Halfway Through 22/4/10

I don't wanna go home! I know it's only the halfway stage but so much has gone on that it feels so fricking fast. Gotta make sure every minute counts.

So animal cruelty is the name of this week. There are loads of stray dogs here, most of them older however there is this trio of pups that are oh so cute. The week started with us seeing that the black one was really ill and couldn't stand on its feet, teetering and shaking when we went to stroke it. There was and is nothing we could do because if he did have an owner, they would be pissed if we tried giving him water at least. Couple of days later he was eating a rat. Nice! Seems to have done the job giving that he is still here.
One of the other brown pups looked fine till i noticed that his side profile was dented along the jawline. He opened his mouth and it became evident that someone had kicked his jaw in leaving him no way to eat. Haven't seen him since.

My neighbour has finally died also, he had been ill for ages and refused to see a conventional doctor so it was inevitable. So sure in fact that his body cremated the same day. Which reminds me that we saw a body being cremated in the first week, straight out in the open on a couple of bamboo sticks over a fire, the smell was horrendous and unforgetable.
So the grieving neighbours son was walking past our project site and it was clear who he was as any family member of the bereaved must wear white for a whole year. As he was strolling (slightly intoxicated), one of the stray dogs that hang out near the site started to back at him. My man decided to gou out of his way, pick up the dog and THROW him off the cliff down into our worksite about 9 foot below. That was f-d, I had to shout out oi because that was nothing to do with culture, it was pure cruelty.

Gonna sum up a few things in bullet points, because the slowness is really starting to piss me off!

• rolled around in a sari on thursday, was real fun, pics to come!
• went to the tailors and am having a trouser pant suit thing made to fit
• some woman got bitch slapped at the project site by her bro for embarrasing the family by running off with a man who is already married
• going to narkagot (sunrise and sunset) this weekend coming
• sent out some postcards to a lucky few
• facebook inbox still aint working so txt me ur add if you still want one
• message me your home phone numbers and good times to call, as it is only about 2p a minute to phone land lines in the UK

miss ya all, see you all soon

xxxxx

Ranting and Raving 19/4/10

Firstly, this bloody internet is soooooo damn slow! Arrgh, can't even check my facebook messages!



Technically been here for 4 weeks and 4 days now, and it actually feels like an eternity. I still have longer here than I have actually been away. Madness!

Today we visited Maiti Nepal, a place for Nepali children and women who have been trafficked or have nowhere to stay due to contracting Hiv.

I didn't like it there, beadying in to all the kids like it was some zoo. It was good to buy a few things in the shop, as you know exactly where it was going.



I am soooooooooo frustrated with the lack of freedom, particularly not being able to wash my clothes when I want! Its so hard to plan the week if only the Lord knows when I will be blessed with clean frigging clothes. Will have to sort this out today coz I cant take it.



The biggest thing that is getting to me though is the large amount of miscommunication that goes on. We have all met people who speak way better english than the people we have to work with on a daily basis aka the project supervisor and his right hand man. Even at home with the family, its really almost hopeless talking about particular issues because there is an 80% chance they wont understand. The basic nepali class we get once a week helps slightly, although I pick up more when conversating (or trying to) with the fam.



So what's been going on? Nepali New Year, a public holiday and guess what we had to work, only a half day but by the time I got home the whole fam had already left to go about their celebrations. What was fun was visiting the 2 temples in the morning, hundreds of people milling around, praying and generally celebrating. The second temple was up about 150 steep steps, so that was a work out and a half. We then went on to climb partially up a mountain, amazing views that I wish I could show you now but the slowness of the computer is saying otherwise.



The internet shop only recently became up and running again, poor man had to take out a loan to get new comps, and only last week some fish cut the cables for the internet and phone in Sirutar so no net again. Although it is fixed now!



New years day was also mother's day aswell, although I didnt notice anything too different aside from the vast amount of sweets and sticky dough thing as thats what ama likes. Delicious by the way.



Learnt something interesting yesterday in the global discussion we do every sunday. The topic was Government and when asked about crime fighting in the villages we were told the community is left to solve crimes themselves and only when they couldn't would the police or higher services step in to help. That could mean that people could potentially disapear Hot Fuzz stylee! If everyone in the community wanted it that way.



I presented last sunday on the topic Poverty and Development, a few quick facts on Nepal:

• Is the 12th poorest country in the world
• Life expectancy is 64 years on average
• They receive financial age from the USA, Korea, China, Japan, India and the UK
• UK bilateral aid 2008/09- 58 million pounds

Speak soon!

xxxx

Dealing With Demons

This village seems to be the ONLY place Beyonce could come and not get harrassed, they don't know who she is! As found out by my attempt to freshen up my usual banal answer to the cries of, "what is your name?" They know about Michael Jackson though!

I haven't had a chance to type these up in a while because the internet cafe of the village got robbed. All 8 computers stolen on one of the rainy nights of last week stripping this poor man of his livelihood.
The guy was caught later, and arrested and it was hoped that because the police had found evidence of previous offences on him, (use of prostitutes, large amount of american dollars) that he would get sent down, although he was released from custody yesterday.

Nepal is a banana republic at the moment, no actual laws as they only recently ended their civil war (2 years ago) and the ministers in power are still fighting over which laws they want to remain effective and which to repeal or ammend.
Although, the people of Nepal still abide by the old laws untill these foolios at the top can sort themselves out.

Last weekend we all went down to Thamel, tourist central and stayed in the hotel we were at when we first arrived. Only the equivalent of 3.50 a night! Even though it's pretty cheap out here, im becoming a tight-arse lol. Especially when people out there are out there to boops you, so I have almost perfected my haggling skills. A probably fake North face holdall down from 2000 rupees (about 20 quid) to 1000 rupees, brap!

It felt so good to get down to Pizza Hut and munch on some Western Food. I went on a cheese rampage, all about the garlic bread and CHEESE, and a whole pizza with DOUBLE CHEESE. The waitress must've thought we were starving marvins coz we all got a pizza each, with the hungriest souls getting family sized- nutters.
As I said before I don't have it that bad at my home, I get variety but some of the other volunteers get Dhaal Bhat Tarkari for breakfast and dinner every damn day.
Had some beers aswell, felt like we deserved it! Being used to drinking every day in London, it feels great to be getting a mini detox, dealing with demons I had previously been too numb to face and having support from certain people in the group. And now i can actually say I would like a drink rather than I NEED a drink.

There are so many festivals out here, like 1 a week. Next one in 2 days time where you wear tikka (red dye and rice) on your fore head and eat meat. Can't wait for that, been straight veggie since I got here. Could do with a fat beef burger but that's a london ting as cows are sacred here.
Next week is Nepali new year, the year 2067 will be arriving soon!

Don't think I've mentioned the work we have been doing here in Sirutar. It is serious manual labour, digging sand, wheelbarrowing cement, mixing it, erecting pillars, moving bricks. I think I'm getting some good tonage, although my arm muscles are making me sick! At least I should be good to go for London's week we call summer.

Anywho ma timlai samjhi raheko chu ( I miss you) and hope all is good.
My mobile number is +9779849215955
And who ever wants a postcard facebook msg me your addresses.
Peace Out!
xxxx

Here It Comes!

Flash, "Who just took that photo?" Silence
Flash, "It's lightning!"
Cracking across the sky in the far off distance, count until the thunder comes.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,........10 miles off.

Reach home, everybody is packing up
Cows, chickens, goats all being led into the ark.
However Nepali language class awaits, 5pm sharp.
Later on at the office (6.30pm), "You need to home, it's coming"
"What is?"
"Monsoon!"

Feck, off we go, its a ghost town out here
Lightning penetrating the threateningly crimson sky directly above
Flash, surrounded by wires and metal poles I don't exactly feel safe
It is pouring, soaking my unprepared self

"Wait my flip flop!" I wait, drenched to the bone
The wind is blowdrying my hair into a sick 'fro
Silence. Absolute silence.
Flash, thunder, flash thunder. It is right above us.
The loudest roar erupts, "Oh FUCK, here it comes!"
She is right, paintball pellets shoot down from the bastard of a cloud.
It is blitz.

Feels like a synthesised storm fresh from the studio
My soaked through plimsoles and red raw hands beg to differ
This is real.
Wow, the sky is smiling in pinks and violets now
"I'm moving on!" it seems to say
Just as I slip and slide through the front door.
Jeez!