Namaste
It already starts feeling normal to wake up in Katmandu, get out of bed and cycle to the office, dodging rickshaws, cows, and big holes in the road. First, let me start by making some corrections to things I was telling about this city before leaving Holland/Denmark. Starting with the cows, they should be divine and untouchable in this Hindu state, but reality shows a different picture. The other day I had to stop because a cow decided to take a nap in the middle of the road, this happens often and maybe is caused by the cow feeling lonely and claiming some attention in this way, I was convinced that people would accept this as a divine intervention and not move. However, from the other side came a rickshaw swinging around the corner, spotting the heavenly creature too late and bumping in to it. The cow jumped up and ran of into a little alley. But instead of a long painful that for the rickshaw driver, as I expected, everybody started their car and continued their path. Note to myself: cows are not that holy. Now that I notice this I also notice quite a lot of cows limping when walking, presumably from encounters with vehicles.
Ok, back to daily life, last weekend it was eastern, and me and a few others decided that it was nice to do something special for the children's house of Hamro Gaun. We boiled and painted around 45 eggs and made a letter about special spring eggs that by accident had been spread around near the children's house. Not calling it easter since we're here to help and not force western values on the kids (that's right missionaries, take the hint!). Anyways, the children left to visit a monastery on a nearby hill so we could take our time hiding the eggs around the house. After that I went up the hill to find them and take them back to the house. At one point I was standing with one leg on each side of a little creek, lifting the little ones over when the girl that just had been transported to the other side said 'sir, small is nice, yes?' A bit wondering where this was coming from I said, while having the next kid in my hands 'yes sure', after which the girl said with a big smile 'oh, so snake in the water is nice yes?'.....this almost caused me to improve the record of midget throwing, looking down in panic what was swimming in between my legs. It was a little one, probably as harmful as a little bunny but still I have to get used to that kind of stuff.
The rest of the program went really well, although the story caused unpredicted questions as: 'Why does bunny need eggs?' 'No, he does not lay them, he collects them.' 'So bunny steals eggs from birds?' 'So bunny is bad animal yes?' After we recovered most of the eggs we made a big salad of them, finishing the day in style.
Ok, I guess that's about it for today, sorry for still not showing some pictures, my real fake sony decided to take a sabbatical. However, I'll borrow something else to make the side a bit more visual.
From a sunny Katmandu with the familiar feeling in my stomach that one gets when eating a little too much egg salad,
Namaste
It already starts feeling normal to wake up in Katmandu, get out of bed and cycle to the office, dodging rickshaws, cows, and big holes in the road. First, let me start by making some corrections to things I was telling about this city before leaving Holland/Denmark. Starting with the cows, they should be divine and untouchable in this Hindu state, but reality shows a different picture. The other day I had to stop because a cow decided to take a nap in the middle of the road, this happens often and maybe is caused by the cow feeling lonely and claiming some attention in this way, I was convinced that people would accept this as a divine intervention and not move. However, from the other side came a rickshaw swinging around the corner, spotting the heavenly creature too late and bumping in to it. The cow jumped up and ran of into a little alley. But instead of a long painful that for the rickshaw driver, as I expected, everybody started their car and continued their path. Note to myself: cows are not that holy. Now that I notice this I also notice quite a lot of cows limping when walking, presumably from encounters with vehicles.
Ok, back to daily life, last weekend it was eastern, and me and a few others decided that it was nice to do something special for the children's house of Hamro Gaun. We boiled and painted around 45 eggs and made a letter about special spring eggs that by accident had been spread around near the children's house. Not calling it easter since we're here to help and not force western values on the kids (that's right missionaries, take the hint!). Anyways, the children left to visit a monastery on a nearby hill so we could take our time hiding the eggs around the house. After that I went up the hill to find them and take them back to the house. At one point I was standing with one leg on each side of a little creek, lifting the little ones over when the girl that just had been transported to the other side said 'sir, small is nice, yes?' A bit wondering where this was coming from I said, while having the next kid in my hands 'yes sure', after which the girl said with a big smile 'oh, so snake in the water is nice yes?'.....this almost caused me to improve the record of midget throwing, looking down in panic what was swimming in between my legs. It was a little one, probably as harmful as a little bunny but still I have to get used to that kind of stuff.
The rest of the program went really well, although the story caused unpredicted questions as: 'Why does bunny need eggs?' 'No, he does not lay them, he collects them.' 'So bunny steals eggs from birds?' 'So bunny is bad animal yes?' After we recovered most of the eggs we made a big salad of them, finishing the day in style.
Ok, I guess that's about it for today, sorry for still not showing some pictures, my real fake sony decided to take a sabbatical. However, I'll borrow something else to make the side a bit more visual.
From a sunny Katmandu with the familiar feeling in my stomach that one gets when eating a little too much egg salad,
Namaste
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