माय नेपाली लाइफ

Namaste, friends!

So first of all, I need to explain my last post to you! I wrote it on my computer first then uploaded it on an Internet cafe computer. I was trying to title the posted picture but what I typed kept changing into Nepali script! So, the people in my last posted picture are as follows: me, a famous Nepali actor, my little sister Michelle, grandfather Meme, and my little brother Ian. My Nepali mother and father are not in the picture. I will eventually post a picture of my entire family!

I would like to share with you the 3 main happenings of my life in Kathmandu right now.


First, I have been taking Nepali language lessons for 3 hours a day Monday through Friday. I have two wonderful gurus (teachers), Himal and Indira. I think right now I’m at the point where I would be able to hold a decent conversation with a Nepali! I’ve also been working on learning the Nepali script, but oh boy, it is difficult! It consists of 36 consonants and 11 vowels, all of which are curly and pretty looking, but have nothing in common with the English alphabet! I have gotten to know the public transportation system (watch for a coming-soon blog post on this lovely topic!) because of my language lessons. It takes about 2 hours to travel to and from language lessons, so this has taken up a good chunk of my day. I’ll be in language lessons til September 20th and then I start at Elim Kids Academy full time!

Second, I have started my volunteer job placement at Elim Kids Academy! However it is not with kids yet! I am teaching 5 young adults from Somalia. Somalia is located in East Africa bordering Kenya, Uganda, and the Indian Ocean. It is currently in a very violent state so many people have been displaced to other countries, including Nepal. My 5 Somalian students have been in Nepal between 1-3 years already and are just waiting for the day they can go back home. They stand out in Nepal just like me, except in a completely different way than me! They are VERY tall, which is a huge contrast to mostly short Nepalis! They also are Muslim, so they cover their hair and wear clothing that covers shoulders to toes. They already have a good understanding of English and speak it pretty well, so we are working on digging into grammar, reading, spelling, definitions, and writing. Although I had no previous teaching experience, I feel like I’ve already learned a lot on how to be a good teacher. This year of service will consist of not only serving, but of me learning A LOT! After class the Somalians join a group of Nepalis for a couple hours of basketball! So I have joined them most days and I just love it! They are all in it for a fun time, so there is lots of laughter. This is surely a highlight of my day and it’s nice to get to hang out with people my age!

Third, I spend mornings and evenings with my host family and a few new friends. My host family, as I have already mentioned, welcomed me right in as another family member. During my first weekend with them they took me to a famous Nepali live show, which lasted 3 hours long! It seemed to be very funny and entertaining, but I had no idea what they were saying! This past weekend I attended a Buddhist meeting with the family, which was again 3 hours long and only spoken in Nepali. Nonetheless it is very interesting to be observe these events, even if I can’t understand. My mother has shown me a few historic temples and we also hung out with her Filipina friends. I have been going to a Christian church in Patan, which is about 45 min away on motorbike, with my Nepali mother and sister. Ah, I have loved this! It’s wonderful to praise God with an international community and meet other Christian my age that want to hang out this next year! My mother makes breakfast every morning: an egg, bread and jam, and coffee. Now, for those who know me know I do not like coffee. But when your host mother so excitedly serves it to you, and despite you trying to explain that you don’t typically drink coffee and it not being understood, you just drink it anyway! So I have had coffee everyday here so far! It doesn’t taste as bad as the coffee smell, but I think that’s because she sweetens it up  My father cooks Dhalbaat for dinner every night! – rice, soupy lentils, vegetables, and maybe meat. They eat this for every meal here! I think I’ve eaten more rice here so far than my entire life! They also eat with their hands. Can you imagine that? Eating soupy rice with hands?! But they just slurp it right up. As of right now, I’m still using a spoon  I have also been able to spend a lot of time with an Indonesian girl, Anielle. She is here with MCC as well and is currently staying with my father’s auntee until she moves to another Nepali city for her volunteer placement. She is always smiling and fun to hang out with. We’ve mastered the public transportation together and ventured throughout Kathmandu. God has already placed great people in my life here, and I’m excited to see the social support team that will be built throughout the year.

I suppose that’s enough of an update for now! If anyone has any questions, just post them and I will answer them when I get a chance! I’ve been learning so much and could just write blog after blog, so there will be plenty to come! Thanks for reading my blog and living this Nepali life vicariously through me! Take care!!!