I got such a scare in Bangkok airport. The staff refused to check me in unless i show a ticket out of Manila. But I only had this bloody round the world ticket, but she said booking reference is not enough. I honestly dont suggest anyone to take a round the world ticket, but if you still have to, not with the Round the World Experts. As i see it, it only brings more hassle. Today I got to know that before March I need to tell when I want to fly out of Australia. If I then want to make further changes, it will cost 3100 pounds! WTF?? That was not the deal at all. But thats another issue.
So with my heart dropped down to my toes I had to rush over to the airport internet point and make a ticket happen. Its hard to make it happen with the airline that does not have a booking confirmation page. Damn i was sweating. All my zen was gone as the horror of being flown back to London from Bombay is still quite fresh. Best i could come up with is to print out online check in page, which at least showed my name together with the date and destination of the flight out of Manila. After some suspicious investigation of that, she let me in with words "immigration office is very strict in Manila". I could not do anything more that eat biscuits in the "taste me" jars in various shops in the airport. But because of my hippy clothes the shop assistants were keeping a close eye on me and I could not solve my nervous attack with sugar coma. Better this way anyway.
11h later (with tickets from Round the World Experts you end up making a tour in the airspace over the whole continent) I landed in Manila. Immigration did not say more than Hello to me. Soon I was on a taxi to Pablo's place. It was so great to have an address to go to even though to a complete strangers place. Thank you Victor for putting me in contact with your friend!
So here I am now, in his condo on the 14th floor and went for a swim today afternoon on the 7th floor. On the same floor there is also a gym, laundry place and a shop. And a view from my bedroom is to the Manila bay. It's ok here.
In the morning we jumped straight on a pedicab. Pedicab is a bicycle with a sidecar of metal construction covered with oilcloth. It fits 1.5 europeans and probably 3 locals. The guy was paddling standing up to move us around. He earned half a euro to get us to the metro station. Well its not a metro, more like a skytrain. And its full. We got in the third one that passed. After breakfast and advices on where and how to go I was on my own. Half an hour later already 5 kids had asked to make a picture with me and group of 3 made a video for their school project. I guess its the blond hair. Soon I will glow at night or they will fall off altogether.
Distances between the main sightseeing places are not so long, so its possible to walk. But you cant see almost anybody walking! While enjoying my solitude I was wondering if this is because the alleged dangers and criminality. I decided that probably not. Most of the people I saw on the road from point A to B to C, were just sleeping either on the pavement on carton or on the grass or on the chairs put next to each other or on their(?) pedicab in most uncomfortable positions. So I did my tour until my feet and lungs where black from dirt. Gosh the pollution here. Its worse than in Kathmandu! And the rubbish everywhere. Not like Thailand. Later I learned, that people dont walk in order to avoid suntan. Poor people working on the fields have really dark skin from the sun. If you are tanned, you make an impression you are poor.
I need to come up with a plan. I dont mind tanning, but are not in a rush yet to the beach neither. Volunteering organisation i contacted has not answered me. Im also waiting for news to see if one german guy i met in bangkok will come to philippines so we could join forces. I have looked into trekking possibilities, but it seems its better with company as you need to hire a guide and often some private transport...I also visited Red Cross centre in Manila, they have 5 day courses for first aid and basic life support. That would be interesting, but I dont want to stay in Manila, even though its great here in Pablo's place and he is so amazingly kind and very interesting man. And it's interesting that I have come in contact precisely with him.
When I left Brussels I was looking forward to getting out of the western culture and values. Wanting to open spiritually, learn about Buddhism, be open. I did not learn so much, but however much I did learn, appealed to me. And now I have been meeting people who, lets say, are spiritually more enlightened and I have been having conversations that somehow are hard to imagine in Brussels context. Pablo is one of them. He says the answer lies in a good question.
Do I stay on this island or choose another one of the 7000?
Hmm, I think it wasnt a perfect wording as the answer did not yet come. But it will. The time I have.
Friday, 27 January 2012
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Summer begins
After the somewhat cold weather in Nepal, lets say estonian autumn without the rain, time came to heat up in the sun in Thailand. Relaxing times with my friends Kairit and Marcia. All the sun and comfort makes me too lazy to write. Marcia however, as a proper Portuguese is naturally used to sun and it does not hamper her creativity, therefore I invite to read her blog: http://marcia-making-a-difference.blogspot.com/
I will still put down a few notes of the 12 days so far:
- arriving on kho San road and seeing people in one big row in deck chairs having foot massage. Hard to explain, but after 3 months in Nepal, just seeing this made me realise how very different environment it is.
- its so clean. I think I should stop comparing Thailand to Nepal. Completely different worlds.
- activities that have produced some adrenaline: riding on an elephants neck, scooter riding, diving from a 5-6m cliff, jumping to the middle of a river with a swing, getting drunk after 3 months (and waking up with no headache and going swimming to the sea (80m from the bungalow)
- the fruits here! They are amazing! Many wonderful things I have never seen before or which I have but now can eat fresh. We have eaten pineapple that was picked up earlier that day.
- it can happen that after swimming for a while you feel (too) hot and need to dive deeper.
- generally speaking, everything is at least twice the price than in Nepal, but twice as cheap as in Belgium.
That's it, the sound of the waves 20m away are making me sleepy. Tomorrow will be transport day: ko lanta island - krabi - Bangkok. Bus to Bangkok is 14h overnight bus. We will end up seeing the Chinese new year from the bus window. That's pretty idiotic, but by now I'm quite zen, so be what may. We will have our discobus.
I will still put down a few notes of the 12 days so far:
- arriving on kho San road and seeing people in one big row in deck chairs having foot massage. Hard to explain, but after 3 months in Nepal, just seeing this made me realise how very different environment it is.
- its so clean. I think I should stop comparing Thailand to Nepal. Completely different worlds.
- activities that have produced some adrenaline: riding on an elephants neck, scooter riding, diving from a 5-6m cliff, jumping to the middle of a river with a swing, getting drunk after 3 months (and waking up with no headache and going swimming to the sea (80m from the bungalow)
- the fruits here! They are amazing! Many wonderful things I have never seen before or which I have but now can eat fresh. We have eaten pineapple that was picked up earlier that day.
- it can happen that after swimming for a while you feel (too) hot and need to dive deeper.
- generally speaking, everything is at least twice the price than in Nepal, but twice as cheap as in Belgium.
That's it, the sound of the waves 20m away are making me sleepy. Tomorrow will be transport day: ko lanta island - krabi - Bangkok. Bus to Bangkok is 14h overnight bus. We will end up seeing the Chinese new year from the bus window. That's pretty idiotic, but by now I'm quite zen, so be what may. We will have our discobus.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Paks laps, ilus laps
Sorry for the estonian title (for the ones not mastering it), but its just one saying that will fit well with the topic. It means fat child, beautiful child.
Moving to live in a village where no tourist goes means you will be noticed. People like to look at you. For some reason or another you can bring laughter among children just by walking through a village, especially when you greet them. Then you become one big joke. Communication usually is limited to 'hello', 'where are you going?' 'what's
your name?'
Blond, dressed like a man white woman should be scrutinised with looks and discussed between the family or friends. I was quickly diagnosed as fat. First i taught maybe its their humour. Few days after I had arrived to the village, I was showing my student Panja a funny illustrated book about estonians. He looks at a picture of one man with particularity big beer belly (onepack) and comments 'you are like him!'. I was certain that's a joke, so I made an effort to laugh 'ha ha, very funny, thanks!'
I didn't think of it after, until next day Panja and Basanta are explaining to me in nepali, but I only get my name and the names of Ridaya, the hospital nurse. So after I enquired, Panja kindly explained, that Ridaya is thin, but you are fat. When I protested and seeked for help from Basanta, he just confirmed smilingly that, yes yes, a little fat.
So then I just stood there like a ton of unhappiness, trying to deal with the diagnoses.
Next day already the lab analyst was also involved in the topic and million dollar question was how much I weight. They were on an on about it. I decided not to eat bisquits with my morning tea.
I thought however maybe this is all got to do with the fact that they are medical people. 2 weeks later, I'm second time in principal Kamal's place. He is schooldirector that I had met briefly once before and he wanted me to come to his house, to show him some things on the computer.
So I have been maybe half an hour at his place, we have been pealing some vegetables and what not and then we go sit by the fire. He looks extendedly at my legs and goes 'how much do you weigh?'. I'm thinking 'what the f*ck?', but I return the question with 'why do you ask?'. 'just interesting, you have SO big legs! Mine are not so big!'.
I really could not see that his legs would be sticks, so I don't know what he was talking about. I was then measuring his wife who was also sitting by the fire and could not see a reason for his profound state of wonder.
So I changed the topic with a joke, but when he later patted my thigh (the irresistebly big one), I snapped that don't touch me.
I was thinking that in western culture, it would be very rude. A la kutsub mind endale külla, teda aitama, tunneb mind võibolla kokku tund aega ja juba hakkab paksuks sõimama. Kurat, vaadaku ise, kuidas endal interneti tööle saab! Damn and I had considered my legs my assets.
OK, so its not a medical personnel thing.
Same evening his wife was wondering whether my head itches. Because when they have white kind of powder on their head, it itches.Dear lord! I bursted out perhaps too emotionally that I don't have a medical condition, but just blond hair.
Next day going though the village with principal Kamal, one woman stares at me and then comments something. I was half sure its about my body. 'What she says?' I ask with a faint heart. She says that you have old peoples hair. You look like an old woman.
Oh great. One thinks I have dandruff, the other that I have gray hair and I have big legs to carry it all around.
Kamal's wife had also said how much she likes my face and that I look so young. But a weak mind pays more attention to neg critics.
Again a week later, hospital staff finding my weight continuously mystical, I went with Panja and Basanta to Panja's home village 4h walk away. At some point in the evening we enter a house, where maybe 10 people where sitting and chatting. Of course I provided a new excellent topic. Maybe after 10 minutes of my being there, grandfather says something and everyone including him is watching me and laughing. I ask Panja to translate me. He had said that he has never seen so big arms.
Oh shoot me now. I was pretty much down and took dislike to this grandpa and taught he should look at himself, old fart. Then I tried to be all Zen and just looked in the fire. Couldn't understand no single word anyway, because they were speaking in tamang. But then a while later, all faces where turned to me again, and everyone was agreeing to something that one of the women said. 'what now?' I asked half-heartedly. 'They say you are very beautiful and everyone likes you'.
Oh :)
Almost felt bad about the old fart namecalling in my head.
So this is how direct people are. Gotta appreciate it and accept that the notion behind big legs or fat arms is probably different than in Europe.
Principal Kamal also told me how he finds me so beautiful in several occasions. Contrast of my young face and elderly hair probably. Once when he was showing me a way through through the woods and fields to the next village, he also tried to kiss me. He was lucky not to fall down the mountain as I pushed him. This was the end of my visits to his place. I was shocked and greatly disappointed in him and also told him that.
The next day after this happened, I discovered that my wallet is empty and 50 euros worth of money gone
After fruitless searches I told Dinesh, he said he will ask his children. The younger son confessed. I got my money back, I was very relived, not angry. Disappointed just, in the son. Apparently he steals money from his familymembers.
Those incidents brought me closer to the hospital staff however. Sharing my worries with them somehow enhanced our relationship, I could feel it. In the end all good and solved.
Tomorrow I pack and leave. 85 days in Nepal has been a good experience. Perhaps I will feel and understand the full significants of it only later.
Thailand next for 2 weeks with 2 friends.
Moving to live in a village where no tourist goes means you will be noticed. People like to look at you. For some reason or another you can bring laughter among children just by walking through a village, especially when you greet them. Then you become one big joke. Communication usually is limited to 'hello', 'where are you going?' 'what's
your name?'
Blond, dressed like a man white woman should be scrutinised with looks and discussed between the family or friends. I was quickly diagnosed as fat. First i taught maybe its their humour. Few days after I had arrived to the village, I was showing my student Panja a funny illustrated book about estonians. He looks at a picture of one man with particularity big beer belly (onepack) and comments 'you are like him!'. I was certain that's a joke, so I made an effort to laugh 'ha ha, very funny, thanks!'
I didn't think of it after, until next day Panja and Basanta are explaining to me in nepali, but I only get my name and the names of Ridaya, the hospital nurse. So after I enquired, Panja kindly explained, that Ridaya is thin, but you are fat. When I protested and seeked for help from Basanta, he just confirmed smilingly that, yes yes, a little fat.
So then I just stood there like a ton of unhappiness, trying to deal with the diagnoses.
Next day already the lab analyst was also involved in the topic and million dollar question was how much I weight. They were on an on about it. I decided not to eat bisquits with my morning tea.
I thought however maybe this is all got to do with the fact that they are medical people. 2 weeks later, I'm second time in principal Kamal's place. He is schooldirector that I had met briefly once before and he wanted me to come to his house, to show him some things on the computer.
So I have been maybe half an hour at his place, we have been pealing some vegetables and what not and then we go sit by the fire. He looks extendedly at my legs and goes 'how much do you weigh?'. I'm thinking 'what the f*ck?', but I return the question with 'why do you ask?'. 'just interesting, you have SO big legs! Mine are not so big!'.
I really could not see that his legs would be sticks, so I don't know what he was talking about. I was then measuring his wife who was also sitting by the fire and could not see a reason for his profound state of wonder.
So I changed the topic with a joke, but when he later patted my thigh (the irresistebly big one), I snapped that don't touch me.
I was thinking that in western culture, it would be very rude. A la kutsub mind endale külla, teda aitama, tunneb mind võibolla kokku tund aega ja juba hakkab paksuks sõimama. Kurat, vaadaku ise, kuidas endal interneti tööle saab! Damn and I had considered my legs my assets.
OK, so its not a medical personnel thing.
Same evening his wife was wondering whether my head itches. Because when they have white kind of powder on their head, it itches.Dear lord! I bursted out perhaps too emotionally that I don't have a medical condition, but just blond hair.
Next day going though the village with principal Kamal, one woman stares at me and then comments something. I was half sure its about my body. 'What she says?' I ask with a faint heart. She says that you have old peoples hair. You look like an old woman.
Oh great. One thinks I have dandruff, the other that I have gray hair and I have big legs to carry it all around.
Kamal's wife had also said how much she likes my face and that I look so young. But a weak mind pays more attention to neg critics.
Again a week later, hospital staff finding my weight continuously mystical, I went with Panja and Basanta to Panja's home village 4h walk away. At some point in the evening we enter a house, where maybe 10 people where sitting and chatting. Of course I provided a new excellent topic. Maybe after 10 minutes of my being there, grandfather says something and everyone including him is watching me and laughing. I ask Panja to translate me. He had said that he has never seen so big arms.
Oh shoot me now. I was pretty much down and took dislike to this grandpa and taught he should look at himself, old fart. Then I tried to be all Zen and just looked in the fire. Couldn't understand no single word anyway, because they were speaking in tamang. But then a while later, all faces where turned to me again, and everyone was agreeing to something that one of the women said. 'what now?' I asked half-heartedly. 'They say you are very beautiful and everyone likes you'.
Oh :)
Almost felt bad about the old fart namecalling in my head.
So this is how direct people are. Gotta appreciate it and accept that the notion behind big legs or fat arms is probably different than in Europe.
Principal Kamal also told me how he finds me so beautiful in several occasions. Contrast of my young face and elderly hair probably. Once when he was showing me a way through through the woods and fields to the next village, he also tried to kiss me. He was lucky not to fall down the mountain as I pushed him. This was the end of my visits to his place. I was shocked and greatly disappointed in him and also told him that.
The next day after this happened, I discovered that my wallet is empty and 50 euros worth of money gone
After fruitless searches I told Dinesh, he said he will ask his children. The younger son confessed. I got my money back, I was very relived, not angry. Disappointed just, in the son. Apparently he steals money from his familymembers.
Those incidents brought me closer to the hospital staff however. Sharing my worries with them somehow enhanced our relationship, I could feel it. In the end all good and solved.
Tomorrow I pack and leave. 85 days in Nepal has been a good experience. Perhaps I will feel and understand the full significants of it only later.
Thailand next for 2 weeks with 2 friends.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Ahja batti chaina
= today no electricity. This was one of the first expressions I learned in the village. It was very useful. Almost every other day there was electricity cut at some point. It just becomes a normal part of life. What is more surprising concept, is the half electricity. Half electricity is when lights work, but computer doesn't. I don't know what is the physics explanation for it. Some things you just shouldn't bother to question. My regular questions Why? imposed difficulties to locals too often anyway.
Today however I found out what is the reason for the current big electricity cuts in Kathmandu. Its because its cold, Snow is not melting. Thus rivers are not flowing so fast, thus hydroelectricity is produced in much smaller quantities. By now I have also managed to get the power-off-schedule for the Thamel district where I'm staying. Power is divided between different parts of the town at various hours. Tomorrow only between midday and 6pm. Meaning just when it gets dark, it really gets dark. Lights will be on again only midnight! Perhaps people are expected to take a powernap until power is back.
Additionally the country is running out of petrol and many buses services are cut due to lack of fuel. This doesn't bother me too much though hoping that on Wednesday at least Taxi drivers have enough petrol to take me to the airport. Bigger question is, if they will be allowed to - one political party its planning a strike. A strike means that in Kathmandu valley everything its shut down. Transport, schools, businesses, industry, restaurants. People who go against this can face problems such as their taxi is put on fire. The two American ladies I met during my second trek gave me some advice what to do and where to go in such situations, but i'd rather avoid this adventure. Probably the strike will be on Monday or Tuesday anyway. Fingers crossed.
When I was in the village, then there was such a strike. Exactly on the day Filip was planning to return to KTM. Well, based on what we saw on tv, it was definitely better to be stuck in the village.
That particular strike was called by Nepali Congress political party. One of their high ranking officials, president of Chitwan district had been imprisoned some time ago on questionable grounds and just when he was about to be released, he was attacked inside the prison walls. Now he died out of the injuries in the hospital. Of course one political party accused the other one in the assassination. Little bit like a movie.
I don't know if Belgium has a government now, but for the same period Nepal has not had a constitution.
Village life is not too much affected by the politics, although people do talk about it and are unhappy with it. One school director, principal Kamal, explained me, that last time there were elections, then in the post where one can vote, he was not invited in for many many hours, because they new he is not the supporter of the maoist party. Only when he confronted them could he cast his vote.
Principal Kamal was a good information source in general. One with broad knowledge (first one to know Estonia!) and better English to communicate. I found an answer to a question that rose already during the first trek - why are there so few cats in Nepal, but plenty of dogs? Well, its because cats are associated with witches. People are scared of witches, because witches do bad things. If your buffalo does not give you milk, its because witch has come during the night and the buffalo gave all the milk to her. Buffaloes always give their milk to the witch when she comes, because they are scared off them too. And witches often come in a form of a cat. There are many cases, when a cat has come to a house late evening and maybe the cat was then cut or burnt a bit and then, next morning, a woman in the village is seen with similar wounds. Also, cat has a different way of thinking. Cat likes to sleep on the fireplace where it is warm. People come there and disturb her in order to cook food. Cat wishes that there were no people in the house, so she could have the place for herself.
Dog, on the other hand, wishes that there were more people in the house. That means more food is cooked, more leftovers for him. Out of animals dog is also closer to humans, because being a dog is just one step before someone is born as a human being through reincarnation.
Talking about reincarnation, today I went to the most important Hindu temple in Nepal (Pashupatinath) and had a guide there and he explained that in older times, maybe 6 centuries ago, if a husband died, his wife was burnt alive with him. Now luckily no more, but a woman can not remarry. Men, of course, can. This is similar in Tamang culture, not sure if can be said more broad about Buddhist community. In general, when a husband dies, wife is in pretty complex situation. Financially hard, plus she will be somewhat outcasted. People don't look well on a widow. On the other hand its a known problem, that women who do remarry and have children with the new husband, just abandon her children from the first marriage.
On that note, I will stop at the moment.
Today however I found out what is the reason for the current big electricity cuts in Kathmandu. Its because its cold, Snow is not melting. Thus rivers are not flowing so fast, thus hydroelectricity is produced in much smaller quantities. By now I have also managed to get the power-off-schedule for the Thamel district where I'm staying. Power is divided between different parts of the town at various hours. Tomorrow only between midday and 6pm. Meaning just when it gets dark, it really gets dark. Lights will be on again only midnight! Perhaps people are expected to take a powernap until power is back.
Additionally the country is running out of petrol and many buses services are cut due to lack of fuel. This doesn't bother me too much though hoping that on Wednesday at least Taxi drivers have enough petrol to take me to the airport. Bigger question is, if they will be allowed to - one political party its planning a strike. A strike means that in Kathmandu valley everything its shut down. Transport, schools, businesses, industry, restaurants. People who go against this can face problems such as their taxi is put on fire. The two American ladies I met during my second trek gave me some advice what to do and where to go in such situations, but i'd rather avoid this adventure. Probably the strike will be on Monday or Tuesday anyway. Fingers crossed.
When I was in the village, then there was such a strike. Exactly on the day Filip was planning to return to KTM. Well, based on what we saw on tv, it was definitely better to be stuck in the village.
That particular strike was called by Nepali Congress political party. One of their high ranking officials, president of Chitwan district had been imprisoned some time ago on questionable grounds and just when he was about to be released, he was attacked inside the prison walls. Now he died out of the injuries in the hospital. Of course one political party accused the other one in the assassination. Little bit like a movie.
I don't know if Belgium has a government now, but for the same period Nepal has not had a constitution.
Village life is not too much affected by the politics, although people do talk about it and are unhappy with it. One school director, principal Kamal, explained me, that last time there were elections, then in the post where one can vote, he was not invited in for many many hours, because they new he is not the supporter of the maoist party. Only when he confronted them could he cast his vote.
Principal Kamal was a good information source in general. One with broad knowledge (first one to know Estonia!) and better English to communicate. I found an answer to a question that rose already during the first trek - why are there so few cats in Nepal, but plenty of dogs? Well, its because cats are associated with witches. People are scared of witches, because witches do bad things. If your buffalo does not give you milk, its because witch has come during the night and the buffalo gave all the milk to her. Buffaloes always give their milk to the witch when she comes, because they are scared off them too. And witches often come in a form of a cat. There are many cases, when a cat has come to a house late evening and maybe the cat was then cut or burnt a bit and then, next morning, a woman in the village is seen with similar wounds. Also, cat has a different way of thinking. Cat likes to sleep on the fireplace where it is warm. People come there and disturb her in order to cook food. Cat wishes that there were no people in the house, so she could have the place for herself.
Dog, on the other hand, wishes that there were more people in the house. That means more food is cooked, more leftovers for him. Out of animals dog is also closer to humans, because being a dog is just one step before someone is born as a human being through reincarnation.
Talking about reincarnation, today I went to the most important Hindu temple in Nepal (Pashupatinath) and had a guide there and he explained that in older times, maybe 6 centuries ago, if a husband died, his wife was burnt alive with him. Now luckily no more, but a woman can not remarry. Men, of course, can. This is similar in Tamang culture, not sure if can be said more broad about Buddhist community. In general, when a husband dies, wife is in pretty complex situation. Financially hard, plus she will be somewhat outcasted. People don't look well on a widow. On the other hand its a known problem, that women who do remarry and have children with the new husband, just abandon her children from the first marriage.
On that note, I will stop at the moment.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
65 Dal Bahts
My last post finished with an indication that I'm setting off from Kathmandu for volunteering. Of course I assumed that I will have internet access. Going to teach computer and all. Well, I was quickly disillusioned. After 7h bus ride, lungs full of dust (the local buses keep on impressing me with their capabilities to actually manage the conditions), I landed in this beautiful little village surrounded by hills. Well, kinda half way on the hill itself. The only bigger horisontal parts in that part of the country are the school grounds, the rest is rice terraces as far as eyesight goes and houses between them.
Quickly I got my facts straight. Daughter of the hospital manager with whom I arrived to the village, was amused by my question of internet access. Neither did my phone have any signal. Neither was there electricity for the first 3 days. I did get my own room in the house of the hospital manager, Dinesh Sir (this is the polite way to add a title), but this came on the expense of the 2 daughters having to sleep outside on the balcony. I soon found out this is quite normal. Balcony is like an extended room with 3 walls instead of 4. This particular balcony even had a computer. Do you see anyone in Belgium/Estonia setting their PC out on the balcony? In some other houses grandparents sleep in front of the house, on a mat made of rice straws. I guess its convenient as they are the one waking up at 5am to make fire to cook food for the buffalo and to sweep around the house. Rest of the family wakes up around 6. Sometimes the roles are different, but anyway, sure thing is that if you wake up before 6, you can already hear someone loud burping and spitting.
This kind of very special spitting produces a sound , which I think for me its the single most disturbing thing here. Anyone who has been to Nepal, knows what I'm talking about. Its hard to describe - the other volunteer, Honza from Czech Republic, suggested that this is a way of blowing the nose. They don't do it from the nose, but suck it skilfully to their throat and then spit it out. It produces a loud, long noise and always makes me wince. You can have this beautiful young lady all dressed up and you are just admiring her, and then the next moment she goes about cleaning her nose and throat in this manner ... I wonder if a couple goes on a date, perhaps a romantic walk between the ricefields or to a stupa (Buddhist religious monument), they just do the same. Perhaps they don't even hear it or its like coughing, when you gotta cough, you gotta cough, there is no shame in it. Anyway, that was the sound greeting me in the mornings. But if that little thing is the most disturbing thing, then life is pretty pleasant, you see :)
Ok, so I was living in the home of the hospital manager. The hospital itself was just 5 min walk away and this is where i spent most of my time. I had tried to avoid having any specific ideas about how this volunteering is going to be. Teaching in the hospital sounded so prestigious, being surrounded by doctors in white robes, perhaps like in Grey's Anatomy (Mc Steamy, Mc Dreamy and all). Well, it was slightly different. To start out with, the hospital had no doctor. They used to have one, but he left. Not only did he leave, but he also changed to password for the router to use internet, so now there was none (but you see, there used to be!) He left a few months ago, but things take time in Nepal to be repaired or advanced.
Although there was no doctor, there was plenty of other staff. In the beginning I was taken aback by the fact that hospital is run by kids. The highest position after the manager was held by 19 year old health assistant (meaning he has completed 3 years of medical studies after graduating the 10th class and he has secondary school level equivalent and can enter university). Then there was a nurse, lab assistant, pharmacist, community medical assistant, receptionist and security guard. Most bewildering for me was the position of the receptionist as the only task for her seemed to be to pick up the phone. Usually whoever was closest, picked up the phone anyway. So it really only was necessary when all staff was having lunch or all busy with a patient. In the beginning there seemed hardly any patients at all... In time however, and getting to know the situation more, I came to appreciate the existence of this hospital a lot. Its the only hospital in the valley. People walk for hours to come. It was opened only 2010 (http://www.dcwcnepal-us.org) and other than that there is very little chance to get medical care. So it is a big help for the local community. Finding a doctor to come and work in a remote area, is hard however, so the hospital staff is doing their best in the circumstances. Patients who need more extensive medical intervention, have to go to Kathmandu. There was a case of a lady that fell down a mountain rolling for 50m and was brought in with a bus late in the evening, unconscious. Hospital staff made preliminary examination and suspected that there might be internal bleeding, so the patient had to be taken further to Kathmandu. Considering the time and conditions of the road to get to the capital, I think the woman had a very bleak chance to survive. Hope she did.
So this is to give some background information :) Its hard to press 5 weeks of impressions and experiences into one blogpost! Plus, who has the patience to read? I'm sitting here in an internet cafe in KTM (Kathmandu). I found today morning a place for 40euro cents per hour in Thamel, in the centre of the tourist district, where I stay. This is a great discovery as the usual going rate is 1 euro per hour. And for reasons secret from me, the last 6 days electricity supply in KTM is limited to 10h or less. They is supposed to be even an on/off electricity schedule, but that's unreliable. Anyway, my guesthouse has no backup generator and internet line is also down, because there was some fire...so internet cafe is only choice. And I found a cheapest one in the area I suppose! Additionally in this little hideout, you can buy Nepali tea for 10 cents. And you can get the national dish, Dal Baht, for 70 cents. Not sure if 2 days after the village and eating Dal Baht (rice, lentil soup and vegetables) twice a day/every day, I'm ready to face it again though. But good to know! A backpacker needs to count :) And today I'm going to meet one of the hospital staff members, Panja, who is in Kathmandu to take exams he has not studied for ... so good to know local places. Or maybe I will take him to CookieWalla to blow his brains out with the sugarrush you can get from Hello to the King. I still haven't been there after my return to the city. That's self restraint!
This guy, Panja, and Basantha where my main students. For some programs, other staff participated as well. And what good students! On the 4th day, when electricity came back, I needed to come up with a training plan. And discussing with them what they already know and what they want to learn, the plan was set to go through MS programs Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MovieMaker and Picasa photo editing. So I was explaining different functionalities, preparing exercises for them and then sitting next to them and guiding if needed, when they were doing the exercises. What was so great is that I could see the enthusiasm. They really wanted to learn. Even excel calculations, which I know that some of my friends pretty much hate. But they where talking to each other, discussing, trying to find solutions and only when not able, turning to me. And it was funny as well. And sometimes I could see, that when I was not there, they were practicing some things on their own. Or teaching other staff members of the hospital. Actually MovieMaker I didnt even have in mind in the beginning to teach, because I had never used it myself, but the health assistant, Nirajan, explained me that his friend has done this and that and he wants to learn as well how to do it. So I first learned the basics of the MovieMaker myself and then taught them. They were really happy and that made me happy. Did I already say that I miss them? We got to be good friends and on the day that I left, everyone was so serious. No smiles. I'm glad to meet Panja today.
Enough of writing now. Walks to different villages, ceremonies, fascination in mobiles, momo preparation mastering, grey hair suspicion, nepali language learning, working on the rice fields, Dexter/Scrabble/Dal Baht time topics I will pick up some other time.
Quickly I got my facts straight. Daughter of the hospital manager with whom I arrived to the village, was amused by my question of internet access. Neither did my phone have any signal. Neither was there electricity for the first 3 days. I did get my own room in the house of the hospital manager, Dinesh Sir (this is the polite way to add a title), but this came on the expense of the 2 daughters having to sleep outside on the balcony. I soon found out this is quite normal. Balcony is like an extended room with 3 walls instead of 4. This particular balcony even had a computer. Do you see anyone in Belgium/Estonia setting their PC out on the balcony? In some other houses grandparents sleep in front of the house, on a mat made of rice straws. I guess its convenient as they are the one waking up at 5am to make fire to cook food for the buffalo and to sweep around the house. Rest of the family wakes up around 6. Sometimes the roles are different, but anyway, sure thing is that if you wake up before 6, you can already hear someone loud burping and spitting.
This kind of very special spitting produces a sound , which I think for me its the single most disturbing thing here. Anyone who has been to Nepal, knows what I'm talking about. Its hard to describe - the other volunteer, Honza from Czech Republic, suggested that this is a way of blowing the nose. They don't do it from the nose, but suck it skilfully to their throat and then spit it out. It produces a loud, long noise and always makes me wince. You can have this beautiful young lady all dressed up and you are just admiring her, and then the next moment she goes about cleaning her nose and throat in this manner ... I wonder if a couple goes on a date, perhaps a romantic walk between the ricefields or to a stupa (Buddhist religious monument), they just do the same. Perhaps they don't even hear it or its like coughing, when you gotta cough, you gotta cough, there is no shame in it. Anyway, that was the sound greeting me in the mornings. But if that little thing is the most disturbing thing, then life is pretty pleasant, you see :)
Ok, so I was living in the home of the hospital manager. The hospital itself was just 5 min walk away and this is where i spent most of my time. I had tried to avoid having any specific ideas about how this volunteering is going to be. Teaching in the hospital sounded so prestigious, being surrounded by doctors in white robes, perhaps like in Grey's Anatomy (Mc Steamy, Mc Dreamy and all). Well, it was slightly different. To start out with, the hospital had no doctor. They used to have one, but he left. Not only did he leave, but he also changed to password for the router to use internet, so now there was none (but you see, there used to be!) He left a few months ago, but things take time in Nepal to be repaired or advanced.
Although there was no doctor, there was plenty of other staff. In the beginning I was taken aback by the fact that hospital is run by kids. The highest position after the manager was held by 19 year old health assistant (meaning he has completed 3 years of medical studies after graduating the 10th class and he has secondary school level equivalent and can enter university). Then there was a nurse, lab assistant, pharmacist, community medical assistant, receptionist and security guard. Most bewildering for me was the position of the receptionist as the only task for her seemed to be to pick up the phone. Usually whoever was closest, picked up the phone anyway. So it really only was necessary when all staff was having lunch or all busy with a patient. In the beginning there seemed hardly any patients at all... In time however, and getting to know the situation more, I came to appreciate the existence of this hospital a lot. Its the only hospital in the valley. People walk for hours to come. It was opened only 2010 (http://www.dcwcnepal-us.org) and other than that there is very little chance to get medical care. So it is a big help for the local community. Finding a doctor to come and work in a remote area, is hard however, so the hospital staff is doing their best in the circumstances. Patients who need more extensive medical intervention, have to go to Kathmandu. There was a case of a lady that fell down a mountain rolling for 50m and was brought in with a bus late in the evening, unconscious. Hospital staff made preliminary examination and suspected that there might be internal bleeding, so the patient had to be taken further to Kathmandu. Considering the time and conditions of the road to get to the capital, I think the woman had a very bleak chance to survive. Hope she did.
So this is to give some background information :) Its hard to press 5 weeks of impressions and experiences into one blogpost! Plus, who has the patience to read? I'm sitting here in an internet cafe in KTM (Kathmandu). I found today morning a place for 40euro cents per hour in Thamel, in the centre of the tourist district, where I stay. This is a great discovery as the usual going rate is 1 euro per hour. And for reasons secret from me, the last 6 days electricity supply in KTM is limited to 10h or less. They is supposed to be even an on/off electricity schedule, but that's unreliable. Anyway, my guesthouse has no backup generator and internet line is also down, because there was some fire...so internet cafe is only choice. And I found a cheapest one in the area I suppose! Additionally in this little hideout, you can buy Nepali tea for 10 cents. And you can get the national dish, Dal Baht, for 70 cents. Not sure if 2 days after the village and eating Dal Baht (rice, lentil soup and vegetables) twice a day/every day, I'm ready to face it again though. But good to know! A backpacker needs to count :) And today I'm going to meet one of the hospital staff members, Panja, who is in Kathmandu to take exams he has not studied for ... so good to know local places. Or maybe I will take him to CookieWalla to blow his brains out with the sugarrush you can get from Hello to the King. I still haven't been there after my return to the city. That's self restraint!
This guy, Panja, and Basantha where my main students. For some programs, other staff participated as well. And what good students! On the 4th day, when electricity came back, I needed to come up with a training plan. And discussing with them what they already know and what they want to learn, the plan was set to go through MS programs Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MovieMaker and Picasa photo editing. So I was explaining different functionalities, preparing exercises for them and then sitting next to them and guiding if needed, when they were doing the exercises. What was so great is that I could see the enthusiasm. They really wanted to learn. Even excel calculations, which I know that some of my friends pretty much hate. But they where talking to each other, discussing, trying to find solutions and only when not able, turning to me. And it was funny as well. And sometimes I could see, that when I was not there, they were practicing some things on their own. Or teaching other staff members of the hospital. Actually MovieMaker I didnt even have in mind in the beginning to teach, because I had never used it myself, but the health assistant, Nirajan, explained me that his friend has done this and that and he wants to learn as well how to do it. So I first learned the basics of the MovieMaker myself and then taught them. They were really happy and that made me happy. Did I already say that I miss them? We got to be good friends and on the day that I left, everyone was so serious. No smiles. I'm glad to meet Panja today.
Enough of writing now. Walks to different villages, ceremonies, fascination in mobiles, momo preparation mastering, grey hair suspicion, nepali language learning, working on the rice fields, Dexter/Scrabble/Dal Baht time topics I will pick up some other time.
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