Nepal: Part 1

Namaste Everyone!

It's been about a month since I've last posted a blog, and I have so much to share! I'm greeting you with the way Nepalis greet each other, Namaste, which is translated into "I bow to and recognize the divinity within you." It's such a beautiful translation and encourages me to look for what is beautiful and special about each person when I meet them.

When we got off the plane in Kathmandu, gathered our baggage, and applied for a visa, we were greeted by some of the program staff--Margie, Prakash, Lalit, Soorja, and Daphure! They put marigold garlands around our necks and we each got a hug from Margie! She is the program director and has been on the Pitzer in Nepal program before! She is so wonderful and sweet, like a mother and a best friend to all of us here. I met some of the other girls in Singapore, Terry and Sammy, and we all flew in to Kathmandu together, which was so nice! Miriam was already in the bus when we landed. All together we have 8 girls--Mandi, Ana, Isabella, Terry, Sammy, Miriam, and Kori. I am finding great friends in each of them, and together we have so much fun together :)


The first 12 days were orientation and were a whirlwind! Our first language lesson was in how to use the bathroom (chaarpi) in Nepal. It's a squatting toliet and in the stall with you is a bucket of water. Instead of toliet paper, Nepalis use water! It's actually quite easy to do and didn't take long to get used to at all. Bathroom etiquette aside, I love the way we are learning the Nepalese language--they've designed it so that it's a recreation of learning our first language.. It's a visual process, with very little translation and a lot of repeating. Our language teachers are Lalitji, Bishuji, and BBji and each day we have a different teacher, and each week we switch classmates! Each of the teachers are animated, extremely clear and focused, and make learning Nepali lots of fun. Actually, the language program is structured extremely well--in the morning we have 4hrs of class and in the evening we go home to our families to use the language! Each day I'm able to understand more and more and my family understands me more and more.
     In the afternoon we have Nepali Culture class and it's usually a lecture or a culture session put together by our teachers. The first couple sessions were on "How to Say No in Nepali Culture" "Nepali and American Stereotypes" and "Public Bathing."  Each of our lectures have been phenomenal. They are all movers and shakers in Nepal, and are working towards creating a country of their dreams. Our lecture topics have included Natural Resources and Urban Planning in Nepal, Foreign and Development, History and Modern History of Nepal, Hinduism, and a Personal Perspective from a Nepalese woman. I've enjoyed them all, and  one that sparks my interest is Foreign Aid and Development. Nepal is in such a crucial stage right now--they are creating a republic and in the process of writing a constitution, and have just elected a new Prime Minister! Nepal's been a recipent of foreign aid for the past 50 years or so, and if they are people like our lecturer out there, they are looking for autonomy and working ways to run their country--not quick fixes and short cuts. Anyways, it's wonderful hearing about Nepal from our lecturers and all of the Nepalese people around me.
     During our first 12 days we also had a quick tour of Kathmandu, a family dinner with one of our host families, and bought our first Nepali outfits!  Many outfits in Nepal are tailored and the cloth is really beautiful. All eight of us bought our first fabrics from the same store--it was like a zoo! The store was about 20 by 20ft, with rows and rows of fabric. We were all pulling out different bundles and putting them up to each other's faces, checking to see which one looked best! It was all lots of fun and each of us were happy with our choices. I choose a flower print (big surprise!) that has beautiful deep reds and purples, and some lighter blues and greens. That's the top (kurta) and the pants (surawal) are brown. It's a perfect outfit for everyday! The family dinner was also really wonderful--we got our first glimpse of how Nepalis socialize and party! They socialize before and after the meal, so we spent the first hour or so dancing and singing and laughing! Then we joined together for daalbhaat, the traditional meal in Nepal. It consists of rice, lentil soup, and vegetables. Very delicious! And for dessert, which is not an everyday occurance, we had rice pudding (kir)! Also very delicious.

Oh my goodness there is so much to tell!

One thing I want to mention is load shedding. It is a part of Nepali life and what happens is that all around Nepal, the electricity is shut off for 14hours a day. As a result, there is not a lot of time to spend on the computer--especially with my school schedule. This is part of the reason why I haven't posted a blog yet! This is frustrating for the Nepalis I've talked with  (the load shedding...not me not writing a blog) and I'm sure they would like this to not happen. However, there are no bad feelings about it! They say, "Ke garne?" Which means "Well, what to do" and go on with their day.

Now, a little bit about my family! They are so wonderful, and so sweet. I have an aamaa, baa, daai (older brother), and bahini (little sister). My older brother is 21 and my little sister is 18 (today is her birthday!). I have enjoyed living with them and each day we become more and more like a family. Our house is in Balkot, which is also the same town as the program house, and only have a 5 minute walk to school. I live in a new type of house, made out of concrete and with running water. Traditionally, Nepali houses are made of brick and mud, and quite beautiful. My house is also beautiful, and the view from my window over looks mustard fields and I can see the mountains in the distance. I have my own room and have the opportunity to spend time by myself, but have been spending evenings with my family, either talking and watching tv, doing homework, or just sitting in relaxed silence. My aamaa always asks what I like to eat, and my family makes new Nepali dishes often. My goal is to be able to make a few when I leave Nepal! Each Saturday is family day, and we all spend the entire day with our families This is the day off in Nepal, and people usually spend this day washing clothes and bathing. Public bathing. I did that for the first time last week! My aamaa, in the process of showing me how to hand wash my clothes, washed all of them for me and sent me upstairs to change into my petticoat. It's a long wrap thing. I put it on and cannot believe that they want me to go out in just this petticoat. I open my window and call out, "Petticoat maatre??" Which means, "just my petticoat?" My mom and sister laugh and say yes and tell me to come down. Then my aamaa pours water over my head and the washing begins. It ended up being a great bounding experience and left me and my aamaa and my little sister laughing!

I want to leave you with a couple of things. First is my mailing address if you'd like to send me something!
Elizabeth Bartolini
GPO Box 1846
Kathmandu, Nepal

Second is a song that we all learned our first week in Nepal, and the first verse is:
phulko akaamaa, phulko sansaaraa
kaadaako akaamaa, kadaa sansaaraa
Translated literally it means, in the eyes of the flower, all the world is a flower/in the eyes of the thorn, all the world is a thorn. It's such a perfect way to start this journey, and something to keep in mind throughout. I've taken it to mean that who I see myself to be and my life, has shaped my outlook on the world and on life in general--so I'm only limited to my experience. The song asks us to keep our minds clear and open and to take in all there is, just as it is and to experience the beauty of the world as it is.

Lastly, I leave you with a promise to write soon! I have so much more to tell you and to share, and will make a promise to post at least every 2 weeks.  Tomorrow we are leaving for a trip to southern Nepal--Lumbini and Chitwan! Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha! Will let you know how that goes.
Until then, I love you all so much and think about you often,
Elizabeth