So much of Nepal is nothing like I expected. Getting off the plane, the first thing to catch your eyes is the hazy brown layer of smog hovering over the valley (just like home sweet home!). I’ve always heard that India is dirty and polluted, and I guess it never dawned on me that Nepal might be very similar (though it does makes perfect sense when you take into account India bordering three sides of Nepal). More than anything I think most people have a romanticized picture of a beautiful city surrounded on all sides by the gorgeous snow-capped Himalayas… but I’d be lying if I said I could actually see the mountains I know are out there somewhere.
Though please don’t get me wrong. Nepal is beautiful! I haven’t gotten to see much of its mountainous regions yet, but city life has been challenging, exciting, and so much fun nonetheless. The best way I know how to put it is this: imagine San Francisco with streets half as wide, buildings half as tall, zero traffic laws, countless motorcycles, dogs, and street merchants, and the dirtiness of India. That’s Kathmandu
Finally getting into a routine has been remarkably nice. Most mornings start by getting ready for school just as the sun is coming up. When I come downstairs Vinu never fails to greet me with a hot cup of tea and before long I’m on my way with Rebecca for the hour’s walk to school. We live in Gongabu, which is in Kathmandu, but quite a ways from the SIT program site in Naxal. The first couple of days were pretty intense – learning how to dodge traffic and navigate the maze of streets can be more challenging than it sounds! On our first walk to school, we took pictures of as many of the major street corners as possible so that we could remember our way back. Rebecca’s host father was showing us the way, but we were on our own for the walk home. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as street signs in Nepal, which makes things a little more challenging. And that’s not to mention that everything looks the same.
We headed out from the program site, a little nervous at first, knowing that in a little over an hour it would be dark and then we really wouldn’t have a clue where we were going. Dodging cars, dogs, people, and motorcycles, we weaved through traffic and miraculously only made one wrong turn before we made it home! (That’s quite the accomplishment for anyone who knows about my sense of direction – or lack thereof.) At the end of it all, we were left with sore eyes and lumps in our throats from the pollution and dirt (we suddenly understood the popular “Kathmandu cough phrase” – but we learned our lesson… there’s a reason why all the Nepalis covers their mouths with scarves!
Evenings back at home are pretty relaxed. Between tea, studying Nepali, and attempting some conversation, at some point I’ll be given a meal of dhalbaat. (The same lentil and rice dish as mentioned before. Served every night.)
School is a lot of fun… and its impressive how much easier it is to learn a language when you really have motivation to do so. (Each lesson makes conversation that evening that much easier.) But that’s not to say that it isn’t pretty intense. We have two and a half hours of Nepali every morning (don’t worry – a tea break in between!) followed by guest lecturers or some kind of excursion in the area. Overall, they’re long, exhausting days.
On Friday, we went to Pashupatinath, the second most famous Hindu temple in the world. And honestly, it’s hard to describe in words.
It was warm when we went, and the whole area was smokey and dusty. It was heartbreaking to see the poorest people there, washing in the murky river that ran alongside the temple we were approaching. Unable to go inside without being Hindu, we went around the backside where there were several sections of cement jutting out over the river, each with a woodpile burning (explaining the intense smoke). Under each woodpile was a body. People were everywhere, crowded around as their family members were being cremated right there. I didn’t really know what to think. Interestingly, the men whose parents had passed wear all white and shave their heads, and we were instructed not to touch or make physical contact with anyone since in this time of morning, they are considered unclean.
Pashupatinath was quite the learning experience, and definitely incredible to see. (On a sidenote – beautiful architecture!) And it was amazing to see so many Hindus from all over. (Of course, as usual, our group of Americans stuck out like a sore thumb.) But on a lighter note, that evening after classes we took advantage of our first real free time and headed to explore Thamel, the “tourist district” in Kathmandu. We got our hands on some pizza (surprisingly delicious after a week of dhalbaat) and enjoyed the night to ourselves with a taste of American food.
Of course, now that this is actually getting posted, school’s getting more intense but our first ISP proposal (our attempt at planning our research project that will be taking over the last month of our studies in Nepal) is officially finished. Such a relief!
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