Photos of Nepal

Well sometimes it’s cold in the morning so she might need a good parka…. I know, the pink is pretty flashy but Nepali do like colourful clothing. Good job Madile !

From Matrika:

Dear Madile and Sarah,

On Friday, I handed over the gift sent by you to Kanchan’s family. I
went on a hired car to the family. I had first time saw Kanchan’s
rented room and I was shocked. They have only one very small room and
it is very dark. They do not have window, there are just holes on the
wall. I took pictures of everything which they have. When I went there
about a dozen neighborhood women and children came to see the box and
sewing machine. There was a crowd of people to see gifts.

The orphanage school has holidays so I could not give them gift, next
week it will open and I will go to give them toys. Kanchan’s school
has winter holidays I will start process to admit her in the school
soon. I have Kanchan’s hospital report made by the physician’s report
but i need to scan it to send you. I will do it soon.

Best wishes,
Matrika Rijal (Mr.)
Co-ordinator for VSSN | Mob: +977 9841256906 | Office Location:
Baluwatar- 4, Kathmandu | Postal Address: GPO Box: 8974 CPC 478,
Kathmandu, Nepal. | Web: http://www.volunteer-nepal.org | “Volunteer
Service & Support Nepal” -Nepal Government Registration Number:

I would be interested to learn more about micro finance, I think it’s the best way to help people, by giving them the tools to generate income themselves.

There are other kids who can be sponsored through the Nepali association of Matrika. If anyone is interested, feel free to contact me.

See the email of Matrika:

Dear Madile,

I went to Patan Hospital two times with Kanchan and her father,
Tuesday and Thursday. Doctor was nice and she gave very good
consultancy after reading all the documents which was made during
Kanchan's check-ups while Sarah was here, Also I showed your emails to
the doctor and the doctor refereed to take her to physiotherapy unit
which is inside Patan hospital. Physiotherapy unit took some money
(Rs. 150) for the training to Kanchan's father;  they also said that
we should buy a special bag which contains some iron pieces inside(?).
I could not stay during physiotherapy training because it was late.
Kanchan's father was saying that bag is available in Patan hospital. I
said him to buy the bag and I will pay him later when I meet him next
time.

Kanchan's father said me Kanchan is better and has gained 3 kg weight
after Sarah took her to Teaching Hospital that was about 2 months
before. Now she eats much than before which is very good sign, also
physiotherapy center people said she will be better than this after
doing continuous therapy.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best wishes,

Matrika Rijal (Mr.)
Co-ordinator for VSSN | Mob: +977 9841256906 | Office Location:
Baluwatar- 4, Kathmandu | Postal Address: GPO Box: 8974 CPC 478,
Kathmandu, Nepal. | Web: http://www.volunteer-nepal.org | “Volunteer
Service & Support Nepal" -Nepal Government Registration Number:
1333-065. |

On Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 4:20 PM, madile-roussel <madile-rou

BTW , Namaste is a greeting (in Nepal, India …/and well in Yoga session too…/) , how you say hello and goodbye by joining your hands together with sometimes a slight bow towards the other person. Literally it means something like “I bow to the Divine in you”. 

After being surrounded by so many kids and people, sometimes it’s tough for me to be here in Dublin, to be ignored as well.

Now I’m looking for people who share my ideas, before I get insane here.

I was really focused on my job hunting, the first offers were gloomy and I was regretting to have left my former company. But now it is fine, I got a job contract with a big and nice company. I hope the job is interesting but anyway I feel relieved.

And then suddenly all my good memories of Nepal came back. They just popped up in my head and it felt good. The first thought was for my Nepali “sister”, then the landscape, then the grand-father, the people…

It feels SO good to have fulfilled my dream, to have taken the bold decision to leave my job in  the middle of the financial crisis and at the end I’m fine ! (by the way I never heard about any financial crisis in Nepal…the economy is in permanent crisis.) I’m proud of myself !!!

But love life is more miserable than ever, let’s call the ambulance.  : (

That may be the end of the adventure, for the moment.

Right now I have to go to Ireland. I’m scared. What do they do to French after their disqualification? After all these adventurous bus journeys in the Himalaya, maybe my last day is in Eire.

I’ve got a lot of pictures on my external driver that I have to repair before downloading them in the blog.

I do have the most important photos available now, the reasons why I’ve been there.

I’ve started volley-ball in the school.
For sure there’s not only English in the life of a volunteer (hopefully).
I bought the net a while ago and other volunteers bought badminton rackets, so now the girls can play whereas before they were left watching the boys playing football (so boring : P ).

Looking back, I’ve been a few times on my own in the classroom but it was not easy…
English is a difficult subject to teach, mathematic is much easier.
Discipline also is a mysterious subject and it requires a lot of self control that I don’t really have, as well as good knowledge in Nepali.
I regret to have been “lazy” (or too busy?) in learning Nepali, although I got a manual on my arrival, it would have helped a lot… I may not be perfect after all… ; /

Now the teachers don’t miss the classes any more (well almost, they’re supposed to have finished their exams) and I’m only the assistant, and I enjoy it!
I help the kids with exercises, I help them to practise, I propose other learning methods (from what I remember of my education), I propose games…

It will be so strange to be back. No smoking trucks passing in the centre of villages any more, no muddy paths to walk on, no garbage burning on the streets, no street dogs that have just lost their ears after a fight, no friendly neighbours asking me where I’m going to, no incredible views on the hills and the mountains… I will miss my friendly colleagues; I will miss my Nepali family.
I will have to find a job….
I will come back poorer; of course I gained no experience, no pay slips, and no promotion while I was away…
But I feel much happier now!
One thing for sure: I hope I will never hear about the persons who made my life miserable before I went.

I’ve been really surprised how most of the Nepali are genuinely friendly and have just and uncomplicated personalities.
Of course not every thing is perfect, women work very hard and there are a lot of inequalities.
Still, overall they have a good attitude towards life. There are many festivals where they simply enjoy being with each other.
Nepal may be called a developing country, but regarding the people it is a very rich country. Is it because it is a developing country? I don’t know…Is it because I adopted a flexible attitude that I enjoy Nepal so much? I don’t know…
I promised to my friends here to come back one day, maybe next year. That’s my dearest wish.

I hope to see soon all my European And African And American friends in Europe. Well not everyone forgot me (I got nice emails and comments, thank you!!!).

Kanchan Thapa is a little girl I met in Thecho when I visited a nursery while my school was closed for exams. She’s 7 years old, very bright and she’s got a very rare condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
When I met her, the lady of the nursery was really worrying, thinking she was malnourished (but she is not) and she wanted me to help her.
Actually previous doctors had already examined her and prescribed an MRI, something that her family couldn’t afford.
So I took on me to pay for it and we brought her to the teaching hospital in Kathmandu. At the end no MRI was necessary and they kept her for 3 days for examinations. She was then diagnosed with this syndrome.

For once in my life, I ‘ve been able to help someone even if her disease is not curable.
Her parents’ marriage is an intercaste and love marriage. The dad is from a Hindu caste and the mum is from a different ethnic group. They used to work side by side on the same market in the East of Nepal and fell in love. They got married and moved to the valley to seek for a job and a better life. The father converted to Buddhism for his wife. Although his features are “Indian” the little girl has mongoloid features like her mother. Kancha’s got a little sister.

Advantages and disadvantages of the different types of printers

My neighbour who is 13 goes to the private school and recently, she was preparing her next set of exams. She never touched any computer in her life but she knows the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of printers.
Actually there are 2 computers in her school, for the teachers, but no library…
She knows perfectly the answers about internet but what is really internet, does she know? I like her a lot; I’m just sorry she has to learn this kind of stuff…
Also do you know the name of the baby penguin? I forgot, I’ve got to ask her.

News on my school

The students received their uniforms, notebooks, pencils, pen, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste… all donated by a Japanese charity who actually funded the construction some years ago.

I’m a bit “bored”, I still can’t communicate with the students during classes. They think they can’t understand English, so… that’s it. I don’t know whose fault: the students, the teachers, mine … hmmm, I try not to worry.

Himal !
The monsoon is now over, and I can see the mountains clearly and for a long period in the morning. I stare at them and I want so much to be closer.

Right, August is now finished and I am now in the second half of my stay in NepaI. We are still in the Monsoon.

Thinking of coming back to Europe scares me a bit. I’m not looking forward going back to work in the dark winter while here I walk every morning surrounded by a stunning landscape.

On things I realize now:
Opening a tap and having drinkable water flowing through is actually a real luxury…
People get bad diahorrea after heavy rainfalls. And it’s harsh job to carry water everyday. I often about stories in Africa when girls have to walk long hours to the nearest well: now I totally understand how difficult this life is.

On donations:

The Nepali organisation I belong to sends volunteers and donations to the health centre nearby. It is a private health centre which receive funds from many different charities.
Compare to a public health centre, I heard it is cleaner and much faster.
There is also an orphanage in Techo, a village nearby, which receives help from VSSN. A former Australian volunteer has done a wonderful job. He’s a carpenter and he made benches, tables… for the nursery, as well as paintings on the walls. It looks so nice, (I will post the photos later). His family members and friends sponsor several kids.
Over there I met a girl who has an unknown condition. The doctor prescribed an MRI but the family is too poor to pay for it.
So I decided to pay for it (it shouldn’t be expensive), and we will go very soon to the teaching hospital in Kathmandu (there is one MRI in Nepal, in this hospital).

She’s bright! If anyone is interested to sponsor her education, please let me know.

On my students:
They still don’t know what is discipline but it’s not a big deal…They are full of energy and we love playing games. It’s actually how they learn the best. I really like them.

The vice-principal of my school is now trying to find funds for the students’ materials. He asked me help for finding sponsorships and I am “knocking on the doors” of French charities.

What he explained is that most of the students are “Dahlits”, the lowest caste, the equivalents of the “Untouchables” in India, or from indigenous ethnic groups.
They live under the poverty line and some of them go to school on an empty stomach and sleep during the lessons.
The principal and the vice-principal are both Brahmans (from the highest caste); they are very dedicated to help the kids.

Still the kids of my school are the lucky ones who can go to school. Every day I see children staying in the backyard of their house, not going to school, never…

I am a celebrity!!!
And it’s difficult ; )
There are many festivals in Nepal (and related holidays…). The Tij festival celebrates the women. They wear red, they dance , they sing and they go to the temple.
So during the Tij festival, I got a red Sari and I went to the temple with the girls.
What an arrival, all the eyes were on me.
I didn’t feel very confident but I tried to enjoy it.
Well, when I will be back in Europe and lonely, I will remember these moments of stardom in Nepal.

Then I am very often invited for tea or dinner and people say they like me… but I don’t know for how long. One day they may be upset when I will not be able to fulfill all the invitations : ) …

Rafting:
Recently I went rafting with the staff of Health Centre. It was fantastic! I really wanted to do it again but I’m questioning myself… Well I swallowed water from the river by accident, when jumping into the river, like most of the mates. I was sick for a good couple of days after : (

Then I got an allergy to Dahl baat… the meal they serve twice a day, every day… I was in big trouble but my host family is nice, they cook me Roti (bread) instead.

On other volunteers:

There are other volunteers coming and going in the area, except in July where I was the only foreigner in the neighborhood. In the House we are two, volunteering in two different schools.
They seem to have all kind of motivations for being here.
To be honest, I don’t know myself what is my main motivation.
A couple of volunteers are 19/20 years old English.
There was also an Italian volunteer of my age who’s got a big tattoo and trendy shades. He didn’t enjoy the fact that there was no toilet paper in the house…
For the moment, I “share” the house/host family with a student from Austria who’s missing his girlfriend. It’s Ok, he’s only one month away and she hasn’t forgotten him yet, good luck! He had a big cultural shock at the beginning. I think he has recovered now.
The previous volunteer in the house was in a gap year before starting university. He was shocked by the inequality between women and men. Women cook, stay aside at dinner to serve us, then they do the dishes and clean… the usual stuff.. His mum works and that’s equality. Nice guy but he had the strange habit to drink and leave his cups of tea in MY room (it’s a big comfortable room). Of course I was certainly supposed to clean them… : )

32 !

I celebrated my birthday the best I can…. No disco party, there is no disco around.
One thing I know is that I will remain mute on my age.
I got the same question quite a few times: “Are you married?” “When do you get married?”
I really don’t mind what people think in Europe but here it’s a bit more …challenging. It’s a traditional society, so I won’t start giving lessons on the happiness to be yourself with yourself… I will just start to lie… : )

At the end, I still enjoy being here, a lot !