I realize I haven't posted anything in several weeks! I apologize, but I lost a week reading the Millenium Trilogy! (It was very good.)
We've been here over a month now, and we're definitely settled in. I found a regular playgroup here in Boudha, and it's great to see other moms and interact with other adults for a change. Leela seems to enjoy it also, even though she's the youngest one there by 8 months. Leela loves standing, and can get up to standing all by herself, and has already taken a few tentative steps. Crawling is still her preferred method of locomotion at this point.
Our daily routine is as follows (sort of): We wake up, play for an hour or two while I eat breakfast, and then it's nap time. After nap time we play more, maybe go shopping or go to the bank, and some days we go out for lunch. Other days we lunch at home on leftovers from the dinner the night before. One more nap in the afternoon, and then we play until dinner time. Our didi makes dinner on the week nights. It's usually rice and/or chapatis, dal, and a vegetable curry. On weekends, Dave or I make dinner, usually something easy like eggs and potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches, or pasta and sauce. The other day I felt inspired and made hoecakes and tomato sauce... When we cook, we have to either cook the hell out of whatever we make, or make sure to use boiled or bottled water for cooking. If we're eating anything raw, we have to soak it in Chlorinated water for 15 minutes. It's definitely not as easy as cooking in the West.
In one of my last posts, I mentioned something about how in many ways living here is like living anywhere else. In some ways that's true, you get up, brush your teeth, shower, eat, sleep, all the usual stuff. However, here some of the daily routine stuff is just a little more difficult. Brushing teeth, for instance, you have to rinse with boiled water. Cooking, you need to be super clean and cook everything thoroughly (goodbye, eggs over easy), also we have no oven. Clothes, everything is hand washed, so clothes get stretched out. It's having to go through the extra effort that makes me miss and better appreciate all the conveniences of home. It's easy to live here, but also more difficult.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Karma
I have an irrational fear of spiders. When I see one, I usually have Dave "take care" of them for me. I am paying for my ordered killings now. There are all kinds of spiders in our apartment, at least 4 different species, and one species in particular is HUGE. It's body is at least the size of a nickel . . . and we find them everywhere. This morning I was forced to hang out with Leela in our bed because there was a giant one in the living room where we usually play, and another in Dave's office area where we also hang out a lot. I can only hope that one day I won't come home and find a giant spider head on my bed.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Kathmandu - Week 2
Ladies night went well. I ended up going with another mom who lives just up the street from me in Boudha, so I didn't have the negotiate the taxis or try to find the place (in the dark) by myself. I also went to her house last Friday for a play group. She lives just up the road from us. On Saturday we went on a tour of Patan with Shedra students. Our tour guide was very good, and gave us an interesting perspective on the historical heritage, urban planning issues, and the cultural formation of the city. Yesterday, I went to a different play group in Lazimpat, near the British Embassy. I only met one other mom, though, since most of the adults there were nannies. After the playgroup, I walked into Thamel, which is the main tourist area in Kathmandu. All I can say about it was that there were more white people than I've seen in a while, and every other shop was either a trekking supply or a pashmina shop. It was good for me to get out and about on my own, though, and the taxi rides were uneventful, and easy to negotiate.
Now that we’re all caught up on our past week’s activities, a little exposition about where we live. Our flat is on the ground floor of one of two buildings on a small compound. The compound grounds are really lovely, although we haven’t spent much time in them yet, as they are currently a breeding ground for mosquitos. There’s a large garden in the front by the gate, and a larger garden in the back where our landlord’s house is. In our building, there is another flat upstairs, but it is currently unoccupied. There are also stairs leading to the roof, where we have a nice view of the Boudha stupa and the surrounding mountains. The building itself is all concrete, though we have lots of screened windows, so we get a lot of light and airflow. The floors are either covered with a very thin carpeting, tile, or a roll of vinyl flooring. There are a few oriental rugs about which are nice. Leela’s play area is on one of the rugs, since it offers a little more padding for when she falls.
We are located just off one of the main roads in Boudha, the Mahankahl road. Evidently it was just paved a few years ago, but it is now so riddled with pot holes (or, rather, huge gaping holes), that the taxis have to swerve from one side of the road to the other. We are near the Karma Dorje Gompa, and a mere 5 minute walk to the Institute. From the main road, turn in where the café with the FIFA World Cup sign is, and then left at the cow, cows, or calf, depending on the day. We’re the second gate on the right. Seriously though, there aren’t very many street names here, so giving or getting directions usually involves drawing a map, or telling people to turn near the big tree, or the man with the wooden leg.
The sights and sounds here are different from anywhere else I’ve ever been (not that I’ve traveled extensively or anything), and the range of relative wealth to poverty is striking. We’ve seen squalid ghettos – one small room (6’ x 6’) for a whole family with no windows or doors, and a mud floor; to a beautiful mansion with gardener, driver, cook, and housekeeper. And all of this can be within the same square kilometer! As well, there are plenty of homeless people about (we were accosted by two children at Swayambunath, who followed us around for a good 5 mintues). The other day a beggar followed me to my front gate, and when I locked the gate behind me (I was glad for the lock!), started yelling after me and banging on the gate.
When I wake up in the mornings, it’s to the sound of gongs from the surrounding monasteries, barking dogs, cows, birds, and traffic. Later in the morning the horns start, and you can hear them for most of the rest of the day. Not horns from the cars and motorbikes, although there’s plenty of that as well, but from the monasteries. There are like 2 dozen monasteries in Boudha, so I’m not sure from exactly where the horns are coming from – probably a combination of several locations.
Walking around, there are cars, motorbikes of various kinds, trucks, bicycles, and people everywhere, and all crowded along the same narrow roads. You really have to be careful to walk in a straight line, because vehicles (motorcycles especially), will cut around you super closely, and not always honk their horns. Because it’s monsoon season, the pollution isn’t as bad as it can be, but it’s still pretty bad, especially on the main streets. (We’re even considering getting a carbon filter mask for Leela, if we can figure out where to get one, and if she’ll wear it.) There is trash everywhere, sometimes scattered about, sometimes in huge piles right by the side of the road.
I wouldn't say we've gotten into a daily routine (at least Leela and I haven't), but life is getting more comfortable (if you can call it that). The thing I miss the most is not having to worry about the cleanliness of the water and food. Other than that, it's not all that different from life anywhere else.
That's it for now, Leela needs her mom!
Now that we’re all caught up on our past week’s activities, a little exposition about where we live. Our flat is on the ground floor of one of two buildings on a small compound. The compound grounds are really lovely, although we haven’t spent much time in them yet, as they are currently a breeding ground for mosquitos. There’s a large garden in the front by the gate, and a larger garden in the back where our landlord’s house is. In our building, there is another flat upstairs, but it is currently unoccupied. There are also stairs leading to the roof, where we have a nice view of the Boudha stupa and the surrounding mountains. The building itself is all concrete, though we have lots of screened windows, so we get a lot of light and airflow. The floors are either covered with a very thin carpeting, tile, or a roll of vinyl flooring. There are a few oriental rugs about which are nice. Leela’s play area is on one of the rugs, since it offers a little more padding for when she falls.
We are located just off one of the main roads in Boudha, the Mahankahl road. Evidently it was just paved a few years ago, but it is now so riddled with pot holes (or, rather, huge gaping holes), that the taxis have to swerve from one side of the road to the other. We are near the Karma Dorje Gompa, and a mere 5 minute walk to the Institute. From the main road, turn in where the café with the FIFA World Cup sign is, and then left at the cow, cows, or calf, depending on the day. We’re the second gate on the right. Seriously though, there aren’t very many street names here, so giving or getting directions usually involves drawing a map, or telling people to turn near the big tree, or the man with the wooden leg.
The sights and sounds here are different from anywhere else I’ve ever been (not that I’ve traveled extensively or anything), and the range of relative wealth to poverty is striking. We’ve seen squalid ghettos – one small room (6’ x 6’) for a whole family with no windows or doors, and a mud floor; to a beautiful mansion with gardener, driver, cook, and housekeeper. And all of this can be within the same square kilometer! As well, there are plenty of homeless people about (we were accosted by two children at Swayambunath, who followed us around for a good 5 mintues). The other day a beggar followed me to my front gate, and when I locked the gate behind me (I was glad for the lock!), started yelling after me and banging on the gate.
When I wake up in the mornings, it’s to the sound of gongs from the surrounding monasteries, barking dogs, cows, birds, and traffic. Later in the morning the horns start, and you can hear them for most of the rest of the day. Not horns from the cars and motorbikes, although there’s plenty of that as well, but from the monasteries. There are like 2 dozen monasteries in Boudha, so I’m not sure from exactly where the horns are coming from – probably a combination of several locations.
Walking around, there are cars, motorbikes of various kinds, trucks, bicycles, and people everywhere, and all crowded along the same narrow roads. You really have to be careful to walk in a straight line, because vehicles (motorcycles especially), will cut around you super closely, and not always honk their horns. Because it’s monsoon season, the pollution isn’t as bad as it can be, but it’s still pretty bad, especially on the main streets. (We’re even considering getting a carbon filter mask for Leela, if we can figure out where to get one, and if she’ll wear it.) There is trash everywhere, sometimes scattered about, sometimes in huge piles right by the side of the road.
I wouldn't say we've gotten into a daily routine (at least Leela and I haven't), but life is getting more comfortable (if you can call it that). The thing I miss the most is not having to worry about the cleanliness of the water and food. Other than that, it's not all that different from life anywhere else.
That's it for now, Leela needs her mom!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Kathmandu - Week 1 (or so)
(My apologies for the delay on the first post. I just got internet access at the Shedra on Monday morning. We’ve been here a little over a week now, and I found that once I started writing, there was a lot to say.)
Well, we’ve been here just about a week. We arrived last Friday night. Getting through customs and getting our visas was a surprisingly easy process. Claudia, from school, met us at the airport with a driver, which was great, because as soon as we stepped outside, we were bombarded with at least two dozen people asking us if we needed a taxi. It was dark and raining when we arrived, so after a brief and rather disorienting drive, we arrived at our new place. Flashlight in hand, Claudia opened the gate for us and we walked down a narrow concrete walkway past the garden and up the steps to our flat. Luckily when we arrived there was still power, so we were able to turn on the lights and have a look around. The didi (housekeeper) had a meal waiting for us, rice, dal, and paneer and potato curry. We heated up the food after unpacking and unwinding for an hour or so and ate. The food tasted good, and we went to bed and tried to sleep.
We all woke up sick. What a way to start our year in Nepal! The first few days were rough, what with dealing with food poisoning and jet lag. We barely ate anything for several days, and slept a lot. By Monday, we were feeling better. I must say that Leela has dealt with this transition way better than either Dave or myself.
On Monday we met our Didi, Yashoda (the “Ya” is pronounced like the e in bed). Her English is limited, but we manage to communicate. She does all the cleaning and laundry, as well as some cooking, shopping or whatever else we need her to do. She comes Monday-Friday, although we may cut back to 3 days/week once we get into more of a routine, I don’t know. How can we afford such a luxury? Her salary is less than $50/month. Leela is fascinated with her, and they seem to like each other. I’m not ready to leave Leela alone with her yet, but I may use her for babysitting eventually, we’ll see.
Monday we went out to lunch in Boudha, to a place called the Garden Café. The food was good (the first real meal I had since Friday), and the place was clean. I didn’t manage to do too much the rest of the week, except a couple of shopping forays, but just the little bit of walking around we did do was good to get a lay of the land. I feel like I know my way around our little part of Boudha well now.
On Saturday we met the Rinpoche at the Gompa (monastery) where the Rangjung Yeshe Institute is located. He was very nice, and gave me a booklet on the Dharma. We then went to a teaching by the Rinpoche (he does a weekly lecture for Westerners when he’s in town), which was very interesting. He spoke through a translator for the most part, but was very engaging.
Sunday we went to check out Swayambunath, and then to a luncheon thrown by a couple of Carleton alumni that Dave was referred to by his old advisor. This was the first time for us taking a taxi, and the ride over to Swayambunath was relatively easy, requiring very little bartering.
This was our first time on the Ring Road, which surrounds Central Kathmandu. It is a crazy jumble of pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, trucks, busses, etc. Our taxi driver swerved in an out of traffic with an incredible combination of skill, recklessness abandon, and sheer luck! Imagine an 8-lane highway squeezed into the width of a 2 lane highway, with no middle line, and cars swerving over the line and back in with motorbikes weaving in between. It is INSANE.
Swayambunath is a complex of shrines, sculptures, and temples, set up on a hill on the other side of Kathmandu. In the center and top of the hill is a large stupa, similar to the one here in Boudha. To get up to the stupa, you climb an incredibly long and steep stair. I had Leela on my back, and it was a serious challenge! It was really very beautiful, if a bit touristy, and we’ll definitely go back when we have more time to spend. As it was, we only had about an hour to explore before we had to head to the luncheon.
The house we were going to wasn’t far, about a kilometer or so, but after climbing that stair and walking around all morning, I was in favor of driving rather than walking. Our first taxi driver wanted to charge us more than half of what we paid to get to Swayambu. The next taxi driver wanted to charge us even more! We kept walking to find another taxi, and finally found one that seemed willing to go on the meter. However, once we got in the taxi, the meter went up 10 rupees every several meters! Then the guy took the wrong street. At this point we got out of the taxi, got directions from a helpful shopkeeper, and walked the rest of the way, another 10 minutes.
Now, of the couple whose home we visited, one is a writer, and the other is a very high-level executive with one of the foreign aid agencies here. They live in a beautiful home in a gated community, complete with guard, driver, gardener, and several housekeepers. They had a beautiful view of the surrounding valley and the nearby stupa. The other guests were also in high-level positions at other agencies, and I sort of felt out of place among them, although everyone was very friendly. We were certainly the only ones that arrived on foot! One couple there also had a seven-month old, but unlike us, they brought along their governess, so I didn’t see much of their baby. Dave and I, on the other hand, had our hands full with Leela, while trying to eat and converse with the other guests. It was a very interesting experience, a glimpse of how it could be VERY easy to live in Kathmandu. I think if I lived where they lived, I wouldn’t even ever want (or need) to leave home. A driver alone would be priceless, especially after our experience haggling with taxi drivers!
Tonight I am planning on going to a "Ladies Night" to meet some other mothers in Kathmandu. I'm a little nervous about traveling around by myself at night and having to deal with taxis. Hopefully all goes well!
Well, we’ve been here just about a week. We arrived last Friday night. Getting through customs and getting our visas was a surprisingly easy process. Claudia, from school, met us at the airport with a driver, which was great, because as soon as we stepped outside, we were bombarded with at least two dozen people asking us if we needed a taxi. It was dark and raining when we arrived, so after a brief and rather disorienting drive, we arrived at our new place. Flashlight in hand, Claudia opened the gate for us and we walked down a narrow concrete walkway past the garden and up the steps to our flat. Luckily when we arrived there was still power, so we were able to turn on the lights and have a look around. The didi (housekeeper) had a meal waiting for us, rice, dal, and paneer and potato curry. We heated up the food after unpacking and unwinding for an hour or so and ate. The food tasted good, and we went to bed and tried to sleep.
We all woke up sick. What a way to start our year in Nepal! The first few days were rough, what with dealing with food poisoning and jet lag. We barely ate anything for several days, and slept a lot. By Monday, we were feeling better. I must say that Leela has dealt with this transition way better than either Dave or myself.
On Monday we met our Didi, Yashoda (the “Ya” is pronounced like the e in bed). Her English is limited, but we manage to communicate. She does all the cleaning and laundry, as well as some cooking, shopping or whatever else we need her to do. She comes Monday-Friday, although we may cut back to 3 days/week once we get into more of a routine, I don’t know. How can we afford such a luxury? Her salary is less than $50/month. Leela is fascinated with her, and they seem to like each other. I’m not ready to leave Leela alone with her yet, but I may use her for babysitting eventually, we’ll see.
Monday we went out to lunch in Boudha, to a place called the Garden Café. The food was good (the first real meal I had since Friday), and the place was clean. I didn’t manage to do too much the rest of the week, except a couple of shopping forays, but just the little bit of walking around we did do was good to get a lay of the land. I feel like I know my way around our little part of Boudha well now.
On Saturday we met the Rinpoche at the Gompa (monastery) where the Rangjung Yeshe Institute is located. He was very nice, and gave me a booklet on the Dharma. We then went to a teaching by the Rinpoche (he does a weekly lecture for Westerners when he’s in town), which was very interesting. He spoke through a translator for the most part, but was very engaging.
Sunday we went to check out Swayambunath, and then to a luncheon thrown by a couple of Carleton alumni that Dave was referred to by his old advisor. This was the first time for us taking a taxi, and the ride over to Swayambunath was relatively easy, requiring very little bartering.
This was our first time on the Ring Road, which surrounds Central Kathmandu. It is a crazy jumble of pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, trucks, busses, etc. Our taxi driver swerved in an out of traffic with an incredible combination of skill, recklessness abandon, and sheer luck! Imagine an 8-lane highway squeezed into the width of a 2 lane highway, with no middle line, and cars swerving over the line and back in with motorbikes weaving in between. It is INSANE.
Swayambunath is a complex of shrines, sculptures, and temples, set up on a hill on the other side of Kathmandu. In the center and top of the hill is a large stupa, similar to the one here in Boudha. To get up to the stupa, you climb an incredibly long and steep stair. I had Leela on my back, and it was a serious challenge! It was really very beautiful, if a bit touristy, and we’ll definitely go back when we have more time to spend. As it was, we only had about an hour to explore before we had to head to the luncheon.
The house we were going to wasn’t far, about a kilometer or so, but after climbing that stair and walking around all morning, I was in favor of driving rather than walking. Our first taxi driver wanted to charge us more than half of what we paid to get to Swayambu. The next taxi driver wanted to charge us even more! We kept walking to find another taxi, and finally found one that seemed willing to go on the meter. However, once we got in the taxi, the meter went up 10 rupees every several meters! Then the guy took the wrong street. At this point we got out of the taxi, got directions from a helpful shopkeeper, and walked the rest of the way, another 10 minutes.
Now, of the couple whose home we visited, one is a writer, and the other is a very high-level executive with one of the foreign aid agencies here. They live in a beautiful home in a gated community, complete with guard, driver, gardener, and several housekeepers. They had a beautiful view of the surrounding valley and the nearby stupa. The other guests were also in high-level positions at other agencies, and I sort of felt out of place among them, although everyone was very friendly. We were certainly the only ones that arrived on foot! One couple there also had a seven-month old, but unlike us, they brought along their governess, so I didn’t see much of their baby. Dave and I, on the other hand, had our hands full with Leela, while trying to eat and converse with the other guests. It was a very interesting experience, a glimpse of how it could be VERY easy to live in Kathmandu. I think if I lived where they lived, I wouldn’t even ever want (or need) to leave home. A driver alone would be priceless, especially after our experience haggling with taxi drivers!
Tonight I am planning on going to a "Ladies Night" to meet some other mothers in Kathmandu. I'm a little nervous about traveling around by myself at night and having to deal with taxis. Hopefully all goes well!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Adventure Finally Begins!
At long last we are on our way to Kathmandu! After a 2 hour drive to the airport, and a 13 hour plane ride, we have arrived in Abu Dhabi and are hanging out in the hotel. The flight was actually only 13 hours (only!) instead of the 15 I thought it would be, but it was still long. Leela did great! A few very brief spells of fussiness, but otherwise great. She slept and nursed well, and even Dave and I managed to get some sleep.
When we arrived in Abu Dhabi, the sun had already gone down. I never like arriving in a new place when it's dark. It's impossible to get a lay of the land, and I like to see where I am relative to my surroundings and, of course, to see the scenery! I'm looking forward to the sunrise, which should be in a few hours. Because Leela is still on her EDT schedule, we're not quite wide awake with her at 3 AM.
In less than 24 hours, we will finally arrive at our destination! I hope Leela is as good on the second flight as she was on the first one. She'd better get used to it, because there are many more in her future!
When we arrived in Abu Dhabi, the sun had already gone down. I never like arriving in a new place when it's dark. It's impossible to get a lay of the land, and I like to see where I am relative to my surroundings and, of course, to see the scenery! I'm looking forward to the sunrise, which should be in a few hours. Because Leela is still on her EDT schedule, we're not quite wide awake with her at 3 AM.
In less than 24 hours, we will finally arrive at our destination! I hope Leela is as good on the second flight as she was on the first one. She'd better get used to it, because there are many more in her future!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Crunch Time!
Well, it's coming down to the wire now, and we're both excited and (at least for my part) nervous. We have exactly one week to go before our departure. We successfully moved out of our apartment last week, and are now busy with last minute shopping, packing, and preparing for our journey.
Having never flown with a 7-month old before, I'm starting to get nervous. Some people have told me it will be ok, and that most people are understanding of people with children; others have told me it will be intense and difficult. Now that she has started crawling and pulling up to standing, that's all she wants to do. Trying to get her to stay still in her - make that my - seat sounds like an exercise in futility.
If any parents are reading this, I'd love to hear about your travel experiences - good or bad.
Having never flown with a 7-month old before, I'm starting to get nervous. Some people have told me it will be ok, and that most people are understanding of people with children; others have told me it will be intense and difficult. Now that she has started crawling and pulling up to standing, that's all she wants to do. Trying to get her to stay still in her - make that my - seat sounds like an exercise in futility.
If any parents are reading this, I'd love to hear about your travel experiences - good or bad.
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