Where do you start when you want to change the the world? The popular adage is that you must change yourself first. But into what? And how? Yesterday was Nepali New Year. Time for another set of of new year resolutions, or not as the case may be. I've been here now a week, and it's really time for a change in mindset. Normally, when I come to Nepal it's for a holiday. I must now switch that part of my mind out. I'm here to work. To change the world - in my own small way.
So, where to start out?
Well, I've got 3 main things to sort out at the moment:
1. What projects does the village want?
2. Where can we get the funding from?
3. How am I going to get my visa sorted?
For the first one, I'm going to have to visit Rajghat. A day's travel away. However, at the moment there is a strike - banda - in the village after the election, and Buwa is stuck there. How long the banda will last no-one is quite sure. As for funding, we've got a few contacts to start working on here in Kathmandu. If we can find the right people to talk to then hopefully we can start getting things up together. And my visa, well that's just going to be a lot of fun with red tape and chasing tails. I'm going to have to make sure I keep my patience, not something I'm particularly good at when I work, but is definitely something to improve on.
My nepali is coming on. I have expanded my vocabulary to peacock, rhino lightning and a most wonderful word for thunder (gadang-gudung).
Kathmandu has been experiencing interesting evenings, with a howling wind coming in from the west of the valley bringing thunder and lightning and some heavy rain for a short period of time. The days have been fairly hot, although I'm still fairly white - apart from my green eating hand - and the nights similarly hot with the mosquitoes swarming waiting for my to expose some flesh to suckle on.
The Mao seem to going to form the next government, which will be interesting.
A fun new year for Nepal
SAM
Monday, 14 April 2008
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Settling in
My hands are green. My stomach is constantly full. My toilet visits have become more frequent. And I am a good 6 inches taller than everyone. Yes - I am back in Nepal finally.
Well, the snow as predicted came to the UK, and for a few moments driving past Swindon and Reading I thought I might not make it to Heathrow on time. All fears in vain, as the bus arrived 5 minutes early and I checked-in in super fast time, negotiating my over 10 kg of excess baggage down to 2 kg. The flight to Qatar was uneventful, and when we landed in Doha at midnight it was still 35 C. A bit different from the freezing UK, especially with my 2 jumpers and 2 t-shirts on.
Flying into Kathmandu is one of the most amazing sites in air travel in my most humble of opinions. You look out of the window and see the sky and the clouds. After a while, you realise what you thought were clouds actually are mountains creating a wall between China and India. As you turn onto the approach into Kathmandu, it looks as if you are descending. However, in reality the ground is coming up to you as well. The middle hills of Nepal appear out of the mist like green and blue icebergs in the sky. And then through the smog of the Kathmandu Valley, buildings start to appear and within a minute you are on the ground.
Coming back to the house, it's like I've never left. My bed and quilt are still here - these were made especially made for me as everything else was too short, not that I actually cared - and overall not much has changed since christmas. The main change is now that Saru, my friend's sister, is married and so lives in her husband's family house. This makes everything a bit quieter, and means Rachhu, another sister, is left to do most of the work around the house. I've been trying to get use to everything again, but it's taking a bit longer than usual. I'm still working on UK time, so falling asleep at 5 am Nepali time, and my stomach hasn't quite adjusted to Nepali food. Hopefully after another couple of days I'll get better.
As for my do-gooding, Buwa, my friend's dad, is still in their village after doing some work during the elections, so not much can happen until he returns. I am going to start to make some contacts around and about in the funding bodies just so we can get going when he returns.
The Nepali elections have passed off with little incident. It appears the Maoists will win, a transformation from ruthless terrorists to leaders of the country in 2 years. Not bad really when you think about it. What this will mean for Nepal is not quite known yet. Will everyone accept being ruled by people who killed, tortured, extorted money and caused over 13,000 deaths during their self-titled "People's War"? However, do they want to be ruled by the same corrupt politicians that have kept their country in the most hideous poverty for the last 15 years? It appears change is certainly in the air, and let's hope for the people of this wonderfully resilient country that it will be change for the better.
Interesting times lie ahead.
SAM
Well, the snow as predicted came to the UK, and for a few moments driving past Swindon and Reading I thought I might not make it to Heathrow on time. All fears in vain, as the bus arrived 5 minutes early and I checked-in in super fast time, negotiating my over 10 kg of excess baggage down to 2 kg. The flight to Qatar was uneventful, and when we landed in Doha at midnight it was still 35 C. A bit different from the freezing UK, especially with my 2 jumpers and 2 t-shirts on.
Flying into Kathmandu is one of the most amazing sites in air travel in my most humble of opinions. You look out of the window and see the sky and the clouds. After a while, you realise what you thought were clouds actually are mountains creating a wall between China and India. As you turn onto the approach into Kathmandu, it looks as if you are descending. However, in reality the ground is coming up to you as well. The middle hills of Nepal appear out of the mist like green and blue icebergs in the sky. And then through the smog of the Kathmandu Valley, buildings start to appear and within a minute you are on the ground.
Coming back to the house, it's like I've never left. My bed and quilt are still here - these were made especially made for me as everything else was too short, not that I actually cared - and overall not much has changed since christmas. The main change is now that Saru, my friend's sister, is married and so lives in her husband's family house. This makes everything a bit quieter, and means Rachhu, another sister, is left to do most of the work around the house. I've been trying to get use to everything again, but it's taking a bit longer than usual. I'm still working on UK time, so falling asleep at 5 am Nepali time, and my stomach hasn't quite adjusted to Nepali food. Hopefully after another couple of days I'll get better.
As for my do-gooding, Buwa, my friend's dad, is still in their village after doing some work during the elections, so not much can happen until he returns. I am going to start to make some contacts around and about in the funding bodies just so we can get going when he returns.
The Nepali elections have passed off with little incident. It appears the Maoists will win, a transformation from ruthless terrorists to leaders of the country in 2 years. Not bad really when you think about it. What this will mean for Nepal is not quite known yet. Will everyone accept being ruled by people who killed, tortured, extorted money and caused over 13,000 deaths during their self-titled "People's War"? However, do they want to be ruled by the same corrupt politicians that have kept their country in the most hideous poverty for the last 15 years? It appears change is certainly in the air, and let's hope for the people of this wonderfully resilient country that it will be change for the better.
Interesting times lie ahead.
SAM
Saturday, 5 April 2008
T minus 1 day. Argh!
Passport. Check.
Insurance. Check.
Money. Check.
Clean boxers. Check.
As John Denver's lyrics put it:
"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go ... I'm leaving on a jet 'plane, don't know when I'll be back again"
Although I sort of know I'll be back next year, it's an awfully long time away.
Anyway, last minute things have been done, bought a years supply of Immodium and Marmite and had my photo taken for all visas I need. Isn't it strange that passport photographs make you look like a drug addict that has just been arrested for mugging an old lady. If I saw that photo, and didn't know who I was, I would throw myself into rehab alongside Ms Winehouse and Spears.
So my bus leaves early morning tomorrow, in the predicted snow and ice. An auspicious start no doubt to a calm and uneventful trip. If all goes to plan, I'll be in Nepal mid morning Nepal-time on Monday. And the elections are still going to be going on in Nepal on the 10th April, with the Maoists saying that they expect to win and if they don't then they will rise up again. Not many others expect them to win though. So, interesting times ahead.
This may be the last post for a while depending on how things go, but I've uploaded some of my photos from previous trips here http://picasaweb.google.com/saminnepal
For those I have forgotten to speak to before I go, my most sincere apologies, for those I remembered, once again my most sincere apologies.
SAM
and yes, Jilly is still for sale...
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
T minus 1 week (a little late)
I leave on Sunday.
Today is Tuesday.
Why don't I feel as if I'm about to go?
I mean, this isn't just going to be a normal trip. This isn't going to be for a week or even a month, but a whole year. Why do I feel nothing? It's like a child who doesn't get excited about Christmas. I'm sure that once I've got on the bus to the airport, or the aeroplane, or once I've been in Nepal for a few days I'll realise what is happening. I think I must just be a bit slow.
I'm almost packed. I shoved all my clothes I wanted to take with me in my bag, and am now wearing everything I didn't want to take. Which means that I am wearing things that are either too big, too small or that look just downright stupid. Excellent.
So, off on Sunday early morning, don't get home until Thursday evening. That gives me 2 days to panic. T minus 6 days. ARGH!
SAM
p.s. Little green Golf still for sale - and she now has a shiny new radio as well...
Today is Tuesday.
Why don't I feel as if I'm about to go?
I mean, this isn't just going to be a normal trip. This isn't going to be for a week or even a month, but a whole year. Why do I feel nothing? It's like a child who doesn't get excited about Christmas. I'm sure that once I've got on the bus to the airport, or the aeroplane, or once I've been in Nepal for a few days I'll realise what is happening. I think I must just be a bit slow.
I'm almost packed. I shoved all my clothes I wanted to take with me in my bag, and am now wearing everything I didn't want to take. Which means that I am wearing things that are either too big, too small or that look just downright stupid. Excellent.
So, off on Sunday early morning, don't get home until Thursday evening. That gives me 2 days to panic. T minus 6 days. ARGH!
SAM
p.s. Little green Golf still for sale - and she now has a shiny new radio as well...
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