My Nepali Language Journey

Namaste (hello) from Nepal yet again!  The Nepali language class that I have been taking this week has become more intense and demanding but I am learning so much that I really enjoy the challenge.  I'll teach you some of what I've learned!

Hello, my name is ___________.  What is your name?

Namaste, mero naam _______ ho.  Tapaiiko naam ke ho?

It's nice to meet you.  How are you?

Tapaai lai bhetera khusi lagyo.  Tapaai lai kasto chha?

I'm fine, thank you.  See you later!

Malai tick chha, dhanya baad.  Pheri bhetula!

Even small phrases like this may seem basic but they are REALLY difficult to learn at first.  We've just started to learn verbs and longer phrases, but for now I'm just focusing on the basics.  It's fun to be learning a new language with other people because we can practice together.  When we're all crammed into a tiny taxi in 90 degree heat on a bumpy dirt road to Thamel, we practice with each other.  At breakfast, lunch, and dinner we also practice.  We'll be pros by the time we arrive home.  

Yesterday was a very busy day but it was really rewarding.  We visited Kathmandu's Durbar Square, which is a very famous site to visit in Nepal.  The Kimura house, which is in Durbar Square, is home to Nepal's living goddess of Hinduism.  The windows and pillars were intricately carved out of wood and painted black.  We saw Hindu sadhus wandering around the temples, as well.  I've always just seen them in pictures but they are amazing to look at in person!  My friend Aaron wanted to try to get a picture with them, but they charged money, money we didn't have.  

For the past few days, I've been trying to change my future plans around a bit.  I was planning on WWOOFing in a town south of Chitwan with a host family for the month of October, then go to an orphanage in Pokhara and finish off with an 11-day trek in the Annapurna mountain range with RCDP guides and porters.  Now, though, I'm planning on WWOOFing near Chitwan for only three weeks, meeting up with friends from the RCDP hostel to hike the Annapurna range with them, and then work in the orphanage or possibly a monastery in Pokhara.  I'm glad I have found others to hike with in the Himalayas because it makes the journey much more enjoyable when you have friends by your side, especially in such a beautiful environment.  

I have great plans for my future in Nepal, but I'm trying not to focus on that but, instead, focus on the present moment.  Everything is so interesting, I never know what will happen in a day.  I am excited for the rest of this week, however.  Tomorrow we will go sightseeing as a group and visit three temples in Kathmandu, two of which are Buddhist and one of which is Hindu (Monkey Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site!).  I believe it is Saturday that we are planning on visiting Bhaktapur for the day and then moving on to Nagarkot, where we will stay the night in a guesthouse and wake up early on Saturday morning to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas.  I have heard that Nagarkot is a must-see for tourists and others alike because of the magnificent views of the mountains before the fog and haze rolls in.  Sunday morning will be our Nepali exam and then we will prepare for our next adventures!  I've made it a point to have everyone right their emails and contacts in my journal so I can always keep in touch with them, even after I have returned home to the states.

I didn't take the picture below, unfortunately.  However, I DID SEE THE SADHU ON THE RIGHT IN PERSON.  He's a cool dude, especially with those glasses.  Rock on man.

The picture below is from when Kajal, Ramon, and I visited Samaan's home for dinner on Saturday night.  It was when I barely knew anyone, yet I still had an unbelievably good time.  The family was really welcoming and it was great to spend time with the children for the oldest daughter's 6th birthday.  The guy on the left is Ramon.  I got to spend time with him for just about two days, and in that time we formed a great relationship.  He volunteered in a monastery in Pokhara for around 9 weeks and said he absolutely changed his life.  I forget the names of the two girls next to me, but they are both from the Netherlands and were staying with Saman for the length of their projects in Kathmandu.

The picture below is of Kajal (left) and Ramon (right).  Kajal is from the UK and is currently volunteering at Monkey Temple in Kathmandu for four months.  She was a great friend to have when I first moved to Nepal, but we were only able to spend just about a day together so it's sad to see her go.

  I'm grateful I have internet access a few times a week, but it won't last for long because there will be less access when I move to Chitwan.  I'll keep you updated as my trip unfolds!

Miss you all!  Shuva din!

Peace in Kathmandu's Busy Streets

Hey everyone!  It has been quite some time since I last posted on the blog, but there are not many internet cafes where I am now in Kathmandu to be able to update it on a regular basis.  All I have to say so far is that I absolutely love Nepal!  Everyone is very welcoming and it really cannot be compared to the United States. Kathmandu is a crazy place to be living for right now because there is so much traffic, a ton of people, and so much smog and pollution that sometimes it is difficult to breathe.  The hostel I am staying at is right in the center of Kathmandu down a little side street and it is really cool place to stay.  I have met some really great people from all over the world in just the past three days.  I've met people from the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Australia, among others.  We travel around Kathmandu and the surrounding areas together and stick up for each other when beggars and sales people start haggling us for our money, thinking we are rich just because we aren't Nepali.  I have already been welcomed to dinner at the field coordinator's home from RCDP (Nepal's Rural Community Development Program) and it was like being welcomed right in to a Nepali family's home.  We ate dhaal bhaat for dinner, which is the national dish of Nepal.  We sat on the floor and ate with our hands, which was really cool.  It seems odd but once you get used to it you love not using silverware anymore!

Some of the people I have met at the hostel have already left either for home, to their projects in other areas of Nepal, or to continue traveling around Asia.  I met a couple from Australia that have been traveling through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia for the past 3 months and so now they are here in Nepal for one month and will then continue on to India and then Europe.  So inspiring!  I also met a guy named Ramon, from Germany, who said his experience in Pokhara absolutely changed his life and his philosophy.  Those of us who are staying in the hostel can really bond quickly and deeply to each other in no time because it seems we have all flocked to Nepal for the same reason- to find ourselves, our inner souls and life purposes, and explore part of the world that many people have not visited.  We've had many deep conversations about how we see ourselves and the progress we are making in changing our own philosophies and perspectives on life.  It is easy to talk about it because it is something we all deeply care about.  There's a deeper meaning to life and the universe, but sometimes it is overwhelming to think about things that broadly.  With these individuals, though, we are all on the same level and can talk about these kinds of things and understand where each other is coming from.

I am really happy that I had the guts to travel to Nepal solo.  It takes bravery and courage to do this, let me tell you.  It wasn't easy up and leaving everything I had ever known and all the commodities that make life easier.  And coming alone has added a lot of stress to the mix.  But now that I'm here, I'm learning how things work in this culture and it really isn't all that difficult to do things on my own.

My anxiety and depression?  Completely gone.  I knew what was causing both of them when I was home and it was a feeling of deep restlessness that plagued me each and every day.  I felt I had more to do with myself but nothing that involved a real job.  I needed to get away and explore the world around me that I have been so sheltered from for all the time I have been living in Maine.  I felt like I was stuck, and for no reason.  So I decided to do something about it and travel to the place I have always wanted to come to.  I deserve to come here, I think, because I really needed it for my mental health and it is also a great way to grow and learn as a young individual who has never really traveled on her own.  Though sometimes it is uncomfortable learning new things here, it is the type of learning I love.  Not reading through textbooks and textbooks of facts that I'll spit out verbatim on an exam just to get an A and have a good GPA.  I want more in my life than that, at least for now.  I learn more from hands-on experience than anything else and coming to Nepal has really proven to me that I am right about that.  I know what I need to keep my mind healthy and fresh and being home wasn't cutting it for me.

My curiosity for life makes me feel like I am 5 years old again.  I am able to create my own experience here; I am in control of how I spend my time. Putting myself in a scary situation such as this was a wake-up call at first but now it is becoming easier and I can see that being alone and handling the obstacles by myself, or with strangers who have become good friends, is allowing me to grow as a person.  I no longer am wishing to always be somewhere else, like I did at home.  I wake up excited to see what else I can learn about the Nepalese culture and way of life.

I am where I am supposed to be.  I was called here and now I know why.

I'll keep you posted as I explore more of Nepal.  For now, namaste.

Namaste :)