NFN supporter, Maggie Walsh, is spending a month in Kathmandu volunteering at the Hope Centre. She has created this blog so we can follow her adventures!
A MONTH IN KATHMANDU (from 3rd Oct 2011)
Well, here I am - all ready, finally packed and I am off. It’s been a long time coming with months of preparation both for my role at the Hope Centre and leaving the family - and my beloved dogs- behind.
I have had so many good wishes and talismans given to me that I feel as if I am going to float to Nepal in a bubble not on a plane!
Without delays it will be at least two days before I can communicate again but will get to a computer as soon as I can.
I shall pass on everyone's love to Tilak and the Hope Centre family. Until I ‘blog’ again... Maggie
I’VE ARRIVED! (4th Oct 2011)
Here I am, on a computer, near the Stupa in Boudhanath which I will eventually learn how to master!
It is 5:20pm here, 1200 noon British time, and I haven’t had any sleep for over 24 hours but I am here! It has been a long and emotional journey (having had said good-bye to family, friends & dogs for a month) but it went smoothly without any hiccoughs. I have decided that travelling alone has its advantages and think I could get used to it.
Tilak met me off the plane and took me to a hotel for long-term travellers. I breathed a huge sigh of relief because I love my temporary home! It is very basic, as you might expect, but I have an apartment which is spacious and right in the heart of things. It won’t take me long to make it feel homely; I have brought lots of photos to put on the walls.
I quickly unpacked and then ‘hi-jacked’ one of the hotel staff to take me to the Stupa. I have sterling, dollars and Indian rupees so am in desperate need of Nepalese rupees. Kathmandu is hot, colourful, noisy and friendly – I feel totally at home.
I’m getting hassled to get off the computer already as everyone wants to ‘shut shop’ early in readiness for Dashain. This is a 15 day religious festival and is the most auspicious in the Nepalese calendar. It is celebrated globally by the Nepalese, no matter
what their caste or creed is. All the shops and banks will close down so please bear with me if I can’t get near an internet cafe!
I’ll head back to the hotel now to finish my unpacking and to get organised. Tilak is coming to collect me at 11am tomorrow to take me to the Hope Centre. They are closing the shutters around me as I type! Will ‘blog’ again soon but I am sure you can understand that I am at the mercy of other people until I work out a routine. Will do my best!! Maggie
BIT HECTIC (7TH Oct 2011)
I have wanted to write everyday but it has been proving difficult with the Dashain festival. Lots of places have closed down for the duration and there is hardly any traffic; it’s actually quiet which is remarkable, from what I remembered of my last trip to Kathmandu. It appears everyone is busy celebrating with their families.
I have been celebrating with Tilak & the Hope Centre family of course! It has been ‘sooo’ wonderful to see them all again and I have noted how much some of the children have progressed since I was last here in February.
I was given the honour of placing the ‘tikka’ on the foreheads of the Hope Centre children and staff. (This is a mound of red coloured rice which symbolises the end of badness and victory for goodness; also a happy and blessed New Year). It was avery joyful ceremony followed by a Nepalese feast. Those who know me will understand my mixed feelings about the food but I managed to eat most of it and then said that I was full - a compliment over here!
The afternoon was full of a little singing and much dancing. The boys and girls performed lots of set pieces followed by dancing for all - no exceptions. Well there had to be a first time for me!!
The Hope Centre is such a happy and loving place; such a pleasure to visit. Tilak is exceptional. His patience and integrity are in abundance, not only with the children but also every member of the staff. He is very much loved.
Namaste, Maggie
PROGRESS (8TH Oct 2011)
The progress of some of the children is really remarkable. Two of the youngest girls are doing very well and are walking with the use of bamboo frames, singing, clapping and even speaking some English! It’s remarkable.
One of the new boys is a great addition. He is already very settled and such a happy little chap.
Tilak seems to manage with very little. There is only a telephone line for him to use email – quite different from our broadband and wireless connections in the UK. He never complains of course.
I’m off to Thamel today – my first trip on the buses, which should be fun! Will tell you all about it in my next ‘blog’,
Maggie
APOLOGIES (15TH Oct 2011)
I’m really sorry that I haven’t written in the past few days. I’ve been busy at the Hope Centre the whole time. It can also take up to an hour & a half on the crazy buses to get to the Hope Centre & then again back again. Tilak & I often walk half way home.
Tilak and I are talking a lot every day and I am working on his English. He asks me lots of questions – which is good. I am also helping both Tilak, and the children, with their pronunciation. Some of them have very good English but the problem is that they, including Tilak, are taught by Nepalese who cannot pronounce the words correctly themselves!!
On Thursday, all of us (the children, Tilak, Soni, Salina & Manmaya) harvested the rice which will last the Hope Centre for the
next year. It was hard work in the blistering sun but all done in good humour and it was a very rewarding experience for me. Birgir is now busy in the garden turning the soil for next year’s rice so I haven’t been able to help him with his English yet.
Currently Salina, Manmaya & Suman are working on the roof cleaning the rice & putting it in sacks ready to store.
Today is my day off so Tilak is taking me to see some of the sights. More about that & the crazy buses later!!!
Maggie
KATHMANDU (16TH Oct 2011)
I’m staying in a 'hotel' for long term travellers in Boudhanath. It is a small, chaotic, colourful, noisy & dusty town, close to the capital of Nepal and built around one of the most important and beautiful Buddhist Stupas in the world.
My apartment is large-ish, bright, airy, and basic - and I LOVE it! It has a lounge with small kitchenette, a bedroom & a bathroom - perfect for my needs. There are other travellers here from around the world. Some friendly, some not! No matter - the locals more than make up for the latter.
Travelling to work each day is an experience in itself. The 'buses', built for 12 but often holding up to 30 people, have never seen an MOT in their lives! Pot-holes in the roads, competition between the many drivers to reach their destination as fast as possible therefore getting more passengers, is hazardous and exciting. The people are noisy and boisterous. The view through the front window reminds me of some of my children's X-Box games! I haven't had to share a seat with a chicken or goat yet but I don't rule it out!
Namaste, Maggie.
EXPLORING (21st October 2011)
Once again a busy week at the Hope Centre but I managed to fit in some exploring last weekend. Spent a day in both Swayambhunath and Pashupatinath. Also known as the Monkey Temple, Swayambhunath has holy monkeys that live in the temple and it sits on a hill, west of the city, in the Kathmandu valley.
Pashupatinath is one of the most significant Hindu temples in the world located on the banks of the River Bagmati, in the eastern part of Kathmandu. Devotees of Shiva gather here where he is celebrated as the lord of the beasts. Fascinating buildings and many gods are represented in the various shrines and statues. I must read up on them - there are sooo many to remember!
Pashupatinath is where Hindus come to be cremated by the river. Their ashes are then tipped into the river to float away to the sea. Relatives who come to view the cremation of their loved one then go on to mourn in private for 13 days. They must not return to their own homes but stay in the old brick buildings next to the river - unless they are wealthy and then they rent somewhere! Either way, they must cook their own food for the duration and may not eat salt.
It is a beautiful & very moving place. There are many beggars. This is one place where you cannot ignore them and I give out many small denomination Rupee notes.
Also in the area is an old people’s home for women, funded by the government. They have to be proven destitute and abandoned by their families. If they are eligible they will be provided with food & shelter, medical care and two new outfits a year!! This may give you some idea of what it is like...
The home is in an ancient courtyard with alcoves in the walls, which is where they sleep. They look something akin to our images of the homeless sleeping under bridges or in disused and broken buildings. Yet there is calm and contentment everywhere. The elderly sleep in the sun, chat to their friends, pose for pictures and are almost always smiling. There were even puppies playing.
A very moving experience indeed. Maggie
TIHAR (26th October 2011)
I know some of you have been worried because the ‘blogs’ have been few and far between but I can assure you all is well. I love the country and the people. Most of my time has been spent at the Hope Centre; it has been an honour and a privilege to get to know all the children and staff. Absence of emails has simply been a problem of logistics. I should have brought a laptop with me!
Nepal has been in a frenzy of shopping for the last few days as we approach Tihar. Similar to Christmas Eve on Oxford Street but with an awful lot more traffic and people!! Tihar (also known as the festival of lights) is one of the most dazzling of all Hindu festivals; houses and buildings are decorated with little lamps. The goddess Laxmi (wife of Lord Vishnu) is worshipped, as is the underworld kingdom, and it continues for 5 days. This festival is meant for life and prosperity.
Tomorrow is the first of the big days; the Hope Centre is bedecked with coloured streamers and lights. It looks beautiful! The children have been practising their dances with Soni's help, while Manamaya and Salina make enough cell roti to feed the country! Cell roti comprises of large rings of sweet spicy dough fried in oil which tastes a little like exotic doughnuts - mmmm! Apparently it is compulsory which suits me!
The whole of the Kathmandu Valley (and probably the rest of Nepal) is a light with coloured bulbs. It is very, very beautiful.
As I write this I can hear fireworks going off. The excitement is palpable.
I am going to join them... Maggie
HAD TO COME BACK... (26th October 2011)
While I have been writing the blog it has got dark outside. I left the Cyber Cafe and found myself in a throng of people walking around the Stupa; Nepalese, Tibetans and tourists in their hundreds. Gongs are banging, monks are chanting and loud music is coming from the shops surrounding the Stupa. Absolutely amazing!!
Happy Tihar to all, Maggie
NOT ALL CELEBRATIONS, YOU KNOW! (28th October 2011)
Thought that I should mention that we haven't been partying all the time!! Apart from felt-making, making skipping ropes, sewing & knitting, the children and I have also been working hard at conversational and written English.
Before I left the UK I went on an 'i to i' TEFL course and also completed and passed half of the 120 hour online TEFL course (before family commitments and preparations for Nepal took precedence). It has all been very helpful when working with the children. Of course they do go to school but are taught by Nepalese teachers who struggle with pronunciation and everyday English themselves. We have had lots of laughs working with pronunciation; both with my Nepali and their English!
While they have been off school, Soni has given them small tasks to do; two hundred words on a subject of their choice from a list, e.g. poverty, education, tourism in Nepal etc. Some have been remarkably good and needed little correction. However, for the children who have struggled, I didn’t have the heart to make corrections all over the work they so proudly presented to me. So I took them 'home' with their permission and re-wrote them as they should be. I gave them their own copy back along with my corrected version so that they could compare. It went down well.
Tilak, of course, has spoken English with me almost every day - sometimes for a couple of hours at a time. His English has improved a lot although we still have our misunderstandings which have caused great hilarity.
Today is the last day of Tihar and is called Bhai Tika, or the ‘day of the brother’. Each of the five days of Tihar has its own religious and cultural significance, hence why the holiday holds such importance for the Nepalese on many levels.
Sisters, around the globe celebrating Tihar, will be praying for long life and prosperity of their brothers. In Nepal, sisters and brothers will be visiting each other and the sisters will be applying multi-colours tika on the brother’s forehead and adorning them with flower garlands. In return, brothers give their sisters gifts of money or clothes.
As all the children at the Hope Centre are each other’s brothers and sisters it is going to be busy!! Maggie
REFLECTIONS OF NEPAL (20th November 2011)
Having been back in England for almost 3 weeks, settled back into the family routine and collected my thoughts, I have nothing but happy memories and a feeling of satisfaction of a job well done.
The Hope Centre family and Tilak will be forever in my heart. They are a remarkable group of people who were a joy to teach both vocational and non-vocational subjects. Although young the children are kind, compassionate and caring. Many lessons can be learnt from them.
In Tilak they have a wonderful father figure and guardian who demonstrates exceptional insight into the lives, emotions, development and futures of his ‘children’. Indeed he considers them as much his children as his own three biological children.
Throughout the month there has been much fun, hilarity, dancing, singing and chatting; none of which I will forget. I left with heart-warming letters, from both the boys and girls, heavily sealed and with strict instructions not to read them until on the plane.
I feel confident that I have helped the children to improve their English; an impromptu lesson on how to tell the time turned into an interactive (and boisterous) 2½ hour session! We spent many hours on conversational English which gave us insights into each others’ lives and cultures. The children would ask me questions and then we would write the questions and answers in English and Nepali.
We also spent time learning new skills and hobbies. I introduced them to felt-making and returned the next day to find they had completely run away with the theory and produced very individual pencil cases and purses. Most impressive and innovative!
To be certain not to leave them without supplies, I coerced material from the tailor who made up my Nepalese Kurta Salwar – which I wore constantly from within a few days at the Hope Centre. Also, since returning to the UK, I have made a deal with Dragon Yarns, the suppliers of my own wool, who have very kindly sent a large batch of wool directly to the Hope Centre.
Finally, when I’m missing all at the Hope Centre I recall the words of one of the girls, “Be happy, not sad”. Wise words, from someone so young, that will always bring memories to mind and a smile to my face.
Maggie