Language Lessons

(next morning - the 13th)
I slept well, surprisingly. Despite my best efforts I did have to use the bathroom last night. A local toilet would have been better but squatting over a western toilet is harder than you think. Annoyingly, my magic skirt that dries in thirty seconds, repels bugs, uv rays, etc is pilling. Esther arrived yesterday afternoon from Germany. She is quiet but I like her. She will be in Budhanilkantha at the orphanage. Leah (from Vancouver BC) is at the same orphanage so I have two buddies in the same town as me. Leah already said she wants to visit the monastery and practice meditation. She will stay for three months so I am a happy camper (or teacher, as the case may be).

Breakfast surpassed all of my expectations. Good toast, eggs (surprisingly) and fabulous Nepali stewed potatoes. {Mamma, we need to learn to make this.} Stewed potatoes with tomatoes and onions. It tastes sweet and delicious. And, of course, masala tea! The best part of any meal and I never miss an opportunity to order one.

Hom, the director, told me during breakfast that I will head to my monastery tomorrow but thats okay. Now that I have Esther, Leah, and Meagan I am happier. The sticky point will be deciding if I want to go 'out' tonight. Apparently, there is a local drink I have to try. Predictably the instigator is the Californian staying here. So, my dilemma is going, alienating myself by refusing to drink, folding and joining in, or being antisocial and staying here. Decisions, decisions...

Last night over dinner a great political discussion started about health care, Sudan, and president Obama. No one besides me knew about Sudan! Meagan can't understand why the US doesn't have public health care and thought everyone in the US hates Obama now. The guy from California is essentially an anarchist (though he's not smart enough to call himself that.) "the system is screwed up, blah, blah." I asked why and I didn't get a consistent answer. In any case our political discussion made for an interesting and fun dinner.

Ironically, I am here to take a break from school and I land back in class. I appreciate Hom inviting me to attend lessons since I don't leave until tomorrow. Of course I am writing this in class. (No, do not give me that look, Mamma.) This looks useful, but you know how I like to multitask. Kesher is good at teaching basic language to novices. Hopefully I am picking up some good things.

~ Tapaaiko naam ke ho? = What is your name?
Yo ke ho? = What is this?
Yo paani ho = This is water.
Yo paani hoina = This is not water.
Yo mero paani ho = This is my water. ~

I will continue recording what I pick up.

(13:10 same day)
I just hand washed my first load on laundry! With apple shampoo someone left here so hopefully they will turn out smelling good. On the roof there are two taps and three metal basins to use for washing clothes. I kind of made it up as I went along but I think they got fairly clean. In case you are wondering here was my routine. Dump shampoo in the first basin, fill with water, vigorously rub together. When water turns brown fill next basin with clean water, ring out wet clothes and place in new basin. When that basin becomes cloudy rinse out first basin and fill it again with fresh water. Ring out clothes again and place in new clean water. Swish, ring out, repeat. When finished, hang on the clothes line to dry. The only space left on the clothes lines was at the very end of one nearly protruding over the side of the roof. I wonder how many people have lost underwear over the side. Luckily for me, someone appeared at that moment to take down the sheets so I relocated to the primo line in the middle of the roof.