Power cuts and load-shedding are part of daily life in Nepal. People work their lives around them, and after a while you stop noticing. In the mountains a power cut can last anywhere from 1-2 seconds to several hours. When it's shorter ones there tends to be lots, but you never actually have any idea of how long the power will be out for.
We're actually quite lucky in the mountains. Although our cuts are scheduled and can last any amount of time, we have power fairly often, and usually in the evening. In Kathmandu the power cuts are 12 hours per day, and apparently often in the evenings. The trade off though, is that with a scheduled cut you can plan cooking rice for when the power will be on, instead of it being half done and the power cutting, which happens to us once in a while.
Outside of cooking rice, power cuts don't affect our lives very much. You just do everything by torch and candlelight instead of overhead light. With the possibility of it cutting at any moment, once it starts to get dark you always know in the back of your mind exactly where your headtorch and all the house candles are, to the point of easily being able to find them in the dark. We can all make our way to the kitchen from any part of the house, find a candle, light the stove, and light the candle from the stove, all in the pitch dark. And we haven't even eaten that many carrots!
Power cuts are such a part of Nepali life that mobile phones come complete with flashlights. I've even found a lighter with a flashlight on it!
Some nights I live in my headtorch, reflexively turning it on and off as the power does the same. I don't really even notice it any more, just turn it on and continue what I was doing. When the power goes out, conversation doesn't even pause, just continues like nothing happened, while one person goes and finds a light. Actually, we don't really look for lights anymore, as one person inevitably has one on them.
Some people, particularly hotels and restaurants, have generators, although some private homes do as well. Usually they're only turned on when needed, so when the power goes off there's a little while of dark before the lights come on again. Still, I don't really notice, and prefer when the lights are left off and just candles used.
The roof is a great place to be in the evening when the power is often going on and off. When it is on, you can see the lights of Gorkha across the valley, and many lights interspersed among the trees near the roof. When it goes off, the whole world suddenly goes dark, and then lights up when it comes back on. It's almost like the world is coming back to life.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Gorkha Museum - Saturday March 6
After shopping for khukuris on Friday afternoon, we had dinner at the Gurkha Inn, and spent the rest of the night relaxing just outside the door of the house in Gorkha.
Saturday morning the six of us headed out to the Gorkha Museum, which is situated on some very nice grounds (grass being quite rare here I can get a bit excited when I see some) just above the buspark. We went with Dinesh again, which was great, as he was able to explain quite a few things to us.
The museum is located in a 19th century Newari palace, built in a square shape with a courtyard in the middle. It's an impressive building, built entirely from dark brick, with dark wood trim.
As far as museum exhibits go, it was pretty lacking. There is a decent size collection of artifacts, which was fun to look at, but not much signage. I didn't often have much more than a general idea of what I was looking at, so it was great to have Dinesh there, as he was able to explain lots.
This was particularly good when we were in a hallway filled with weapons. Having just bought khukuris the day before, it was fun to see the same knives on display, and there were some big ones!
Gorkha is famous because it was the home of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the prince who united all of Nepal in 1768. It hasn't really capitalized on this in terms of tourism yet, but as an important place in the history of Nepal, being able to read the history of the region over the past 400 or so years brought some perspective to what PNS did. It makes his accomplishments all the more impressive.
Along another hallway is a row of paintings, depicting important events and people from the history of Gorkha region. They were all done by the same artist, which was pretty obvious as the style was all exactly the same. They were quite good, showing the weapons in action, style of armour, and even some with more everyday events. In one, depicting a king with his two wives, both wives had the exact same face. That was a little weird.
By far the best part of the museum was the grounds. There is a 2-level yard, and sitting on the top level we had a beautiful view over Gorkha and the valley beyond. It set the pace for the rest of the day - unhurried and peaceful.
Saturday morning the six of us headed out to the Gorkha Museum, which is situated on some very nice grounds (grass being quite rare here I can get a bit excited when I see some) just above the buspark. We went with Dinesh again, which was great, as he was able to explain quite a few things to us.
The museum is located in a 19th century Newari palace, built in a square shape with a courtyard in the middle. It's an impressive building, built entirely from dark brick, with dark wood trim.
As far as museum exhibits go, it was pretty lacking. There is a decent size collection of artifacts, which was fun to look at, but not much signage. I didn't often have much more than a general idea of what I was looking at, so it was great to have Dinesh there, as he was able to explain lots.
This was particularly good when we were in a hallway filled with weapons. Having just bought khukuris the day before, it was fun to see the same knives on display, and there were some big ones!
Gorkha is famous because it was the home of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the prince who united all of Nepal in 1768. It hasn't really capitalized on this in terms of tourism yet, but as an important place in the history of Nepal, being able to read the history of the region over the past 400 or so years brought some perspective to what PNS did. It makes his accomplishments all the more impressive.
Along another hallway is a row of paintings, depicting important events and people from the history of Gorkha region. They were all done by the same artist, which was pretty obvious as the style was all exactly the same. They were quite good, showing the weapons in action, style of armour, and even some with more everyday events. In one, depicting a king with his two wives, both wives had the exact same face. That was a little weird.
By far the best part of the museum was the grounds. There is a 2-level yard, and sitting on the top level we had a beautiful view over Gorkha and the valley beyond. It set the pace for the rest of the day - unhurried and peaceful.
Shopping for Khukuris - Friday March 5
The weekend of March 5-6, Amy and Kirsten went to Bandipur, while Caitlin and I stayed back in Laxmi as we had been invited to our headmaster's house. In the end he cancelled as he was too busy, but we had a nice weekend all the same. We went up to Gorkha on Friday afternoon, and spent the night.
Friday afternoon we went shopping for khukuri knives with Dinesh, a teacher at Julia and Ed's school. A khukuri is the traditional Gurkha weapon, carried into battle by Gurkha soldiers. Gurkhas are soldiers from the Gorkha region, who fought alongside Prithvi Narayan Shah to unite all of Nepal in the late 18th century. Incidentally, its also the name of a brand of rum.
A khukuri knife is long and slightly curved, and wider (towards the inside of the curve) at the tip than at the base. The shaft is quite thick, and is sharp on one side, the inside of the curve. Near the handle is a notch, to allow blood to drip away without going on the hand of the wielder. Those we saw had engravings on the shaft; it either said 'Gurkha army', was a geometric style design, or had a picture of a bird. These were primarily ornamental knives, battle ones wouldn't have intricate designs. One of Hari's knives has a engraving of a peacock, with the front and back of the bird on respective sides of the blade.
Khukuri knives range in size from 2-3 inches to two feet (the longest I've seen, there could be larger). The cases can be either plain or quite ornamental, with gold coloured designs and Nepali coins. The plain ones tended to be black, with perhaps a pin attached.
Looking at the selection (which became progressively wider as more and more knives just kept appearing from somewhere) was a lot of fun. There were all different sizes to choose from, with both wooden and bone handles. The combination of choosing size, handle, sheath and engraving meant you could make a knife fairly customized.
Khukuris are still used today. Animal sacrifices are done using them, and they are an important part of the history and culture of the region. One day at school, Druba, one of the English teachers, brought one out to show us. He just pulled it from his bag like it was the most natural thing in the world!
Oh, and Chris, Happy 19th a few weeks early.
Friday afternoon we went shopping for khukuri knives with Dinesh, a teacher at Julia and Ed's school. A khukuri is the traditional Gurkha weapon, carried into battle by Gurkha soldiers. Gurkhas are soldiers from the Gorkha region, who fought alongside Prithvi Narayan Shah to unite all of Nepal in the late 18th century. Incidentally, its also the name of a brand of rum.
A khukuri knife is long and slightly curved, and wider (towards the inside of the curve) at the tip than at the base. The shaft is quite thick, and is sharp on one side, the inside of the curve. Near the handle is a notch, to allow blood to drip away without going on the hand of the wielder. Those we saw had engravings on the shaft; it either said 'Gurkha army', was a geometric style design, or had a picture of a bird. These were primarily ornamental knives, battle ones wouldn't have intricate designs. One of Hari's knives has a engraving of a peacock, with the front and back of the bird on respective sides of the blade.
Khukuri knives range in size from 2-3 inches to two feet (the longest I've seen, there could be larger). The cases can be either plain or quite ornamental, with gold coloured designs and Nepali coins. The plain ones tended to be black, with perhaps a pin attached.
Looking at the selection (which became progressively wider as more and more knives just kept appearing from somewhere) was a lot of fun. There were all different sizes to choose from, with both wooden and bone handles. The combination of choosing size, handle, sheath and engraving meant you could make a knife fairly customized.
Khukuris are still used today. Animal sacrifices are done using them, and they are an important part of the history and culture of the region. One day at school, Druba, one of the English teachers, brought one out to show us. He just pulled it from his bag like it was the most natural thing in the world!
Oh, and Chris, Happy 19th a few weeks early.
The roof at night
- looking out over the valley towards Gorkha, the lights of the town strung along the mountainside
- cars snaking along the road between Laxmi and Gorkha, I can follow the progress by the headlights
- the noise of the road in the background, the noise of the farms in the foreground
- dogs barking, crickets chirping
- sometimes a neighbour on their way to the bathroom, along the path past the haystack
- buffaloes stomping and snorting in their shed
- music coming from the houses along the road
- groups of people talking, laughing and singing as they make their way home
- clear skies, bright moons and tons of stars
- random large bugs landing all over me
- the world lighting up and going dark as the power comes on and off
- my favourite place in the house
- cars snaking along the road between Laxmi and Gorkha, I can follow the progress by the headlights
- the noise of the road in the background, the noise of the farms in the foreground
- dogs barking, crickets chirping
- sometimes a neighbour on their way to the bathroom, along the path past the haystack
- buffaloes stomping and snorting in their shed
- music coming from the houses along the road
- groups of people talking, laughing and singing as they make their way home
- clear skies, bright moons and tons of stars
- random large bugs landing all over me
- the world lighting up and going dark as the power comes on and off
- my favourite place in the house
Internet
In a previous post, I mentioned that I was writing from the roof of my house. I've taken to writing these posts out beforehand in a notebook, usually while sitting on the roof. It's much nicer than a dingy internet cafe.
The internet here is decidedly unreliable. The power cuts often result in lost emails, and the connection often drops. Saving after every line has become second nature - another reason I write these on the roof, so I only need to copy while typing.
In Gorkha (there is no internet cafe in Laxmi) the connection is often very slow. It can be kind of fast sometimes, but not often. When you sit down and the people on both other computers are having video conversations, you know its going to be a slow day. Once it took almost 5 mins to get into my email!
Other then in Kathmandu and Pokhara, internet cafes are rather airless and hot. In most cases they are small and kind of dingy, not really a nice place to be. But, internet is worth it!
Home computers are available, but not yet widespread in Gorkha and Laxmi. Many younger people use the cafes for msn and games. I already appreciate having my own computer at home, as well as fast and reliable internet. That's something I won't take lightly when I get back!
The most colourful feature of the internet cafes in the group of observers, often young boys. The perception of personal space/privacy is very different here, so its not uncommon to find someone reading your email over your shoulder. They even will read what you type out loud, usually to practice their English. It's hard to tell how much they understand though. It can get annoying to be constantly minimizing something private, but if you do it enough times they will get the message pretty quick. And when it's something you don't mind sharing, it can be fun to see if I can type faster than the kids can read. I can't. Their English is too good!
The internet here is decidedly unreliable. The power cuts often result in lost emails, and the connection often drops. Saving after every line has become second nature - another reason I write these on the roof, so I only need to copy while typing.
In Gorkha (there is no internet cafe in Laxmi) the connection is often very slow. It can be kind of fast sometimes, but not often. When you sit down and the people on both other computers are having video conversations, you know its going to be a slow day. Once it took almost 5 mins to get into my email!
Other then in Kathmandu and Pokhara, internet cafes are rather airless and hot. In most cases they are small and kind of dingy, not really a nice place to be. But, internet is worth it!
Home computers are available, but not yet widespread in Gorkha and Laxmi. Many younger people use the cafes for msn and games. I already appreciate having my own computer at home, as well as fast and reliable internet. That's something I won't take lightly when I get back!
The most colourful feature of the internet cafes in the group of observers, often young boys. The perception of personal space/privacy is very different here, so its not uncommon to find someone reading your email over your shoulder. They even will read what you type out loud, usually to practice their English. It's hard to tell how much they understand though. It can get annoying to be constantly minimizing something private, but if you do it enough times they will get the message pretty quick. And when it's something you don't mind sharing, it can be fun to see if I can type faster than the kids can read. I can't. Their English is too good!
Day in the Life
I've been living in Laxmi for several weeks now, and have long since considered myself settled. Our days have taken on a familiar pattern, and this place has really come to feel like home.
I tend to get up between 7:15 and 7:45 on a school day (which is 6 days per week). We need to boil all our water for 5 minutes before drinking it, and have only 2 burners on the stove. Making breakfast can take a while, between tea, fried potatoes, eggs, toast, and maybe even french toast or pancakes. I prefer to eat breakfast early and then have some free time before school, instead of feeling rushed.
It's a 30-35 minute walk to school, so Caitlin and I usually leave the house by 9:15, unless it's raining or we're running late, in which case we take the bus. Assembly starts at 9:45, so we need to by there by then.
School usually ends between 3:20 and 4, depending on what is happening in the afternoon. Fridays are a half-day, so it ends at 1. If we are going to Gorkha after school we will take the bus directly from school, as there is no guarantee how fast the next one will come. We have been doing this more often recently, as the days have been getting longer. We like to be home by dark to avoid the night buses, so having more time has been great. Going to Gorkha involves some combination of internet, shopping for things you can't get in Laxmi (such as jam) and visiting the other house. Sometimes there's a hot shower mixed in there somewhere. We are able to have them free at the Gurkha Inn, but as the weather has been getting hotter, the cold shower has been beckoning more and more often.
The days we come home for the afternoon are spent relaxing on the roof with tea, cards, books and lesson plans. It's my favourite place in the house, especially when the view is fine. It's also nice because the rest of the house tends to be quite dark, so its almost always brighter on the roof (I call it upstairs, because it really is another room in the house)
In January we began cooking dinner quite early, as it always seemed to take a long time. We weren't accustomed to how long each item takes, nor to the rythym of coordinating dinner on two burners. As time has passed we've gotten faster, and usually eat at around 7:30, unless there's a power cut so we've delayed making the rice.
I lost my watch in Pokhara, so I haven't worn one since. I almost never know what time it is, which I've become quite used to. At home I hate not knowing, but here I really enjoy eating when I'm hungry and sleeping when I'm tired. The only time I actually need to know the time is while I'm teaching.
The general rule in the house is that who(m)ever cooks doesn't do the washing up. We make tea to have round the table while the washing water is heating, and from there disperse to reading, writing, lesson planning and general relaxing.
For the past several weeks I've been spending my nights on the roof, looking out over the valley. When I'm ready I head to bed, to get up the next morning and start over again!
I tend to get up between 7:15 and 7:45 on a school day (which is 6 days per week). We need to boil all our water for 5 minutes before drinking it, and have only 2 burners on the stove. Making breakfast can take a while, between tea, fried potatoes, eggs, toast, and maybe even french toast or pancakes. I prefer to eat breakfast early and then have some free time before school, instead of feeling rushed.
It's a 30-35 minute walk to school, so Caitlin and I usually leave the house by 9:15, unless it's raining or we're running late, in which case we take the bus. Assembly starts at 9:45, so we need to by there by then.
School usually ends between 3:20 and 4, depending on what is happening in the afternoon. Fridays are a half-day, so it ends at 1. If we are going to Gorkha after school we will take the bus directly from school, as there is no guarantee how fast the next one will come. We have been doing this more often recently, as the days have been getting longer. We like to be home by dark to avoid the night buses, so having more time has been great. Going to Gorkha involves some combination of internet, shopping for things you can't get in Laxmi (such as jam) and visiting the other house. Sometimes there's a hot shower mixed in there somewhere. We are able to have them free at the Gurkha Inn, but as the weather has been getting hotter, the cold shower has been beckoning more and more often.
The days we come home for the afternoon are spent relaxing on the roof with tea, cards, books and lesson plans. It's my favourite place in the house, especially when the view is fine. It's also nice because the rest of the house tends to be quite dark, so its almost always brighter on the roof (I call it upstairs, because it really is another room in the house)
In January we began cooking dinner quite early, as it always seemed to take a long time. We weren't accustomed to how long each item takes, nor to the rythym of coordinating dinner on two burners. As time has passed we've gotten faster, and usually eat at around 7:30, unless there's a power cut so we've delayed making the rice.
I lost my watch in Pokhara, so I haven't worn one since. I almost never know what time it is, which I've become quite used to. At home I hate not knowing, but here I really enjoy eating when I'm hungry and sleeping when I'm tired. The only time I actually need to know the time is while I'm teaching.
The general rule in the house is that who(m)ever cooks doesn't do the washing up. We make tea to have round the table while the washing water is heating, and from there disperse to reading, writing, lesson planning and general relaxing.
For the past several weeks I've been spending my nights on the roof, looking out over the valley. When I'm ready I head to bed, to get up the next morning and start over again!
Holi - February 28
The weekend after Pokhara was Holi, the festival of colour. It's one of the biggest festivals in Nepal, especially for young people.
Besi and Bhote both came to visit for the weekend, so everyone was able to spend the fesitval, which was on Sunday, together. Being an important festival, it was a holiday from school. Everyone had arrived by lunchtime on Saturday, so after a lunch at the Gurkha Inn, we headed up to the Durbar, this time taking a route along a ridge at the western edge of town. (the first time we went, with Amy and Kirsten's headmaster, we went along an eastern ridge) This route took us past Mahindra Joti, Hari and Magnus' school, which was fun to see. The building is huge, but is open brick, not painted, so it doesn't have the same aesthetic appeal.
The temple itself was much quieter this time, so it had a very different feeling. I was able to more fully appreciate the buildings themselves, while last time I experienced the temple in full use. The feather covered stone where the pigeons and chickens are sacrificed was still there, and still gruesome.
The tradition at Holi is to throw balloons filled with paint and coloured powder at each other. Its impossible to go out on the streets without getting covered in colour. Thus the basis for the appeal of the festival!
Caitlin, Will (the Besi house stayed with us, while the Bhote house stayed in Gorkha) and I walked up to Gorkha on Sunday morning, and by the time we got there our faces were covered in red powder and we had several large splotches from balloons. Some of them sting a little at close range!
Once everyone arrived at the other house, the day really got started with an impromptu water fight, to get into the spirit. Water balloons proved too timely to make and heavy to carry, so we opted for water bottles filled with coloured water, which could be sprayed. Many of the kids on the streets did the same thing; it was those on balconies and roofs that threw water balloons, and even dumped buckets of water!
So we ventured out. We were a big group of foreigners in a town that doesn't see many white faces, and all clearly dressed for Holi; needless to say we attracted a lot of attention! As we walked along the main road, our group got steadily larger, as we were joined by some Nepali teenagers, who loved covering us with powder. From that point on, we were pelted with water, paint and powder until we returned to the house. By that point we were drenched, multicoloured, and very happy.
Our walk through the streets attracted some attention, and a photo of some of us appeared in the Annapurna Circuit, a national daily newspaper! Apparently we were big news.
Although the main part of Holi in Gorkha seemed to be in the morning, it didn't stop in the afternoon, when the four of us headed home. We still got buckets of water poured down our backs, and more powder. Although we got damp again, we had it much better than Besi and Bhote, who had to go home that afternoon. They rode about halfway on the top of the bus, wet. Buses all day were soaked in paint and water, often with those on top joining in the fun and throwing balloons.
The powder was strong! Our faces were covered in red and purple powder; there was no skin visible. It took a lot of scrubbing to get it all off, and blond hair was temporarily dyed purple and orange.
Holi was a fantastic festival to be a part of. Although it would have been much larger in Kathmandu or Pokhara, having spent so much time in this area, it was nice to celebrate close to home.
Besi and Bhote both came to visit for the weekend, so everyone was able to spend the fesitval, which was on Sunday, together. Being an important festival, it was a holiday from school. Everyone had arrived by lunchtime on Saturday, so after a lunch at the Gurkha Inn, we headed up to the Durbar, this time taking a route along a ridge at the western edge of town. (the first time we went, with Amy and Kirsten's headmaster, we went along an eastern ridge) This route took us past Mahindra Joti, Hari and Magnus' school, which was fun to see. The building is huge, but is open brick, not painted, so it doesn't have the same aesthetic appeal.
The temple itself was much quieter this time, so it had a very different feeling. I was able to more fully appreciate the buildings themselves, while last time I experienced the temple in full use. The feather covered stone where the pigeons and chickens are sacrificed was still there, and still gruesome.
The tradition at Holi is to throw balloons filled with paint and coloured powder at each other. Its impossible to go out on the streets without getting covered in colour. Thus the basis for the appeal of the festival!
Caitlin, Will (the Besi house stayed with us, while the Bhote house stayed in Gorkha) and I walked up to Gorkha on Sunday morning, and by the time we got there our faces were covered in red powder and we had several large splotches from balloons. Some of them sting a little at close range!
Once everyone arrived at the other house, the day really got started with an impromptu water fight, to get into the spirit. Water balloons proved too timely to make and heavy to carry, so we opted for water bottles filled with coloured water, which could be sprayed. Many of the kids on the streets did the same thing; it was those on balconies and roofs that threw water balloons, and even dumped buckets of water!
So we ventured out. We were a big group of foreigners in a town that doesn't see many white faces, and all clearly dressed for Holi; needless to say we attracted a lot of attention! As we walked along the main road, our group got steadily larger, as we were joined by some Nepali teenagers, who loved covering us with powder. From that point on, we were pelted with water, paint and powder until we returned to the house. By that point we were drenched, multicoloured, and very happy.
Our walk through the streets attracted some attention, and a photo of some of us appeared in the Annapurna Circuit, a national daily newspaper! Apparently we were big news.
Although the main part of Holi in Gorkha seemed to be in the morning, it didn't stop in the afternoon, when the four of us headed home. We still got buckets of water poured down our backs, and more powder. Although we got damp again, we had it much better than Besi and Bhote, who had to go home that afternoon. They rode about halfway on the top of the bus, wet. Buses all day were soaked in paint and water, often with those on top joining in the fun and throwing balloons.
The powder was strong! Our faces were covered in red and purple powder; there was no skin visible. It took a lot of scrubbing to get it all off, and blond hair was temporarily dyed purple and orange.
Holi was a fantastic festival to be a part of. Although it would have been much larger in Kathmandu or Pokhara, having spent so much time in this area, it was nice to celebrate close to home.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Vacation from Vacation
It's weird to think about wanting to take a vacation when I'm already on one, but on the weekend of February 19-23 that's exactly what the entire group did. It was halfterm at school, and we all took an extra 3 days off, giving us 5 wonderful days in Pokhara, Nepal's second largest city.
The trip began on Thursday (Feb 18) night for Caitlin, Kirsten, Amy and I, as we spent in night up in Gorkha in order to catch the 6am bus. Although Pokhara is only about 150km from Gorkha, it takes about 4 hours to get there, as the entire road is either going down a mountain or hugging the side of one, making for a very slow, winding trip, albeit with wonderful views. In hindsight the early bus was a fantastic idea, as we arrived at our hotel at around 10:30am, giving us plenty of time to explore and have lunch before the other two groups arrived.
The four days there (I'm not including travel days in this) plus the day we arrived all followed roughly the same schedule. We got up anywhere between 6:30 and 8:30 (believe it or not, I usually get up around 7:15ish here, fully rested and ready for the day!), and meet for breakfast at the restaurant across the street. This worked well, as Nepali time applies also to food. Most restaurants are family owned and run, where often the same person taking your order will be cooking your food. Consequently, it can be rather slow if you are in a big group (like 15). After s long here, though, we have become accustomed to waiting over an hour for food, and receiving it in batches rather than everyone's at once. The general rule of eat while its hot applies, and its normal for some people to have finished eating before others even get their food!
Breakfast when you fancy it worked well, and we began the routine of a cup of tea with a book around 7:30, and breakfast around 8-8:15ish. With everyone ordering at different times, it worked well. On Friday and Saturday we lunched as a group, but the rest of the time had lunch when hungry, in smaller groups, and met up again for dinner.
Nepali time for meals has become so ingrained in us that when on Friday night everyone's dinner came at the same time (no mean feat considering we were a group of 17!), it was cause for comment. That night was by far the best dinner, as we went to a steakhouse and everyone had red meat for the first time in over a month. As a die-hard carnivore at home, my taste buds really appreciated getting some steak again. It tasted divine (nothing near Alberta AAA, but it had been a while, so I wasn't picky), and was the perfect start to the weekend. The other nights the entire group met up for dinner, but none have stayed in my mind the way that steak did!
Mornings were activity time, while the afternoons were devoted to shopping, relaxing in cafes and paragliding (more on that in another post). After activities in the morning it was great to take a laid back afternoon.
On Saturday we rented boats and went out for an hour on Phewa Lake, a man-made lake that runs alongside Lakeside, the tourist part of the city. It was wonderful to float on a lake again, it reminded me of summers spent at camp and the cottage, and the peacefulness and serenity that comes with hearing only the sound of the water. But for the Hindu temple on an island in the middle, and the fact that the lake was really rather small (by Canadian standards, at least), it was almost exactly like floating on a lake at home. Really wonderful.
On Sunday morning we rented bikes to cycle to Old Pokhara, the older part of the city, which is not overrun by tourists. We set out, but were vastly disappointed when Old Pokhara turned out to be just like the towns and villages we've been living in, only bigger and dirtier. Needless to say, nobody stayed long, and not everyone went the whole way there. That was mostly because the bikes we rented weren't good quality, and kept breaking. My handlebars came loose, and were moving independently of the front wheel, so I couldn't steer or control the bike at all. I ended up walking back (1.5hrs) to Lakeside, while Caitlin and Julia biked slowly along next to me. At one point we tried securing the handlebars with some thick string we found at a shop along the road, but that broke right away.
Sunday afternoon I went paragliding, but that gets a post of its own, so on to Monday morning. The entire group visited the peace pagoda in Pokhara, which is on top of the ridge on the other side of the lake. To get there you need to rent a boat to take you across the lake, then climb about 45 mins to the top of the ridge. Once there, it was fantastic. The building is at least 50ft (I don't remember the exact height) tall, and is completely white, in a sort of two-layered dome shape. You are able to walk around it on two levels above the ground, and being at the top of a ridge it afforded some great views. Unfortunately it was hazy the whole time we were in Pokhara, but the view was beautiful all the same. -- it was incredible, Pokhara is next to the Annapurnas and usually has spectacular views of the mountains, but the entire time we were there it was hazy, so the best views I've seen yet are still from school, at the jubilee.
The peace pagoda was lovely because it inspires a sort of quiet serenity when you're there. The building itself is so majestic, and the silence of those already there is contagious, and just continues on. It was nice to wander around the dome, stand by the railing in a few places, and sit on the steps in silence, lost in thought.
Tuesday morning we set off for home, have thoroughly enjoyed our mini-holiday. After 6 weeks apart it was fun to catch up with everyone from the other houses, and find out how everyone's teaching has been going. My house is lucky in that we are only 10 mins by bus from Gorkha, so we see that lot fairly often. The other houses are several hours from us, and about 45 mins by bus from each other, so in the first six weeks teaching they had seen each other once, and were extremely happy to see other faces again!
I have decided that I much prefer Pokhara to Kathmandu. The main road in Lakeside is very wide, sometimes there are trees in the middle, and sidewalks. The lake is the main difference; spending the afternoon reading in a lakeside cafe with a cup of milk tea is the way to go, and now one of my favourite ways to pass an afternoon in Nepal. The logistics of this trip, namely leisurely breakfast, activity in the morning and leisurely afternoon made it relaxing but not boring. Julia, Magnus and I have decided its the perfect formula for our travels around India later in the spring.
So vacation ended and we headed home to return to school on Wednesday. Coming back was a lot of fun; we were rested from the time away, and ready to get back into teaching. The kids welcomed us back with open arms, and teaching since then has been getting better and better!
The trip began on Thursday (Feb 18) night for Caitlin, Kirsten, Amy and I, as we spent in night up in Gorkha in order to catch the 6am bus. Although Pokhara is only about 150km from Gorkha, it takes about 4 hours to get there, as the entire road is either going down a mountain or hugging the side of one, making for a very slow, winding trip, albeit with wonderful views. In hindsight the early bus was a fantastic idea, as we arrived at our hotel at around 10:30am, giving us plenty of time to explore and have lunch before the other two groups arrived.
The four days there (I'm not including travel days in this) plus the day we arrived all followed roughly the same schedule. We got up anywhere between 6:30 and 8:30 (believe it or not, I usually get up around 7:15ish here, fully rested and ready for the day!), and meet for breakfast at the restaurant across the street. This worked well, as Nepali time applies also to food. Most restaurants are family owned and run, where often the same person taking your order will be cooking your food. Consequently, it can be rather slow if you are in a big group (like 15). After s long here, though, we have become accustomed to waiting over an hour for food, and receiving it in batches rather than everyone's at once. The general rule of eat while its hot applies, and its normal for some people to have finished eating before others even get their food!
Breakfast when you fancy it worked well, and we began the routine of a cup of tea with a book around 7:30, and breakfast around 8-8:15ish. With everyone ordering at different times, it worked well. On Friday and Saturday we lunched as a group, but the rest of the time had lunch when hungry, in smaller groups, and met up again for dinner.
Nepali time for meals has become so ingrained in us that when on Friday night everyone's dinner came at the same time (no mean feat considering we were a group of 17!), it was cause for comment. That night was by far the best dinner, as we went to a steakhouse and everyone had red meat for the first time in over a month. As a die-hard carnivore at home, my taste buds really appreciated getting some steak again. It tasted divine (nothing near Alberta AAA, but it had been a while, so I wasn't picky), and was the perfect start to the weekend. The other nights the entire group met up for dinner, but none have stayed in my mind the way that steak did!
Mornings were activity time, while the afternoons were devoted to shopping, relaxing in cafes and paragliding (more on that in another post). After activities in the morning it was great to take a laid back afternoon.
On Saturday we rented boats and went out for an hour on Phewa Lake, a man-made lake that runs alongside Lakeside, the tourist part of the city. It was wonderful to float on a lake again, it reminded me of summers spent at camp and the cottage, and the peacefulness and serenity that comes with hearing only the sound of the water. But for the Hindu temple on an island in the middle, and the fact that the lake was really rather small (by Canadian standards, at least), it was almost exactly like floating on a lake at home. Really wonderful.
On Sunday morning we rented bikes to cycle to Old Pokhara, the older part of the city, which is not overrun by tourists. We set out, but were vastly disappointed when Old Pokhara turned out to be just like the towns and villages we've been living in, only bigger and dirtier. Needless to say, nobody stayed long, and not everyone went the whole way there. That was mostly because the bikes we rented weren't good quality, and kept breaking. My handlebars came loose, and were moving independently of the front wheel, so I couldn't steer or control the bike at all. I ended up walking back (1.5hrs) to Lakeside, while Caitlin and Julia biked slowly along next to me. At one point we tried securing the handlebars with some thick string we found at a shop along the road, but that broke right away.
Sunday afternoon I went paragliding, but that gets a post of its own, so on to Monday morning. The entire group visited the peace pagoda in Pokhara, which is on top of the ridge on the other side of the lake. To get there you need to rent a boat to take you across the lake, then climb about 45 mins to the top of the ridge. Once there, it was fantastic. The building is at least 50ft (I don't remember the exact height) tall, and is completely white, in a sort of two-layered dome shape. You are able to walk around it on two levels above the ground, and being at the top of a ridge it afforded some great views. Unfortunately it was hazy the whole time we were in Pokhara, but the view was beautiful all the same. -- it was incredible, Pokhara is next to the Annapurnas and usually has spectacular views of the mountains, but the entire time we were there it was hazy, so the best views I've seen yet are still from school, at the jubilee.
The peace pagoda was lovely because it inspires a sort of quiet serenity when you're there. The building itself is so majestic, and the silence of those already there is contagious, and just continues on. It was nice to wander around the dome, stand by the railing in a few places, and sit on the steps in silence, lost in thought.
Tuesday morning we set off for home, have thoroughly enjoyed our mini-holiday. After 6 weeks apart it was fun to catch up with everyone from the other houses, and find out how everyone's teaching has been going. My house is lucky in that we are only 10 mins by bus from Gorkha, so we see that lot fairly often. The other houses are several hours from us, and about 45 mins by bus from each other, so in the first six weeks teaching they had seen each other once, and were extremely happy to see other faces again!
I have decided that I much prefer Pokhara to Kathmandu. The main road in Lakeside is very wide, sometimes there are trees in the middle, and sidewalks. The lake is the main difference; spending the afternoon reading in a lakeside cafe with a cup of milk tea is the way to go, and now one of my favourite ways to pass an afternoon in Nepal. The logistics of this trip, namely leisurely breakfast, activity in the morning and leisurely afternoon made it relaxing but not boring. Julia, Magnus and I have decided its the perfect formula for our travels around India later in the spring.
So vacation ended and we headed home to return to school on Wednesday. Coming back was a lot of fun; we were rested from the time away, and ready to get back into teaching. The kids welcomed us back with open arms, and teaching since then has been getting better and better!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Golden Jubilee - Day 3, February 13
Day 3, like Day 1, was a bright, sunny and wonderfully clear day. Of all 3, it was the best weather, and we had the best views of the mountains. Caitlin, Kirsten, Amy and I were invited for breakfast to one of our neighbours, which was an interesting experience, food-wise. The rice and curry were excellent, but she also made this brown, paste-like thing. It looked and tasted akin to dirt, and had the consistency of gloop. It was made from flour, water, and something else that gave it colour and flavour, all mixed together but not cooked. In addition, you had to swallow it without chewing. Apparently its some sort of mountain food, which I will not be trying again!
After this, we headed to school. Because it was Saturday, Kirsten and Amy came as well, as they hadn't yet seen our school. As per usual nothing happened until around noon, and then it was speeches and dancing all afternoon (heavy on the speeches, light on the dancing). The speeches were difficult, as we were sat in the sun and they were entirely in Nepali, so I only caught random words. I know they said 'we' a lot.
The best dances had been saved for this day. Rama and Sapana, the sisters were visited, were in several, as was Rupa. The best one, which everyone had been waiting for, was the comedy dance. It featured a boy from Class 4 rapping, interspersed with 2 older boys dancing to the rest of the song, which was traditional Nepali, one of them dressed in drag. Judging by the crowd pressed around the stage, it was the highlight of the day, and I certainly found it funny to watch them parody themselves all through the song!
With 3 weeks of free afternoons, we've had the opportunity to spend time with the younger students outside of class. The 3 days of the Jubile, in particular, they were all around us. As a result, I know the Nepali words for many parts of the body and colours. Despite the language barrier, we were able to have a fantastic time talking and playing with them. - nobody really seemed to pay much attention to the speeches, everyone in the crowd talked through them! It was fun to have a group around us most of the day, although I did end up with a headache by the end of Saturday. The day the group around us at the end included Prim, a boy in Class 7. He was speaking only Nepali to me, and I actually understood almost half of it. Granted, he was using very basic language, but still.
And with that, the long awaited Jubilee was over. It was very tiring (on Saturday we didn't get home until 7, but rode on top of the bus to get there, lots of fun!) but lots of fun. My favourite parts were the games on Day 1, and the dancing on Day 3. The dancing was nice because from where we were sitting there were the mountains in the background, and dancing and mountains together were amazing. And now it's back to life as usual.
After this, we headed to school. Because it was Saturday, Kirsten and Amy came as well, as they hadn't yet seen our school. As per usual nothing happened until around noon, and then it was speeches and dancing all afternoon (heavy on the speeches, light on the dancing). The speeches were difficult, as we were sat in the sun and they were entirely in Nepali, so I only caught random words. I know they said 'we' a lot.
The best dances had been saved for this day. Rama and Sapana, the sisters were visited, were in several, as was Rupa. The best one, which everyone had been waiting for, was the comedy dance. It featured a boy from Class 4 rapping, interspersed with 2 older boys dancing to the rest of the song, which was traditional Nepali, one of them dressed in drag. Judging by the crowd pressed around the stage, it was the highlight of the day, and I certainly found it funny to watch them parody themselves all through the song!
With 3 weeks of free afternoons, we've had the opportunity to spend time with the younger students outside of class. The 3 days of the Jubile, in particular, they were all around us. As a result, I know the Nepali words for many parts of the body and colours. Despite the language barrier, we were able to have a fantastic time talking and playing with them. - nobody really seemed to pay much attention to the speeches, everyone in the crowd talked through them! It was fun to have a group around us most of the day, although I did end up with a headache by the end of Saturday. The day the group around us at the end included Prim, a boy in Class 7. He was speaking only Nepali to me, and I actually understood almost half of it. Granted, he was using very basic language, but still.
And with that, the long awaited Jubilee was over. It was very tiring (on Saturday we didn't get home until 7, but rode on top of the bus to get there, lots of fun!) but lots of fun. My favourite parts were the games on Day 1, and the dancing on Day 3. The dancing was nice because from where we were sitting there were the mountains in the background, and dancing and mountains together were amazing. And now it's back to life as usual.
Golden Jubilee - Day 2, February 12
Friday did not dawn bright and sunny. Instead it rained from 10ish until about 1. Thankfully it didn't start until we reached school, or we would have been walking in the rain. Unfortunately the rain hampered things getting going, as an enormous tarp needed to be put up to shield the spectators. (as teachers Caitlin and I were given prime seats under the balcony overhang, and managed to stay dry the whole time, a nice perk!) Putting up the tarp reminded us of the joke about how many people it takes to screw in a lightbulb. In this case, it took about 20 men the better part of an hour to get the tarp up, which turned out to be the most entertaining part of the day! They were measuring out where to put bamboo poles as supports, digging holes, climbing around in trees, and changing their minds every 5 minutes.
What was quite impressive, though, was that the volleyball continued throughout the rain. Some boys were playing barefoot, while Caitlin and I shivered and stayed dry! So, even though we sat and waited for 2 hours, we weren't bored. Anyways, it was Nepali time.
Other than the rain, Friday was much the same as Thursday, just without the games for the younger kids. Instead, the primary classes did their dances, for which we had a front row seat and an excellent view. They were adorable, all dressed up in traditional costume, with their hair and makeup done, and the dances were very good given how young the kids are. Some of the school trustees, all older men, got up and started dancing also. Druba, one of the English teachers, who we talk to the most, explained that it was a Nepali cultural dance. It didn't look like much more than twirling and waving arms, but it did look like fun. Some of the teachers even joined in!
The speeches began at the end of Friday, which was the point at which we left, given that it was just after 5, and we knew there were going to be more the next day!
What was quite impressive, though, was that the volleyball continued throughout the rain. Some boys were playing barefoot, while Caitlin and I shivered and stayed dry! So, even though we sat and waited for 2 hours, we weren't bored. Anyways, it was Nepali time.
Other than the rain, Friday was much the same as Thursday, just without the games for the younger kids. Instead, the primary classes did their dances, for which we had a front row seat and an excellent view. They were adorable, all dressed up in traditional costume, with their hair and makeup done, and the dances were very good given how young the kids are. Some of the school trustees, all older men, got up and started dancing also. Druba, one of the English teachers, who we talk to the most, explained that it was a Nepali cultural dance. It didn't look like much more than twirling and waving arms, but it did look like fun. Some of the teachers even joined in!
The speeches began at the end of Friday, which was the point at which we left, given that it was just after 5, and we knew there were going to be more the next day!
The Golden Jubilee - Day 1, February 11
Finally, after a month of hearing about nothing but the Jubilee and it taking over the school to the point of cancelling lessons to prepare, it has arrived! 3 days of festivities to celebrate the fact that the school has been open for 50 years, a significant achievement here.
Thursday morning, aka Day 1, dawned bright and sunny. Caitlin and I arrived at school promptly at 10, to find it in a flurry of activity, doing last minute preparations. Coloured flags had been put up across both schoolyards, and a small stage set up for dancing. After handing in our posters (which we haven't seen hide or hair of since, although there was a classroom full of science displays that we found), we settled in for the wait until things began happening.
In Nepal, life tends to run at a slower pace than in the West. We call it Nepali time/pace. Nepali pace means an amble, and 10am in Nepal can mean anywhere from 10-noon. (except for bus departure times, which are more reliable, and when school starts, which is always on time). So even though we were told festivities would begin at 11, it wasn't much of a surprise when nothing happened until about 12:15.
Just a note: I've come to quite like Nepali pace. It's much more peaceful, and WAY less stressful. The mentality of 'we'll get there when we get there' and 'we'll start when we're ready' is nice, you don't feel so rushed or pressured.
I mentioned that Thursday dawned bright and sunner, and it stayed that way all day. It was HOT. Despite wearning sunscreen (which I hate doing because it feels so greasy), I still ended the day much darker than I began it, although I did manage to avoid a burn.
The day was filled with some dancing, several interhouse volleyball games, and activities for Class 1-5. The children's games were my favourite part of the day. I only watched the first 3 because we hadn't had lunch yet and were starving (it was after 2). Class 1 did biscuit --
--major tangent here. Living among Brits is contaigious. I now say things like 'biscuit', 'loo roll', 'ring' instead of call, and 'come round to ours' to name a few, without even thinking about it. Caitlin has an Oxford dictionary that has a few pages of British and North American equivalents, which have caused no end of amusement at the dinner table. Did you know that in Britain, a tube top is a 'boob tube'? I just got sidetracked a little by her asking me if I have any 'drawing pins'. Apparantly thats a thumbtack. I swear, sometimes its like we're speaking different languages, we keep having to stop and explain ourselves!
--on a string, biting a biscuit off without using their hands. Class 2 did egg and spoon, modified to marble and spoon, races, and Class 3 played the game where you have a balloon tied to your ankle and need to stomp on everyone else's. It was fun not only because I've taught all these kids, but because I played these same games at camp in Canada. It's fun to see the random little things that are the same here.
After a day in the sun we were more than happy to head home at around 5:30. Things were still going on but winding down, and we wanted to get home before dark, to get ready for Day 2!
Thursday morning, aka Day 1, dawned bright and sunny. Caitlin and I arrived at school promptly at 10, to find it in a flurry of activity, doing last minute preparations. Coloured flags had been put up across both schoolyards, and a small stage set up for dancing. After handing in our posters (which we haven't seen hide or hair of since, although there was a classroom full of science displays that we found), we settled in for the wait until things began happening.
In Nepal, life tends to run at a slower pace than in the West. We call it Nepali time/pace. Nepali pace means an amble, and 10am in Nepal can mean anywhere from 10-noon. (except for bus departure times, which are more reliable, and when school starts, which is always on time). So even though we were told festivities would begin at 11, it wasn't much of a surprise when nothing happened until about 12:15.
Just a note: I've come to quite like Nepali pace. It's much more peaceful, and WAY less stressful. The mentality of 'we'll get there when we get there' and 'we'll start when we're ready' is nice, you don't feel so rushed or pressured.
I mentioned that Thursday dawned bright and sunner, and it stayed that way all day. It was HOT. Despite wearning sunscreen (which I hate doing because it feels so greasy), I still ended the day much darker than I began it, although I did manage to avoid a burn.
The day was filled with some dancing, several interhouse volleyball games, and activities for Class 1-5. The children's games were my favourite part of the day. I only watched the first 3 because we hadn't had lunch yet and were starving (it was after 2). Class 1 did biscuit --
--major tangent here. Living among Brits is contaigious. I now say things like 'biscuit', 'loo roll', 'ring' instead of call, and 'come round to ours' to name a few, without even thinking about it. Caitlin has an Oxford dictionary that has a few pages of British and North American equivalents, which have caused no end of amusement at the dinner table. Did you know that in Britain, a tube top is a 'boob tube'? I just got sidetracked a little by her asking me if I have any 'drawing pins'. Apparantly thats a thumbtack. I swear, sometimes its like we're speaking different languages, we keep having to stop and explain ourselves!
--on a string, biting a biscuit off without using their hands. Class 2 did egg and spoon, modified to marble and spoon, races, and Class 3 played the game where you have a balloon tied to your ankle and need to stomp on everyone else's. It was fun not only because I've taught all these kids, but because I played these same games at camp in Canada. It's fun to see the random little things that are the same here.
After a day in the sun we were more than happy to head home at around 5:30. Things were still going on but winding down, and we wanted to get home before dark, to get ready for Day 2!
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