A very kind and genuine teacher has invited me and a volunteer from Milan, Italy to her home for tea this afternoon. In Nepali culture, it is an ultimate gesture of kindness and hospitality to be invited into someone else's home. Tomorrow is also Irene's (Italian volunteer) last day in the schools before she departs for home on Sunday. Irene is a volunteer from EVS (European Volunteer Services), which is akin to the U.S.'s Fulbright program, so she has been in Nepal for 5 months with three other volunteers (one from Italy and two from Spain) and is very sad her journey has come to an end here in Nepal. She will venture next to Paris, France, where she will study for a two-year Master's degree in Human Rights and may begin one of her first courageous internships in the Middle East. I have worked with Irene in the classroom with my level 3s and she has been nothing but kind and caring. She is not a teacher, but has come to work in the orphanages, which are so plentiful here in Nepal, especially since the Maoist insurgency era. So not only has she touched my life and the children with which she has worked, but also Sangheeta's, who is very sad that she will be leaving soon.
Sangheeta is a teacher and teaches English at the 7th grade level amongst other courses and has been doing so for 25 years, exhibiting such care for children with very difficult home situations, mental anguish, embracing the innocence of young children. She has hosted Western volunteers before and embraces them as her own children, as she had done with us this very afternoon. We were invited for tea and she prepared a smorgasbord of food and drinks, finishing with hot tea. (Tato chia!)
We met her husband, who is also a teacher at the school down the road, her two daughters, her daughter's childhood friend (who is applying to study abroad in the U.S.) and her son. What a lovely family and her children have such a great sense of humor and zest for life!
They mentioned how everything is so much bigger in the. U.S., including the people, the food portions, the size of toothpaste!, the size of sodas, etc. and just how expensive the states are in general. They said when they visit the states, they are told that they look like malnourished children who have not eaten much in their lifetime. They said most Americans look older than they really are and it's so deceiving because of how large they are in size!
I couldn't help but agree with most of what they were saying and always wondered what impressions other cultures have had of America. However, and I'm not sure how much I believe this, they said I look much younger than I am and I don't look like many of the Americans they have seen. I'm pretty tall for a female and built kind of broad and don't think I look that young. My level 12 class concurred that I don't look OR act my age, but I'll just take that as a compliment of someone who embraces youth. That's what I'm going with anyway!
What a most enjoyable visit with Sangheeta's family and a time in which I've really enjoyed myself and the people around me. When you can let your guard down in another country, in a very different culture, you are able to just embrace the purity and sincerity of the human connection. What an incredible experience to feel, observe, and be a part of!
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
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