July 2014

In July I:

took photos
rode an elephant
went to Hindu festivals
ate dhal bhat
went canoeing
went to a Nepali paper factory
ate momos
bathed with an elephant
saw a wild peacock
obsessed over eggs
bought a salwar
tried lychee candies
went to a local Nepali market
saw a wild elephant
attended a Nepali wedding
tried a McVeggie burger from McDonald's
took a great picture of a puddle
went to a Tibetan Refugee Camp
ate a lot of Pringles
watched a Nepali photography award ceremony
saw a wild rhino
walked through a photo gallery
went to India
went to the KAT centre
sat at a mind numbing event in Nepali
saw the Taj Mahal
went to Monkey Temple
was scratched by a monkey
made new friends
was published
went to a Nepali orphanage
did bucket laundry
got caught in a monsoon
witnessed a motocycle accident
was sexually harassed on a bus
rode on a bike rickshaw
went to a mosque
watched children swing on prayer flags
went to a rice paddy
listened to Sunny Sunny Pani Pani

Times a Ticking

Okay, it has hit. I have 10 days left after today. I still have so much to do and see.
I have every last day planned out so that hopefully I can get everything done.
Can't wait to be home, but I'm really going to miss this place...

Sunny Sunny Pani Pani

You know how certain times of your life are defined by the most popular song at the moment? For instance we can all think back to the craze of Call Me Maybe the summer of 2012.

Well in Nepal the summer for 2071 (it is 2071 by the Nepali calendar which is very much dominant here), that song is Sunny Sunny Pani Pani. Sunny as in the sun outside, Pani means water. Sunny sunny pani pani; Sunny sunny water water. They repeat it over and over.

I have heard this song nearly every day. Okay not quite, but I've heard it a lot and when it plays the locals go crazy.

Here is a glimpse into Nepali dream culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTfkSDlDvM0

Culture Shock: It's Heart Healthy

The thing is Nepal isn't really scary anymore. I walk through oncoming traffic to ask a Nepali man if the bus he is on goes to "Bhat Bhateni." And, not only do they mostly recognize me now, (really one bus guy saw me yesterday and just nodded before I even asked) since I really only travel between Baluwater to Ten Cuni, and Ten Cuni to Bhat Bhateni, but I've also mastered the pronunciation to sound Nepali. If you say Bot Bottany, not Bot Ba-teny, they understand you the first time perfectly. Same goes for saying Teen Koonay, instead of Ten Kooni, and definitely don't try to say Kantipur (or you'll end up in Kiritpur). The men that collect money on busses have even stopped ripping me off-- keep in mind I had no idea I was being ripped off for about seven weeks, but all of a sudden I'm getting two rupees back at the end of my bus rides. The cashiers at the grocery store don't even try to bag my items anymore, knowing I'm the white girl that just puts it all into my backpack. The men at the momo stand outside the grocery store know my name, though they call me Prianna like everyone else in Nepal, which I've been told (time and time again) means something like "lovely" in Nepali. I know how to get a taxi and not get ripped off, a skill I must admit I've only acquired in the past week. I know how to get a micro bus to Bishal Nagar from Civil Mall. I know to answer that I'm from "America" and not "the United States," "the States," or "the U.S." - Nepalis will have no clue what you're talking about, to the point that they will think you said "Italy" (which I considered playing up, since sometimes I think it'd be nice not to be from where I am, based on the responses I'm left to deal with). I feel like I know all the secrets.

I get it. Now. But it has been a hell of eight weeks to get to this place. And it is kind of disappointing to have to leave this- everything I've worked for all summer. I finally get it, I can finally do it, and off I go.

But, I need to go, I need to. So from here, all I can hope is that, maybe the growth I've seen in myself here, the boost of confidence all of these baby steps have brought me, will carry over into my future travels and maybe even at home.

New places will always be a little weird and take a little time, but I think if I do it enough, maybe every time will be just a little bit easier. And easier sounds nice.

I counted yesterday, and I have about 123 days in The United States once I get back from Nepal before I leave again. Just enough time for me to re-adjust, and then throw myself into the foreign "deep end" again. I was talking to one of the interns the other day about culture shock. And isn't there something to be said simply  by its existence? I think feeling it and experiencing culture shock can teach a person so much. As painful and terrifying as it can be, I think its healthy. It makes you feel something on the inside, it makes you question all of your ideals and intentions and dreams and goals and you are forced to find something within yourself to adapt to accomplish those dreams. Like running a marathon (not that I've ever come close,) but you set your body in front of this insane challenge that is going to take it so far away from what is normal to you, but in the end you'll be stronger for it. Culture shock: it's heart healthy.

So I'll enjoy my two weeks of Nepali normalcy, then I'll take probably four weeks to go through some serious reverse culture shock thats awaiting me at home in Novi and Athens. Then I'll have just under 100 days to be in my comfort zone at home, and then back to culture shock, and I'm not going to lie, I'm really excited to see what that will be like after what Nepal has put me through.

If I thought I had a travel bug before, I must have a travel dinosaur now, because that little thing inside me pushing me to go and see, it seems to have grown.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/kellie-donnelly/2014/07/the-hardest-part-about-traveling-no-one-talks-about/ 

A Home in Transition

I live at Lovely Home. Lovely Home is known to a lot of people here in Kathmandu. It is called Lovely Home because, well the house is quite lovely. We introduce one another to outside friends by saying "he/she lives at Lovely Home with me," and people understand.

I have lived with five constant Nepalis, several not-so-constant Nepalis, and two French girls, one French guy, two Canadian girls, one Canadian guy, one Chinese guy, one Chinese girl, three Saudi Arabian boys (we think?...) , one (sort of) British/Canadian/Costa Rican girl, one American guy, and three American girls in just the past eight weeks of my life.

This home is always an adventure, there is always a friend and rarely an enemy. I feel like I've learned more from all of them than possibly any Nepali... maybe... that or it's a really close tie. We eat three meals a day together, we sit around together at night, we do bucket laundry together and when it starts to rain when one of us isn't home we run out and grab their drying laundry from the line. We eat toast, and share peanut butter, we eat dhal bhat, and celebrate together when we rarely get noodle soup for dinner. We learn Nepali from Shila at meal time and we get asked "enough?" by Jenica. We wake up and fall asleep at the same time. We take turns buying toilet paper and we scream frantically to squish massive spiders together. We name the rats and the mice that live at Lovely Home with us, Carlos, Rodolpho, and Siddartha respectively. We chase Tommy (our host dog) down the street when he breaks his way out of the gate. We make "late night" Bhat Bhateni (the local grocery store which closes at 9:00 pm) runs for chocolate together. We make inside jokes until we are crying we're laughing so hard. And some nights? The really good ones? We sit up on the roof together and talk about life. 

This is Lovely Home.

So, when someone leaves, at first it just feels so empty. Then, it starts to fall back together and feel normal, until new interns come, and we count down the days for new interns to come. We love new people. Because sharing this house with so many crazy people you'd otherwise never meet, is half the fun, and the other half is getting to show them the ropes, which is when it really hits you... I've been the veteran of this house since my second week. And right now there are only two people here currently that will be here after me. So new people will come soon and its odd to think that now I don't know them, but they will be the hugs I receive on my last day in Nepal, and they will be the faces standing in the yard waving as I drive off with all my luggage.

Its an odd cycle of life here but it keeps everything new and exciting.

Only 15 days left... Holy Cow...

Initiation, Puddles, and a Countdown

Yesterday I watched a 1-year-old vomit into it's mother's cupped hand on the bus, and then she would dump it out the window, she wasn't sitting next to the window, I feel like I should mention that. Did she jump up and rush off the bus? Did she find a bag? Did she stick her kid out the window? Nope. She just kept cupping it and dumping it. Then the baby cried. Then she began to breast feed it. Having seen this, well, I feel like it was a sort of initiation into Nepali culture; no longer can anyone deny that I saw the real Nepal.

I also fell asleep on a different bus ride and successfully woke up at every stop to see if it was my stop. I got off perfectly at the right time. I also feel that it was sort of an initiation, only locals can master that skill.

My assignment was to take photos of the effects of the rain in the streets. So, pretty much, I was told to take pictures of puddles. I was determined to find the best photograph of puddles I could. And, to be honest? I think I did it. I felt like Rory Gilmore in season two when Paris assigns her a story on the re-pavement of the parking lot of Chilton, and in the end the teacher complements Rory on turning a "seemingly mundane" story into something heartfelt and touching. Turns out other people liked them too and I was published online, in The Kathmandu Post, and a short photo story in The Kantipur Daily. You want a puddle? I'll show you a puddle.

Not going to lie I'm counting down the days until I get home... hours even, 419 hours until I'm in Detroit. That being said- I am starting to feel the sadness creeping in as well. This place has become a strange little home for me, and I've found so much of myself here. But- as a Nepali man once told me "Home is home, some even say home is sweeter than the heaven above," and well I couldn't agree more. Home is home, and I'm a big believer in "home is where your mom is," and my mom is in Detroit. So I will count down these last 419 hours with a touch of sadness at the thought of leaving this new strange home, but just looking forward to hugging my mom.

That One Time In India

So around 11:00 am I landed back in Kathmandu, Nepal. The flight from Delhi was really short, I fell asleep nearly before we were off the ground and woke up to read my book. It was a quick and bumpy landing then a cheap (ish) taxi ride back home, not much has changed, except for the one business in my neighborhood has come quite a long way on reconstructing the wall in the front that holds the gate, not that any of you care about that. I walked in and about a half hour later I was eating dhal bhat again... It wasn't the dhal bhat alone that made me wish so desperately to be back in Delhi...

The weekend went like this...

I arrived in Delhi around 9:00 pm, just a little later than expected due to the monsoon that was occurring. I exchanged some money so I could have Indian Rupees and headed out the doors. There she was in a glistening see of Indians: Amanda. She even made me a sign that she held over her head that said "Brianna Griesinger," and for those of you wondering it didn't have a smiley face on it.

Due to the monsoon, there were no taxis available so Amanda and I struggled our way around until finally we got one. After Amanda gave all of the instructions necessary to the yah know local cab driver, we arrived at her guest house. Her room was wonderful, equipped with bright lights, an air conditioner, and a TV that had English channels. She also prepared for my visit with a few snacks in the room for that night. We went to bed pretty late because we both had so much to say, and well let's face it, I was mesmerized by the TV.

We slept in, since we'd been up so late, and Amanda had the day off from work. We woke up, got ready, and the guest house made us egg sandwiches (I'm currently obsessed with egg, so I was quite pleased). We headed out and Amanda bought me a metro card and we went on our way. First we went to this super old little village type place of ruins right off of a lake. It was raining so we sat and talked all about the last seven weeks. From there we went to a market that in ways reminded me of Oaxaca and in others reminded me of Kathmandu. We bought some salwar tops and a few gifts for a few of our favorite people ;) . Next we headed to get South Indian food and it was just as good as I hoped. We headed home to rest, because even with the rain in the morning, Delhi is hot. We hung out in the room until, ya know, well, our stomachs settled down a bit... and then we headed out to the mall to buy pants to go with my salwars. We also stopped and got ice cream cones (from McDonalds, nice and safe) and then headed home.

We woke up around 5:00 am on Saturday got dressed, and woke up our taxi driver off the couch to remind him he'd agreed to drive us to the train station. (While that last sentence was a loose translation, lacking the details, everything I just stated was oh so very true). We made it to the train station in time and found our platform. If anything has ever smelled awful in my entire life its the Delhi train station we were at. Poverty and dirt at its finest. Mothers stand facing the tracks on the platforms and their children squat without pants on and hold their mothers ankles mean while crapping, if you can even call it that, more like diarrhea-ing neon yellow, into the train tracks. Sorry for that, but hey you're the one that kept reading past "crapping, if you can even call it that, more like" which really is probably where you should've stopped, I however had to say it, for I feel it important for you to know the state of this train station.

Then we went to the Taj Mahal.

No really that's about how it happened, after some haggling and ya know paying way more than we should have... we got in an auto rickshaw, and then walked through a "neighborhood," down some dark stairs, through a few more streets with curves and twists and asking a few locals... we reached the Taj Mahal. The security is actually pretty decently intense considering it's India, unfortunately we lost some valuable items in the process. But just past security, there it was, in all its glory, the freaking Taj Mahal (as Amanda and I kept calling it). It wasn't one of those places you hear about where like you see it and your like oh it's tiny and dumb... it was magestical, as I like to call things, it was big, really big, and white, really, really white. We walked all around and saw it from all sorts of angles and views, we took photos and we strapped on our little booties and we went inside the freaking Taj Mahal. It was bizarre to actually be there. Amanda and I kept just looking at each other and laughing, in disbelief.

After we went to the Red Fort I believe it was called which was beautiful and had super cool views of the Taj Mahal. The problem was it was hot. Very hot.

We did other stupid pointless things and then, literally ran to catch the train back to Delhi.

Sunday we slept in and took the metro into Old Delhi, it was a bit more like Kathmandu there. Tons of people out and about, people screaming and running at us simply for being white, markets and religion and monkeys and mosques and it was just really wonderful. On top of everything else our bike rickshaw driver had a good soul, but really I loved him dearly, he was amazing at his job.

I also have to admit, we went to McDonalds (there are none in Nepal, and a zillion in Delhi alone), and I tried a McVeggie Burger, because when in India, and at McDonalds with a McVeggie Burger on the menu, as a vegetarian I HAD to. It was utterly delicious.

We went back and rested in the room and went traipsing out for a good quality dinner before I returned back to the land of dhal bhat.

And well here I am, sitting in Lovely Home writing a blog post, missing Amanda dearly, counting down the hours until I reach Detroit, and desperately desperately trying to re-inspire myself as a photojournalist for these last three weeks.

Ready Set Go!

Well I'm off for my flight to India in about 45 minutes! I'm beyond excited to see Amanda and to be in a fresh new place to take photos! I'm excited for everything I will get to see there and hopefully capture! I won't have my laptop with me though so I won't be able to post any new photos until most likely Monday night. Look forward to that though and I'm hoping to be able to blog while I'm there! Namaste!

Chitwan... Finally

To start, I've gotten a lot of comments lately that people didn't know there were multiple tabs to this blog! Well there are, so you should check all of them out! Especially the photos tab because it is probably the coolest of them all. So as soon as you are done reading this go go and look look!

So let me tell you the stories of that one time in Chitwan... the shortened and only the interesting stories...

The story of going to Chitwan started like this... I had heard of Chitwan National Park before arriving in Nepal, and I knew if I wanted to ride an elephant while over here in Asia, Chitwan was the key. I wanted to ride an elephant. Badly.

I waited a few weeks to get my bearings on Nepal, and quite honestly I was hoping I'd meet someone who would want to go too. Then the halfway point hit. I knew if I didn't just jump right in, I wouldn't get to go at all. So I reminded myself that I'm twenty, I'm independent, and I was going to go on a weekend trip to Chitwan National Park all by my big girl self.

So I did it. I went into Thamel one day and walked into a tourism office, paid the money, and got my bus tickets; two nights, three days, two longgggg bus rides, life changing experiences here I come!

So I woke up at 5:00 am on Friday morning, I put my big trekking backpack over my shoulders and I walked 45 minutes to the entrance to Thamel where, hopefully, my bus would be waiting. It was.

I loaded the bus and it wasn't until I was seated that I asked the man how long the bus ride was. Six hours. It had rained my entire walk there and it was early so I sat there for 45 minutes waiting for the bus to leave freezing cold with goose bumps trying to think of how hot I would be once I got there.

The bus ride was funny, a chinese guy sat next to me and kept trying to offer me food. He spoke no english so at one point he literally just handed me a banana, like put it in my hand. I looked at it confused then caught on and again reassured him I didn't want it. It was sweet, no matter how uncomfortable it made me.

Finally in Chitwan, after having panic attacks as the bus continued to stop and emptied out, that I had no idea where to get off, I found a guy with a sign to my camp. I got in a truck and we went on our way. My room was nice and I sat down for lunch as soon as I got there. A tuna fish sandwich and fries, which led to me having to explain that no it all looked delicious thank you, I just don't eat meat. Furthermore having to fight to keep the plate to just eat the fries and not have it replaced with vegetable rice was quite the battle. (I really detest rice lately, ya know with dhal bhat and all). I then met a guy from the Netherlands and we went on a park tour and to see the elephant breeding center. It was super cool. Beautiful land with water and fresh air, what more could I ask for after six weeks in one of the most polluted cities on earth?

I ate dinner, again delicious, and went to bed sooo happy and excited for Saturday.

I woke up at 5:30 am, breakfast at 6:00 am (EGGGGGGGSSS!!!!) and I headed out on a canoeing adventure! It was a long traditional canoe the entire thing made from one piece of wood from a single tree, it was pushed by one guy standing on back with a bamboo stick in hand. With all nine people in the boat we sat WAY too close to the water, less than an inch separated us from dryness and alligator infested waters. On our way we spotted a wild elephant, locals are terrified of them as they've been known for destroying villages and even killing people, so against the current we back tracked up stream until the land was safe enough for us to walk on.

Later we were walked to see elephants we were told. And there it was: a river with elephants and people in life vests laughing and screaming. It was elephant bathing. It wasn't part of my package that I'd purchased though so I'd have pay if I wanted to go... an entire whopping $2.08. So with that I put on a life vest without hesitation and climbed down the muddy shore. From there the elephants "owner" stood in the water with his hand ready for me to stand on as I lunged my entire body weight up and as far across this massive creature as I could in one giant effort. I settled myself, prepared to be thrown off and into the water like I'd just been watching be done to every other person. I had a split second to take a look down, and pet my elephant, tough skin and all, and realize holy crap I'm totally on an elephant right now. Right after I completed that thought I was tossed into the water, smacking my entire body in the river and pushing under to the bottom. I got out and right back up, this time I was determined to stay on and really soak up the view from the back of an elephant. She soaked me by throwing water back at me throwing it up in the air, pelted time and time again, dropped me in the water twice more and I was on my way. Back to the hotel to dry off for a bit.

Next came hour and a half elephant rides. It was fun, and really cool to see the world from so high up along with so many wild animals on the walk. Elephants are like bigger, tougher horses but really its a little scary how much the experience was like horseback riding. To ride an elephant though, the "owner" sits on the elephant, and then four people sit in a little box on the elephants back. Who did I sit with you ask? Just three people who live in Ann Arbor, Michigan... seriously though, someone tell me the chances of that. The world is a teeny tiny, rinky, dinky little place.

I ate dinner with a group of british students also on a weekend trip from Kathmandu, who were super nice and beyond funny. It was really refreshing to be with people my age just hanging out for a bit, (and listening to them say things like chips, jumper, lovely, and speaking of "that one girl who is dating Prince Harry", didn't hurt one bit, in fact I think I'm now obsessed with British people...)

I woke up and headed home soon after for my 9 hour, yes it took about 9 hours, not six, journey home to Kathmandu. I was completely exhausted by the end.

And here I am! Three days until India and Amanda and I'm nearly to the point of counting down the hours I'm so excited!!! But for now, work, work, work, as mind numbing as it may seem on my seventh week, I'm trying to remind myself how much I'll miss this place a month from now.

Chitwan- Pause.

Today was one of the best days of my life- but- I have to press pause. Because this day was soooo beyond epic- I feel it needs an epic blog post, and some uploaded photos to go along with it- andddd it just so happens that days that are one of the best of your entire life- make you tired. And so-I'm  exhausted and I cannot possibly do this day justice through a blog post written in my delirium sooooo, for now pause- I will post about this magnificent day. Promise.

Chitwan!!!

Well guys I made it! It was quite an adventure getting here, (a six hour bus ride on Nepali roads is exactly how I define adventure), but sooooo worth it! So far I've had lunch and dinner here and let's just say I am in no way complaining! Yummmmm. I had a great tour guide today to show me around the village and I've already seen so many different animals including wild crocodiles and wild rhinos! I saw tons of elephants too but those weren't wild. I met a guy here from the Netherlands and he seems to be doing a similar program as me so we stuck together today and went to the planned cultural program tonight. Lets just say there was a dance with a man dressed as a peacock, and well, if you  know anything about me it's that humans dressed up in large outfits pretending to be something they're not, aka Rufus the Bobcat, clowns, any mascot, etc., NOT my thing. So I laughed awkwardly and am now super wiped out from my extremely long day.

Tomorrow has great possibility but I'm not going to jinx it so hopefully I'll have great surprises for tomorrow's blog post!

And on a great note I have wifi here!

Chitwan is awesome though and just having a break from Kathmandu to breathe fresh air and sleep in a new place outside of the noisy city is just a great opportunity. So I'm going to soak every last bit up and get ready for bed. ... It's so quiet here, really, I'm so excited to sleep!!! Namaste from Chitwan!

An Adventure in an Adventure

Tomorrow early I leave for Chitwan National Park. That's right, I'm taking a weekend vacation by myself. It should be lots of fun as long as I can find the bus I'm supposed to take at 6:30 am!

I'm excited and nervous and I really hope it will be worth it! I'm not sure I will have Internet there but I can hope! If not I will be back on the 13th! Hopefully I will be able to blog my adventures as they happen!

Now I better sleep so I can get up at 5:20 am!

Good night!

India!

I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL OFFICIALLY BE GOING TO NEW DELHI, INDIA TO VISIT MY FRIEND AMANDA ON THE 17TH!!! We have plans to go to the Taj Mahal in Agra for a day trip and explore Delhi and suffer through the heat together! I AM SO BEYOND EXCITED!!! 

Success!

So today I started the day with two slices of peanut butter toast and a small cup of milk tea.

Then I went back to the Indian Embassy to drop off my passport to hopefully get my visa. Here's the story- at 10:33 am I walked in and they were on number 15, I got my number... 42. It was already past an hour since they'd opened but breakfast was late and I took a taxi there as quickly as I could. Would we get to my number in time if it closed at 12:00 pm? At 11:52 am exactly my number was finally called. I handed over my passport willingly and answered a few simple questions to prove I remembered what I'd put on my visa application I suppose.

From there I walked to Thamel. A friend had told me about a tourism place that he took to visit Chitwan. I have wandered every corner of Thamel to find it and couldn't so I just stopped in the nicest looking one I could find. They were wonderful, and charged me way more than I should probably be paying however--- it has officially been arranged that I will be visiting Chitwan the 11th-13th! I'm super excited, and just hoping it all works out. The men arranging the trip were beyond nice and even sat there and looked up my website to see my work once I told them I was a photographer.

Next I wandered and found a place to have lunch and had an amazing, practically life changing iced tea with my lunch.

From there... I took a, let's call it interesting, taxi ride to the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre. Once there (might I add getting there was quite the adventure, but hey I was only lost for about an hour) I spoke on the phone with the founder briefly to go over my plan and then got my first real sight of the centre. They recently moved locations so things are a bit of chaos right now but I met some truly amazing people there. I was really happy to see work actually being done there. It seems like a really interesting place to hang out and what could be more fun than taking a break from the city and taking photos of some puppies! I had a lot of fun, and saw some pretty gruesome injuries to these dogs. I met a guy who works there who was wearing a University of Michigan shirt, a month ago he was in Chicago and he has some friends that study at U of M. I was extremely happy to have a conversation with him about his shirt. I was offered a ride home in their truck as they went to pick up another dog from an area near where I live. They are so, so kind, and its the work I love to do. I love shooting for organizations that are passionate about their work and are for the good of others. It honestly felt like being back at Last Chance Corral, and if you don't already know- I love Last Chance Corral. A lot.

So anyway! From there I did a bit of shopping and met some extraordinarily nice people. And walked home to meet two new interns in the house and have dinner. We then went up to the roof for a bit and now I'm blogging then soon off to bed.

Today was super successful and I just feel really accomplished. I needed a day to just do me, even if that meant getting stuff done, I needed to do it alone and independently. I hope tomorrow is just as successful I'm ready to really do some serious work!

Birthdays and Weddings

I started my day off with breakfast outside on the roof. Two slices of peanut butter toast and a small cup of milk tea. Soon after I headed out to a birthday celebration. Who's you ask? Why the Dalai Lama of course! It was held at a Tibetan Refugee Camp, (which is not what the Nepali governments calls it might I add), with hundreds maybe thousands of Tibetans in attendance. There was traditional clothing and children running around everywhere with small toys. It was absolutely fascinating to see that many Tibetans all in one place like that. They dress differently than Nepalis and most women do not have their noses pierced which is shocking to see in Nepal (almost every woman in Nepal of all ages has her nose pierced in atleast one way). It was really really fun to see and just be around that many Tibetans all at once.

From there I went to a friends family's wedding. I got to take a ton of pictures and eat lunch there and it was beyond fascinating. You hear so much about Nepali weddings but really it was as beautiful as you imagine it.

I sat down for a while during the lunch break for the bride and groom, (weddings are all day events so lunch breaks are needed,) and a group of kids sat down next to me. Children who are in school in this generation in Nepal have pretty good English, at least the wealthy ones, and they love to practice it, so lets just say I saw it coming. "Hello, excuse me" followed shortly after two younger girls dressed in beyond fancy dresses with silly high heels and small purses sat down. I was soon questioned how I was, where I was from, what my name was, where I live (in Kathmandu), if I went to school, what I want to do when I grow up (no joke it was phrased that way too), if I had siblings, how old was my sister, what was her name, where is my sister, what does she do there, what is my last name (which really threw them), if I could pronounce their names, if I knew Nepali, if I could understand Nepali, if I knew how to say certain phrases in Nepali (which is really awkward when your Nepali language teacher is literally sitting right next to you), what was in my bag, was the stuff in my bag from America, if I had American chocolate in my bag, if i would go down stairs with them to see the birds (which they kept calling seagulls but were pigeons), if I would go get ice cream with them (they even offered to pay for mine if I didn't have money and tried to persuade me with how little time it would take or how refreshing it would be in the heat), I'm not kidding it wouldn't stop. My favorite questions of all though we're most definitely if I was married, they were quite dissappointed when I said no. They followed that up with how old I was- I'm twenty. This response illicted exactly the response I expected: shock. To which even though in my culture it's perfectly normal, I still felt pretty poorly about myself to be twenty and not married and to have let these girls down. Haha. They then told me quite happily that the bride was twenty. Which illicted in me a touch of sadness. She's only twenty. Yikes. Better than fourteen I suppose.

However through this quite hysterical conversation with these two eleven-year-old girls, the best part was yet to come. "What caste do you belong to?" I'm not kidding. I just smiled and was so taken a back that this, in 2014, was still considered a publicly appropriate question. Never having had expected to ever be asked this question in my entire life, I hesitated, uhmmm how do you answer that, I settled for "we don't have that in America, it isn't like that." Which looking back probably wasn't the best answer possible but I tried my best.

And in the time that it took to type all of that my laundry sitting outside in a bucket in the dark should be done soaking and it is time I rinse it and hang it up to dry! Namaste

Half Way There

It is so beyond bizarre to even think that thought. How could I possibly have reached the five week mark? How could it possibly already be half way over. This trip has been planned and counted down for for so long to be living it and feel is swoosh by is the oddest sensation.

I feel like I've done so much and seen so much and at the same time I feel like I haven't even seen a thing. I'm grateful to have five weeks ahead of me, and also severely daunted by just the thought.

The most important things I've learned here aren't about photography at all. I've learned how to adapt to cultures and different media systems. I've learned to decipher foreign accents. I've learned that being a woman in other parts of the world can truly truly mean a real struggle. I've learned a bus system. I've learned how to barder down a taxi. I've learned that lychees are my favorite fruit and that I'm probably allergic to lychees. I've learned that going it alone is terrifying and exhilarating. I've learned how to best take photos while on the back of a motorcycle and I've learned that I truly despise shooting landscapes. I've learned that Siddartha Gautama is controversially believed to have been born in Lumbini. I've learned that I absolutely love to meditate. I've learned that I truly, truly love trees, a trait of my mother's I didn't know I had. I've learned that momos, and yak cheese momos at that, are by far the most delicious thing to in eat in Nepal. I've learned to live off of dhal bhat. I've learned about political tension and cultural celebration. I've learned about Sherpas, and I've learned about the Rai. I've learned that my knee is strong enough for yoga again. I've learned how to become friends with people I would otherwise never be friends with. I've learned how to gently remove street childrens' grasps from my arms as they beg for money or food. Ive learned how to do laundry In a bucket. I've learned how to plant rice. I've learned what local raksi tastes like. I've learned that I have a slight fear of cows- the hard way. I've learned what spider bites look like and I've learned that sleeping with headphones in drowns out the sound of the single mosquito that finds its way into my room every single night. I've learned that no matter how many people rip on the US I will always be proud of the place that raised me. I've learned that chaidayna means I don't need it in Nepali. I've learned how to befriend perfect strangers on the bus and I've learned how to ward off Nepali men in every direction.

And so, be it that not one of the things I've listed above was a single thing I've learned about photography, almost everyone of them, if not everyone of them, has taught me so much about surviving in this world and how to be a better visual journalist. The more I see the more I understand. I'm a big believer in that one. And I think my life long goal of growing into the best photojournalist I can be will benefit so much from the summer I was 20 and went and saw and lived and breathed Nepal for the first time. I think being here is teaching me how to travel, how to survive, and how to get across a message to a people so different from your own. For me this internship is about learning how to tell a story with photographs while struggling to understand loose translations with nothing but dhal bhat in my stomach. Honestly. It's waking up to a huge black bruise from slipping while getting on a motor bike. Hell- it's getting on a motor bike with quite literally a perfect stranger because you're lost and about to just give up on Nepal and walk all the way home. It's about meeting people, as many as you can, and letting each of them teach you something. And I can only hope that meeting all of these people and learning something from each of them will help me to clearly see and understand the human condition. Because- my work is illustrating the human condition in a way that will cause other humans to react and understand and know a situation different from their own.

My supervisor sent me an article here that I read recently which was about a photographer who talked with a street boy who was looking at a news paper. She asked if he could read and he, as is extremely common in Nepal, replied no. No, but he could see the pictures, and from those photographs in that paper he saw more than he probably ever will have the chance to see himself in person. And so even if he couldn't read the captions under the photos he was able to make a story in his mind to go along with the photos.

The point is- as much as I'm longing for home and all of my favorite foods and a good mattress, my internship here in Nepal is feeding this photojournalist in me and teaching me so much about international photojournalism, which is exactly why I came here.

Today on the fourth of July I had dhal bhat for lunch. And I'm longing for one of my dad's amazing nut burgers and BBQ chips. I'm longing for corn on the cob and fireworks in the dead end. I missed the parade with the donuts and the orange juice. It's hard to be away on days filled with memories and traditions but it is also fun, to celebrate here by wearing my blue pants and taking it easy. I know I'll always remember the Fourth I spent in Kathmandu the same way I have crystal clear memories of the Fourth last summer in Oaxaca.

It's been an amazing five weeks in that regard. Halfway done- but manyyyy an exciting adventure to come! Stay tuned for Part II...

Productiveness in Kathmandu

It is really impressive to have a very productive day here in Kathmandu. The lifestyle is so slow moving that getting anything done takes quite a while. What I got done today might not impress any of you back home but, considering, I am quite pleased with myself.

With a recent spur of the moment decision to visit a friend in India (hopefully) I went to the Indian Embassy this morning to apply for a visa. I then met with my translator to discuss upcoming project ideas. I then grabbed a bus and walked to the post office... hmmmmmm I wonder what I did there??? ;) I then walked a bit and got some momos for lunch. Next I met a friend and walked her through what we call the Blue Market. Next we headed to the Monastery where she teaches English to Buddhist Monks with her brother (Tessa and Nick) , which was really fun to go see! Then we headed to the place where her family is staying her in Kathmandu and picked up her sister! From there we went to the Orphanage where she is teaching English and that was really fun to see, (I'm a big lover of children of the orphan and semi-orphan variety). We then made it home for dinner and some hanging out on the roof.

Long day though and I'm working on trying to buy a plane ticket.

Sleep is needed though. More detailed posts to come. Been so busy lately, but happy and really starting to love this place now that all of the culture shock has worn off. I know my way around sort of, and can manage the busses now which is the best feeling ever. Anyway I have to sleep. Namaste.