I've been thinking lately, for the most part because i've been quite ill with either a horrible cold or food poisioning, and if i would ever have a word that can describe the people of nepal it would be 'resignation.' Knowing full well that this is a horrendous generalization and merely comning from a foriegner only having been here 20 days. However i think within my delerium that this is my greatest struggle here. I only thoughjt of this while reading the autobiography of Che Guevera, a necessity of any college student i must say, and realizing the percieved passion and fire lacking here for social injustice. While i do not advocate nepali's running into the streets and starting a social revolution, for even with all the glory the contant revolutions within Latin America recieve it is quite obvious the latin American societies do a full circle revolutionizing the revolution, I feel theres this apathy within daily life. I was going to be sent to teach english in this very rural village up in the Himalyas next week however the local 'bandh's have closed the schools and everything else for 5 weeks!! Five weeks these children are not getting educated, not to mention the other various bloody bandh s during the year!! Remarkable, no f#$% wonder literacy level is so low. i apologise but seriously...
Also the books i teach the children at the orphanage out of are incorrect and the assignments the english teachers send home are completely wrong. A few days ago one of the girls Jennishaa brought home a notebook having her copy the word 'aeroplent.' Don't know about anyone else but i've never heard of the word, and of course because children have innate faith in their teachers and books, they are ever so reluctant to make the corrections i point out. Though we are making progress......slowly but surely.
Today i watched idly, before i began Che's biography and realized that i was sliding into the habit of Nepali lethargy, a cow. Now i know this really souds like im off my rocker but bear with me, the cannabis fumes have not gotten to me yet. This cow was plodding away down the middle of this highway, very slowly, very malnurished and i even saw a lunitic motorcyclist hit it, yet it kept plodding along. Without being horribly arrogant or niave or whatever you may call me, i feel this is quite symbolic of this country. Just slowly going down this global highway mistreated, submissive, starved, not going to kick or scream, yet also in a strange way resiliant. People are determined to live here, whatever standard of living they may accept. It drives me so f#(&%^ mad though, i must say.
Upon my reinvigoration by the latin american 'fire,' either that or my stomache has purged itself of any apathy or self-pity i have left, I am going trekking daily with Carga's wife in the kathmandu Valley. I decided that for the first time i really dislike the place im at so until i leave for Pokhara, a smaller city in trhe mounbtains, next week, i am going to explore! i havbe always prefered nature to cities so i am going to explore nepals notorious wild.
Like it was said in the beginning i am here because i need to learn somthing, however painful the lesson may be. At this juncture i have to think that i need to really understand the meaning to 'you make your own life and your happiness,' So frustration and self- pity which for me often leads to physical implosion, have led me to anger ultimately lighting a fire unfder my ass. Which believe me was dearly needed.
rest assured though, i know many are thinking this, i do know when the line of 'is it worth it?" has been crossed. And in fact i'm thinking of returning home early August insatead of late.
Thank you so much Ariana, i love you too and kiss Dante for me, you'll get used to the smell :)!
And Elany thank you for your antedotes, while i have not encountered a caste system here i know i would in india, pleas keep writing!
And Betty and Russ, sorry to hear of the heat, its monsoon season here so its blistering hot and it rains!!!!!! Glad you two are well!
much love namaste
Also the books i teach the children at the orphanage out of are incorrect and the assignments the english teachers send home are completely wrong. A few days ago one of the girls Jennishaa brought home a notebook having her copy the word 'aeroplent.' Don't know about anyone else but i've never heard of the word, and of course because children have innate faith in their teachers and books, they are ever so reluctant to make the corrections i point out. Though we are making progress......slowly but surely.
Today i watched idly, before i began Che's biography and realized that i was sliding into the habit of Nepali lethargy, a cow. Now i know this really souds like im off my rocker but bear with me, the cannabis fumes have not gotten to me yet. This cow was plodding away down the middle of this highway, very slowly, very malnurished and i even saw a lunitic motorcyclist hit it, yet it kept plodding along. Without being horribly arrogant or niave or whatever you may call me, i feel this is quite symbolic of this country. Just slowly going down this global highway mistreated, submissive, starved, not going to kick or scream, yet also in a strange way resiliant. People are determined to live here, whatever standard of living they may accept. It drives me so f#(&%^ mad though, i must say.
Upon my reinvigoration by the latin american 'fire,' either that or my stomache has purged itself of any apathy or self-pity i have left, I am going trekking daily with Carga's wife in the kathmandu Valley. I decided that for the first time i really dislike the place im at so until i leave for Pokhara, a smaller city in trhe mounbtains, next week, i am going to explore! i havbe always prefered nature to cities so i am going to explore nepals notorious wild.
Like it was said in the beginning i am here because i need to learn somthing, however painful the lesson may be. At this juncture i have to think that i need to really understand the meaning to 'you make your own life and your happiness,' So frustration and self- pity which for me often leads to physical implosion, have led me to anger ultimately lighting a fire unfder my ass. Which believe me was dearly needed.
rest assured though, i know many are thinking this, i do know when the line of 'is it worth it?" has been crossed. And in fact i'm thinking of returning home early August insatead of late.
Thank you so much Ariana, i love you too and kiss Dante for me, you'll get used to the smell :)!
And Elany thank you for your antedotes, while i have not encountered a caste system here i know i would in india, pleas keep writing!
And Betty and Russ, sorry to hear of the heat, its monsoon season here so its blistering hot and it rains!!!!!! Glad you two are well!
much love namaste
posted by meg smith at 7:54 AM
2 Comments:
Hey my darling Meggypoo,
Holy shit it sounds unpleasant. Youv'e got a little something in your email from me. It does seem a little wrong to crack some jokes right now while I am sitting in a warm lodge in Alaska having drunk a triple cappacino sitting in front of a crackling fire very fat (no really, I haven't been hungry in 2 weeks) nattering on in a blog about myself, finally realizing that it might be nice to write my sister who has been having a shit time.... Then I realized that that is exactly what you want or would want, whatever, grammar sucks. So, check your email, and... are you jealous yet? (Iv'e been trying to switch who gets jealous for two years now:)) Emma
Elany said..What a disappointment! When I was in Kath.early 70's it was a haven from all the stares&beggars of Hindu India. We thought it was their Buddhist influence. The restaurants had innovative menus like French toast, oatmeal and mango milkshakes and they spoke English trying to cater to the foreigners. Many young people liked it so much they stayed for many months..it was a top destination on the world traveler's list! Now it sounds like my visit to(then Communist)Czechoslovakia in '81. The people had such a hopelessness to them that after 2 weeks I got depressed too and felt like the whole country was living in black and white instead of color. Makes one appreciate what we have, huh? We are lucky WE have options!
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