I am so edified by today's progress at school. Yesterday I felt like I struck out with all of my classes and that we, sort of, hit a brick wall. However, what I perceived to be a misunderstanding, perhaps, needed further practice at home for the students because when they brought their homework in today, they nailed the assignment! When you put anywhere from 5-6 hours of lesson planning for four very different levels of English Language Learners, you can't help but pray that it at least makes sense. Well, today, not only did I score 4/4, but I could just see the elation and excitement and pride in my students' smiles! Today was the first time that in every class, I felt like I was in the right place at the right time!! What a feeling! When teaching is your passion and you want students to succeed and do their best and see how their hard work pays off, and it ACTUALLY happens, there's no greater feeling in the world for me!
In addition, not only have I felt really good about today's lessons and interactions, but I feel like the teachers and assistant headmaster have really rallied behind me! I had such a congenial conversation with the assistant headmaster, Siraj, and we both ended up laughing, so hard, out loud! Today, like every day, I sit in a room and hear the Nepalese carry on their conversations in a completely foreign language. I can pick out familiar words, but, eventually, you just focus on what you have to do and it simply becomes background noise. However, today, Siraj translated what they were talking about. The topic? How to make their meals more delicious at home!! So we started talking about housewives (not the reality show) and stay-at-home dads. This made Siraj laugh because that is an unseen reality in Nepal. He asked if they were called house husbands and started laughing again. I told him that that fact, indeed, is increasing in our country and it's no longer considered taboo.
We continued to hold a conversation and he asked how my trip went in Thamel and I told him how I became very ill from whatever I ate. Well, apparently, that word spread fast and the teachers seemed to really show compassion and made sure they helped me out in the classroom. Even Gokul Sir, my level 4 co-teacher, told Munu Miss, my level 2 teacher that my stomach was upset to which she also told her students. I am really starting to see the kind of caring and compassionate Nepalese communities in which I've read about. Truly amazing!
Munu Miss might one of the most beautiful Nepali women I have met and she wears the most beautiful, colorful saris and shalwar kameezes and so I told her I thought she was wore such beautiful clothes. So modest in her natural beauty, she giggled, shaking her head 'no' and told me that my clothes were beautiful and that I had a nice body shape. This Amazonian woman!!?? Really? Oh my goodness. I guess I responded the same way, but nevertheless, I was so happy we engaged in our first real conversation. Although their English is limited, they have been so sweet to me and make the attempt to tell me something in their broken English and I'll take that any day because it is from the heart, it is genuine, and has touched my life indefinitely.
NamoBuddha Pilgrimage
Have you ever heard of the story about the King Bayan Deer? It tells a story of sacrifice, compassion, generosity, and even suffering as the King discovered empathy through the actions of others. There are so many symbolic icons and representations in the Buddhist and Hindu faiths, it is extraordinary and inevitable to examine our own thoughts and actions.
Buddhist Prayer Flags
Traditionally, Buddhist prayer flags can be found in the Himalayas Mountains, along rooftops, even embedded in the flora of a country. They are hung to bless the countryside, those that are living nearby, and serve many other purposes. They traditionally come in five colors, which represent the Five Elements: sky (blue), air/wind (white), fire (red), water (green), Earth (yellow). Tibetan Buddhists believe that once all of the elements have reached a balance, good health and harmony will follow. Although many believe that the flags carry prayers, that is a common misunderstanding. In fact, there are mantras written across the prayer flags and in addition to saying the mantras, prayers are offered up for those that hang the flags for lifelong blessings. The best time to hang the flags is in the morning, preferably when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing; therefore the wind can carry compassion and good will to all within its reach. After traveling through Buddhist communities, I noticed that some prayer flags looked brand new while others were old, tattered, and faded. Just as Buddhists have accepted the journey of life through aging, so the flags are treated the same. Alongside of old, faded flags will hang new ones. The old ones are not taken down, burned, or thrown away because of the sanctity of the mantras and symbols. Each colored flag has an image or a name of the four powerful animals, better known as "Four Dignities". Perhaps you can see them on various Buddhist flags, but they are the dragon, garuda, tiger, and snowlion. How colorful and beautiful!
One-horned Nepali Rhino Mother and Calf
Truly an opportunity! Rare, but this is why you ride an elephant through the jungle because the elephant can navigate through dense jungle pathways and conceal the human scent in order to capture this wonderful occasion of observing one of Nepal’s species that are on the rebound in re-populating numbers, previously close to extinction!
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My Parting Gifts
A parting gift from two of my students that worked so hard to create this beautiful piece of art that I can't wait to hang in my room next year!! Thank you so much for a wonderful year! You have touched my heart immensely!
Ganesha Chair
What a gorgeous expression of art! Thank you so much!
Map of Nepal
Holly - your descriptions are so vivid that I feel like I'm there with you. What a different environment an culture and way of life. What a fabulous experience you're having, so much to learn, and do, and experience, and see...and well, be careful what you eat but new stuff there too! This venue is so great to record your experience for yourself, but also for us who are enjoying it (from afar) with you. Keep writing. I don't visit every day, but love catching up. (Love that jungle cat though!!! What a cutie!) Take care. Love, Lynne
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