pictures

Us on our rooftop


Mema and Emielia

stories from afar...

i had nepali tea ... pretend tea that is ... with a four year old girl named mima. she is a beauty with big dark eyes and a smile that melts the hardest heart. we play ball. she teaches me nepali words and i teach her english. everytime she comes to the compound she rushes to our door and yells "didi" (big sister). she has been living with her aunt and uncle for 2 years now. her mother left her one day because she met a man who didn't want to live here and didn't want a child. her story is not unique. many children are left with other family members, on the street or at boarding schools so the parents can do whatever they want.

we have a wonderful lady that is teaching me how to cook nepali food named sarah. she was telling me a story about her last pregnancy - the doctors had told her to get rid of it because it was sure to be deformed. she told them no. they persisted and persisted right to the point of delivery but she stood her ground. born to her was the most amazing son who she named bikosh. yesterday i had the chance to play in his band. he is handsome, intelligent, plays at least 4 instruments and leads a group here. he is also our nepali tutor.

there is a teenager that visits us about once a week...he is dirty, part blind, barefoot, and has a huge scar across the one side of his head (we found out that he had surgery to take out part of his brain. the boys here call him half-brain). he is mocked, spit at, pushed and rod has decided to take him in. so we have snack time with him. we all sit outside in the sun and feed him his favorite - fanta and bread with honey. he gobbles it like he has not eaten since the last time he was here. he is our friend.

date in kathmandu....

loving it....

we have had a great time with the johns and rademakers....it is nice to talk with out the language barrier and to have people actually get and laugh at my jokes.
rod and i have had a live-in helper...thanks to barb who has made meals, babysat, been the art teacher and a snack supplier....kudos to dave who has widened our horizon to dried fruit snacks from around the world. we will miss them when they leave.
i feel so full of things to share and i just don't know where to start...i love it here...i cannot imagine leaving and when i do think about it i cry. this place has gotten into my blood. when i asked the rest of my family if they wanted to stay longer the response was not as favorable. the girls do miss the conveniences of home, mcdonalds, friends, bikes, toys.
ah, who knows where this might go but for now i will soak in every moment here...and hope that we will come back.

you know you are in nepal when.....

so i have been here one month and this is some useful information i have gathered...
*if you are told i will see you on monday....they really mean wednesday.
*if they say an expected time of arrival...add two hours.
*tylenol is considered a wonder drug here.
*remove the "poopoo and peepee shoes" when you get in the house.
*water is not to be taken for granted.
*nepali people do swear at stupid white people who step out in front of their motorcycle.
*buff burgers is not the same as beef.
*rice is a staple and served 2-3 times a day here.
*watch where you walk.