As if living in Kathmandu isn't interesting enough...leaving Kathmandu is too. I get to see all sorts of cool things as we bounce around on the road, like this poor goat tied to the top of this car (I saw another one with several on top) and these wonderful orange stands along the way. For a kilo of these oranges picked straight from the tree is 50 cents. I bought lots to share. I'm currently in Gorkha again to teach students about using technology. More on that on my learning log.
Do you like my luxury accommodation (see the cool mushrooms growing in the corner)? There is no heat so I slept last night in my scarf, hat, gloves, two pairs of socks, more shirts than I remember, and coat. This morning the room was still ice cold. Unfortunately, so was the water, which made for an amazingly quick shower. I have yet to warm up and it's nearly time for bed. For dinner, I had a few handfuls of granola I brought with me and 2 Hershey Kisses. I couldn't stomach spicy daal baht or spaghetti made with ketchup. Luckily I have enough padding to get me through a weekend (but sadly not enough to keep me warm). Interestingly I purchased an Internet voucher this time so I have Internet access the whole time I am here. If only I could say the same for food, power, and water. How can I complain, though? It is for two nights and then I return to my warm comfortable home.
Gorkha rests in a beautiful setting, perched on a hill, with stairs everywhere and steep terraced hills. It's harvest time so entire families are reaping the fields. People are friendly but relaxed. Life is difficult but these sweet people are happy. It's off the trekking routes, so they really don't get many tourists here. It's authentic and lovely.
We've had a long day of training teachers and students. Several others are here with me and a large donation of books from the U.S. embassy was made to local school teachers (I'd attach the local newspaper article but it's in Nepali...) I also donated a printer/scanner/copier/fax to the ACCESS students here to use with the two computers they have in their classroom. I had to present it in a formal ceremony and photos were taken. Funny. Here are some random photos the students took of themselves in an attempt to capture some everyday scenes. Aren't they great? Today I have seen a goat slaughtered and disassembled. Reapers with sickles in the fields. Children playing badminton in the streets. Storeowners selling goods of all varieties. Chickens roaming freely. I watched the sunrise over the valley and tomorrow I will hike again to the temple at the top of the mountain and see the sunrise over the Himalayas. More than anything, in the middle of nowhere, I have made a small difference. I have laughed with and taught students who reflected in writing and on film why they love their country and what makes them unique. I have brushed shoulders with dedicated teachers who are changing the future one student at a time.
Not a bad day, I'd say...
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