Before I launch into my blog I want to thank everyone who donated to my book fundraiser. I am so moved by your contributions…. together we raised around $920! That translates to 104,986 Nepali Rupees!!! This money will go so far in helping not only to buy storybooks and supplies, but also hopefully to construct a library for all the students. I am planning to collaborate with the Nepal field office of Room to Read, an SF based INGO focused on gender and literacy. With your support, their support, and the buy-in of the school community and local government officials, a fully stocked, inviting, child-friendly library at the village school is not so impossible!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED :)
If you haven't donated and would like to please venmo me @manjuvonrospatt.
The past month has felt different from the first month I spent in this village. I know the places and the people better and my life finally has routines and rhythm. Mornings are dedicated to yoga and reading and evenings are dedicated to meeting friends, going on photo expeditions, drinking hot chai, and writing. I feel like I'm at the place I never expected myself to be at when I first got here.... truly integrated! I know the people working on the fields, the daily local bus driver, the butcher, the shop owners, the seamstresses, little kids, old men and women, even the drunk teenagers who loom around the cigarette smoke smelling Carrom board. I have profound conversations with people I met just 5 minutes ago and small talk with people I know well. I don't really know anyone's name (not a skill of mine!) but I refer to people in the generic Nepali way- brother, sister, father, mother. To me, the village is like family; I always feel like I have people watching out for me.
I went on two incredible trips to the river led by my students, visited several village women's health meetings, participated in ritual ceremonies, attended my friend's wedding, applied to college and internships, met a group of missionaries from South Carolina in my village, gave a speech to the entire village community, and had so many good days, memories, conversations, hikes, reflections… too many to recount in a blog for you. They all swim in the background of my mind, creating a colorful swath of my experiences here.
Some of my favorite memories from the past month:
A few weeks ago I got my nose pierced against the adamant wishes of my traditional Newar family and half the Newar population in the village. When I got my nose pierced at the jewelry shop, there was a crowd of some 10 Newari people peering in through the window, telling me that "If you go through with this you are officially no longer our daughter" and "No Newar boy will marry you now!" and even "We won't invite you over for tea now that you've disgraced our caste like this!" (Actually, Newar people are not a caste... but that's besides the point). There's nothing quite like having people tell you that a nose piercing will do all that! It really raises the stakes of creating a small hole in your nose. For context, Newars insist that Newari women don't get their nose pierced in the hope that this will physically distinguish them from common "lower caste" Nepalis who as a rule of thumb get their nose pierced. Basically, the Newari attitude in this case is bigoted and messed up! So truly, by piercing my nose I am making an anti-caste and anti-elitist statement....and I think it looks nice.
One of my favorite memories looking back is going on a field trip with one my classes to the nearby Khola (river). The American within me was freaking out. I was worried sick about someone getting hurt during our intense hike down the muddy jungle path. I kept imagining scenarios of kids slipping on a rock in the river, being pulled out by the currents, and drowning. High energy preteens, a slippery mountain, wide rushing river, and one Manju seemed like an awful combination. But as we walked down the mountain, through rice fields and by mud-stone houses, I realized the kids were chaperoning me. They’d check on me every few minutes, insist to carry my bag for me, and feed me fruits they picked from surrounding trees. When my inner tomato flushed my sweaty face, they'd hurry off to find me water to drink. It really hit me in this moment how different these kids' upbringing is from my own. When I played with my polly pocket dolls and legos, they played tag in the rice fields. There is no sassy backtalk. Everyone after the age of 6 knows how to work the fields, feed the livestock, create a fire from scratch, and cook a meal. Once we arrived at the river the kids collected firewood from the forest and started preparing a meal of rice, meat, vegetables, and fruit. I can't express how surreal it is to be served freshly cooked rice along the banks of a river. The kids would check in with me to make sure I was having a good time and take pictures of me with fellow students. I'll never forget the way the kids took care of me. It was so moving that I couldn't help getting teary eyed. Of course, this was met by concerned shrieks and toothy smiles- "Manju Miss is crying... she's not having a good time!! What's wrong Manju Miss??? Don't cry, be happy!!"
Another great memory is when one of the UNICEF partner organizations in Nepal "HELP" came to our school and donated school bags and notebooks. The principle last minute delegated to me the job of giving a welcome speech to the NGO and our students' parents. I remember staring out at the sea of colorful saris, my palms sweating, and my mind racing for ideas for what I could say to the parents that would hopefully motivate them to send their kids to school rather than have them work on the fields. I was so nervous, especially because of the NGO workers in the crowd. But somehow, after I started to speak, the words just fell right and my nerves faded into the cold November air. I spoke from the heart, about the importance of education, specifically for girls, the need to build good study habits, and the incredible opportunities that can await if you just work hard. Afterwards, the NGO distributed bags filled with school supplies to all the kids. There was an inspiring atmosphere- one in which I could truly imagine these kids being excited to come to school and learn and thus hopefully pursuing a life with more economic mobility. A local education official gave an incredibly powerful talk about how he didn’t have a school bag or even notebooks while studying in elementary school. He used to walk 3 hours to get to school, carrying his books in hand. He spoke of how proud it makes him to see Nepali children afforded the opportunity to really get an education. Listening to him speak, I realized that though Nepal has a long way to go in terms of progress, so much good has already happened.
I have fallen more in love with this village and its people. This time around I've come to deepen my relationship with people and get to know the villagers as complex, gritty, emotional people that struggle with crippling poverty and a host of socio-cultural issues I could never imagine going through. There have been some really challenging moments and days, where my efforts feel fruitless and I miss my old life of family and friends, first world comforts, and Bay Area cuisine. Teaching is exhausting and draining. At times I feel paralyzed and overwhelmed at my helplessness to these massive social issues entrenched in my students' and friends’ lives: poverty, child marriage, lack of financial independence, poor health, sexism, lack of literacy….My chest is heavy with stories of and interactions with abandoned children, sexually assaulted girls, and boys who have to drop out of school to work and support their families. These days feel dark and sometimes I wish I had never embarked on this experience; if only I could go home and forget all this. And yet, deep down I know I can never truly "go home" to the state of blissful ignorance and privilege I was in before. I have a personal connection to these issues now. I can't now and don't believe I ever will be able to just walk away.
There's so much more to say but as they say a picture says a thousand words... so enjoy the photos below.
Feeling very grateful for this opportunity to experience life in a completely different way and immensely so for your support and as always for reading and staying in touch!
Happy Thanksgiving :)