Bhaktapur

Cynthia and I went on a field trip the other day to try to learn a bit more about our new culture. 

Welcome to Bhaktapur, Nepal: city of cobblestone, power lines, and ruined dynasties. 

This was such a clean, beautiful street that I had to share it with you. Mind you, this is not a typical Nepali street. Perhaps while we are out today I will snap a photo of what my current street looks like. 

As of now, we are still trying to figure out where to live. We do not love being homeless, but we don't want to be hasty in finding a place just for the sake of unpacking and settling in. 

We have two neighborhoods, which are about an hour apart, that we are considering. 

In the meantime, we are off to go get our language books! Class starts tomorrow! I am beyond elated!

pink and yellow pink and yellow

Hi. 

Um, do you see this? Look at these ducks! They are pink and yellow!

The pink ones congregated on one side of the bank...

and the yellow ones stayed on the other! This was baffling us! 

Not to mention the fact that they are PINK and YELLOW! 

We asked a nepali man why this was so, but we could not understand what he said.

Hmmmmm.

Welcome to Nepal.

Getting life started.

Yesterday we went out for fabric so that we could get proper clothes.

Proper Nepali outfits are not only what is best for us socially, they are also extremely practical! Shorts are out of the question here (think modesty), but jeans and heavy pants are way too hot! So we get to wear puffy, airy pants that let the breeze in and keep the mosquitoes out.

 Today we went exploring in attempts to find a tailor. 

We found him! 

He even spoke English, which was very helpful for us since our language is seriously inadequate at this point. We got to pick out how we wanted the sleeves, the neckline, and how puffy the pants would be! What a cool way to shop, eh?

I can't wait to show you guys photos of our new outfits!

After our success, we ventured over to the bank to open a Nepali bank account as the first step towards getting student visas. Kudos to the extremely patient man working in the bank. I could not seem to figure out what he was trying to tell me to do! I ended up having to re-sign each document three times because I kept messing it up.  

Finally we were off to the grocery store to get some rice, lentils, spices, and other necessities. As we were shopping, I got a phone call from a Nepali number.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Betany?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Dis is Jimshakel at da bank. One of your notes was turned over and we need you to come and get it."

"Uh..."

"What time can you come back?"

"I can be there in thirty minutes."

"Oh, that is great. Goodbye."

Turns out that one of the dollars that I gave them was ripped and they would not accept it. Go figure. 

We are constantly reminded that everything takes much, much longer here than it would in the States. We are making great progress though, and things are off to a great start!

Ordinary moments.

Unfortunately, I do not have any crazy-awesome stories... yet.

So here are some not so crazy-awesome, ordinary Nepali life moments. Enjoy!

• Cynthia and I walked down to the corner store (without getting lost) and successfully bought four eggs for breakfast. They sell eggs individually if you would like, or in a pack of 15. One of my eggs still had a feather on it.

• We tried to go get SIM cards for our phone, but we needed copies of our visas. We went to the store that makes copies, but unfortunately the power was out due to load shedding, so we had to go back the next day. 

• Today we bought some beautiful fabric so that we can have Nepali outfits made. (I will post photos when they are finished (We will go to the tailor tomorrow to have them made).

• Finally, today we met with the man who is in charge of the language tutors. We will have our first language lesson on Tuesday! I am soooooo excited! 

Neighbor.

Here is a photo of my neighbor. Isn't she cute?

The view from my window.

We made it!

Welp, we made it to Nepal! My brain is foggy with delirium as I write this, so it will be brief.

After 40 hours of travel, our plane touched down in Kathmandu, Nepal! As we bounced along in the back of the van, I could not wipe the smile off of my face. "I live here." The thought brought back so many memories of doubts, trials, and discouragements that made me think that this day would never come.

But today it came.

And it came in full force...

Stay tuned for photos and stories.

Wacko Packo.

So, the other night at my goodbye party, some of the girls were asking me what I am packing. So here is a list of some of the stuff in case you are curious (I am avoiding packing by writing this :P).

Mr. Clean magic erasers. (yes, this was the first thing on my list!)
Warm clothes.
Slackline.
Camera.
Camping gear.
2 pairs of glasses (goodbye contacts, I will miss you!)
Italian seasoning.
A kindle and some books that are unavailable in Nepal and on kindle.
Motorcycle helmet. (why do I own one? click here, its hilarious!!)
Vitamins.
Watercolor paints.
First aid kit (thanks, Diana!).
Photo book and favorite picture frames.
Measuring cups, can opener, veggie peeler. (Word on the street is that you can't get them there! yikes!)
A harddrive and a laptop.
And that pretty much does it.

Now I must go force it all into suitcases.

Home-front team.

So, I have the most awesome opportunity in the whole wide world. Since I am moving to a crazy different culture and I will probably freak out a lot and need lots of help, these ladies (plus Sheri!) are going to take good care of me. They are like the peanut butter to my jelly, the ups to my downs, the camp to my fire,  the hydrogen to my peroxide... ok, ok you get the picture. I am beyond honored to call them friends.

The Bestest home-front team in the world!

 And a shout out to these guys, the BOWER POWER clan. They are a "home-front" team of their own. A blog post could never do justice. They are amazing. I will leave it at that.

The other best home-front team :)

Photographic pathways.

My father has become somewhat of a photographic prodigy in his old age (just kidding Dad! You're not old!), so I convinced him that before I move to Nepal to attend photography school, I needed a few lessons on how to use this giant camera that I now posses.

I'm not yet pro, but here's what I got from my first lesson. 

Here is the spring  coming out of the cavern. I love how water carves out a path for itself wherever it wants to go. Sometimes I want to be like water, free to flow wherever... but I don't want to be like water, always choosing the path of least resistance, because I know that it is that resistance- those challenges- that draw me to my knees and make me who I am.

Quality? Not so much. Hilarious. Yes indeed. 

        

Fraternal Twin Pathways! 

They are going the same direction, with all the same turns, but they are doing it so differently. 

 

I am not sure what this bridge was for. It had a purpose,
I'm sure, but it did not seem to lead anywhere... 

An old grain mill. 

I think that it is safe to say that I still have a long way to walk down the path to being a skilled photographer, but after my first lesson, I feel like I am making strides in the right direction.

The Lion and the Stream

"Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion.
"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.
"Then drink," said the Lion.
"May I- could I- would you mind going away while I do?," said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to- do anything to me, if I do come?, said Jill.
"I make no promise," said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

"Do you eat girls?," she said.
"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion.

It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink," said Jill.
"Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion.
"Oh dear!," said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then."
There is no other stream," said the Lion.

- C.S. Lewis