Last Sunday, April 10th, we finished the school year at Elim. It seems early, doesn't it? Don't get jealous to quickly, the next school year starts this Monday, April 18th! There is only a 1 week break between school years. So for this week of holiday, what did I do? Well I had originally made plans with a friend, but as I told you before, Nepali friendships aren't reliable. So those plans ended up not happening, which really disappointed me. However, the week has ended up being a great time! I will share with you some of the random things that I've filled it with:
-KFC! I decided it was okay to treat myself to a taste from home. All the rice is starting to get old! I thoroughly enjoyed eating some tasty spicy chicken fingers and a brownie sundae : )
-Basketball in the rain! The monsoon season is approaching and so some evenings have been filled with rain. As I’m playing basketball with the Somali guys, the rain just soaks us. I’ve come to really enjoy basketball in the rain!
-Walking, walking, walking! Whenever I have time, I will walk to my destination rather than take public transportation. And this week I’ve definitely had the time! So I’ve spent an average of maybe 3-5 hours a day walking!
-Phone conversations! With limited electricity, 9 hr 45 min time difference, and chaotic schedules, it isn’t so easy to make phone calls back home. Each week I call my boyfriend, sister, and family, which doesn’t leave room for many other calls. However this week I was able to call my grandparents as well! Of course Grandma Smith was being too social and missed my call once again, but whether I’m talking to her answering machine or hearing Grandma and Grandpa Clendenen’s voices, it was simply music to my ears. Such joy it brought me!
-New Years! Yeah, you read that right! On April 13 (Happy birthday, Denise!) – April 14 the Nepalis celebrated their new year… 2068! That’s right, I’m in the future : )
-Thunderstorms! As I mentioned, the monsoon season is approaching, bringing in lightening with it. Since Nepal’s elevation is high, we are closer to the storms. And let me tell you, the thunderstorms are just AWESOME here. The thunder rumbles for such a long time, even shaking you! I love it : )
-Falafel with friends! One of my favorite places to eat in Nepal is this little street stand in Thamel (a cool part of Nepal) that sells falafels. Mmm mmm mmm are they good! So this hasn’t actually happened yet, but here in a half hour I’m meeting up with some of my Somali friends and we are heading to eat falafel! No rice + delicious falafel + presence of wonderful friends? Yup, it’s gonna be a good day : )
So those are my happenings on my holiday break! School starts here again in just a few days. The school year is broken into 3 terms. I will complete the first term with them up to July 13th, then will head home soon after. I also am REALLY looking forward to just a little over a month when my mom and sister come! Praise God for so many blessings. I hope you are all doing well! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2068!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Making Me प्रौद
Hey all!
So as you know by now, the majority of my work here in Nepal is with refugees, particularly from Somalia. I have become rather passionate about refugee work and also feel like a proud mother when it comes to my refugee students. So, the past couple of weeks I've just beamed with proudness of them and I want to share why with you.
First, my 10th grade Somali refugee student has been nationally recognized in Nepal! 10th grade is the graduating year here and intense exams are given. He is the first international student in Nepal to ever take these exams! Now, the reason I find this so impressive is because 4 years ago he didn't even know any English. And now he's taking such intense exams in English to graduate in a foreign country! And not only is he expected to pass, but he's expected to be one of the top students in the whole country! So I've worked with him one-on-one extensively and it just makes me really proud of all the work he's done for this national recognition.
Second, just today one of the Somali families got news that they are finally being relocated! They've been here for 4-5 years waiting waiting waiting until they day they get to go to a safe, developed country where they have opportunities, good schooling, and can earn money. When they first came to Nepal, they imagined it'd be only a month. Can you imagine waiting for 5 years?? So they just got a 2 weeks notice that they will be moving to California! So not only is this great news for the family that is going, but it's great news for all of the Somali refugee community here. Things are finally rolling, opportunities are coming, and their hopes are rising! So as sad as I am to see this family go, as they are all truly wonderful, I'm happy to see that a more positive life will soon be in their hands so soon.
That's my quick update as I'm just really happy right and wanted to share with you! Hope all is well!
So as you know by now, the majority of my work here in Nepal is with refugees, particularly from Somalia. I have become rather passionate about refugee work and also feel like a proud mother when it comes to my refugee students. So, the past couple of weeks I've just beamed with proudness of them and I want to share why with you.
First, my 10th grade Somali refugee student has been nationally recognized in Nepal! 10th grade is the graduating year here and intense exams are given. He is the first international student in Nepal to ever take these exams! Now, the reason I find this so impressive is because 4 years ago he didn't even know any English. And now he's taking such intense exams in English to graduate in a foreign country! And not only is he expected to pass, but he's expected to be one of the top students in the whole country! So I've worked with him one-on-one extensively and it just makes me really proud of all the work he's done for this national recognition.
Second, just today one of the Somali families got news that they are finally being relocated! They've been here for 4-5 years waiting waiting waiting until they day they get to go to a safe, developed country where they have opportunities, good schooling, and can earn money. When they first came to Nepal, they imagined it'd be only a month. Can you imagine waiting for 5 years?? So they just got a 2 weeks notice that they will be moving to California! So not only is this great news for the family that is going, but it's great news for all of the Somali refugee community here. Things are finally rolling, opportunities are coming, and their hopes are rising! So as sad as I am to see this family go, as they are all truly wonderful, I'm happy to see that a more positive life will soon be in their hands so soon.
That's my quick update as I'm just really happy right and wanted to share with you! Hope all is well!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Nepali Festivals
There are countless festivals in Nepal! Since Nepal is primarily Hindu, and Hinduism has hundreds of gods, there are many days to celebrate. The schools get at least one additional day off every 1-2 weeks because of so many festivals. I would like to share a few of them that have stuck out to me since I arrived 7 months ago.
Gai Jatra (August-September)
Literally means “Cow Festival”. This day celebrates those who died in the previous year. Children dress up as the deceased with costume and make-up. Cows are decorated and are believed to guide those that died to Yama.
Teej (September)
This is the Women’s Festival. All women fast for 1-3 days. Married women fast for their husbands’ well-being and prosperity. Single women fast in hopes to find good husbands some day. Red, fasting, and dancing sums up the Teej scene.
Dasain (October)
The importance of Dasain is equivalent to the U.S.’s Christmas. This is the big holiday of the year. It lasts for 15 days and celebrates the goddess Durga’s triumph over evil forces. Goats are sacrificed and their blood is scattered to ensure safety for the next year. Families have parties at each other’s houses, men play cards and gamble, and everyone dances.
Tihar/Diwali (October/November)
Nearly as important as Dasain holiday. On the first day, crows are worshipped. Second, dogs. Third, cows. Carnation necklaces and tikas (the red dot on the forehead) are placed on dogs and cows on their special day, including the strays running the streets. On the fourth day, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is welcomed into homes by decorating the entire house with lights. It reminded me of Christmas in the U.S.! Nepal even allows a full night of electricity during Diwali! The fifth day, brothers are worshipped, tika-ed, and given gifts.
Shivaratri (February)
Shiva’s birthday is celebrated. Sadhus (very devoted Hindus who’ve dedicated their lives to Shiva) from India and Nepal come to Pashupatinath Hindu Temple in Kathmandu. They freely and nakedly bathe in the Bagmati River, which is believed to be holy (uh… if only you’d seen it you might think otherwise), and smoke weed all night long.
Holi (March)
It’s known as the Festival of Colors to bring in Spring. How is it celebrated? With water balloons of course! On this day many people won’t even venture out of their houses because water balloons are freely thrown at any passers-by. And the balloons aren’t always filled with water… sometimes colored paint, or even urine, gum, or broken glass. I’ve heard that sometimes people will even come into an open house and cover people with paint! A week before the official Holi day, people start preparing. This week I was nearly hit by a water balloon (or I hope it was water…) walking home to and from school 3x! So many people have told me that I should stay in this day, especially because my white skin is a target! The official Holi day is this Saturday… so we’ll see how I survive it! I might just have to throw a few water balloons myself : )
Gai Jatra (August-September)
Literally means “Cow Festival”. This day celebrates those who died in the previous year. Children dress up as the deceased with costume and make-up. Cows are decorated and are believed to guide those that died to Yama.
Teej (September)
This is the Women’s Festival. All women fast for 1-3 days. Married women fast for their husbands’ well-being and prosperity. Single women fast in hopes to find good husbands some day. Red, fasting, and dancing sums up the Teej scene.
Dasain (October)
The importance of Dasain is equivalent to the U.S.’s Christmas. This is the big holiday of the year. It lasts for 15 days and celebrates the goddess Durga’s triumph over evil forces. Goats are sacrificed and their blood is scattered to ensure safety for the next year. Families have parties at each other’s houses, men play cards and gamble, and everyone dances.
Tihar/Diwali (October/November)
Nearly as important as Dasain holiday. On the first day, crows are worshipped. Second, dogs. Third, cows. Carnation necklaces and tikas (the red dot on the forehead) are placed on dogs and cows on their special day, including the strays running the streets. On the fourth day, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is welcomed into homes by decorating the entire house with lights. It reminded me of Christmas in the U.S.! Nepal even allows a full night of electricity during Diwali! The fifth day, brothers are worshipped, tika-ed, and given gifts.
Shivaratri (February)
Shiva’s birthday is celebrated. Sadhus (very devoted Hindus who’ve dedicated their lives to Shiva) from India and Nepal come to Pashupatinath Hindu Temple in Kathmandu. They freely and nakedly bathe in the Bagmati River, which is believed to be holy (uh… if only you’d seen it you might think otherwise), and smoke weed all night long.
Holi (March)
It’s known as the Festival of Colors to bring in Spring. How is it celebrated? With water balloons of course! On this day many people won’t even venture out of their houses because water balloons are freely thrown at any passers-by. And the balloons aren’t always filled with water… sometimes colored paint, or even urine, gum, or broken glass. I’ve heard that sometimes people will even come into an open house and cover people with paint! A week before the official Holi day, people start preparing. This week I was nearly hit by a water balloon (or I hope it was water…) walking home to and from school 3x! So many people have told me that I should stay in this day, especially because my white skin is a target! The official Holi day is this Saturday… so we’ll see how I survive it! I might just have to throw a few water balloons myself : )
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Hello everyone!
Lately my blogs have been educational or about what I’m learning. I thought I’d post this time about updates on my life here.
Teaching at Elim is going well! Next week starts our final examinations. Students will take one exam for 3 hours per day for 8 days. We will end the school year with a week of fun activities. Then we will have 2-ish weeks of holiday, then start the next school year at the end of April. Schools here are nearly year round with a few gaps of holiday. I’ve really enjoyed teaching lately, particularly because I really enjoy my students.
My work placement has extended. Starting today I will also be working with the UN at the KCC – the community center for refugees. I will be teaching a few classes to more refugee students after I’ve finished my work at Elim.
We have limited electricity these days, which basically makes it seem that we never have electricity. Although it’s difficult with school planning and communicating back home, it’s also proved to be enjoyable. I have fun playing with my host siblings without T.V. and also reading books by candlelight.
I am enjoying furthering my friendships here. Although I have found it much more difficult to develop good friendships in Nepal than it is back home. The reasons are: 1) You must be home before it’s dark otherwise it’s very unsafe. So when you work all day then it is nighttime, times with friends during the week rarely exists. 2) Reliability is an issue. Plans are never set in stone and are always changing, so even though you make plans, don’t count on them following through. 3) You can’t just jump in your car and meet your friend somewhere. You either walk or take public transportation, which takes much longer to meet. So when there’s limited daylight hours, it makes meeting difficult. But nonetheless, I’m very grateful to have made friends here in which, even though time is limited, I still truly enjoy that time with them.
Lately the idea of “fear’ has been on my mind and heart. This has grown because of various reasons. 1) Japan is in the middle of a terrible devastation and it’s hard to fathom everyone’s pains (Luckily, the Japanese family/friends I stayed with last year during SAS are doing just fine. Thank God!). There is also the possibility of an earthquake in Nepal right now. An earthquake comes every 74 years here and now it’s been 75 years since the last one. Since Nepal is much less developed and structures are already in terrible shape, I can’t even imagine all the damage that would be done here. 2) at least one bus accident and many car/bike accidents occur every day in Nepal. The reason this is so hard to hear is because my university was deeply affected by a bus accident 4 years ago and I was in a bad car accident 3 years ago. Thinking about all the pain that came from those, just makes the idea of all the accidents here unbearable. 3) I also am a foreigner and my white skin sticks out like no other. Typically foreigners are safe, but I always have my guard up wherever I am. There are many kidnappings, rapings, and murderers here, which I just have to remember is typical of such a big city. So despite all the terrible things that are happening in the world right now, I just have to remember that God is protecting me, is protecting us. The Bible says, “Perfect love casts out all fear,” and no doubt God’s love for us is perfect. So by fearing I am also doubting His love. So as I’m sharing this with you, I just ask for extra prayers… for my safety and God’s protection here, and also that my anxiety with fear doesn’t control my life. Thank you so much.
I hope you are all doing well. I imagine the sun is coming out more and birds are singing songs. It is about 4 months until I return to the U.S., and 2 months until my mother and sister visit here! I’m rather ecstatic for that! So take care, and may God bless you in numerous ways.
“Let your roots grow down into Christ and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth.” –Colossians 2:7
Lately my blogs have been educational or about what I’m learning. I thought I’d post this time about updates on my life here.
Teaching at Elim is going well! Next week starts our final examinations. Students will take one exam for 3 hours per day for 8 days. We will end the school year with a week of fun activities. Then we will have 2-ish weeks of holiday, then start the next school year at the end of April. Schools here are nearly year round with a few gaps of holiday. I’ve really enjoyed teaching lately, particularly because I really enjoy my students.
My work placement has extended. Starting today I will also be working with the UN at the KCC – the community center for refugees. I will be teaching a few classes to more refugee students after I’ve finished my work at Elim.
We have limited electricity these days, which basically makes it seem that we never have electricity. Although it’s difficult with school planning and communicating back home, it’s also proved to be enjoyable. I have fun playing with my host siblings without T.V. and also reading books by candlelight.
I am enjoying furthering my friendships here. Although I have found it much more difficult to develop good friendships in Nepal than it is back home. The reasons are: 1) You must be home before it’s dark otherwise it’s very unsafe. So when you work all day then it is nighttime, times with friends during the week rarely exists. 2) Reliability is an issue. Plans are never set in stone and are always changing, so even though you make plans, don’t count on them following through. 3) You can’t just jump in your car and meet your friend somewhere. You either walk or take public transportation, which takes much longer to meet. So when there’s limited daylight hours, it makes meeting difficult. But nonetheless, I’m very grateful to have made friends here in which, even though time is limited, I still truly enjoy that time with them.
Lately the idea of “fear’ has been on my mind and heart. This has grown because of various reasons. 1) Japan is in the middle of a terrible devastation and it’s hard to fathom everyone’s pains (Luckily, the Japanese family/friends I stayed with last year during SAS are doing just fine. Thank God!). There is also the possibility of an earthquake in Nepal right now. An earthquake comes every 74 years here and now it’s been 75 years since the last one. Since Nepal is much less developed and structures are already in terrible shape, I can’t even imagine all the damage that would be done here. 2) at least one bus accident and many car/bike accidents occur every day in Nepal. The reason this is so hard to hear is because my university was deeply affected by a bus accident 4 years ago and I was in a bad car accident 3 years ago. Thinking about all the pain that came from those, just makes the idea of all the accidents here unbearable. 3) I also am a foreigner and my white skin sticks out like no other. Typically foreigners are safe, but I always have my guard up wherever I am. There are many kidnappings, rapings, and murderers here, which I just have to remember is typical of such a big city. So despite all the terrible things that are happening in the world right now, I just have to remember that God is protecting me, is protecting us. The Bible says, “Perfect love casts out all fear,” and no doubt God’s love for us is perfect. So by fearing I am also doubting His love. So as I’m sharing this with you, I just ask for extra prayers… for my safety and God’s protection here, and also that my anxiety with fear doesn’t control my life. Thank you so much.
I hope you are all doing well. I imagine the sun is coming out more and birds are singing songs. It is about 4 months until I return to the U.S., and 2 months until my mother and sister visit here! I’m rather ecstatic for that! So take care, and may God bless you in numerous ways.
“Let your roots grow down into Christ and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth.” –Colossians 2:7
Monday, March 7, 2011
Why I Believe
During my time in Nepal and other travels, I have been challenged with the idea of why I believe Christianity is the right or best religion. Growing up in the United States, people I was around were either Christian or atheists. I started thinking about why I believed from the Christian perspective, of why I would choose God rather than no god. My conclusions were summarized in the idea of why would we be on earth for no reason; we have a purpose that our Creator gave us. However, now I am in a country where there are many religions- Hindu culture, Buddhist host family, Muslim students, etc. I now am challenged with why I believe Christianity is the right religion. I have enjoyed digging into this idea and would like to share with you the reasons why I believe what I believe.
1) Christianity has evidence. As much as Christianity is about faith in what is unseen (and should be, don’t get be wrong), it’s natural to want some evidence along with it. It’s the way that humans have developed, wanting proof of what is real. And we have that with Christianity. Jesus died on the cross. There’s no way He could’ve lived. Yet three days later He miraculously rose from the grave. Hundreds of people were witness to this, both believers and unbelievers. There is proof of this incredible resurrection. Even the Muslim religion acknowledges this. Also, all the prophecies made in the Old Testament came true. And, so many miracles were performed by Jesus and his disciples. These are all factual things that were witnessed. Christianity is real.
2) “Has anyone ever died for you before?” This is what a Nepali Christian lady asked a Hindu lady who was curious about Christianity. This is what Christianity is about, being loved so much that Jesus died for us. I can’t even begin to fathom this tremendous love, yet I remain so thankful that Jesus died for me. Other religions aren’t about the love that our Creator has for us. They’re often about working so hard you’re entire life but fate is what determines your destiny. Yet Christianity is so simple. We are loved so incredibly much, just as we are, sins and all. We are loved enough that someone has died for us.
3) God’s grace is free. No matter what we’ve done in life, no matter the mistakes we’ve made, no matter how little we’ve done for God, He offers His grace to us. All we have to do is accept it. Yet, in other religions, grace is never free. In Hinduism, a person must do such good things their entire life and this determines their rebirth. They don’t have the love of a god that offers them forgiveness from anything they’ve done. If they mess up, that sin sticks with them their entire life and then they are reborn into a worse life. But as a Christian, ours can be washed away. All we have to do is accept that forgiveness and live for Him. Our Savior wants us to love Him because we truly love Him, not out of obligation or fear of punishment. Therefore, he offers grace to us in our own free will.
4) The evolution story makes sense with Christianity. Scientists have tried to say that we formed out of dust. Yet this possibility is equal to the chance of you winning the lottery 5 weeks in a row. Yeah, right. So how were we created? By a magnificent God. Note that I said God, not gods. In Hinduism there are 3 creation stories, all contradictory to one another. There’s no evidence of any of them, just stories that got passed down generation to generation. Yet in Christianity we have one story and personally I feel like it makes sense. We may not know the details, but that is because we are only human which is so small compared to the God that created us.
5) God has proven His control of my life. There are so many things in my life that I thank God for His perfect hand in, even though I may not have realized it at the time. There are situations in our lives that don’t make sense in that moment, yet years later we come to understand the good that came out of it. There are also situations that just make us so incredibly thankful to God. For example, I was in a bad car accident 3 years ago. There were so many details that were perfectly in place that allowed me to live, such as the car swerving enough, me wearing my seatbelt, me being asleep, no cars coming from the other direction, missing the telephone pole, etc. If just one of these things were a tad different, I wouldn’t be here right now typing this. It just makes me so thankful that God allowed me to live longer so I can do His work on earth. I think it’s good to reflect on our own life of how God has played a perfect role in it. This stirs my emotions and feelings of why I believe what I believe.
I hope that you too can dig into why you believe what you believe… and that you can truly believe it from your heart. Face the questions that are hard to ask, and keep digging until you can find some answers. Praise God for being the Truth, the Way, the Light.
Jayamesi!
1) Christianity has evidence. As much as Christianity is about faith in what is unseen (and should be, don’t get be wrong), it’s natural to want some evidence along with it. It’s the way that humans have developed, wanting proof of what is real. And we have that with Christianity. Jesus died on the cross. There’s no way He could’ve lived. Yet three days later He miraculously rose from the grave. Hundreds of people were witness to this, both believers and unbelievers. There is proof of this incredible resurrection. Even the Muslim religion acknowledges this. Also, all the prophecies made in the Old Testament came true. And, so many miracles were performed by Jesus and his disciples. These are all factual things that were witnessed. Christianity is real.
2) “Has anyone ever died for you before?” This is what a Nepali Christian lady asked a Hindu lady who was curious about Christianity. This is what Christianity is about, being loved so much that Jesus died for us. I can’t even begin to fathom this tremendous love, yet I remain so thankful that Jesus died for me. Other religions aren’t about the love that our Creator has for us. They’re often about working so hard you’re entire life but fate is what determines your destiny. Yet Christianity is so simple. We are loved so incredibly much, just as we are, sins and all. We are loved enough that someone has died for us.
3) God’s grace is free. No matter what we’ve done in life, no matter the mistakes we’ve made, no matter how little we’ve done for God, He offers His grace to us. All we have to do is accept it. Yet, in other religions, grace is never free. In Hinduism, a person must do such good things their entire life and this determines their rebirth. They don’t have the love of a god that offers them forgiveness from anything they’ve done. If they mess up, that sin sticks with them their entire life and then they are reborn into a worse life. But as a Christian, ours can be washed away. All we have to do is accept that forgiveness and live for Him. Our Savior wants us to love Him because we truly love Him, not out of obligation or fear of punishment. Therefore, he offers grace to us in our own free will.
4) The evolution story makes sense with Christianity. Scientists have tried to say that we formed out of dust. Yet this possibility is equal to the chance of you winning the lottery 5 weeks in a row. Yeah, right. So how were we created? By a magnificent God. Note that I said God, not gods. In Hinduism there are 3 creation stories, all contradictory to one another. There’s no evidence of any of them, just stories that got passed down generation to generation. Yet in Christianity we have one story and personally I feel like it makes sense. We may not know the details, but that is because we are only human which is so small compared to the God that created us.
5) God has proven His control of my life. There are so many things in my life that I thank God for His perfect hand in, even though I may not have realized it at the time. There are situations in our lives that don’t make sense in that moment, yet years later we come to understand the good that came out of it. There are also situations that just make us so incredibly thankful to God. For example, I was in a bad car accident 3 years ago. There were so many details that were perfectly in place that allowed me to live, such as the car swerving enough, me wearing my seatbelt, me being asleep, no cars coming from the other direction, missing the telephone pole, etc. If just one of these things were a tad different, I wouldn’t be here right now typing this. It just makes me so thankful that God allowed me to live longer so I can do His work on earth. I think it’s good to reflect on our own life of how God has played a perfect role in it. This stirs my emotions and feelings of why I believe what I believe.
I hope that you too can dig into why you believe what you believe… and that you can truly believe it from your heart. Face the questions that are hard to ask, and keep digging until you can find some answers. Praise God for being the Truth, the Way, the Light.
Jayamesi!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Nepal’s Biggest Problems Harming Society
I struggled to come up with a title for this blog। What I view as a problem isn’t necessarily what others view as a problem. And the same, what I think is harming society, may simply be just an annoyance to me. So even though I titled this as I did, know that it’s my own opinion of what is hindering Nepal from becoming a better country.
1) Trash
a. Trash is gathered along the roads wherever people feel like throwing it. “Littering” isn’t even known here because it is completely acceptable to just throw your trash wherever you feel. People come through with shovels scooping it up into trucks. This is after the poor go through every single piece taking what they want.
b. Why is it a problem? Trash…
i. Causes sickness epidemics when it’s laid around too long.
ii. Causes traffic jams because it’s piled too far into the streets.
iii. Is very unsanitary when it just sits where we walk.
iv. Dirties the water.
v. Smells horrible. Really horrible.
vi. Is grinded into the road when it becomes soggy from the rain।
2) Water
a. Despite being in the Himalayas, water is scarce, particularly during the dry season (Sept-May). Water is needed in many areas of basic living. So when it is limited, life becomes a bit more difficult.
b. Why is it a problem? Water…
i. Is needed to move sewage. Most urine and feces just sit in squatters/toilets because it takes to much water to wash it down.
ii. Is needed to clean ourselves, kill germs, and live sanitarily.
iii. Is needed to wash clothes.
iv. Is needed to stay hydrated.
v. Is needed for electricity।
3) Electricity
a. During monsoon season when it rains all the time, there is about 2 hours of no electricity every day. During dry season when it doesn’t rain for 6 months, there is about 14 hours of no electricity every day. It may be up to 22 hours of no electricity at the peak of the dry season. Water is needed to power the electricity, and since water is scarce here, so is electricity.
b. Why is it a problem? Electricity…
i. Has become a necessity for modern society to function.
ii. Is needed to print important documents, use powerpoints/overheads, and sound systems in big companies, organizations, schools, and churches.
iii. Is needed to charge electric items, such as an inverter for lights!
iv. Is needed to see well to do homework and lesson planning.
v. Is needed to do research on internet for school/teacher projects.
vi. Is needed to keep refrigerated food cold.
vii. Controls when to eat and what is cooked.
viii. Controls amount of communication with those far from you (like all of you!).
c. There is a positive to the limited electricity though। It encourages people to find fun outside of electronics that we’ve become dependent on. I’ve had a lot fun playing in-the-dark games with my host siblings, reading books by candlelight, and being creative in how to spend time without electricity. It stirs creativity in people when we no longer can rely on electrical entertainment.
4) Government
a. About 10 years ago, the king of Nepal was massacred which soon brought on a new government. At the same time, the Maoists entered Nepal and started ruling over many people, schools, national parks, government officials, etc. The government is now still developing and figuring out how to work together.
b. Why is it a problem? The government…
i. Allows development. When there is no gvt, everything is at a halt.
ii. Favors the rich and their kin, and therefore are unfair to all others in the country.
iii. Took way too long to decide on a leader. Just recently, after 7 months of many elections, they finally were able to agree on a prime minister.
iv. Uses lots of bribery. The corrupt officials demand money for themselves and will only let you out of trouble (whether it is your fault or not) if you pay them a ridiculous amount of money.
v. Don’t get paid enough. I once heard the police get paid 400 rs/month. That’s about $5 for one entire month. Maybe this is one of the reasons they use bribery…
vi. Lacks organization and proper care. There are terrible landslides and flooding in many villages that are left to fend for themselves.
vii. Rarely enforces laws। This results in kidnappings, ransoms, murders, and road accidents.
5) Money
a. The country is primarily Hindu, which emphasizes the caste system, which places a high importance on money. People’s lives are then ruled by making as much money as they can and forget about caring for the people around them and simple kindness to strangers. All of a sudden, life is about how much I can get from others.
b. Why is it a problem? When money…
i. Becomes the focus of a person’s life, friendships are built on money and people are used for their money.
ii. Rules the caste system, a person is stuck in whatever caste they were born into. No matter how intelligent they are, it is so difficult for them to get certain jobs because of their last name. Instead they are stuck selling apples, driving a rickshaw, or begging on the streets for the rest of their life.
iii. Is needed, a person may kidnap someone for a ransom.
iv. Is borrowed and not paid back in a friendship, one friend may end up killing the other.
v. Becomes the focus of a marriage, the partners are dishonest to one another. They will lie about how much money they have so they can go spend it on things they want.
vi. Is the reason a couple is married (caste system and arranged marriages), the partners are unfaithful and disloyal to the other, often resulting in affairs with someone who they “love”.
vii. Is brought in, families will spend it on food and luxuries (short-term) rather than saving any of it (long-term).
viii. Is important, simple kindness and helpfulness is forgotten। As a foreigner, I often feel like people look at me like a dollar sign $. If someone offers to point me in the right direction, they often want paid for the help.
6) Infrastructure
a. When a country is getting started, they don’t think about the best route and width of roads. As it develops, the roads just become a confused mess.
b. Why is it a problem? Bad infrastructure…
i. Creates a lot of traffic jams. The roads were not initially made to hold lots of vehicles, so they are too narrow and structured badly for the new generation’s interest in vehicles.
ii. Makes it hard to travel. Whether traveling for tourism or to deliver potatoes, the roads through the mountains are just horrible. Granted, it is difficult to build good roads in a 3rd world mountainous country. Because of this though, there are so many bus and motorbike accidents.
iii. Lacks rules, regulations, directions, and traffic lights। Sometimes traffic is directed by policeman, but often it is a free-for-all, even in the country’s capital city. Needless to say, my once confident bike-riding has been challenged here.
So here are my thoughts on the biggest negative issues in Nepal. Although this may seem pessimistic, I have actually come to really enjoy this country. Maybe it’s because I know after a year I won’t have to tolerate many of these things? Or maybe it’s because despite the negative things, there are plenty of positive things to make up for it. All countries have developed differently and are at different stages. Nepal may be quite low compared to others, but that is simply one area of the culture. I still find it to be a beautiful country in many ways.
My life is going very well. I’m truly enjoying my time here right now, and I’m so grateful to say that. I thank all of you for your support and prayers. I look forward to seeing you in 6 months!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Refugee Stories
Here are pieces that some of my Somalian refugee students wrote about their life as a refugee. As they escaped from Somalia’s war zone, they were deceived and lied to and settled in Nepal rather than a developed European country where they would’ve had many more opportunities. Here you will hear them talk about how they are feeling after their previous 4 years in Nepal.
In May 1991 I was born in east Africa in a country called Somalia. Growing up in the most dangerous neighborhood in the world. Since I was born I saw that country in a war for so many reasons and we have see so many presidents for the country but in each and every president we see the country destroyed and in a mess. But the best part is that people were keeping hope and keep living with faith. In December 2006 my mother felt that place is not safe anymore. So she told us to start packing. To leave home was weird. We never think about leaving a place where we have friends, family, and childhood memories. But my mother was searching for a fresh start and a better place, but ended up being refugees. People keep asking us about our country and when they know that we are from the most dangerous country in the world they are surprised and automatically ask other questions that come to their mind, “are you glad you left the country?” Our answer is always no. People look at our faces. They think we are joking but the truth is yes, there is a war. There are people dying everyday, and there are no rules over there, but no matter what happened, one day i will because no one can replace a country or a family. Great moments come from great opportunities. So we have the great moments and we are looking forward for the great opportunity. No matter how bad my country deceived me, I will back for her.
Living with my family was everything to me. I count my blessings every day. The most important thing I learned in my family was to help each other all the time. My mother always taught us to care for everyone’s feelings so te others will care for us also. What I leared was how to love yourself is the way you will learn to love the people around you. On the otherhand, my father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me. In my free time I was playing with my brothers especially my young brother, so we were always having quarrel and peace in the same time. My sister is my biggest inspiration in my life. She took care of me and my young brother, even if she went out shopping she brought me a gift every time she got time. She liked to make me the happiest one in the home.
But sometimes if you got angry you thought you hated your family and you don’t want to live with them. But as you leave home and see the need to stay connected you realize you would do anything to return to your family. The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing there is beauty all around you, when you are with your parents.
When i came to Nepal I missed everything, especially my sister’s advice. I call her everyday just to hear her voice and my mother’s voice- I also miss my young brothers’ quarrel. In my conclusion is that family means putting your arms around each other and being with your parents.
One day I hope I will spend more time with my family, talk to them, listen to them, and giving 100% of my time to them, weeping with them, and telling more people to do it.
Nepali Life
Living in Nepal is the hardest life I have ever faced. It’s like a jail without doors and I mean by that I am one of the people who has been stuck here for almost four years. In these four years I try to run away from here but I could not so I think about how to survive here if I can’t run. So I tried to start to understand their culture and to understand what is allowed and what is not allowed. So when I start to do that I start to feel 20% that I can live here. Then I start to have friends from this country so I thought that I can live 40% in this place. Then I start to learn their language and start to learn any language that I can communicate with their people here. So I learn Nepali mixed with Hindi language and English. So I think now I can live here for 60% and I think that enough to survive and live in a place you never hear about.True Story
Love is a word with four letters. We heard it from kids, adult, older people, and also in stories, magazines, newspapers. There are different types of love: loving a mother, loving a teacher, loving a friend, etc. But today I will talk about a different type of love. The kind of love we shortly see because we believe that love is in our heart since we were born. We didn’t need words or action to express. It is a love for a place or for a land you grew up in. I think you know what I’m talking about. It’s the most purse love for our country.In May 1991 I was born in east Africa in a country called Somalia. Growing up in the most dangerous neighborhood in the world. Since I was born I saw that country in a war for so many reasons and we have see so many presidents for the country but in each and every president we see the country destroyed and in a mess. But the best part is that people were keeping hope and keep living with faith. In December 2006 my mother felt that place is not safe anymore. So she told us to start packing. To leave home was weird. We never think about leaving a place where we have friends, family, and childhood memories. But my mother was searching for a fresh start and a better place, but ended up being refugees. People keep asking us about our country and when they know that we are from the most dangerous country in the world they are surprised and automatically ask other questions that come to their mind, “are you glad you left the country?” Our answer is always no. People look at our faces. They think we are joking but the truth is yes, there is a war. There are people dying everyday, and there are no rules over there, but no matter what happened, one day i will because no one can replace a country or a family. Great moments come from great opportunities. So we have the great moments and we are looking forward for the great opportunity. No matter how bad my country deceived me, I will back for her.
Family
My family contains nine members and they are my lovely mother and my great father, five brothers, and one sister.Living with my family was everything to me. I count my blessings every day. The most important thing I learned in my family was to help each other all the time. My mother always taught us to care for everyone’s feelings so te others will care for us also. What I leared was how to love yourself is the way you will learn to love the people around you. On the otherhand, my father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me. In my free time I was playing with my brothers especially my young brother, so we were always having quarrel and peace in the same time. My sister is my biggest inspiration in my life. She took care of me and my young brother, even if she went out shopping she brought me a gift every time she got time. She liked to make me the happiest one in the home.
But sometimes if you got angry you thought you hated your family and you don’t want to live with them. But as you leave home and see the need to stay connected you realize you would do anything to return to your family. The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing there is beauty all around you, when you are with your parents.
When i came to Nepal I missed everything, especially my sister’s advice. I call her everyday just to hear her voice and my mother’s voice- I also miss my young brothers’ quarrel. In my conclusion is that family means putting your arms around each other and being with your parents.
One day I hope I will spend more time with my family, talk to them, listen to them, and giving 100% of my time to them, weeping with them, and telling more people to do it.
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