First Update, NEPAL FIELD VISIT 2015

It is Nepali New Year, so the morning is unusually quiet while families stay at home together, relaxing, telephoning friends and relatives ( I could not call out, the lines are all jammed). After a busy few days of meetings with kids and school administrators, I have a little space to do some chores.

Here in Nepal it takes quite a bit of time and energy just to keep myself functional. Wash some clothes by hand, make sure to charge all my devices when the power is on ( it goes out for two long periods daily, on a changing schedule that I need to keep track of), walk down to the stupa and get some cash from the ATM (if it's working), write emails and make phone calls to try to organize various meetings (for which the people may or may not show up), wash my hair if there is enough hot water. And answer a ton of Happy New Year texts from the older kids. They love to text me. I get a number of early morning "Gd morning DD. Have u had yr breakfast?" and "Namaste dedi, did u drink tea?" "Did u have a gd sleep"

Tomorrow I will go to Pegasus school. The Principal has asked me to come and give a pep talk to the teachers at their staff meeting. Encourage them to interact with their students more, answer their questions, be available. I don't know if I can have an impact but I will try. Maybe plant a seed in one or two of them. The kids need guidance and the inspiration of good adult role models. The teachers are missing an opportunity to positively inspire the children and impart some life wisdom and values They teach by rote and imperiousness. But they have never learned to teach in any other way. So, I will offer what can.

I will also be meeting for the second time with someone who may be able to assist me in Nepal. I'm both nervous and excited about this prospect. We need someone "on the ground" when I'm not here. Someone to advocate for the children, tutor them, work with the older children counseling them on a career/life path, making home visits, dealing with problems and medical needs, researching programs and scholarships for the older kids and etc., etc. A link between me, the schools and the children when I'm not here. I do email constantly with the schools but often this is not enough. We want to be able to serve the children more personally...give them more support, time, guidance. They are hungry for it. So, we will see...

I can smell the juniper incense from the morning puja at the Tibetan monastery next door. I hear children calling and laughing in the street outside the gate as they play games and the kitchen below my window clatters with the sound of pots and pans being washed after breakfast. I need to get on with my errands before it starts to rain.