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- Jan 28, 2017
- ☀️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 999 m
NepalWestern RegionBharteSemswanra28°8’31” N 84°27’42” E
Free Day, Sirubari, Lamjung
January 28, 2017 in Nepal ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Today started off easily enough, read my book for a bit, "showered", breakfast. I then walked to the next village to one of the teacher's homes because Beda and Bobita had other things to do. I wasn't entirely sure why I was going, and the directions I was given to get there were "follow the road until you see someone to show you his house" lol. Thankfully I did find it no problem! There was someone leaving who showed me where to go. When I arrived, I picked up what I had been sent for, mutton. I guess today was slaughter day.. Must have something to do with some party I heard is going on today. Pretty sure that I don't like mutton but I guess we'll see. Along the walk there I was able to talk breifly with Mom before the signal faded!
When I returned home I decided I needed to do some laundry. Finding the cistern was a challenge, apparently I just don't understand directions very well.. Or I don't understand the difference between a big tree and a medium sized tree, but hey. But once I did find it I started washing my clothes. And didn't have enough laundry soap of course. So I used a bar of soap meant for the body and it worked well enough! After I figured out how the heck to wash clothes properly without a sink... Pretty sure I didn't do a very good job on some items. I also understand now why a lot of people don't bother with socks here (they all wear sandals 90% of the time) even when it's cold. Because they're impossible to clean! I will be following suit now and dealing with cold feet instead of the struggle of washing socks that just don't get clean. Thankfully, I only brought black socks so you can't really tell that they're still covered in dirt. They smell fine though :p Once the clothes dry we'll see how successful I was with washing them.. While I was doing my laundry a goat tried to eat some socks! It was kind of comical but frustrating at the same time haha.
When I was back from washing clothing, there was no one at the house and I took the opportunity to just relax. Wishing I had some beers to drink, but not enough to walk down to town for them! So instead I read my book, did some stretching and other exercises. I can feel myself getting more flexible in some ways, like the hips even though they ache, and in some ways I feel tighter, my calves in particular. And my back aches, but pretty sure that's just muscles getting stronger..
At some point in the afternoon Bobita came back to the house to make some tea and I went with her down to the celebration. I'm not entirely sure what this one was all about... Some girls tried to explain it and I think it's something to do with honouring women. Grandma was there and received a blessing of some sort in front of the... Blessing area? One pro of letting the girls use my phone for photos meant they took one of the area I'm talking about so I didn't have to be the offensive stranger taking pictures of everything ;) This one was more elaborate than the one at the wedding party, but the same idea. Offerings of food, money, flowers, in bowls made of banana leaves all placed under a knit cloth draped from 4 poles decorated with leaves and flowers. I'm starting to notice a clear separation between men and women in al public events. There is very little mixing of the sexes, the women all sit together and the men sit together. The children drift between the two groups but tend to stay with the women. Or, like today, with me. They're fascinated by me and honestly I'm okay with their company because it's so easy to talk to children. All they want to do is learn and have fun, if the conversation isn't all that intelligent well that's okay. There is one brother and sister in particular that just melt my heart, children of one of the teachers. The little boy always comes and sits with me and the girl is always explaining what's happening and showing me around. Makes me think of having my own one day ;) oh! And the children gave me these little fruits that were super sour and delicious and I wish that we had them at home! Called lapsi I believe.
For dinner we had the mutton.. Definitely not a fan. But I tried!Read more
gary hardan That's it! Mutton taco stands! We should have had you bring along a bottle of tabasco sauce. You'd be in business! I'm going to be on my best writing behavior today but I must say it is tempting to launch into a thread on goats and laundry. So I take it that there is no or very limited running water. There is electricity but only random phone service. That certainly is way out there. No television I assume? Does Nepal have a broadcasting service? I have one million questions for you, that's for sure. How is their relationship with the modern western techno world? Do they U-tube? Google? Ask one of those sheep farmers if his flock is ever threatened by tigers.
Kirsti Mathiasen Haha taco stands! Haven't seen any of those yet here, pretty much they eat only rice and lentils, or chow Mein as their fast food. Lots of chillies here to spice things up!! Best writing behaviour?! Haha too bad. I think I know where you were going with that though ;) No running water at all, unless you count a hose that comes down from the source at the top of the mountain but it's just trickles. They connect it to a 200 litre barrel so that there's always water here but no taps or anything like that. There is electricity yes! But it isn't reliable, it's been out all day in fact and I'm using the last of my battery to write today's post. There is actually a TV here, satelite channels from India so not much that I'm interested in watching. Broadcasting service.. There's radio here? Western tech world relationship... Well let's just say that they're behind. The younger folk are about as up to date as most grandparents are at home if you know what I mean. Old school cellphones with actual buttons that only call or text and no computers or anything. Think of how Wags is with technology ;) Phones are very expensive over here so not too common. Definitely not very many people on Google on YouTube.. I've astounded a few people by pulling out my phone to look something up! Everything they do is with their brains, not technology, and honestly for somethings it's definitely a better way of doing it. Especially math, I realize how much I've forgotten and can't do in my head anymore ;) Please keep asking away! I love to hear from you guys. Maybe I'll give you a call one weekend evening and talk to all you at the hawks nest? Let me know when's a good time!