I'm Here

I have befriended and beloved four wonderful girls. We went to the Chitwan jungle and then two of them I went trekking with in the Himalayans for one week. It was extremely magical and wonderful. We laughed until we cried even when we were trekking up tall mountains. I miss the big mountains, the huge mountains. I’m thinking about going back for one week but it will not be the same with out them.

For two weeks now, I've been living with a farm family out in the middle of nowhere Nepal, in a mud house. We live in the "hills" (by our standard they are mountains, but here the mountains are gianormous, so here these are hills) where there is little water. We must trek down the hillside to the stream and collect water twice a day. We drink fresh milk and eat fresh vegetables and rice every meal. The work is hard but so invigorating.

The family often refuses to let me do anything difficult and always I pressure them assuring them that I CAN! Lately I’ve done more and more. The Nepalese carry their loads with rope that ties to wraps around the load and then over their head. Yesterday I carried a big metal jug of water up the mountain to the house this way. It was a big step in what they let me do. This past week we spent three days straight of doing nothing but weeding for ten hours everyday. Here I received the nickname Baisi (Water Buffalo) because instead of squatting on my thighs, I sat on my bottom and often sprawled out my legs to weed more comfortably. But Dai (my older brother) is monkey, he's wild like a monkey, and Baini (my little sister) is Duck, she wines and complains like a duck, so I'm okay with Buffalo. Dai and I have become fun friends. He's a real country boy. He's simple and fun. Lately we have been fighting a whole lot. He loves to tell me what to do and when I refuse he forcefully pushes me with his words telling me over and over to do something, but I fight back as any sister would with an annoying older brother. Baini (my younger sister) and I sleep in the same bed. We sleep in a single bed and she's a violent sleeper. Often I have to throw her arm off of my face or push her body over so I have room. But she and I have fun. We hit each-other and laugh and clean clothes and bathe in the river together every Saturday with all the other girls that live near us. Learning the language has been a big challenge. I am a fool and a baby and often I get very frustrated when the family makes jokes about me. People laugh, and when they think I don’t understand they make jokes, but often I understand and am hurt. But I try to have tolerance. And in a place where you cannot speak the language but only simply, it’s hard to gain respect. So when I get angry often I can’t even say anything back to the people so therefore I look even more like a fool and am easy bait for mean fun.

One of my friends from trekking visited me on the farm for two days. I had a great break from the turmoil of trying to communicate in a different language. I think having her there helped the others see that I was not just some quiet, stupid girl but that I like to talk and I love to laugh and I’m playful. After she came the family treated me differently more playfully and lovingly. I also just enjoyed being with her. She’s a wonderful person and we laugh so much! We had a party in my room with Pringles, candy and trail mix she brought from Kathmandu. My grandmother ate her first pringle at age 59. She ate two at once and liked them, wanted more and the next day told everyone in the family. I shared Pringles with about ten people who'd never tasted them before. Janani, my friend, left to go back home already, to Canada.

My father (Buba) is extremely strict. His energy frightens me sometimes. I would not like to be a real member of this family but temporarily I can tolerate that aspect because in general I receive so much love from this family. I like the father when we are on the farm. On the hillside terraced farm. He knows what he’s doing and loves what he’s doing. He told me that in the future he’ll find me a husband. Huh! What to say? He said he’ll send a picture of the boy. Ha! So many people ask me if I am going to marry in Nepal. No I say. I will marry in America at age 28.

The brother and sister really do feel like brother and sister. And Mommy as we call her is good. She cuddles and holds me and always cares for me. She laughs a lot. During the day for our 3 hour midday break, Dai, Mommy and I hang out in the upstairs bedroom studying Nepali and English, sleep sometimes, talk and relax.

This family is not perfect at all, but it’s a family after all. I am happy I landed in their arms. I have about 5 and a half more weeks at the farm. I don't know when the next time I will be able to blog.