every day is exotic: February 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

Another quickie!

Another quick post, I’m afraid – sorry!!! I’m still very much in the process of settling in (though in some ways it feels as if we’ve been here for ages), and subject to other people’s schedules. Today we were supposed to spend the day in Kerseuong (still don’t know how to spell or say it properly), but on the way, Mr Thapa (who’d kindly offered us a ride), invited us to go with him to the marriage ceremony of his friend. So now we have less time in K-song ( it’s pronounced “Kershoung” – I think), but we also figured that it’s not every day we get to see Nepali wedding ceremonies.
So we’ve been here for just over a week now. As I’d mentioned earlier, in many ways it feels as if we’ve been here for ages. I think it is because “home” is so far away. Vancouver seems completely foreign here, everything is just so different. But on the other hand, we’re not at all settled yet, and still getting used to the schedules and rhythms of everyday life here.
So far, everything is going really well. The Thapas are so incredibly generous. They have so little, but they give so much. I know that this is not a new idea, but it has been a bit of an eye-opener for me. I’m not sure that I have seen such a genuine willingness to share everything as I have here. Right from the very beginning, they have done all that they can to welcome us into their home, and are so lovely. We live underneath the school, in close quarters. The boy boarders have a room, and sleep in cramped bunks, as do the girls in another room (which is also sort of a transit area so they have even less privacy). Mr & Mrs Thapa have a small room in the back and then there are 2 teachers and one cook who also live here, although I haven’t figured out where. There are 3 boys and 5 girl boarders. They all share one bathroom. Then we have our own room, which is probably the largest, and our own bathroom. The Thapas run 2 other schools as well, and we alternate teaching between Blue Diamond and one they’ve just opened up this year, called Regal Academy (all of the schools in the area have really posh names). It’s a nursery, so it’s actually quite a bit easier, and it’s in a nearby town, which means that one of us gets a really hair-raising van ride there (13 people in a van meant for 7, whipping round the mountain edges), and then takes the bus back.
We’ve completed our first few days of teaching now. The children are… something else. With all the classes with children under the age of 12, I have not really taught a thing. I haven’t yet been able to find a way to control them. It’s been complete chaos with the younger ones. The little ones are totally wild. They yell, scream, fight, whack each other, and in some cases, literally climb up the walls. It’s kind of ridiculous. The really little ones are lovely; we just sing songs with them. But the ones between the ages of 5 and 11 are complete terrors. They push and push and push against you, because they know that you won’t hit them. The funny thing is that the older ones are completely different. They are a dream to teach, because they know and appreciate why they are in school. It’s the opposite to Western schools.
I’m afraid I’m going to wrap up now – I’m actually finding this quite frustrating not being able have a good internet session. I still need to do some research for the week (it’s quite difficult thinking of activities that don’t require much explanation), and we need to buy a few things in Kershong. I’m not even going to try to spell it properly now. There are so many things that I want to talk about, but I suppose there will be time if I’m here for 4 months. Pictures will come soonish (ie in a week or 2). I’m desperate to talk more actually, and apologies to the fam for not replying but thank you so much for the emails. Emma: check style.com if you haven’t already. I'll try to think of more sites

Monday, February 23, 2009

What are you doing right now?

I am sitting in an internet cafe in a town surrounded by mountains, listening to "Leaving on a Jet Plane" (the original), and songs of a similar vintage. What are you doing right now?

Sorry for the lack of posts recently - being on a bit of a tour, free time was limited, and everything seems to take longer (not sure if this is a feature of being part of a big group, being in India, or both). I'm hoping to get into a bit of a routine, and catch up on everything already.

But !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm here! I'm still a bit overwhelmed, and don't know where to begin. I think that we may be going soon, as we have a few errands to do in Keursong (not where I'm actually living, but the closest larger town), so here are the basics:

I'm alive (and, touch wood, still healthy)

It is even more beautiful than the pictures

The children are gorgeous

The family is lovely

The food is delicious

I am really, REALLY nervous, but am excited to actually get started

I begin teaching tomorrow.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

off so soon...

Ok this photo has nothing to do with anything, I just thought it was funny!

I'm leaving 102 tomorrow, and it hardly feels as if I've been here at all. Being used to staying here for several weeks at a time, a few days feels incredibly short. However, in that time I've managed to check off all the things on my list of Things I Must Do When in England.

These include:

Lunch at the Harrow (no photographic evidence of my enormous ham-and-lentil soup I'm afraid, as I was clueless and forgot my camera!)

Coffee and biscuit at Marks & Spencers (with the remains of a dusted cocoa star)

Spending time with family of all ages

Admiring adorably British cottages

And one picture especially for my sister!

Next stop is London. Looking forward to seeing Ayla for the first time in 2 years, and for seeing London on foot rather than by bus! Am getting lots of advice from everyone I meet, which is increasing my nerves/excitement. There's still a little part of me that doesn't actually believe what I'm about to do...

Friday, February 13, 2009

P.S.: This is What 5 1/2 Months Looks Like

...when it's carried on my back!

Note to Self:

It would help if you made sure that you had important information, like say, the phone number of your destination, before setting off. It would also help if you were fully awake before booking your transportation out of the airport and onto your next destination, so as to avoid time-wasting coaches.

Live and learn?

Anyway, I did arrive at 102 safe and sound, albeit considerably later than expected and adding a few grey hairs to my mother and grandmother's heads! And (trying to look on the bright side), the time-consuming journey to Victoria Station in London, and also time-consuming journey from London to Petersfield meant that I was able to have a mini tour of the city (sort of).
Now I am ensconsed in my second home, listening to the birds outside. One of my favourite things about England is being able to wake up to the sounds of woodpigeons cooing in the morning (quite possibly the world's most pleasant alarm clock). I have many traditions when staying in England and at 102. Along with the morning pigeons, there's the walk around the Heath, wandering through town, eating freshly-baked bread, going to the Harrow. These are activities that I know I will do every single time I come here, and that repetition and familiarity make them all the more enjoyable.