take a closer look!

I was flying solo on this trek so I felt more comfortable keeping it short. Four days and three nights on the trail. But, once you get a little closer to the mountains...long trek or short, you do get to see those big white caps and man is it a sight to wake up to. Also, a good view is important when you are nursing sore muscles and a tired body....if I had woken up to clouds after all those uphill stairs, I might have had some nice not things to say to those mountains.

How to go for a trek? Well, living in Kathmandu, you start by waking up at about 5 a.m. Then, catch a ride to the micro bus that will then take you to Pokhara (starting point for pretty much all the trekkers in the Annapurna region). Leave on the micro at 7 a.m. and arrive just over 6 hours later, including one rode side stop where you may have to somewhat forcibly tell the driver to stop for a bathroom break or he will be cleaning some seats.

On day two, take another bus (or an expensive taxi) for 2 hours up to the village that sits at the entrace of the park and the trekking trail. Share your 2 person bus seat with a brother and sister, who although small, don't entirely fit in their seat. Plus, a two hour delay on the road for an accident.

Around mid-day I finally got to start walking, made it through the check points, and was immediately rewarded by walking along a beautiful river and up through the trees. During a late lunch break I met a German kid about my age and his trusty Nepali guide who told me where to stay for the night. The last few hours were a little rough. I was tired and it was up some seriously steep stairs, but worth the extra climb. I even got a hot shower, delicious tea, rice and a room all to myself.

The next morning I was more than happy to gaze at this view while eating breakfast. Sidenote: if you are into hiking, or the Himals, or just geography and decide to google a map, I was trekking in the Annapurna area, which is a little to the west of central Nepal whereas the Everest region is farther toward the east. I have yet to glimpse Everest and don't know if that will even happen. But, the Annapurna mountains are nothing to scoff at and you also get to see Machhapuchhre which is the famous fishtail shaped Himal that is sacred in Nepal. It is often the symbolic mountain of the country, and it is protected so no one is allowed to climb it.

This was my guest house on night one of the trek in a village named Ulleri.

These ponies or donkeys or a mix of the two (I couldn't quite decide what our equivalent was) carry goods up and down the trail to the different villages. Ever wonder how trekkers always have a nice bottle of water in their hands at the top of a mountain? I think these little guys pack it all up the hill.

Even though my chosen trek was short and easy to access, it is really popular. It is only the start of "the season" and I had lots of company on the trail. The destinantion for even the light hearted hiker is Poon Hill which is the highest point on the trek and has an amazing panoramic view. My second night I made it to the village of Gorepani which sits right below Poon Hill. Then, at about 4 a.m. you are awoken and told to move it up the hill to see the sun rise. Crazy as it sounds, all the trekkers take off in the dark and make it up the hill just in time for the sun rise, which is the best time for views before the clouds move in.
Views from Poon Hill.......

After taking in the views at Poon Hill, you head back to your guest house for breakfast and tea. Then, I packed up my bag to start off my third day of walking which was a little more up and down somewhat following a ridgeline parallel to the mountains for my next nights stay.

Now...the Teachers Perform

2009-10-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Many of you have seen the pictures and heard about all of the students at my school performing in programs for Parent's Day. Well, after all the students are done with their dances, skits, jokes, and songs for the parents...the teachers have to take a turn. Some of you may know that I NEVER participated in any performance related events at school past about the 6th grade when it was mandatory. I don't know what happened along the way in high school but I do have quite the case of nervous anxiety now whenever I'm forced to get on a stage or up in front of a lot of people...and this event combined both the stage and about 1000 people watching!

As the planning and different performances were taking shape at school, I tried to lay low. But, the other lady teachers were determined I not be forgotten. I was signed right up for the traditional Nepali dance with the other teachers, told to find a fancy sari, and when to be at practice! Regardless of my initial hesitation the whole day turned about to be a lot of fun. I enjoyed practicing and spending time with the other female teachers. And, even though I was nervous, I didn't make any major mistakes during our dance, and my students were thrilled at the end of the day because I had kept my participation in the dance a secret.

And yes, of course there is picture evidence. I'm in the red sari on the far right.

Amazing Faces

2009-09-02T23:40:00.000-07:00

My homeroom class...on my birthday. They were very, very excited. They are Class 4 and I teach them science. And, the kids that live downstair from us....plus, I'm in my school dress.

And.....lots of pictures from school. Some of the cutest and best students I have in Classes 1, 2, 3, and 4!!

This is from one of the Parent programs that have been going on at the school. Some of the Class 1 and 2 kids dressed in cultural clothes for a traditional dance.

We saw where Buddha was born!

2009-09-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

Life here has pretty much been school, school, school....but, we did get a few days off inbetween terms. We decided to go on a retreat for a few days down to Lumbini, which is better known as the birthplace of Buddha. The trip was fun but our mistake was going during one of the hottest times of year! An entire day on a local bus packed with people (don't even think of air conditioning) left us all a little hot, sweaty, and grumpy.

I did really enjoy seeing the sights though. The area was only recently confirmed as the place where Buddha was born, so it is still under development. They were really smart in setting aside a fairly big piece of land to develop for the site, but a lot of things are still being built. There is a small temple still with the bathing pool where they say the event took place. Now, a number of different countries are in the process of building their own pagodas.

On our second day in Lumbini, we rented bicycles from our guest house and road around the area. The area is big enough that I wouldn't have wanted to walk, but small enough that a bike was fun.

The sign as the entrance to the main area where the temple is.

Some of the old ruins from the temples around where Buddha was born. The signs read from around he 3rd or 4th century.

The temple with a spot inside marked as the official birth place.

Lots of prayer flags!!

This peace pagoda was out side of the development area for the Buddhist temples, but it was really cool to see. This was probably my favorite building we saw on the trip.

Below.....Pat waiting for some bullocks to cross the road when we were riding our bikes around.

A Few Extras

2009-07-09T23:08:00.000-07:00

Just a few extra pictures from days at home and school. I've been promising pictures of myself in a sari, so I'm finally coming through with that!

The monsoon season should be here by now, but it is still coming and going week to week. We did have some days with really, really hard rain....it could put a Montana thunderstorm to shame. You can't entirely tell it is raining in the pictures, but this was taken out my bedroom window facing our front gate.

This picture is a little blurry, but I have been watching these two women for several morning from our window. They walk up the road around 7AM. Both of the baskets are full of stuff...and notice the lady in the back has a child on her shoulders.

Our neighbor, Oasis (or affectionately called Babu), up for a visit.

Picture day at school! We are in our fancy saris and Pat is rockin' a traditional Nepali topi! We also have green saris and two kurtas that we wear on regular school days.

Trekking!!!!

2009-06-29T03:11:00.001-07:00

Alright, I know these pictures have been a long time coming....but hopefully they are worth the wait! Before school started, I was able to get in my first trekking experience in Nepal. My roommate Pat and I went trekking on the Helambu circuit which is just north of Kathmandu. I was very, very happy to be trekking with someone who had already been out on the trails. Figuring out the transportation and lodging was a little intimidating, but Pat handled it like a pro, which made everything work out great. The trek took us 6 days and to be honest, it kick my butt pretty good. But, no matter, the sweat was worth it, the views and experience were great, and I can't wait to do another! So, let's get right to the pictures....

After taking three micros and a bus we arrived at the start of our trek and were met with a decent set of stairs (which I later realized was nothing compared to he next day). The start of the trek cut through the Shivapuri National Forest.

After trekking for most of the day, we made friends on the trail with a family walking up to their village. Let me preface this picture by saying that women in Nepal are awesome. They do most of the work in the fields and work incredibly hard. A teenage girl was carrying this bag of rice on her head up the hill to the village....we were told it weighed 30 kilos! Carrying heavy loads with a strap over the head is how almost everything is transported here....vegetables, wheat, bricks, dirt, and rice, and notice the huge pipe being carried by the Nepali man in the background whose load wheighed something close to 50 kilos. Pat wanted to try it out and carried the load for the last few hours of our hike...up a very steep climb! I barely made it up with my backpack and after a full day of walking was very happy for a rest.

We stayed with the family with who we were walking. Most of the village was related somehow. Chipling was just a small group of houses up on top of the hill surrounded by terraced fields. Villages on trekking routes usually have "lodges" like the picture here. The family usually has a few extra room in the house for trekkers. They provide tea, dinner, and breakfast...and you can usually negotiate a price around 200 or 300 rupees per person.

These are the kids of the family we stayed with. The oldest girl with the blue headscarf was the one carrying the bag of rice up the hill! The whole family was really nice, and we sat with them to share our rice and some very tasty meat with spinach!

The view out our window on the first morning. We had climed up through these fields the day before!

The next morning we set out for another long day of walking. After having a little confusion finding the trail, we reached the top of one of many hills and found this small temple, which I think is called a gumba surrounded by prayer flags. The prayer flags are Buddhist, but some places of prayer seem to have a mix of Hindu and Buddist symbols here.

After hiking out of the Shivapuri Forest, we were inbetween two different park areas. We reached the Langtang National Park during our second day, and our trek took us through the southern most part of the park. We did get some good views, but further north in the Langtang Park the Himals are really impressive.

We hiked on into the late afternoon on the second day, and I was beat! This small lodge we finally reached had never looked so good! I even fell asleep before dinner, but the lodge was nice and we had a good sleep.

Waking up to a view of the Himals the next morning was well worth the extra hours on the trail the day before!

Helambu Trek - Part II

2009-06-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry to leave you hanging....here are more pictures to finish off the trek!
Alright..... our third morning on the trial got a some great views of the Himals. Although they were short live it was well worth it.

Beautiful!

This little lodge/stop was the highest point on our circuit...I think was over 10,000 feet. We did walk through some snow to get there. But, after a quick snack we headed on down to the next village for the night.

Taking a break on the descent down....although the hikes up the hill were tough, the downhill was pretty rough on the legs, knees, and feet. This is a good view of the village we stayed in.

The suspension bridges were pretty cool, but also a little scary. I didn't look down for too long!

This was one of the nicest places we stayed. The food was great and the town was in a beautiful setting. They also had an adorable puppy that I think they would have let me take home! I could even see the straw through the floorboards and smell the cows that stayed under the room we slept in....almost like home, but we usually only smell the cows when we are outside.

Some awesome prayer flags on our way out the next morning.

One of our only signs that gave directions. We were headed to Timbu, but unfortuntely the arrows pretty much pointed in random directions. At least that's what it looked like to us!

I don't have any pictures of our last night on the trail, but it is probably better left forgotten. The people weren't so nice, and our sleep was accompanied by rats. I never saw one of the little (well, I'm hoping little. the rat we found in our attic could have eaten a cat) buggers, but I definitely listened to them all night. Needless to say, we were out of there more than early the next morning, but this was the view from the next little village were we stopped for breakfast.

A cool looking part of the trail on our last day going down.

Most people use water buffalo here for farm work and we saw a lot of peole plowing fields on our last couple of days. It is all done by hand. So the man is using his weight to push a wooden or metal rod down into the mud (the fields are flooded first) behind the buffalo.

Well, that's all for the trek! We are heading out tomorrow for a reatreat in Lumbini - famous as the birthplace of Buddha. It is supposed to be hot and full of mosquitos this time of year but we are still looking forward to the rest and days off from school. We just finished our Term 1 exams and Pat and I both spent the last few nights correcting well over 300 tests!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

A Little More About School

2009-04-26T04:25:00.000-07:00

I realized that neglected to mention the classes that I am teaching! The school system here is different and I could barely comprehend my schedule when I first got it, but I will do my best to make sense.

I start each day with Class 4 Science (Class 4 would be equivalent to 4th grade). The school has about 900 students and in the younger classes there are 3 sections for each grade. So I have science with all of Class 4, sections A, B, and C. I teach each of them 4 days a week. Then, my afternoons are crazy. I teach everything from Class 1 General Knowledge to Class 2 Library, and Class 4 Art. In all I see 12 sections of kids a week....if you think I know all of my kids names, not even close yet!...working on it though. One of my new favorites is a little boy named Brihat...he is in Class 2 and looks like an old man with chubby cheecks!

The building in the picture is where most of my classes are. My homeroom class is section 4B and they are in the downstairs hallway of this building.

So, my classes:
Science: Class 4 and one section of Class 2
Library: once section of Class 2, all of Class 3, and two sections of Class 4
Art: with my homeroom 4B
General Knowledge: all of class 1 and 2

You might be wondering what General Knowledge is....well, it is a wonderful subject that they have here, that involves me teaching everything from names of fruits, to which directions the sun rises to a room full of tiny children for 40 mintues. Let's just say it can be INTERESTING.

We are done with a month of school and I have given my first set of mid-term tests. The kids did fairly well, and I am confident that term tests will go even better now that we are used to each other. With classrooms of 32 kids, I'm getting a crash course in classroom management, but nothing to crazy has happened yet!

Sorry the blogs have been so sparse these days, but we have been having lots of difficulties from busy days at school, to no power, to transportation strikes. I will keep doing my best. Thanks again for all of your notes and love from back home. You are all in my thoughts!

Happy Memorial Day!

How You Can Help

2009-04-26T04:14:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked if there is something I need or something you could send that would be helpful. That is a difficult question to answer because there is often a difficult distinction between something I NEED and something that would be nice to have. However, now that I have started school, I have quickly come to realize that although we have some resources, we do not have an abundance of materials at the school here. The lack of materials, especially for the very young classes will definitely be stretching my creativity skills this year.

I have very few materials to keep the younger students busy in a constructive way. Plus, if I do find a good activity such as a dot-do-dot coloring work sheet, I usually cannot get enough copies or crayons for all the students.

So, here is how you can help:

First, find a good worksheet or activity that would be appropriate for approximately 1st and 2nd graders. Examples would be a coloring activity, dot-to-dot, naming and labeling, or a matching game.

Make 100 copies of the activity, which will be enough for all 3 sections of one class. If you have 2 activities, make the worksheet front and back! Twice the work occupies twice the amount of time.

If you do not have access to school materials such as worksheet, a set of coloring books would also be useful.

Also, I need crayons to hand out to the children. Take a set of crayons (used crayons will work just a good as new) out of the box and put them in a zip-lock bag.

How to get it here? The mail is somewhat inconsistent here, but we have good luck with the large, first class envelopes from the post office. Boxes do not seem to find their way to us. Put the papers or coloring books, plus the crayons (this is way I said to take them out of the box and put them in a zip-lock) in an envelope and mail it to:

Jesuit Volunteers International
Emily Roche
GPO 50
Kathmandu, NEPAL

Thanks so much for following along in my adventures. And, for those of you who decide to take on the challenge and mail me stuff for school, I will be indebted to you!

St. Xavier's - My School

2009-03-30T02:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to SXG (St. Xavier's Godavari)! I hope you enjoy the pictures and mini tour of my school. I think it can give you a decent idea of our environment at the school....well, minus the students, but I don't think I could potray that through a blog even if I tried! 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.

Babu

2009-03-30T02:35:00.001-07:00

Just thought I would share a picture of one of my neighbors! This is Oasis...better known as Babu, which is what all little boys are called here as a term of affection for little brothers or sons in the family. As I mentioned before, two Nepali families share our house. Babu obviously belongs to one of them:) He is about 18 months old right now and at such a fun age. He has figured out how to come upstairs to our floor...not always a good thing, but he tends to melt my heart so I don't mind. He calls me Emily Miss and has started giving me kisses on whatever part of my face he can name...ears, eyes, cheeks! I can't imagine what he will be doing and saying a year from now when I'm getting ready to leave.

City Streets

2009-03-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

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 helpfull 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!

Home Away From Home

2009-03-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Time for a quick update and some pictures of my new home! Life has been going great here...an already going by so fast! Language is progressing, and I am feeling more and more comfortable in Godavari, and getting a little better at navigating the city. Final exams were just held at the school, so now there is a month break for my roommates until we start school again in mid-April. The next month has a number of things in store for me. I will do my homestay with a local Nepali family to give my language progress a boost and to experience the culture and Nepali life more intenstly. There are also plans in the works for trekking around the 1st of next month so I will keep my fingers crossed for that!

This is our house! It was orginially built as a summer palace for a wealthy family. The botanical gardens spread out behind our house so it really can be a haven for people who live in the city. We live on the top floor and two Nepali families share the first floor.

These pictures show off our kitchen! Above is our fridge/food pantry! We usually go to the local shops for fresh vegetables and fruit is available in the city. You might notice the lack of refridgerator, but with fresh produce and powdered milk there isn't much that would go in the fridge. Things like eggs and cheese really don't need to go in a fridge...but I think right now our house stays cold enough that it almost acts like one in the kitchen at night. We do not have running water in the kitchen so this is our sink! We use the buckets to wash dishes with and the water just drains out to the yard. To the left of the sink we have a stove top with two burners...but no oven. However, volunteers over the years have figured out how to use our biggst pots as a sort of dutch oven that cooks up tasty brownies!

And last, a picture of one of my first attempts at hand washing laundry. We have a shower/laundry room that works for the job. Just soak the clothes in buckets, scrub out dirt and stains with soap and a brush on the floor, rinse with the shower tap or in buckets, hang on the roof...and you have clean clothes!!

Thanks for checking in! I hope everyone back home is doing well and I appreciate the emails I have been receiving from you!

Chitwan National Park

2009-02-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

My second weekend in Nepal I was very lucky to take a trip to Chitwan National Park. Through a friend of a friend of the JVs...something like that...I met a woman who works at a travel agency and was headed to the park to check out a lodge. I was invited to tag along!! The park is in south central Nepal on the border with India and even though I only got to go for one night...it was AMAZING!

Why am I making this face????

Because I'm was riding this elephant....AND.....

....watching this rhino!!!

On Sunday morning in Chitwan, we took canoes to check out the crocodiles in the river...and saw lots of wild birds like peacocks in the trees.

Then we got to walk to an elephant breeding ground and check out some babies. The picture on the right is a set of twins...the first at the this breeding ground, which is supposed to be very auspicious, and the picture on the left is a 7-month old that was getting brave enough to wander away from his mother. I tried to feed it grass but he threw is on the ground:)

Even though we didn't have much time to venture far into the park, it was a great outing for the weekend! I got to see lots of the Nepal countryside and the big difference between the hill region where I live, which runs through the center of Nepal and the Terai or plains region which is in the south. And, I got to see lots of elephants and a few other exotic animals. The elephants really were cool. They were walking around town, carrying big loads, and we even saw people washing their elephants in the river!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures! Take care back home and feel free to drop me a note anytime:)

Starting Life in Nepal

2009-02-25T22:51:00.000-08:00

Namaste from Nepal! I have officially been in the country 16 days and am going to make my first attempt to get some thoughts and pictures out to everyone back home! As you can imagine, a lot has happened over the past couple of weeks, so I will try to organize my thoughts and update you along the way with what I have forgotten:)

The trip over went great, and I made it with no major mishaps...quite the accomplishment if you know my track record with flights and airports. Over the course of my first week, I was introduced to my house, roommates, Godavari (our town), St. Xavier's (our school), and lots and lots of Nepali culture.

Our house is a mixture of blessings and frustrations. I will make sure to get pictures up on another post. The house is big, especially for Godavari...but cold. We have running water, but only in the bathroom and shower...not in kitchen. (I never thought a kitchen sink could be such a wonderful sight.) The neighbors are great! Two Nepali families live on the first floor of the house and we have the second floor. My roommates have also been wonderful and I am excited to be sharing this experience with people who have already made me feel at home. The school is a very short walk from our house, and my few short visits have already made me love the students. They are full of smiles, Hello Misses, and candies for your pocket even if they don't know you. The food is also good...yummy, spicy, and filling...I just don't know how to cook any of it yet. One major accomplishment was also taking my first try at washing clothes...we have to do it by hand and hang it out to dry, but overall it was a successfull attmept.

Two of the only negative parts of living in Godavari right now are 1) we have major hours of load shedding right now, which are power outages and means we only have power about 4-6 hours a day and 2) our phone line has been cut...literally the physical line in the village was cut and stolen and there has not been very promising news about it getting replaced.

My first weekend, we got to hike to the next village over and spend a night in Lamatar. One of the in-country Jestuits has helped establish a guest house in Lamatar and it is a great treat when we get to be the guests! Fr. Greg has been here for years and filled me full of lots of Nepali history and the food cooked up by Chundra was amazing! I also got my first decent view of the Himals from Lamatar. They are usually hidden from view in Godavari by a massive cloud of dusty, smoggy, hazy, polluted air that hangs over Kathmandu.

THE HIMALS!!!

I have also started language training which has been good because language is a major barrier for me right now, but it is also difficult. The Nepali language has a different alphabet and script which I am trying to learn on top of conversation. It is slow going!

Godavari is about a 30 mintues bus ride south of Kathmandu and it is great to live outside of the city, which can be pretty loud and crazy. Our house is surrounded by a big open lot where the local animals have free run. The only horse in the area tends to just wander to the field eat and wander home each night...we don't really know where he comes from but he lets me pet him. The goats are also quite entertaining at times...getting heads stuck in buckets, climbing through gates, jumping up trees. And, the horse and goats are joined by numerous cows and dogs on any given day. We also have some pretty but very loud green parrots that like to visit our trees during the day.

Overall, things have been going great! With the power outages and lack of computer access, my blog posts and emails may be sporadic but I will do my best. As I get more settled and comfortable, I will also take more pictures and get them posted so you can see the house, school, and village.

You are in my thoughts!
Emily

The Things I Will Miss

2009-02-06T14:05:00.001-08:00

As my bags are packed and my plane ticket is in hand, I can't help but think of the things to which I am saying goodbye. I thought I would share with you a little taste of the home I will miss on those rough days.

Family. My mom and dad have always been the incredible support that holds me up through good times, tough times, big decisions, and life changes.

My brother has always been someone I look up to, and he has now started his own beautiful family with his wife Becky and brand new baby Riley.

My Dogs. I love animals and these pooches are perfect to keep me company during a day at home or to go outside and play...and they are AWESOME bird hunters.

Montana. I am more and more awed every time I come home to Montana. The mountains, the sky, the people, and the places are one of a kind. I love the big outdoors here and will miss everything from riding horses and helping my dad with cows to camping and hiking.

The little collection of buildings to the right is my hometown of Moore.

A gorgeous sunset just outside of town. And...I'm not a very good photographer so imagine in person!

Turning the horses out into a new pasture. The sky is hazy in the summer during harvest when a lot of dust gets in the air.

Friends. I will also miss all of my close friends from high school, Gonzaga, my year in Bridgeport, and new ones I have made being back home. I love you all and am thankful for your friendship and support. I will save pictures for another time, but you all know who you are!

Thanks for checking out my pictures. I love coming home to such an incredible place and such amazing people. Even though it's hard to say goodbye, I'm happy to have such great people to miss while I am gone. I am very excited to get to Nepal and will do my best to post some very different pictures in the near future!

Preparing to Depart

2008-12-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

If you are visiting my blog, then you already know that I have decided to volunteer the next two years with JVI (Jesuit Volunteers International)! So what does that mean?

First, what is JVI?
Jesuit Volunteers International and the Jesuit Volunteer Corps are non-profit organizations that have evolved in order to place volunteers throughout the United States and abroad to work in schools, social service agencies, non-profits, and parish ministries. JVI as you may have guessed is the international office, and the JVC offices place volunteers in the five domestic regions. Volunteers commit to one year domestically and two years internationally to serve in a job placements working with people often left on the margins of our societies.

How did I get involved?
After graduating from Gonzaga University in 2007, I decided to dedicate the next year to service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I was placed working with a non-profit in Bridgeport, CT. I learned a lot during my year with JVC and was deeply affected by living out the four JVC values of social justice, simple living, community, and spirituality. During my year with JVC, I applied with the international office to serve as a JV abroad.

Where am I going?
I have been placed in Godavari, Nepal, a village just a short distance south of Kathmandu (the Nepali capital). I will be teaching at the St. Xavier school, but as of now I do not know what grade or subject I will be teaching. I will join the four other JVs currently placed in Nepal, and I am thankful that they will be able to show me the ropes once I arrive. One of the volunteers will leave shortly after I arrive, leaving three of us to live and teach together during the next year.

When do I leave?
My flight departs from Billings early on February 1st! (and I will finally arrive in Kathmandu on February 3rd...whew!)

While I am anxiously awaiting my departure, I am thankful to be home for the holidays. I have a few last items to pack, including warm layers for the Himalayan winter(!), and sadly, a few more goodbyes to say. While I am in Nepal, I will do my best to keep updating this blog and post some pictures. Please feel free to keep in touch and send me news from back home. Thank you for already being part of my experience. If you are interested in the work of other JVs around the world, you can find links to their blogs to the right of this post.

I would also like to thank those of you who donated to my fundraising efforts for JVI during this past Fall. With your help, I succesfully reached my goal, and your contributions make the work of all the volunteers possible.

Happy Holidays!