Village Stay

Well we're now back from our two weeks away from cars, pollution and noisy dogs. We both enjoyed our time in the village but were pleased to see the INF landrover when it arrived to pick us up. We were dropped off in Balam on the 17th, Bhalam is a valley just off to the east of Pokhara. It was a strange feeling we felt quite remote but at the same time we could walk back into Pokhara in less than an hour. The whole valley is known as Bhalam and it has half a dozen small settlements dotted around. 

The Family

We were hosted by a Hindu family, Chudamani the father works for INF in the central office as a driver/administrator, Madhu the mother looks after the family farm and shares the work around the house with HajarAamaa (Nepali for Grandmother, we never learnt her actual name). Chudamani commutes into Pokhara on his motorcycle everyday at 5:30am, we were usually getting up at 6:30am by which time Madhu had walked an hour to collect grass for their bissey. The family has a son who is studying in Melbourne and a daughter who lives just down the road with her husband.

For the most part the family was nice however for some reason Chudamanu seemed to refuse to talk with Mark which made for some awakard evenings. The only possible reason we could think of for this behaviour was that he maybe felt threatened in some way by Marks position at INF. It will take some time to get used to all the cultural differences.

Our host family

Madhu and her niece

HajarAamaa taking a break for some tea, shes 75 years old and as sharp as a tack

 

Food and Housing

Our food each day consisted of the standard diet of Dahl Bhat twice a day at 10am in the morning and 7:30pm at night. Our hosts tried to get us to sit at the table and eat with a spoon but we insisted on joining them on the floor and eating with our hands.

The house was a fairly old traditional Nepali house, some of the house was mud but most of it was concrete. Our bedroom was a bit of a cave but fortunately was nice and cool.

Our home for two weeks

Every now and then the temperature would plummet to about 25 degrees C!

Language Lessons

Every morning our language teacher would arrive at 7am for our language classes. We had two hours of individual classes each followed by an hour together. We alternated who took the first class so we could take advantage of the cooler temperatures in the morning and explore the valley. This got Jo into trouble with the locals as they found out that she was wondering around on her own. We were told stories of huge lions which we didn't really believe, we have since found that lepords are have been known to kill dogs even in Pokhara. 

Each day in our combined class Depak our teacher would take us out into the village to practise our Nepali on local victims. We felt quite embarrased at first as if you walked up to someone on the street in New Zealand and asked them how old they are you would probably get beaten up. Having strange foreigners wonder up to you and ask questions seems perfectly normal to Nepalis.

After finishing our language classes each day we would do our best to find something to do to help out on the farm. This wasn't always easy as Madhu was often reluctant to let us help, Jo did manage to help prepare and plant a rice field and help with collecting food for the bisey every now and then. It was a little hard for Mark to find work to help with as all the men seemed to be doing was ploughing fields. With some help from Depak he managed to convince a farmer to let him have a try. After finishing the farmer proceeded to ask for money for the previllage of using his plough.

Depak teaching Jo how to play Tigers and Goats during one of our walks into the village

A baby bissey they're everywhere and quite cute

 

Mark trying his hand at ploughing a field with buffalo, its much easier in a John Deere

Jo getting instructions on the correct way to prepare a rice field (there was lots of lauging involved but I thought she was doing fine)

 

Planting (or throwing as they say in Nepali) the rice

Jo carrying a doku, she got the baby one!

The kids help out too when there not at school

Mark trying not to get thrashed by a sixteen year old. Soon after this photo smoke could be seen coming from his ears.

Spirituality

Being a Hindu area we found the place quite spiritually opressive, there were no churches in the area and we met one christian. Every hill top had a small temple proudly settled at the top. Our host family were Hindus they carried out daily puja at the small shrine they kept in the kitchen. In line with Hindu beliefs Madhu had to eat outside, sleep on the floor in the store and wasn't allowed in the kitchen for three days when she had her period while we were there. We spent a lot of time praying for the family and the village.

Escape for a day

If you think some of the swing bridges in New Zealand are impressive you have to see this one! Fortunately it is one of the sturdier looking structures in Nepal. This bridge crosses the a george and pops up in Pokhara, one Sunday afternoon we decided to sneak back into Pokhara for a cold lemonade.

Huge swing bridge

 

Looking down on the Balam valley, Pokhara is in the distance

Smelly Things

We stumbled upon a celebration for Bhalam officially becoming a open defecation free zone during one of our lessons with Depak. It seems that everyone now has toilet facitlities. We were a little surprised that they had only just reached this milestone given how close they are to Pokhara. Our hosts had had a small bio gas system where they captured the methane gas coming from their septic tank and used it for cooking.

Balam officially announced open defecation free

Monkey Behaviour

During one of our many walks we stumbled across a scene that could be mistaken for world war three. There were at least thirty monkeys running around from maize field to maize field stealing maize. Looking down on the valley at one stage we could see about fifteen people at various points chasing monkeys away from their crops.  This entertained us for a whole afternoon.

There were plenty of these guys around

Locals chasing the monkeys away from their crops

Youth Group Camp

Well, Mark and I helped out with a youth group camp this weekend. So many aspects were so different to a NZ camp of which a few I thought were worth mentioning.

In Nepal school finishes at 1pm on a Friday. The camp was scheduled to start at 2 but it started at 8 on Friday as the schools were closed due to the bandha. We missed the morning as we had our Nepali classes. In the afternoon there were a variety of speakers talking to the group of 50 church going youth.

In true Nepali style Dahl Bhaat (check out the photos of the quantities made!!) was served up followed by a talent contest.

They were all in bed asleep by 10pm!! They didn't bring bedding - just sleep in their clothes on the floor (which is about as hard as their beds at home)!!!
The following morning the boys were playing football by 5.30am!! The first speaker spoke to them from 6.30AM!! They always start with singing and all the youth sing their little hearts out - especially the boys!! While the speaker talks they sit on the floor, girls on one side and boys on the other - for more than an hour and they listen attentively and take notes on what is written on the whiteboard the church doesn't own a projector.

It was our job to run games from 7.30am. They learn differently here - they need to have it demonstrated once and then they go for it. However, we didn't realise that and don't speak the language very well, and Mark forgot the rules so it all got a little interesting but they eventually understood!! To those from New Plymouth we played '4 on a couch'. They were much quicker and didn't cheat like NP youth!!!

We had a church service at the same time as the main church service. The youth leader from another church - for those who have lived here - her name was Buddi Maya!!! This was followed by crafts!! Mark and I were a little surprised but both the boys and girls were cutting paper out into flower shapes, colouring them in and then folding them up - like 5 year olds in NZ!!! It was such a novel thing for them that they really enjoyed it all.

This was followed by football. However, a very heavy downpour put pay to that and instead it became a waterfight/slide!!!

Dahl Bhaat was served and the youth went home as today is Sunday and they have school today!!

One also needs to mention what Nepali youth bring to their camp - a very small bag with one change of clothes - no make up, straightening irons, cellphones, 3kg of lollies, ipods, bottles of V...........................

Strike is over....for now

On Friday night the Maoists call of their strike after six days. In their attempt to stir up the govenment and create confrontation all they managed to do was annoy the locals and lose support. They have announced today that they will give the government two days to meet their demands and if they don't its back to the streets for more protests and likely more violence. So we're not out of the woods.

Keep praying...

Update on the Strike

Well were up to day six of the strike and there is still no end in sight (please keep praying for a resolution). The first three days of the strike were pretty peaceful with a few minor isolated incidents but the last three days have seen increasing levels of violence. The locals are starting to get sick of the treatment that they are recieving from the Maoists and are starting to fight back. As I type this fighting has broken out about a kilometer away from our house on the Kathmandu road.

Food levels in the shops are starting to get very low, although the shops are allowed to open for a few hours each day there is no way to get supplies in from India as vehicle movement is restricted. Hospitals are also running low on provisions, the local newspaper has been reporting that Western Regional Hospital (where Jo will soon be working) has almost run out of oxygen bottles.

So far we have not felt in danger at all and life for us has been continuing as per normal with language classes continuing. Several of the other INF centres have been forced to close by the Maoists but fortunately we are based at an INF hospital which has been allowed to continue operation.

Please continue to pray for a prompt resolution to the current situation.

Photo from local newspaper of police clashing with Maoist protestors in Kathmandu

Maoist Strike.....

Yesterday the Maoist party staged a large demonstration in Kathmandu with 125'000 supporters, the intention was to force the government to step down to allow a Maoist lead government to take control. So far the government has not given in to the demands of the Maoists and as a result the Maoists have called an indefinate general stike across the whole country. This means that no vehicles are allow on the roads and no shops are allowed to open. If you are caught on the road there is a good chance your car or motorcycle will be burnt. Back when the King was overthrown the Maoists used a similar tactic and the strike lasted 19 days. Hopefully this time it is resolved sooner.....Please pray that this is resolved quickly and peacefully.

 Riot police keeping an eye on Maoists protestors