Chitwan and Pokhra

We had such an amazing time in both of these places.  It was so nice to get out of the city and away from the chaos and dust.  We took a 7 hour bus ride from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park. Our hotel was very nice and we had a great tour guide all weekend.  Everything was all planned out for us so we didn't have to do any work or worry about taking a bus or taxi anywhere.  The first thing we did was go for a walk in the jungle.  Everyday we do something that completely takes me out of my comfort zone.  One being just making it from point A to point B without driving off a cliff. All of the roads are so windy and made of dirt with huge pot holes everywhere.  I am so, so thankful for remembering to get some motion sickness patches before I left.  I would be so miserable every day of this trip if I hadn't.  The next morning the first thing we did was ride elephants throughout the jungle!  It was 4 people to an elephant and you sit in this little basket on top of the elephant.  Wasn't the most comfortable but it was such an amazing experience.  We then got to take the elephants down to the river where they were being bathed.  It was so weird to see elephants lying down on their sides while their owners would scrub them.  We got to ride into the water where they then began to splash water on us with their trunks.  After they tipped us into the water. We had lunch and then got to go on  the river with canoes.  Talk about being out of your comfort zone.  The water was about 2 inches from sinking the boat where we saw crocodiles in the water near the shore.  So scary!  We also saw some monkeys swinging from the trees. No water snakes thankfully!  We got out of the canoe and continued to take another 2 1/2 hour hike.  I was definitely not prepared for this.  I had tennis shoes and shorts on.  This was not a carved out path.  We were seriously walking through the brush and walking through water.  Surprising I did not get any leeches but others did.  We saw a lot of deer, birds and I think the other animal was a sloth.  The next morning we went for another hike where we got to see a rhino!  We got about 10 feet away from it.  We had such a great time.  Where else can you go where elephants walking down the main road as it's no big deal!

We left that day for another 5 hour bus ride to Pokhra.  Pokhra is a much cleaner city that Kathmandu.  It's very touristy and has the most amazing views of the mountains.  The food was also so much better here!!  I finally got to have a salad!!  We went paragliding here which was the scariest thing I have done thus far!  The views from the mountain top was like anything you could ever imagine.  I got to take video during the paragliding of the river and mountains.  So amazing.  Later we took a canoe out in the middle of the water. I could have laid there for hours!!  After, Natalia and got the best massage ever.  It was down an ally in this hole in the wall but it didn't matter.  I have never received a massage like this.  They did a lot of different techniques were they would push and pull and "crack".  I am definitely going to get another one while I am here!!

Today we are leaving for 4 days out to the village.  We are staying with a family and will help tend to the house and farm.  It is going to be so great to learn about their culture.  All I know is that we are going to be knee deep in mud using buffalo to help plow the land!  Should be fun! :)

More to come...thanks for all your comments!! I love and miss you all.

Sadness

I am missing so much between but I have to tell you about my evening last night.  I have been so in love with this culture and the people, I didn't think anything could change that.  Last night however, I had a melt down. We decided to go into Thamel last night for food because we couldn't bare one more night of noodles or rice.  Don't get me wrong, the food they cook is wonderful it's just the same thing or a slight variation every night!!  Like I said, Thamel is the tourist part of town so there are many beggers.  Unfortunately, many of the beggers are children.  We have been told to not give the children money because many times they are enslaved by adults who force them to get money and bring it back to them.  The children are often disfigured by burning their faces or cutting them to make tourist more sympathetic to them.  The problem is, I can never turn the children away.  I ended up spending 1,500 rupees on a boy for powdered milk.  This is a lot considering most meals are around 300-400 rupees.  I wanted to talk to him after and make sure if was for him but he ran off and we couldn't follow him.  We saw him 5 minutes later doing the same thing to more tourist.  I can only hope at this point that he will be fed and some day escape this life.  A couple minutes later I saw a man beating a dog.  Now, there are dogs everywhere!  Many mangled, limping, infected, ect.  Many of you know how I feel about my dog and animals in general.  I lost it.  My Columbian friend who is much stronger (emotionally) than I am and the guy we were with went to save dog.  Long story short, we caused a ruckus on the street between the man and our friend.   We lead the dog away but the man continued to follow us.  Finally, we didn't see him.  At this point, we didn't know what to do.  I felt so helpless.  I couldn't take the dog home and I knew that eventually it would happen to him and if not him, another dog.  I know that this is part of their culture but I just can't agree with it.  I cried all night and couldn't sleep.  I have never had the feeling of closing my eyes and reliving a moment until this.  My first thought was that I wanted to go home.  I quickly felt so miserable thinking that I would go home to my privileged life where I had a loving family, a clean home, food and most of all, I was free.  Many children have never experienced this.  I don't want to go home where this tragedy is "out of sight, out of mind."  This will be my fight for the remainder of my time here...

On a lighter note, Natalia and I are meeting with the Public Health Foundation today.  We want to go to the source of the health problem here being the pollution. We want to see what initiatives are being taken about the trash on the streets and in the rivers.  Hopefully we can make a difference...wish us luck!

It has never been so clear to me to never taken your freedom or your family for granted.  Always hug them with purpose and tell them how much you love them!!

So behind..

I'm sorry I am so behind in the post.  Not sure if I mentioned this but we lose power a couple times a day for 2-3 hours.  I can't tell you how many dark and cold showers I have taken.  It's a great way to get to know the roommates though because we just sit around with flash lights and talk.  I have learned so much about my Columbian roommate.

So much to catch up on.  We did a lot of site seeing last week.  We went to a city called Bhaktapur which is where the King used to live.  This city was much cleaner and full of history.  I took the most amazing pictures of the temples as well as the school children.  They were taking recess while we were eating lunch and all wanted their pictures taken from us.  They were adorable!  We also went to Bouda which is the biggest temple in Nepal.  This is where many Tibetan monks come to pray.  We got Tibetan prayer flags blessed as well as sat in on their afternoon prayer. We stayed for about an hour but they pray for 3 hours!  It was a mix between chanting and playing instruments.  Your whole body shook when the horn and trumpets were played.  It was the most intense feeling you could ever imagine.  They believe so strongly and are so focused during the prayer.  It was definitely an emotional afternoon.

More to come...thanks for you comments!

Most amazing day!

Yesterday was hands down one of the greatest days of my life.  The day started out by going to Mother Theresa's clinic called, "Sisters of Charity."  This was set near the largest Hindu temple in Nepal.  The walk there was so amazing.  We past many people dressed to show their "holiness."  I can't wait to show you these pictures!!  When we first arrived to the clinic, I literally froze.  We have all seen those commercials where young children are covered with flies and generally we quickly turn the channel because it's too much to bare.  The people at this clinic have severe mental handicaps or deformities.  Some are also just very weak and old.  I walked into the room where the women slept and almost threw up on the spot.  The smell of feces and urine literally made you gag.  I was still frozen at this point but one of the older volunteers who had been all week asked me if I wanted to help bathe and dress the people.  Of course I would help...that's what I was there for but I still didn't know if I would make it!  We had to literally carry the women into the wash room while the others would clean there beds.  After, some would go outside to sit with the others but many were too weak and would go right to bed.  There was one women that I quickly gravitated too.  She was very old and weak but we were able to communicate with eachother through hand gestures.  Many of the people love to get massaged...they really just need a loving touch.  The women would place my hands where she wanted me to massage.  She was in heaven!! I did massage on many people and then came across a women in the corner who was skin and bones.  At first she waved no to me but later after lunch was served I wanted to make it a point to go back and see her to make sure she was eating.  She ate very little until the cookies were passed out.  I stayed with her gently massage her legs as I broke the cookie into small enough pieces that she would eat. The women next to her scolded me for what I was wearing.  I was wearing a long skirt that covered everything but my feet and a t-shirt that covered my shoulders.  She still insisted that I should be wearing a wrap such as hers and something that would cover my head.  She was serious but was also laughing at me!  The time spent at the clinic was so rewarding.  These people have NOTHING but thanks to donations from people they are able to have a roof over their head and some food to eat.  I can't wait to go back!!

After, a friend Natalia and I decided that we would wonder.  There had been a Hindu festival going on across the street that had woken us up every morning.  We walked over to peak into the tent and see what was going on.  Two young children came up to us and motioned us inside.  The second we were inside, we were rushed by many people.  They lead us over to the table where we got the "Tika."  This is the red and yellow dot on the forehead and flowers on your head.  The red dot represents life and I can't remember about the yellow.  I would look it up right now but the internet is so slow!  We were lead up to the stage to sit behind the Hindu priest!  They told us we were special guest!  Many people came up to take pictures and video of us.  The priest blessed us, put a scarf around our neck, and handed us a mango and banana!  They announced our names over the microphone and made us dance in front of about 300 people!  It was the biggest rush ever!  We left feeling so blessed.  The people were so friendly and welcoming.  They just wanted to learn about you and America.  I passed out my email address to about 5 people!  It was just such an amazing feeling to feel so welcomed in another country.  I couldn't help but think that something like this would never happen in America.  Definitely a great lesson learned!

We spent the rest of the day shopping in the tourist area called "Thamel."  I wanted everything and definitely indulged!  I couldn't resist.  :)

Namaste

I have just been sitting at this blank screen wondering what to write.  I am completely overwhelmed with emotion and don't know how to communicate that to you.  Yesterday we traveled 2 hours to a Leprosy clinic in a bus.  This time 61 people on with only 25 seats.  We were also traveling into the mountains on windy dirt roads after a down poor (July is Nepal's monsoon season). I'm so happy to be alive!  The clinic was absolutely beautiful.  The clinic is surrounded by mountains and rice patties.  The rice patties are the most beautiful green color and are layered in a way that it looks like rolling hills.

Leprosy in Nepal is said to be in the "elimination phase."  However, there were 83 patients at this hospital and I have seen many more on the streets.  Due to the deformities that occur with leprosy, the people are left to live on the streets.  There are 5 nerves that become enlarged if someone is exposed to Mycobacterium leprae.  The effect the hands, the foot and the eyes.  They will not be able to close their eyes completely which creates many problems due to the pollution.  They will loose the ability to move their fingers at the joint and the foot begins to drop. Their toes and fingers become different sized "nubs" at the end.  Many patients undergo surgery or wear prosthetic to regain mobility and function.  The goal of the clinic is to rehab the patients after surgery then continue into the self help ward where they will be taught how to manage on their own.  There goal is to return the patients back home.  The patients are so happy to see us.  They are so friendly, welcoming and cooperative when the doctors ask them to show their deformities.  My friend Natalia (from Columbia) took the most amazing pictures of the people.  I will show you soon! 


Namaste

Lets try this again!!

Oh boy...where to start.  It feels difficult to write about the city and it's chaos because I already feel a little used to it.  The first day here, I was in complete shock.  I knew that I was coming to a third world country, but you imagine the bad areas of Columbus, which is not even close to what it is here.  Imagine the worst poverty that you can and then multiply that 3 times.  Cows, dogs, and chickens roaming the streets with ribs showing and digging through trash piled up on the side of the road.  Some animals dead lying in ditches by the road.  When I say that trash covers the streets, I am not exaggerating. We walk about 40 minutes to work and there is not a step without trash under your feet.  The smell of urine and trash is so overwhelming you have to wear a mask.  Many of the natives wear masks as well.  I have learned that many people here suffer from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) due to the pollution and dust.  We walk mostly everywhere because its either that or pack yourself into a bus with 27 people ( I actually counted once) where in America the legal limit would be 11.  Boys about the age of 8 hang out the bus doors yelling at you over and over to get onto the bus.  As you have seen in movies, there is no traffic pattern.  Buses and scooters all trying to dodge each other going 30 MPH.  I know that doesn't seem fast but it is frightening!  Continuous honking for no reason it seems!

The hospital is a whole other story.  Doctors in flip flops handling blood and urine, moving in and out of different wards without washing their hands.  If they do wash there hands, they dip them into a community bucket.  Not sure if they use soap?  The same beds and thermometers being used with multiple patients. All the patients at the community hospital are from the rural areas of Nepal.  They are very poor and pay a minimal fee to be at the hospital.  The doctors also get paid very little.  The wards are small, probably the size of a walk in closet. Again, the smells are unbearable.  So far, I have observed the Medical Ward, ICU, USG, and Radiology.  Despite everything that I just said, for the resources that the hospital has, they seem to be doing an amazing job.  I just wonder why they can't make small changes to increase the sanitation and therefore help to eliminate transmission throughout the hospital.

In fear of losing everything again, I'm going to sign off now.  Tomorrow we will be heading to a Leprosy clinic then on Thursday Mother Theresa's clinic; Sisters of Charity.  Stay tuned!!

XOXO

Namaste.

What have I gotten myself into?

Oh my gosh, I just typed for an hour and lost everything :(  I don't have the energy to type it over again.  Will try again later.