Goodbyes...

Hey everyone, so this is my final post from here, oh. my. life!

In Kathmandu atm, quite nice actually as I've travelled through with Loulou and Katrina 2other volunteers who are around today and tomorrow to hang out with so makes Kathmandu that little less lonely.

It's been a strange week of goodbyes, mainly because it still doesn't seem real, like I'm a bit numb to it all and waiting for emotion to tide over me.  The kids were really sweet this morning and had all drawn me pictures and letters then gave me lots of tikka and flowers, felt heavy heart leaving them wondering about their futures and how much they will grow and change in the coming years. I feel ready to come back and see you all but Im leaving behind some amazing relationships without knowing when exactly Ill be able to come back...I've really been blessed with meeting some amazing people and gaining a Nepali family, for me those relationships are the most important part of my experience here and something I want to invest in even when I'm back home.

I had a really chilled last week of coffee shop times reading, writing and meditating something I have tried to also treasure as I get back into business of life back home.  Also managed some bike rides, boating and catching up with some volunteer friends who are still around.

Nepal really is such a beautiful and amazing country, I'd recommend you all to visit one day.  God has been soo faithful throughout my time here and I really feel like I've been refreshed in many ways ready for new experiences and challenges ahead.

I feel like there is potentially sooo much more I could say but I'm out of words...will try and get some pictures online asap when I'm back so you can link my blogs to those hopefully :)

Much love to everyone
Namaste x

Terrai Terrai...oh my.

Ok so I had the opportunity to visit the Terrai last week with Dilu as that's where the other half of her family live.

So we arrived after a mammoth journey, 18 hrs of hot stickiness and little sleep, got there at 5 in the morn and was really beautiful, very flat area but had a completely different feel to pokhara and kathmandu or trekking areas I ve been.  The houses have there own style (Tharu) which I really liked some looked a bit Mediterranean I thought.  Dilus house was lovely, lots of open space and have mango and lychee trees all around.  I love that about here how much natural food you can get from your own back garden!  We ate lots of mango chutney that week with dahl bhat which was lush although I think I reached a point where im actually getting a bit sick of eating rice and curry now, do you know what veg ladies finger are, well we had them alot last week and really dont want to see them again for a while!  

I think I may have mentioned but it was sooooooooo hot, 43 deg I think at times, so makes it hard cos you just want to be in the shade or having a shower ha at first I thought how am I going to stand a week of this, but there was a storm and rain for a couple of days whcih was a real relief half way though the week.  Oh its even more basic in that region, most people don't have toilets and you use hand pump for getting water but I quite liked that part.  Dilus family are lovely younger sister Jugal and brother nandu, Mum was really welcoming and wouldn't ever let me wash up or do any jobs ha.  

Ok some of the weeks highlights...going to watch a women's empowerment maths lesson where lot of village ladies are learning to read write etc, walking in the 'jungle' having a lush motorbike ride off one of her friends who took us to a national park area and I saw a rhino but not enough time for elephants as a big storm came in! Visiting many neighbours and friends, cycling (really lush there as all flat roads), going to Nepali cinema, going to school and taking a few lessons with kids.  This was really interesting actually as much more basic school than eve where Ive been, dilu managed to just have a chat with the headmaster and get herself a job for 8 months teaching ha! if only was that easy in England.  Got some massive bites that week from some random insect but literally the biggest ive ever had!  Also interesting to watch the visit of two 'holy' men who stayed for couple of days...Overall a really great week and reminder of real Nepali life I think because sometimes that gets lost being in Lakeside with all the tourists and facilities.  

Was great to see the kids when I got back and already this week is flying, lots of goodbyes to volunteers/friends Ive met here so will be a bit strange next week when noone is around...Can't believe I only have 2 weeks left now, I'm excited for what is ahead but sad at the thought of saying so many goodbyes...

Anyway hope you are all well, get in touch! 

much love

5 little monkeys

Hey everyone so I thought it's about time I gave a little update on Orphanage life...

I moved in just over a week ago, there are 5 kids in the home so its pretty small (apparently there are 82 orphan homes in lakeside altogether!).  There are 4 boys, Arjun, Amrit, Sanjay and Ajay as well as one girl, Amrita.   Sanjay &Ajay are brothers and Amrit and Amrita borhther and sister.  The ages range from 8-12.  Arjun is like the big brother of the house and helps Suki out alot (that's the house mum who is only 23!).  Usual routine of the day is get up and have cup of tea at 7, read for about one hour, do some colouring/painting until 9 then eat dahl bhaat and go to school.  From about 9:30-3:30 I'm free for the day which is a very different routine to what I'm used to but really enjoying the space to read, write, cycle and spend time applying for jobs.  It is pretty boiling over here now so usually try have some sort of siesta or cafe stop at midday heat time.  Once we've picked the kids up they have tiffin (snack) and do homework until about 5:30 then if the weather is still ok (has been quite stormy and rainy alot of afternoons) then we head to the park for volleyball and badminton.  We usually eat dahl bhaat at 7:30ish and then watch a film, kung fu panda is the current favourite!  The kids are lush, and seem to function just like one big family.  Suki the house mum is such a happy and positive influence for the kids it creates a great atmosphere for them to live in.  Have enjoyed spending some time chatting to her this week.

Overall I'm really enjoying a different rhythm to the day and building relationships with the kids, it sometimes feels hard as they are so used to having volunteers that you are just one of many so what can you give or bring that will be different?  I want to create some memorable experiences with them so hoping to do some batik making and visiting the bat caves on Friday.  All of the kids are really open and like to be affectionate so I think its important to just be able to love them. 

 There is also a new volunteer from Colorado called Lisa who is working with me at the orphanage so its good to share the experience with her.  Its amazing how easily you meet up with more volunteers once you're living in Lakeside!  Off to Nepali cinema on Wednesday eve with Lorna and a group of people, apparently 6D cinema....

Its exactly a month now until I will be flying back home, oh my.  The time really seems to be flying now so trying to make the most of what is left.

Has been sooo great to receive letters/emails and messages from everyone so keep it up want to know how you all are :)

Much love x

whirlwind weeks

Hey everyone, post title because that's how fast past couple of weeks have gone!  So last time I posted we were still in Kathmandu, had a really great few days there didn't cram too much in, was a good mix of chill and sight see, Boudhanath and monkey temple visits.  One highlight was finding a great little jazz place on our last eve in Kathmandu, I've found so far here that the live music is usually a cover band of classic rock so to find a jazz club with amazing musicians was a great end to our time there.  Ok so some highlights of Pokhara - Staying in sarangot with Krishna's parents, hanging out with Bikram, Dilu and Suman back in the village, Tom teaching an environment lesson at the school! Then finally we also decided to do a small trek.  Ended up going to do the Mardi Himal trek, we had fewer days than you would normally take to complete the route so first day gained a lot of height and stayed at Low camp about 3000m.  Second day was beautiful as we quickly were up on the ridge and views early in the morning were stunning, Fish tail and Annapurna south dominated the skyline.  We headed up to the furthest viewing point past high camp around 4900m, the altitude really started to take effect more after high camp!  Third day we were originally aiming to reach a place called Astam but ended up resting in Lwang and then staying with a family there.  This is what I love about the Mardi Himal trek, its very unspoiled and you don't have westernised tea houses all along the route, the homestay in Lwang was lovely, I suppose the sort of trek that enables you to have a small glimpse of 'real nepali life'.  The fourth day we arrived in a beautiful eco village in Astam, again would highly recommend this as a spot to visit if any of you ever make it to Nepal one day...The village is situated on the top of a hill so great views of fish tail, Mardi Himal and Annapurna when it's clear, we managed glimpses of this at sunrise.  Its really good to see projects like this in Nepal, they had a rain water collection system, solar pannels, recycling facilities, and a beautiful garden with ingredients for your dahl bhaat or camomile tea!  Overall a really great two weeks :)

I'm looking forward to the month ahead, will be moving into the orphanage in the next few days s feels like a new chapter here, will be strange being based in lakeside and want to keep regular visits to the village to see my nepali family and friends, hopefully somewhere in there will be a trip to the terrai...Anyway more orphanage updates to come.

Love x 

Kathmandu calling...

Hey everyone, so I'm updating you this time from an Internet cafe in Thamel.  I didn't think anyway could get much more touristy than the central strip in Lakeside but I was wrong...Thamel is crazy tourist center, I think it seems more intense because everything is packed into a smaller space, the streets are much narrower than Pokhara, obviously there are alot of beautiful clothes, jewellery and general gifty things but I feel almost immune to it now, this part of life seems so far removed from that of the village and I guess the 'real/normal' people.  I know for many in Kathmandu this is their normal life but its just sooo steered towards westerners...anyway I'm super thankful I've been able to experience both sides and would encourage anyone visiting Nepal to try and see some of the more remote areas as they are just stunning.

Before I left had a really great week think I mentioned some things in last post...I ventured up to a viewing point near Bagar about 1440m with Dilu and Suman, this was bit of an epic, actually didn't think we'd make it to the top with enough time to return and do other things we'd planned for that day BUT once we could see the viewing tower it seemed to spur us all on a little more.  After arriving at the top however a lovely thunderstorm came in, this was pretty amazing actually when looking at the view on our way down as half of the sky was grey with flahses of lightening whilst the other half had streaks of orange sun peaking through...luckily we managed to catch a bus back for most of the way and finished the day with a delicious ras malai at our fav indian restaurant!

I've officially finished at the school now which feels like bit of an anti-climax as I wasnt able to be there for the 'leaving party' but I'm planing a visit with Tom when we head back to lakeside.

Right off to explore, much love everyone x

oh my life...

Hey everyone, above title to post because STUPID  INTERNET!!! raaaa, only just realised that my last post didn't publish online :( can't even begin to delve back that many weeks ago to what was happening which is frustrating...

Ok the highlights from the last post that I do remember, Wedding - managed to get a random invitation to a wedding (its a come one come all affair here) so I borrowed a kurtha off Dilu and we headed there for the afternoon, only stayed a few hours but managed to do some Nepali style dancing and eat lots of curry and rice (obviously).  Actualy I've never seen such HUGE pots of curry, rice, chutney etc, they basically have to make enough for hundreds of guests but really great food.  The atmosphere was lovely, really relaxed and everyone having fun, the colours were stunning sooo many beautiful saris!  Pictures to follow one day soon I hope...Ok second thing I remember is Holi - one of the festivals here, had such a great day.  I came through to Lakeside with Dilu and Suman armed with a stash of coloured powders and water, we managed to join in with the parade and were completely covered in an assortment of colours, the atmosphere was great though as locals and tourists were all joining in and of course there was alot of dancing! Warning t anyone who manages to be in India or Nepal for Holi in the future...cover your hair! I still have pinkish streaks in mine and this is a month on with washing hair everyday, oh dear. 

Now to more recent events...I have officially finished at River Dale school, when I got back from trekking I only had about 2 weeks of teaching and then pupils started their exams.  Now everyone is on a 'summer holiday' so I've had a couple of unexpected free weeks.  So what have I been doing with my time...well I've done a few more exploring walks around the hills of the village and found some stunning views.  Had some scooter lessons from Izzy who hired one for a week (definitely the way to travel here), I learned to make some Nepali style food
( actually never seen sooo many pekoras!).  I've been in lakeside a couple of times meeting up with trekking friends and new volunteers, so been really nice to keep networking with different people, met a new volunteer today from Whitburn!(North East people will understand this).

It's a beautiful day today so went for an explore around the lake and then enjoyed some iced coffee and reading time, what bliss...Izzy leaves tomorrow so we are going out this eve with alot of her Nepali friends, I've also only got abut a week left in the village and then head to Kathmandu.  Will be sad to leave but ready not new ventures.

I feel like there's alot more I could say but because I have left it sooo late those fresh feelings and emotions are lost slightly therefore I will try my best to get updates here sooner.

As always let me know how you're all doing.
Much love x