they'll never love you like I can!

Oh Sam Smith.... anyways.

Today is the last day of the 5 day festival known as Tihar, or Dipawali.  The first day was kaag puja (worship of the crow), the second kukur puja (doggy worship), the third day laxmi puja and gai puja (the god Laxmi and cow worship), the fourth day is dedicated to goro puja (male cow worship… is that an ox?), and today was bhaai tikaa (day to celebrate our brothers).

Thus, to make a tie back home, happy bhaai tikaa to my own blood brothers, Reynold and Antonio! I love you two and sending you malas and saptarang tikaa on your forehead.  But yall are supposed to give me money in return, so I’ll be waiting for that.

PPS- speaking of $$, congratulations on my little brother for getting himself a job. Make money for the three of us!!!

Now back to Tihar.  It is definitely my most favorite holiday of all the holidays celebrated in Nepal (and trust, there are a lot of holidays).  It’s sorta like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Fourth of July combined in one holiday over the span of 5 days.  There’s lots of different types of roti and other sweets made and eaten, lots of dancing and music, “Christmas” lights put up on houses, fireworks being set off (at some places- I didn’t see any), and dogs running around with flowers around their necks.  So great.

However, I must admit, after all the celebrations finished today, I began to feel berry homesick.  The holiday feel makes me miss my own family, my mama, my brothers, and my friends. I was zoning out at dinner today just thinking about home.  It’s exciting to know I only have one year left until I’ll be able to see everyone again, but it does hurt a little knowing it’ll have been beyond 2 years since I last saw my friends, family, and mama.  I’m gonna sleep on it, but I was contemplating coming back home to visit for the Christmas holidays this year, for about 2 weeks.  I mean, I’ll have to figure out my money situation, but seeing everyone for a bit before the end of another full year would be nice, no? I’ll sit on it.

Sending my love <3

God bless Cali and Nepal! :)

-Bora

10/17/14

On the other side of adoption

Today I traveled around to a new part of my district that I’ve never been to before.  I was walking around with a dear didi (“elder sister”) of mine, Sayni.  We were reconnecting with homes that Sayni had previously asked to create bricks so we could help teach and build them improved cookstoves inside their homes (mud stoves with chimneys so that there is less smoke inside the kitchen area).  We were sitting inside the home of a friend of Sayni’s, and speaking to the father of the home (or I think he was the father). 

He began to share the story of how he had a daughter, but when she was about 1 ½ years old he sent her away to Germany to be adopted.  This part of the story was a little lost in translation, but either he is not the biological father and the baby’s parents had passed away, thus, causing him to send her away for adoption, or he is the biological father and for whatever reason felt he had to send her away for adoption. 

Anywho, he said he met her a year earlier in Kathmandu (Nepal’s capital city).  She was around the age of 21.  She could only speak German and English, and the father expressed the fact that she could not understand any Nepali or tharu (his native tongue). 

I have met many friends and people in my life who are adoptees, or are adopters, but I haven’t been very close to any families who had to send away a family member to become adopted.  It was so interesting to be speaking the same language as a father who had to send his daughter away.  It was interesting speaking to him, understanding the reasons that drove him to make such a decision, and trying to comprehend the emotions he must have felt when he saw her again.  It’s interesting to understand their lifestyle; to be their neighbor. 

Very interesting stuff.

10.18.14

In the same village today I walked passed a home where loud grieving could be heard from the road.  Sayni asked the neighbor what had happened, and the eldest son had just passed away from typhoid.  He was 18 years old and was just married a month prior.  I never realized how grave the danger of typhoid is, and it was sad to hear about the death of someone at such a prime age.  The wife is now a widow, and although she can remarry, in the Nepali village context she becomes quite undesirable as a potential wife.  I hope that because she is so young she will still have the potential to re-marry if she wishes.

10.19.14

Life's all about changes, isn't it?

In the Peace Corps Nepal world, group 199 who came to Nepal back in 2012 is packing up and setting off for their travels back stateside.  On the flip side, group 201 who just came into country this past September got their permanent site announcements and will be setting off to their permanent sites soon in the far-west region of Nepal and the west region (I'm situated in the mid-west region, between the west and far-west).  And.... I'm still here at site, living my village life; going through waves of excitement, fear, anxiety, relaxation, and dull....ness. Ke garne?  

Loving you all to infinity and beyond! muah muah.

-Bora

Dashain

Happy belated Dashain, or dashain ko shuba kamana.

Dashain is the largest and longest holiday of the year for Nepalis of the hindu religion where for 15 days people travel out of the urban spots (Kathmandu, Pokhara, perhaps Butwal) to return to their village homes and spend time with their families. In my village, lots of goats were murdered, marinated, and eaten, and lots of tikaa was thrown (and lots of paisaa given away with blessings from elders/superiors).

It's a big deal for nepalis.
As for Americans living in Nepal, after doing some research I've found a common trend is doing much of nothing (beyond reading or watching things).
It's been a long couple of days of sitting around, but it was also nice to see some hustle and bustle on the dirt roads and spirits up.

Happy dashain mero saathiharu <3

September

The past couple of days/weeks have been very atypical from the village life. I celebrated my birthday with my host family in Manpur, then headed out to Kathmandu, making a stop in butwal along the way, and finally went to Bhakundebesi, Kavre, to the PST training site where group 201 was learning all about the ways of Nepal and Nepali language to kick start their service.

Reflecting chronologically, my birthday celebration in my village was a lot of fun. I gave out "pursad" or prayer food to some of my neighbors and my family decked me out in red tikaa and fed me my pujaa food (worship food) in honor of my "janma din" (birthday). I felt very appreciated and loved. :)

Next, butwal! Butwal is known to travelers as a travel stop in between destinations.  It is not known to be a city where foreigners go out of their way to see, but rather just spend a quick night and carry on in their travels.  Us PCVs understood this behavior quickly, as butwal can be dusty, loud, busy, with not many traveler delights to offer. However, this time around I discovered a swimming pool at a very nice hotel, coffee at a new shop called Game Zone, and I got the luxury of staying at Darcy's International Hotel, one of the much nicer hotels in the area (if not the nicest) because I was traveling for official Peace Corps duty. yippeeeee. It was a good night.

Next, Kathmandu! I got to spend my actual birthday in the capital, and met with Marvin, a volunteer for group 199 who's birthday is also on 9/11.  It was nice to celebrate our birthdays together, and with our other friends who were in the area.

Next.... Bhakundebesi, Kavre, aka N201's PST site.  I, with Jewels, another PCV in my group originally from Chicago, taught the new group about gender considerations in Nepal and assisted our safety and security coordinator on the sessions on sexual assault awareness. Although we had to talk about some heavy topics, it was a fun time getting to know the new PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees), and a lot of them are from California! woohooo!

Also, Nikki Bose- this is so random but Jewels and I were chatting and I realized she also went to Walter Payton in Chicago!! Cool.

Now I'm back in Kathmandu for a few days before I head back to Dang to spend some quality family time with my village people. It's the holidays in Nepal, Dashain and Tihar are coming up (sorta like thanksgiving and Christmas in USA). Looking forward to a good time.

Hope everyone is taking care out there. Thinking of you folks back home :)
I also hope all is going well in San Diego with the ceremonies dedicated to Bernadette.

-Bora

to Bernadette

This one goes out to you Bernadette.
Dance with freedom and rest in peace.

Happy birthday to my September 11th birthday twins Marvin (Peace Corps), Bryce (Del Mar), and Nikko (UCSD).

And to the day of remembrance for what happened on 9/11/01.

With love,
Bora

8/28/14

After a fabulous trip in Kathmandu, I am back in beautiful Manpur, Dang.  There was news of great floods in the area, wiping out homes, crops, livestock, and unfortunately lives as well.  I was expecting a swimming pool around my home when I got back, but luckily everything seemed safe and sound, just greener and more fireflies present at nighttime.  Please pray for all the homes and lives that were affected by the floods that have injured numerous families, to whichever god, goddess, or gods that may be.

It’s been a while since I last posted due to traveling and trainings and birthday celebrations, but here are a few updates on my village life:

1.        The moringa tree I planted at home is growing! YES!!!!

2.       However, the area around the moringa tree is infested with “goat lice” as said by my bhaauju (sister-in-law).

3.       I wiped a two year old’s butt with my hand after she went dookie in our backyard area. J

4.       Today we celebrated teej!  I fasted with the ladies until the evening, danced (Nepali style), wore my loud, green sari with rangichangi bangles to go with, and ate bananas, doi (it’s yogurt-esk), and sabdaanaa (some flour milky porridge thang).  Today was a good day, overall.

In a couple of days I will reach my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of living in Nepal. AMAZING.  It’s said by many a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer), but the days are long and the weeks/months go by fast.  I can’t believe I’ve made it this far (thank you Jesus- definitely couldn’t have made it without you).  Looking ahead, I’m excited to meet the new groups, the first landing in KTM around September 6^th (I think) and the next coming in March of 2015.  WOO, more English-speaking satiharu (friends)!  I believe it is also a proper time to reflect on the many nice moments I’ve had in Nepal thus far:

1.       Learning to play guitar by candlelight after a long day.

2.       Brushing my teeth outside overlooking hundreds of fireflies nearby and in the distance.

3.       Riding my bike until I find a shady spot to read a good book (I READ!).

4.       Orange is the New Black! I’m not good at following shows, so it’s been nice to have the opportunity to commit to following one (and a very interesting one at that).

Now what’s a good list without its counterpart- some of the not-as-nice stuff that’s happened in Nepal:

1.       Moldy vole poop under my bed.

2.       Mold.

3.       Giardia.

4.       Hairy armpits.

Friends and family, you are all still welcome to visit Nepal.  I’ve got 1.25 years to go! Love you all- sending big kisses and hugs. Don’t get married without me! J

Love,

Bora

July 30th, 2014

So, remember that last post about the mosquitoes?

I think the mosquitoes read my blog and recruited their entire country of mosquitoes into my home.

In other words, my legs are gonna look so scarred and nasty by the time I get home.  Sorry mama, I’m ugly!!!

J In other news, I’ll be traveling a lot these next two months to our capital Kathmandu for training as a resource volunteer for the incoming group, N201.  Traveling within this country is just about my least favorite thing about Nepal (I’d much rather stay around in my village than travel all the time), but I’m looking forward to getting to know Kathmandu much better and work with some of the other PCVs I don’t get to see often as well as staff.  And, my friend Sanjuana will be in country around that time as well. Yeeyeyeyeeyeyeeyeyee.

Love,

Bora