See What I See

The View from the top of our district. Those white mountains in the background at the Himalayas 

Our House 

The front of my room 

The back of my room  

View From My Window 

The International and National Volunteers enjoying a group session in the village

Door to Door Service

The only word to describe the last three days would be, Amazing. This week we were given an opportunity to visit the villages we will be moving to for the next 9 months in order to help us prepare for what it will be like when we get there. However nothing could have prepared me for the experience we were embarking on.

The adventure started with our departure from Kathmandu. The day began with a four-hour bus ride east through the mountains. As we weaved up the mountains we would pass public buses on our right.  The public buses are packed with people and include handle bars on the roof in order for people to sit up top as well. As we would pass the buses I though there was no way both vehicles could fit on the tiny dirt road we were on and that my life would surely end by falling off that mountain.  As our journey continued the mountains got higher and the scenic views more dramatic. Off in the distance we could now see the peaks of the Himalayas. While the mountains seem to stretching up to the skies the Nepali fellows assured us that these were still considered “hills”. Which after seeing the Himalayas sitting above the clouds I finally understood how our perception of what is a hill versus what is a mountain could be different from theirs.

Bridge Number One

Bridge Number Two

Then the bus came to a stop. I looked around to see what the hold up was until I heard someone say, “we’re here, time to get off.” We appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. There were no cars, no people, no sign of any village, however there was a large suspension bridge going across the rushing river.  In this area of the country there are several rivers that are unavailable to cross by car.  Except from where we stood and the villages exist two rivers, therefore we would have to cross this river by a foot bridge, hike to the next river which we would cross by a second foot bridge. Only then would we reach our next means of transport.

 After an hour of hiking along the ridge of a mountain we finally reached the second bridge. Here we were rewarded with lunch, which was and will always be Dal Bat. We had lunch in the small village at the bottom of the mountain which is also where we waited for cars to pick us up and bring us to the village of Dahu. There is where we would be spending the next three days and half of us will be living for the next 9 months.

Finally two tiny jeeps arrived. There were 25 of us as well as all of our luggage so it was a very tight fit. We spent the next hour squished into these jeeps climbing the mountain to our village. I was grateful for the fact that the sides of the jeep were blocked so I could not see on either side of me.   

After 7 hours of traveling we finally made it to Dahu. The woman of the village greeted us with Tika’s and flowers. Everyone was so excited for our arrival and seemed so grateful that we were there.  Following our introductions we were then split into small groups and assigned to a “aamaa”, which means mother in Nepali, who we would be spending the next two nights with. 

The House 

My aamaa was a beautiful sweet woman. Her house was simple and cozy and full of warmth.  I soon learned that our aamaa has a widow for two years. She has 6 children, five daughters and one son. four of her daughters are married, and one is studying in Kathmandu, while her son is working abroad in Malaysia. After sitting with her for a while she brought us to the second floor, which was where our beds were. There were three beds aligned in the corner so we all picked one and collapsed.

The School in Wasa 

While we were gone for three days, because of all the traveling, we only had one full day on the mountain. During this day we hiked up to Wasa, which is the other village where we will be staying. This village was drastically different. It was very spread out and it was hard to imagine what our work there will look like. We were brought to the school, which consists of 5 classrooms. It was clear the education group will have their work cut out for them there.  It was very interesting to visit the surrounding villages and see how excited everyone was to see us. We quickly learned that one of their major problems is the lack of water. While during the rainy season water is flowing and plentiful, they have no devised a system that allows them to store water during the dry season. Therefore it appears the villages that are closer to the water source are hesitant to share their access to water with surrounding villages in fear that during dry times there will not be enough.

Before we knew it, it was time to begin the long trek back to Kathmandu. However we learned that it is not necessary to cross the two bridges but that we can in fact go through the river which would avoid the hike from bridge to bridge. We had not done this the first time because the water level was to high, however now it was believed that we could cross through it more easily. Therefore we took a vote of whether we should take the long hike from bridge to bridge, or walk along the river on flat ground until we reached the area where we could walk through it. Unanimously we agreed on the latter.  

When we reached the crossing area it was clear the river was not nearly as shallow as anticipated and that we were going to get extremely wet. The current was also relatively strong which required the help of strong men to help many of the tiny woman cross without getting swept away.

Once everyone made it across safely we boarded the bus for the four-hour ride back. We set off along the river and up the mountain, and just as we were getting comfortable and dozing off we hear a weird sound and feel the bus begin to slow down. We have a flat tire. So we all get off and find a place to sit along the side of the road. We are assured that we will be off again in no time. And sure enough only 15 minutes later the tire had been changed and we were off again! I was amazed!! I was sure that we were going to be stuck for an hour or so waiting. However apparently flat tires are no rare occurrence here and Nepal and they are extremely efficient when it comes to fixing the problem. I couldn’t help be remember the times when I had gotten a flat tire and had to wait hours for triple A to come to fix the problem.  However I’ve only experienced a flat tire a handful of times in my life, while here, as I’ve been told, it’s common to experience them every trip. For me learning how to change a tire, while a convenient and useful skill, is no at the top of my priority list, while here it would be a necessity.

The next few hours consisted of sleeping, singing, and enjoying the scenery. When we finally made it back to our guest house wet, tired, and hungry, I couldn’t help but think “now that’s what I call door to door service.”

The Group

The Culture of Food

When asked to label different characteristics of a culture, food is one of the first things that pop into my mind. I think about how we label food by its origin. On a lazy Sunday afternoon when I don’t want to cook dinner I think of what I’m in the mood for and where I will order my dinner from. Will it be Chinese, Italian, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern; the choice are limitless.  However while traveling, instead of having the warped American version of a countries traditional cuisine, you get to experience the real thing.

Personally I know that when I go to a new place one of my favorite things to do is try all the food. However while traveling in the developing world this can be a little risky. Of course one of the main fears is getting sick, however in Nepal my fear is how spicy the food will be. The Nepali people love a variety of spices, one of their favorites being chili peppers. I, however, have a very low tolerance for spicy food and am affected by the slightest bit of spice.

Also, in Nepal, food is considered sacred. Therefore whatever is on your plate, you must finish.  On my first day here, after a 27 hour travel experience, we all sat down to eat our first dal bhat (which is the traditional food here).  

This dish is meant to be eaten with your hands

Only moments later I regretted that decision. Before I knew it, my eyes were tearing, my nose was running, and my mouth felt like it was burning from the inside out. However I knew I needed to finish the food so I got through it and then spent the next twenty minutes eating yogurt and sucking on bread.  Dal Bhat is not only the traditional meal in Nepal, it is also the only meal people eat on a daily basis. Dal Bhat is served twice a day, everyday.  After a week of this drastic dietary change my body couldn’t take it anymore. However I was in luck! Our first weekend here we celebrated Shabbot with the Tevel B’tzedek community and were given the opportunity to make Dinner.
In my delusional state I filled my plate with all the choices and began to eat.

We spent the day making salads, mashed potatoes, eggplant with tomato sauce, and several other comfort dishes that reminded us of home.  That evening the Nepali fellows joined us for the ceremony and meal. They were introduced to several of the Jewish Friday night customs and shared some of theirs with us. We were all excited to share our food with them and hear what they thought about it.  When the meal was served, the Nepali’s filled their plates, similarly to how I filled mine on that first day. It was clear that, like I had, they immediately regretted it.  When someone asked them how it was, they gritted their teeth and forced a smile. They said “it’s very good, but very sweet.” As we watched them painfully eat their dinner someone had the idea of bringing out chilli peppers for them. As soon as they saw the peppers there faces lit up and were so thankful! This new addition clearly made their Shabbat experience more enjoyable. 
It’s interesting to think about food as more than something that we like and don’t like, but as something that we become accustomed to and develop around.  I’m sure that if I had grown up around spicy food that I would love it also, and I’m also sure that at the end of these 10 months my tolerance for it will increase significantly.

This dish consists of tomato sauce topped
with an over easy egg

It is also possible that this same culturally exchange will be mutual for the nepali fellows. Maybe after living with us for 10 months they will also enjoy a side salad or the traditional Israeli dish shakshuka.

And the Fish Said...

While being in Israel we continually discussed the concept of waste. It was explained to us that in Nature there is no such thing as waste. When something in nature changes its form, for instance dies, it becomes something else that is useful, like nutrients for the soil. Therefore waste is a human construct.

     While I was in school the topic of environmental ethics was consistently raised, however the question of waste had never really occurred to me. While I do my best to try and do things like recycle, it is so easy to get rid of our trash that on a daily basis I never think about where it is going. When I don’t want something anymore I simply “throw it away”. But what does that mean? In reality it means that I know longer have to deal with it. Out of site, out of mind. However it does go somewhere.

     In Nepal it seems to go on the ground so that it is visible for everyone. It is impossible to not think about trash on a daily basis because it is right in front you. It really has caused me to be conscious of what I’m using and throwing away. When I move to my village it will become my responsibility to dispose of my waste. So every time I do something that results in making trash I remind myself that soon it will be my responsibility, therefore making the saying “out of site of mind” void, because in order to put the trash “out of site” it will be up to me to figure out how to do it.  The result being that trash will always be on my mind.

     What has become particularly apparent is how much water we waste.  We were asked to define what water means to us and I found it very difficult because I’ve never thought about it. We were asked to read an article on the topic which included a joke which I felt explained the situation perfectly.

“So there is a fish swimming down a river who comes across a frog sitting on the river bank. The frog asks the fish ‘Hey fish, how’s the water?’ and the fish says ‘what the hell is water?’”

What the joke is making lite of is the fact that water is the elusive present moment. It encompasses our current state of being, which we rarely acknowledge, but is always all around us. While we need fresh water for our everyday lives we take advantage of this resource by using it for things we don’t need. For example our toilets. Since I have arrived the toilet for my floor has broken. The flusher does not work, so therefor after we use the bathroom we need to fill up a very large bucket and pour into the toilet bowl, which then forces the waste to go down. The bucket I have to fill is extremely large and takes approximately 3 minutes to fill. So while I am standing in the bathroom filling up this bucked it is forcing me to ask the question, why are we using 10 gallons of drinking water to flush our shit down the toilet? While in Israel we discussed several ways in which we can recycle our water. For example if there was a system that

recycled our shower water into the toilet so that instead of using clean drinking water for our waste we would reuse our house hold supply of water.

     Being here, with these people, in this environment is allowing me to be open to innovative ideas that inspire different ways of living in the first world. My hope is that during this time I can integrate some simple ideas into my everyday life, which I will be able to continue when I return home.

To be continued…

And So the End Becomes the Beginning

    While I begin this new journey it's hard not to reflect on the old adventures of these past two years. I remember how only one year ago when I returned from the Peace Corps it felt like my life was over. I had worked so hard for one thing for so long that it seemed impossible to begin again.  However on reflecting on my experience in Grenada it hard to ignore how much easier being here in Israel is. While I was in Grenada I continuously found myself questioning why I was there and questioning whether it had been the right choice for me. However being here with this group I finally feel that I'm in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. And so maybe the end was really just the beginning. 

     I have been in Israel for just over three weeks now.  I have completed the first section of our orientation and am now enjoying the holiday with my host family. Overall I was very impressed with our orientation. Our training was divided into three parts in which we stayed at different ecological farms in Israel. Each location was practicing sustainable living techniques and doing everything they can to reuse, reduce and recycle their waste. It was a great introduction to how we will be living in Nepal.

     During our training sessions we had the opportunity to meet with many professionals in the field of development. Each person gave a unique perspective and provided us with different tools to use when we begin our work. While many of our lectures were based on theory we were also given practical skills, such as how to make mud bricks, Stoves, and turn waste into art. 

This past month has also been spent getting to know my fellow volunteers. The group is comprised of three Israeli’s, two European’s, and five America’s.  I am extremely impressed by all the people selected to be apart of this team. It is humbling to be apart of such a diverse, experienced, and intelligent group; with each person having a unique story to tell.  I feel that this group has the passion and motivation to be successful this upcoming year and I am excited to be going on this adventure with them.

     During my last week in Israel I will be spending time with the friends and family I made while living here two years ago.  Everyone has been so welcoming and hospitable. I feel blessed to have met such wonderful people through my travels. If I can say one this about these last two years I can say that I have made family all over the world, whether its Yavett in Grenada, or Karin and Shaul in Israel I know I always have a place to go. 

With only four more days until I leave for Nepal I plan to spend this week relaxing, enjoying the holiday,  and relishing in the fact that I still have internet, electricity, running water, and most importantly and toilet paper.  

One year Later...

So we are fast forwarding one year to today, September 13, 2013, to the next new thing. As you can guess the Peace Corps did not work out. It was a long dragged out process that was painful and overall changed the way I think about the organization. However the experience changed my life and has led me to where I am now. But before we get to today let me catch you up on the last year.

            After I was medically separated from the Peace Corps last summer I was unsure of I what to do next. I didn’t know what type of job to apply for, what city to live in, and how to move on. So in order to delay time for a little longer I took a job with Dragonfly Limited, an outdoor recreation company that works with international schools in Hong Kong.  I had the opportunity to work in Yangshoa China,  a small town known for it’s limestone mountains which climbers come from around the world to experience.

Overall it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that allowed me to meet people from a variety of countries who are living very alternative lifestyles. It was a wonderful way to learn that there is no “right” way to live as long as you are happy. I utilized the time to think about what would make me happy and what I would do when I got home. Overall I came to the conclusion that I needed to find closure with the Peace Corps and then look for another way to go abroad to work in international development.

            I was able to find closure by returning to Grenada when my contract with Dragonfly was complete. Returning to Grenada allowed me to say goodbye to my host family, my fellow volunteers, and the man I had fallen for.  It also allowed me to see that it was no longer the right place for me, and it was time to move on.

            When I returned from Grenada I got a job with Masa Israel Journey which allowed me to explore my options in the Jewish professional world. More importantly, it also allowed me to move out of my house.  I found a room in Astoria, Queens living in an apartment with two very nice Philipino Boys.  The fact that they are Filipino is irrelevant except for the fact that my apartment had not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4 rice cookers! It is important to mention that they were not all the same! They ranged from small to big which allowed you to make anywhere from 1-10 servings of rice. While the apartment was small, dirty, and smelled a little funny it was something I could call my own.

The goal I had set for myself was to be abroad by summer. This gave me 6 months to find what I was looking for.  While working at a Masa I had the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people who were very enthusiastic in helping me find a new abroad experience. I learned that if you talk about something enough eventually you will talk to the right person who will point you in the right direction.  This became true for me when a colleague at work began e-mail me different abroad opportunities.  While all of them were very interesting none of them felt right until she sent me a link to Tevel Btzedek. http://www.tevelbtzedek.org/.

Tevel was exactly what I had been looking for. It was a small organization that was looking for devoted, motivated people to do development in Nepal.  I felt that they had a wonderful philosophy and would be investing as much into me as I would be into them, something I did not feel while working for the Peace Corps. I therefore began the application process, which led to an interview, which led to a second interview, which finally led to me being accepted!  And this is how I got here  today, aka in a small room at my friends house on Kibbutz Neot Mordechai in the Northern Region of Israel.

I have come to Israel where I will be completing my first month of training, which will be followed by a second month of training in Katmandu, Nepal. After training I will be moving to a small village 7 hours south of the capital where I will spend the next 9 months. During this year I hope to increase my knowledge about third world development, learn about a new and interesting culture, and continue to grow and get to know myself in way no other experience can allow for.  To all my friends and family who have been there for me this past year, you all know there have been a lot of highs and lows. I could not have gotten through it with out you and I hope you all enjoy going on this journey with me.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

*Thunder*

Nate (Juliet’s  friend):  Doesn’t thunder sound like Voldemort talking?

Juliet: I wish everything in the world was beautiful. I wish everything in the world was pink.

Juliet (looking through a picture book of the ABC’s): I is for Ice Cream, J is is Jelly bean, L is for Tiger

Juliet: soooo what do you want to talk about?

Me: I don’t know,  what would you like to talk about?

Juliet: hmmmm what about poop coming out of our bodies?

Me: How about rainbows?

Juliet: OK!

Nate: Imagine if rain had feet

Me: So when it fell to the ground would it walk away?

Nate: yep!

Me: Where would it go?

Nate: Africa.