Sights of Kathmandu and Some Planning

Ever since Felicia left me to go trekking, I've been taking day trips around Kathmandu and some evening trips into Thamel, the tourist district, with Blanca, Sam, and Jill-other volunteers in the house now. 

I went with Sushmita to a young children's orphanage in the city that might become a new volunteer placement to check it out and take pictures. I finally went to Boudha, the main touristy monastery of Kathmandu with Blanca and Sam, a place that every self-respecting foreigner in Nepal must go at some point. I bought fabric for two Kurta Surals (Nepali tunic, pants and scarf sets) and dropped them off to get tailored. I don't know how much they'll help me blend in but they are so beautiful. I  bought the face mask that most of the locals wear to help with the pollution concentrated around the main roads and bus parks. I've been working on learning more Nepali and I've learned a new favorite Nepali phrase- jindagi yestai ho (such is life). and I can successfully buy fruit and vegetables using only Nepali.  I got violently ill thanks to food poisoning from a bad lassi at the neighborhood restaurant, but it only lasted a night and an extended trip to Nepal probably wouldn't feel complete without it. Although Kathmandu is nice and it's good to have time to read and write and use the internet, I'm looking forward to going somewhere new also. 

I've just decided to go with Vinod and Anita, a brother and sister who work for Nepal Orphan's Home and the volunteer program to their Village for the five day festival of Tihar. They live in a remote village down in the Terai, the southern part of Nepal bordering on India. It will be interesting to see a different part of Nepal and to help with all the festival celebrations. Vinod and Anita are really fun, and I'm really looking forward to it even with the 11 hour bus ride and 90-degree weather I've heard about. 

After I get back I'm going to hopefully start a homestay- learn how to cook Nepali food, help with the household chores, and do some language immersion, maybe in Trisouli (a village 3 hours north west of Kathmandu). After that I might work at a children's hospital and then I might go back to my orphanage to teach in a local school and all that will pretty much take through the end of my time here. This is all tentative, of course, plans don't really get set in stone until they happen in Nepal. Jindagi yestai ho.