Category Archives: food

Honouring Monday (because Friday got the best of me): December 28th, 2009

Merry Belated Christmas! This is a late blog post in lieu of one that was half finished for last Friday, Christmas Day, when I just simply ran out of steam for writing. It was a combination of packing for our big move on Boxing Day and the preparations for a pseudo-Christmas dinner that ran into some problems (the biggest being that the chicken we bought was rotten, but we didn’t realize it until it was half cooked which then sent R on a run to the local Tandoori shop that I actually think was way tastier anyway) that has resulted in a Monday post instead if a Friday one (as if you even noticed anyway!). We have finally settled into our new house and, despite the fact that it is about 10 degrees colder than our previous top floor apartment, we are enjoying it. The lovely dog, Kiva, makes it feel a lot like an actual home (as does the real couch and chairs, dining room table, and luxurious bed with a feather duvet!). So, it is a nice way to transition out of Nepal – a little bit of luxury – before we find ourselves homeless vagabonds for 6 more months.

Warmth. There is nothing we take more for granted at home then clean water and warmth. While we have found ways to secure clean water here it is the quest for true warmth still eludes us slightly. First, and this takes some time before it clicks in, is that it is always warmer outside. The concrete buildings and lack of a heating system combine to make indoors frigid while the outdoors are sun basking and lovely. Inside we often wear toques, fleece jackets and double layers of wool socks inside slippers. And if computing anything some sort of gloves or arm warmers are a must for the chilly exposed arm and finger skin. Top all that off with a blanket for any moment when we are sitting still and a cup of tea is always on the ready. The closest comparison I can make is that it is a bit like camping in December, but only when inside. And there is always a slight feeling of chill despite the layers most often caused by any bare skin that comes in contact with the air or by any shifting one makes while in their warm cocoon that means a new spot needs to be warmed. All I can do is dream of Hawaii and the Philippines and know that in 19 days I will feel warm again.
Inverters (aka uninterruptible power supplies). The loadshedding schedule is set to increase to about 6 hours per day (3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening). And usually, we adapt by lighting candles, reading for a short while, and then going to bed exceptionally early. But our new house has an inverter – a battery that stores electricty from solar panels on the roof which can then power a CFL bulb in each room, the TV, and a laptop. And let me tell you, it certainly doesn’t take long to become accustomed to this – I have all but forgotten about candles and early to bed evenings in the span of 2 days! I will look forward to the days when we don’t need to worry about whether we have power in order to shower, check email, or cook dinner. But until then, we will revel in the joys of our temporary inverter.
Being spoiled. So, we maybe wouldn’t choose to live this way, but given that it is part of the housesitting gig, we are left to just sit back and enjoy it 🙂 Despite the fact that we are meant to look after the dog and house the following arrangements were made by the folks who live here and will continue while we stay: 1) A regular cleaning lady who comes 2 days a week to do laundry, dishes, and general cleaning; 2) A gardener who looks after the property, yard and plants; 3) A dog-walker who walks the dog on weekends, 4) A dog mover who takes the dog to doggie daycare Monday-Friday, and finally 5) Doggie daycare who look after the dog on weekdays from 9-5ish. So, what are we left to do? Basically, sit back and enjoy it because this will likely be the only time in my life when I have these perks!
Broccoli. The proliferation of broccoli this season is suprising. However, when one considers where it is being sold, it actually graphs in direct relationship to the density of foreigners. It is not a vegetable that Nepalis eat but is being grown for the foreign palate. So, shops in areas where we live are selling the leafy green bundles. It is an nice change from the cauliflower which is a staple in our diet and provides some added colour and nutrients to a regular meal of rice and curried paneer. I have also taken to chopping the bunches up into giant spears (trees instead of the small shrubs) and tossing it with a oil/dijon/soy/honey/vinegar/red onion dressing before a quick toaster oven roast, which makes the spears all toasted and caramely. Can you say delicious? Unfortunately, I can’t because my mouth is full of broccoli 🙂

Honouring Fridays: December 18th, 2009

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It’s official. I am starting to feel nostalgic about leaving. I am seeing through rose coloured glasses again and remembering all the things that I love about living here. I know that I will come back again but it won’t be the same – I will be a visitor in a city that I once called home. And it is incredible how all the things that can be draining and frustrating about a place – the traffic madness, the inefficiency, the constant tea drinking – suddenly become endearing. I had a moment this week standing on the roof of our house looking out over the city and thinking how wonderful Nepal really is which I think means Nepal has officially gotten under my skin. So, while I am ready to move on, these last few weeks will be difficult. It will be a feast for the senses as I try desperately to remember the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and feelings of this place. And, apparently, this week’s gratitude is brought to you by the letter “P” (unPlanned but precisely perfect pre-departure pondering).

Pomegranates. The season of really really good pomegranates has FINALLY arrived. They are bigger than a softball and full of hundreds of tartly sweet and juicy little seeds. Here they are available in regular red colour but also in the interesting yellow colour too! They both taste the same but the yellow ones are admittedly easier to eat as the juice doesn’t stain everything it lands on. I plan to enjoy a few pomegranates over the upcoming weeks. First, the seeds over yogurt that is full of dried fruit and nuts, topped with some toasted oats…like a granola but deconstructed. Second, in a couscous of some form. Yay for pomegranates!
Packing. On December 26th, we will carefully pack up our belongings and close the door on our cozy little apartment. Two weeks will be spent house-sitting for a friend and for the final week we will hunker down in the same guest house where we stayed when we first arrived 14 months ago. So, the house has been turned upside down as we sort through things and decide what to pack. I have always enjoyed packing – the trimming of “stuff”, the shrinking of possessions into discrete and neat boxes, the downsizing of life. This time, we are packing to fit into 2 bags, plus one carry-on bag, each. Basically, a life that we can carry on our backs (or send home with gracious friends and family from our first two stops in Hawaii and the Philippines). I look forward to the seeing a life that is bundled into a few bags – that sense of freedom that comes when one is no longer tied down by a home and furniture. That feeling will wear off, eventually, but for now, I am grateful for all the packing.
Poinsettias. Like the red saris worn during weddings by many Nepali women, to me the red poinsettia is a symbol of Nepal. They grow as large as trees here and adorn just about every house in Kathmandu. In most months of the year they are simply green shrubs but when the weather changes and the cold sinks into the Valley the poinsettias pop with colour. Below is a picture of a lovely bush I photographed at Godavari Village Resort during a workshop a couple weeks ago. Hard to believe that these tree-like plants are, back home, only table ornaments for a few weeks in December.

Principles. I know I have always had principles, in some form or another. But it has become clearer to me lately that my principles have become clearer since being in Nepal. There are some interesting conversations going around my office these days about money – how to save it and how to spend it. We have made a set of agreements with our donor on both of these issues. To my colleagues this is seen as a flexible agreement – something that can be bent, twisted, or perhaps even sneakily avoided. I disagree. Strongly. And with conviction. I understand the desire to try and save money for the future (particularly when the future is out of your control and in the hands of those donors). However, I don’t think it is wise (or even legal!) to try and squirrel away unspent funds by faking bills and twisting the truth. So, my principles, have me wading out into unfamiliar territory – not so much defending them as needing to convince others that they are valid. But I guess the gratitude comes when I realize that without my principles I would have little to keep me afloat in the argument. In the end they will do as they wish and I will still have my principles.

Honouring Fridays: December 11th, 2009

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I am the least patient person in the world…or at least in this room at the moment. I hate waiting and I catch myself, in moments where my patience has worn thin from waiting, trying to come up with good reasons why waiting is worth it. Because good things can come from waiting. Waiting for love…that is worth it. Waiting for vegetables to germinate and grow…also worth it. Waiting for bread to rise…definitely worth it. Waiting for a summer vacation…still worth it even though I am not 12 and summer vacation does NOT feel like it lasts forever. Waiting for the moment when you have enough money to buy a really wonderful piece of art…pretty sure that will be worth every penny when I get there. My point is that most waiting, while painful and irritating, is often really, really satisfying. So how can I tell if the wait is worth it? I just imagine the outcome. And if I were to arrive at the end of the waiting and find that the outcome is the opposite to what I was hoping for (i.e. no love, no vegetables, no bread, no vacation that lasts forever, and no fancy pants art hanging in my living room) and I know that I would feel sad, disappointed, and heart broken, then it is worth the wait. The investment of time…the waiting…can yield a darn good harvest sometimes…even if I do grumble about it along the way.

The return of orange season. If there is one thing I remember about when I arrived 13 months ago, it was the oranges. The piles upon piles and baskets upon baskets of fragrant oranges on every street corner. It was the first Nepali word I learned. Suntala. Similar to a mandarin oranges but full of seeds they provide a cheap and healthy snack at any time of day. Best eaten outside on a rooftop where seeds are easily spit over the edge. And, locally available which means Mandarin oranges for Christmas are not a once-a-year indulgence here. Instead they are a 4 month staple.
Hot water. The bright orange flame pops to life following a slow hiss as the gas is released. It sputters and flashes. The water dribbles out of the hand-held shower nozzle and into the blue bucket. A few degrees colder and it could be ice. Slowly, the orange flame works its magic on the frigid water, easing the chill. The digital numbers on the front of the gas heater climb slowly. 21. 22. 23. 26. When it reaches 30 I take the plunge. But there is no way it is actually 30. It is probably closer to 25…but warmer than melted ice. It takes about 5 minutes for the water to get hot – steamy hot. But then come the moments in between – when the water is off and the race to lather as quickly as possible is on. The steamy hot is all that separates you from goose bumps. It is an internal debate that I have with myself every time I shower – let the water trickle and keep me warm or turn it off and move fast, very fast. And saving water always wins – no matter how cold those 2 minutes might be – because it means there will still be water left in a couple of days which means the possibility for another blissfully hot shower.
Kathmandu at night. Now that the seasons have changed again, my evening bus rides home at about 5:00 every evening are in the dark. And lately I have found that there is something bewitching about the city in the dark. It retains it frenetic pace and chaotic snarl of traffic, people, and noise but it twinkles. The flashing red of the motocycle lights mixed with the dull sheen of candles in windows where the power is out. The darkness also hides some of the city’s flaws, concealing the gritty, dusty, and worn surroundings and replaces them with mysterious shapes, sleek and modern looking in the darkness. Hurtling across the city on a crowded bus watching Kathmandu slink and wink past my window is one of the best endings to a day.
The moment on weekends when you wake up at 6:00am and realize that you can simply close your eyes and go back to sleep…indefinitely. Roll over, snuggle down, and tumble back into a good dream, a moment of peace, or a deep slumber.

Honouring Fridays: December 4th, 2009

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I am beginning to disconnect – with just over 1 month left in Nepal I am sensing an urgent need to be unimportant in the cogs of everyday work. I actually think this has helped to illuminate a couple of key flaws in how I have worked here – I have made myself too central and did not do enough to develop skills in others. I was focused too much on the goal rather than the process. And despite all the advice I was given at the beginning about seeing the process as THE work we should invest in, I made the cardinal and perhaps rookie mistake of doing too much. I now need to spend my final month transferring, as best I can, everything I have learned, to make sure that knowledge stays here in Nepal and doesn’t hop the plane back to Canada with me. So, in addition to my weekly pauses of gratitude below, I am also grateful that this last month will be slower, easier, and more focused than my previous 13 months…the wisdom of experience has settled in to see me off in good form 🙂

The last pages in my day planner. Each page that I flip in the final month of my day planner represents the end of the year – and it was quite the year! I was flipping back through my planner and marveling at the breadcrumbs I left alluding to what I have spent my time doing over the past year. The notes, scribbles, doodles, underlines, and motley assortment of work related meetings…it is like a ticket stub to a concert…and as the band takes the stage for the final encore number the crowd begins to sway and chant the lyrics to the ballad that made them famous in the first place. December will be my encore…the blog will continue but the album will be different.
Gingerbread. Thank you Epicurious! I have never loved gingerbread cookies all that much, likely due to the dry and crumbly texture, the gobs of white crusty icing, and fake gingery taste that hangs in my mouth. The majority of gingerbread cookies I have eaten have been store-bought which perhaps explains the poor quality and lack lustre feeling they leave me with. But, as I continue to mark my weeks with small Christmas traditions from home, I decided to tackle gingerbread cookies. This recipe is excellent! Rather than cut them out I opted for small, flattened rounds, rolled in sugar, and baked to a golden brown. They ended up a bit more like a soft, chewy gingersnap which has absolutely cured my distaste for dry and crumbly gingerbread. If you haven’t started your Christmas baking I highly recommend this recipe.
Getting crafty. It was Thursday night and I was in desperate need of some wrapping paper. I didn’t have the patience or energy to head out and scrounge for some in the local shops. So instead, I scrounged the house. Paper bag. Check. Paper bag with handles that unravel into raffia like ribbon. Check. Cabbage stem. Check. Cauliflower stem check. Laundry blue that keeps my whites looking white. Check. Sharp knife. Check. I was ready to go. The paper bag transformed into the canvas and with some careful slicing the vegetable stems turned into a star and christmas tree stamp (why waste a good potato for a stamp when the stems of my Brassicaceae will do just fine!). The laundry blue was a great substitute for paint and turned a lovely and shimmery purple on the brown paper. A quick chop, dip, stamp and the paper was done. Gift was wrapped and tied up with a lovely paper bag raffia ribbon! The lesson folks – make it work with whatever junk you’ve got – it is way more fun that way 🙂
My new sari! I posted a photo on facebook earlier this week but thought I would share a different one here. In addition to the tradition kurtaa surwal that many women in Nepal wear, the fancier or perhaps more modern option is the sari. And I felt that I probably shouldn’t leave Nepal without buying one. After stewing over colours and decorations (the bright, sparkly, beaded, embroidered, and heavily encrusted ones just didn’t do it for me) I settled on a turquoise number with dark blue and gold border. After struggling alone while watching this video online I gave up and tossed the sari into a bag – this was going to require some assistance from a regular sari wearer! So, while away for an overnight workshop last weekend my friend Sujata helped. It took me at least 8 attempts to wrap myself without Sujata’s help, but I think I have finally got the basics of it – I won’t dare say I have mastered it…it will likely take another 8 attempts the next time I wear it. It is surprisingly comfortable, feels a bit fancy, and except for the stomach baring portion (dear colleagues, I apologize that you all had to see my stomach during our meeting, but I can tell that it probably bothered me more than it bothered you…actually I think most of you didn’t even notice…pheww!), it is actually quite discrete.

Honouring Fridays: November 13th, 2009

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Today is our 1-year anniversary of arriving in Nepal! I can easily recall the feelings of excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty that rumbled through me. I remember it being colder than I expected and that the sights, colours, smells, and sounds were overwhelming. I noticed the other day while riding a small tuk-tuk home from work that I was almost dozing during the ride – day-dreaming and not thinking about where to get off, what to watch out for, and what to do next. What a change from when I would have my nose pressed against the window to see every moment of the trip. I clearly have some comfort and ease with life in Kathmandu now – I live with more confidence.

And arriving today are 16 new volunteers – tonight we will welcome them with a party – and I can only hope that the same feelings I had one year ago will be slightly eased through conversations with those of us who have learned to live here with confidence.

For myself, I have learned that it takes courage, patience, persistence, flexibility, and a good sense of humour to enjoy life here – may I carry these abilities into the next year full of adventures!

The beginning of the fresh produce season! Like any food growing endeavour, there are certain seasons in which certain vegetables grow the best. As we move into the cool months, Fall if you will, we join many countries around the world that are engaged in harvesting. The vegetables coming into our local shops these days are incredibly delicious and almost cartoonish in their bold and vibrant colours. The cool weather has brought back the orange glow to the carrots, the deep purple sheen to the onions, the creamy whiteness of the cauliflower, and the ruffled and dewy leaves of bright green spinach and mustard. There is no question that the vegetables we are eating are the freshest we have seen in a long time. It is a wonderful time to cook in Nepal and to reap the flavours, colours, and tastes of a wonderful harvest…not to mention the beautiful bundles of golden yellow ripe rice stalks draped across in the paddies.
Functioning governments. Granted that there it is something of an oxymoron to place the words “functioning” and “governments” in the same sentence. But I sometimes think that the Canadian government is possibly the most efficient, well-oiled, and proactive bureaucracy around…in comparison that is. As Nepal struggles to overcome poverty, lack of infrastructure, impossible geographic terrain, drought, poor health care, human rights issues, and education development what holds them back nine times out of ten is a government that simply doesn’t function. And by “doesn’t function” I mean a government that actually doesn’t meet regularly and when they try to meet the whole process is derailed due to a agitating groups blocking the parliament from meeting. And not just for a day or two, but for months going on years! Not to mention the corruption, deceit, lies, targeted killings, and oppression perpetrated by many government officials. So, despite the petty and often ridiculous antics of politicians back home I am actually pretty grateful for how much our government does for us…regardless of who is in power.
Christmas carols. So, normally in my books November is WAYYYY too early to bust out the jingle bells and sing along to deck the halls. But, being away from my regular traditions and seasonal cheer I allow myself to break the rules. So, on a powerless night last week I did the unthinkable and turned on my Christmas playlist. And it was excellent! Something so simple that immediately feels familiar and happy. I think what makes Christmas carols so good is that they really do bring an atmosphere of cheer and suddenly I am remembering all that is so wonderful about this time of year. So, on your next “silent night”, bust out a carol and feel grateful for everything you love about Christmas.
Finding the right words. There is nothing more satisfying than being able to take a feeling that has stuck with you for a time and put that feeling into words. When the words can tumble from your mouth and sound like a perfect description for something previously indescribable, it is magic. I believe that these kinds of words are the sweetest to hear. They rumble and resonate with the heart and the brain, satisfying both the heart’s need for expression and the brain’s need for explanation.

Honouring Fridays: October 23rd, 2009

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As many people may have heard, my grandmother died last week. She was in her late 90’s and still managed to go for a swim everyday in Lake Okanagan, knit woolly booties for the new babies at the hospital, and spend as much time as possible with her family. Back in the day she was a talented figure skater, a baker of the most delicious fudge, and a practical joker of the highest degree. She took pleasure in stuffing home knitted socks with jaw-breaker candies as big as my head (at least they felt that big when my 10 year old eyes watched my Dad pull them out of his new socks on Christmas morning) and she could always be counted on for warm hugs, a great game of rummy (she cheated, but we all let her), and some laughs – she was always laughing.

Grandma Frances. So, this week I am the most grateful for my grandmother and the wonderful life that she was able to live. I can only hope that I have inherited an ounce of your kindness, a funny bone or two and perhaps a drop or two of your delicious fudge-making talents too 🙂 We love you and will miss you Grandma.

Ginger tea. During our 5-day trek in the hills and mountains, after climbing for 4-5 hours, we would reach the guest house exhausted and hungry. Dinner would usually be some warm and filling potato or egg dish but what we all looked forward to more than dinner was the steaming pot of ginger tea at the end of the meal. It was quite simple – black tea with fresh, chopped ginger and a splash of honey dumped into the pot. No infusion of ginger essence or synthetic ginger flavouring, just real fresh gingery hot tea. It was a warm hug before bed, a muscle rejuvinator before the next day of hiking, a chance to reconnect with family about how the day went, and a moment of calm, full-belly, peacefulness. I plan on making this concoction throughout the cold months here in Nepal to ward off H1N1, common colds, chest infections, and stomach irritations – even if it doesn’t work it will still bring me back to the cool crisp evenings in Nepal’s mountains sitting with family and sharing a wonderful pot of tea.
Rotisserie chicken. While my parents were visiting earlier this month we made a wonderful discovery. The small and unassuming toaster oven that graces my counter is also a rotisserie! In preparations for a small Thanksgiving dinner we had planned to roast a chicken in the toaster oven. I found some odd spear and dagger like instruments in the cupboard and starting putting the pieces together. On inspection of the oven, we discovered that lo and behold, the large spear-like apparatus rotates! AHA! Spear the bird, slap it on the rotating device and voila – rotisserie chicken – a zillion times better than any Swiss Chalet affair and truly Thanksgiving worthy. You can rest assured that we will be re-enacting this magical moment for Christmas dinner as well 🙂

Rekindling a love affair. Despite the fact that I sometimes take you for granted, I am reminded just how appreciative I am to have you. The sweetness of reconnecting feels good. It is also especially good when the object of affection is so steady, familiar, and altogether unchanging. When it can feel like you were never apart. And so I have rekindled my love affair. You keep me connected, give me entertainment, and suffer as pound out my weekly installments of gratitude and yet never have I once shown any appreciation for you…the tool. You may have lost the ability to hold any charge in your battery due to random power surges but you will always have my undying affection.

Honouring Fridays: September 4th, 2009

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The countdown to September 15th has kicked into full gear! The excitement of 4 weeks of vacation combined with visitors from home arriving on that day is making the days fly by. Plus September and October hold the biggest Hindu festivals (akin to Christmas in Christian countries). First is Dashain which is a large, 10-day, family celebration with lots of sacrifices, meat eating, dancing, singing, and returning to home villages to give prayers and offerings to family members. Then about 2 weeks later is Tihar (like Diwali in India) the festival of light. So, lots of joy and celebration ahead has left me feeling incredibly grateful this week – the cup runneth over with goodness, prosperity, and happiness!

Pants with no holes. Such simple pleasures really. After toting some rather tired-looking clothes to Nepal, hoping that they would wear themselves out while here, I discovered that they listened. But only in the form of large holes in the crotch (too much information? sorry), while the rest of the fabric is like new! Ordinarily, I would just buy myself a new pairs of pants, but when your entire 4-pair pants wardrobe is in cahoots and decides to commit collective suicide and to reveal your bits to the world, it means war. So, those old pants got a new lease on life this week thanks to a neighbourhood tailor. After trying about 6 different shops and getting full belly laughs from the proprietors about my large-thigh problem, I finally found a man who was willing to help. Granted, he and his friend spent a good ten minutes exclaiming and laughing to each other about how fat I was, but finally he agreed to help. The solution, while not perfect but absolutely acceptable, was to cut about 3 inches of length from the cuffs and use those two pieces to sandwich the weak fabric in the middle. So, 4 days later and they are as good as new…we will just overlook the fact that my entire pants wardrobe is now an awkward mid-ankle crop…
Cinnamon rolls. I inherited a big jar of yeast from a friend who was moving back to Canada from Nepal (Hi Anne! Say hello to Vancouver for us!), along with a great big bag of walnuts and an almost full can of dark Canadian maple syrup (and many many other lovely kitchen items…I am also grateful for hand-me-downs!). Inspired to bake something that reminded me of home, I quickly decided on the comforting yeasty-ness of cinnamon rolls. When I was younger my mom would sometimes get up very early and bake us fresh cinnamon buns before school…such a treat (I also remember the homemade elviss mcmuffins…real cheddar, English muffins, egg…my absolute favourite!). The husband loved them – he ate most of them in fact – and the maple walnut crunch with cinnamon was delicious! The bun recipe was an adaptation of The Pioneer Woman’s but instead of the maple glaze on top I slathered inside butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon. It may not feel like Fall here but it sure did taste like it!
Money. The pain was all worth it. I received word this week that the National Campaign for Education, Nepal (NCE Nepal) with whom I am working, has been approved for a rather large sum of money for this year and two more years funding contingent on success this year. It amounts to about $100,000 USD, in Nepali rupees is close to 7,769,999.69 NPR. To put this into context the majority of Nepali families in villages live on 3000-4000 NPR or less per month…this is BIG money! The proposal writing process was probably one of the most painful and exhausting times I have had here in Nepal but I couldn’t be happier that at least it was all worth it. This will be enough to hire two more staff and do some really exciting work on education advocacy including research, policy advocacy, and setting up regional advocacy networks. So, it is an exciting and wealthy time for NCE Nepal. It makes me slightly sad to be leaving and unable to see the implementation of all these great ideas. But it leaves them in a good spot…all I can do now is hope they use it effectively and ethically.
English translation errors. Last weekend we went up to near the Tibetan border to stay at a lovely resort called Last Resort. A beautiful and peaceful place to recharge the internal battery and refocus on what is inspiring about Nepal. We enjoyed the company of good friends, good food, and adventure! But I also enjoyed this – almost more than anything…I am still chuckling about it actually. 🙂 Whoops! Just a bit more space needed between the first 2 options and the last option, unless of course vegetarian is in fact a new gender! And I was thinking that this would be a good submission to Engrish.

Honouring Fridays: August 29th, 2009

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Call me crazy, but I think I feel a chill in the air. The temperature dipped below 20 degrees and as we scrambled to get the blankets back on the bed I realized just how much my internal thermometer has shifted. Since when did 20 degrees become cold? And how much will I shiver when I get home and an hour of rain isn’t followed by blazing hot sunshine? But perhaps it isn’t temperature at all, but rather old habits driving this need to cozy up – with September around the corner it somehow just feels like the right thing to do.

Work days that allow for a quick venue research trip up a mountain to resort-ish type location where one can see the Himalayan vistas. Need I say more? In comparison it would be like being asked to visit Whistler (albeit much less fancy) for a day and report back on the quality of the hotel rooms, meeting halls, and menus of possible workshop venues. And our selection was…Hotel Country Villa. Beautiful rooms, fantastic food and excellent (read inspiring) views. Sigh…work is tough some days! The only piece of this day that I was not as grateful for was the screeching and precariously speedy trip up the mountain side to get to said location. Thankfully, I was not riding on the roof of a public bus…it was scary enough from the backseat of a car.
Pothole warnings. due to some very heavy rainstorms lately, some of the paved roadways are developing rather large, almost crater like, holes. On my regular walking route to the tuk-tuk stop I had noticed some sinking spots in the pavement. But literally overnight, these sink holes had sunk to new lows…giant hollow spaces beneath the pavement, much like cracking the head of a chocolate Easter bunny – the hole may look small from the top but is cavernous underneath. So, to warn drivers who are speeding through the streets the neighbourhood solution is to prop a tall tree-like branch into the hole. No bright tape, coloured ribbons, massive orange cones, or heavily roped off areas. Just a bamboo branch waving lazily in the breeze and blending very wall into the surroundings. I admit the holes were fixed within a week, an excellent turnaround time for Nepal, but Iam still left marveling at the simplicity of it all.
Being able to get work done in a cyber. Cyber is Nepali speak for an internet cafe – minus the cafe. A bunch of old computers crammed into a small shop along with phone booths, a copy machine, and some dusty office supplies. Speeds vary, monitors are often discoloured and flickering, and keyboards have notoriously sticky keys. But right now, we have no internet in our office and have not had for the past 3 months. So, this means regular trips to the local cyber to check and answer email. And I am still somewhat shocked (and grateful!) for the amount of work we manage to do in these little cybers. The noise level is ridiculous, with locals calling family gone to work in the Middle East and yelling over a poor reception, the ergonomics would make any office rep cringe, and there are always a gaggle of folks reading email over your shoulder. However, with a bit of focus and preseverance we have managed to operate this way for 3 months. Not ideal, but somehow satisfying. And a tribute to a culture like Nepal where people simply are not bothered by these small inconveniences.
Peanut butter cookies. It was a moment of madness and I was blinded by a recollection of smell and taste. I had been dreaming about this particular version of peanuttyness for a few weeks but thought that the feeling would wear off. It didn’t. It got worse. So, after trying desperately to ignore it, I caved and sent R on a scrambling race to the corner store for some peanut butter and baked out my craving with only moments to spare before the power cut started for the evening. They were delicious and I think worth the madness. My only excuse is that it was a back-to-school treat (without the back to school part)!

Honouring Fridays: August 14th, 2009

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Last night I awoke to the most spectacular rainstorm we have had yet. It sounded like rivers streaming from the sky and drowned out any other sounds. I laid still for about half and hour and just listened to the sound, carefully looking for a change in pace, water volume, or drop intensity. Straining to hear, you could make out the sounds of the rain falling on different objects – the banana trees in the yard were lashed and submissive, the leaves being torn by the heavy drops, the rhythmic thudding of the balcony downspout on the pavement 3 stories down, and the metallic spring of drops bouncing vigorously off the tin roof over the carport. All these rains sounds wove together to create a cocoon inside our mosquito net – at that moment there was nowhere more secure, cozy or peaceful to be.

The countdown. It is literally one month until we embark on a 4-week vacation that feels like it just can’t come at a better time. The 4 weeks will be blissfully free from work and allow me to remember just how amazing Nepal has been. So, forgive me, while I not so silently jump for joy each morning when I look at my countdown clock on my Google homepage and see the numbers ticking down…such power those little numbers hold…I may not be living as directly in the moment as I may like, but I sure as heck have lots to look forward to!

Finding the lesson, despite how deeply it might be buried. With enough distance from my stressful and rather confidence defeating past weeks, I have had enough time to gather my wits and regain perspective. And buried near the centre of all the junk is what I like to call the kernel of wisdom. My kernel from the last weeks has been: don’t assume that lack of interest is equivalent to lack of caring.

The smell of fresh guava. Not the prettiest of fruit but certainly the most intriguing. Walking down a muddy alley in Kathmandu I could smell what seemed like a some rich and luxurious Parisian perfume – heady top notes of super sweet and fragrant fruit – like a strawberry married a pineapple. Much to my suprise the smell was wafting from a precarious looking basket of rumpled yellow-green fruit. The guava season had arrived by smell alone. They are not the most delicious of fruits – in fact I would discourage you from going out of your way to find them for their taste value. Oh, but the smell…the smell alone is reason to seek them out. They permeate our entire apartment with their fruity, flowery, and steamy scent. They smell like seduction, passion, and intrigue. I think small animals, insects, and birds must be seduced by them too – it is a bewitching fruit. I have since used them to make a rather perfumed sauce with honey and a raspberry tea bag which I hope to serve this weekend with a chocolate cake. And true to Nepal, the fruit seasons just keeping bringing the most delightful surprises – wistful goodbyes to mangoes – flared nostril hellos to guavas! And it probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that guava essence is a central ingredient in many perfumes too!

Cooking my way to good mental health. There is a term in our house that R and I use, particularly on weekends, when I emerge from a state of intense cookery…we call it the food coma. Sometimes it is induced by eating all the fruits of my kitchen labours, but other times it it simply the coma from channeling every last drop of creativity and soul into making something tasty. But I actually do believe that cooking has become an important mode of expression for me. An outlet from some frustration, a chance to capture feelings on a plate. Nothing better than expressing myself and ending up with a delicious plate of food at the end of it.

Honouring Fridays: August 7th, 2009

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I hear it is hot in Vancouver. Hotter than what would be considered usual for this time of year. And while I can sympathize with those West Coasters who are just not genetically engineered for this heat (and I feel absolutely terrible about the forest fires that are raging…they were actually featured in photo on the cover of a national Nepali newspaper this week…I could hardly believe my eyes)…but I digress. I just wanted to toss out a quick reminder that your version of hot is mild. Yesterday, I walked to work and by the time I arrived my shirt was actually soaking with sweat…and I mean SOAKING..dripping…could be wrung out with enough sweat to brew a cup of tea…gross. And there is no cool refereshing lakes, rivers or oceans…just large seas of rice paddies. In some of the southern areas of Nepal near the Indian border the temperature is regularly in the 40’s for weeks. So, it is hot on the West Coast but my sympathy extends only so far…until your brewing tea with your t-shirt sweat it’s not that hot 🙂

Cold marble floors. On those days when the temperature is insanely hot one of the most cooling things I can find to do is stand (or admittedly sometimes lay) in my kitchen. Usually associated with hot, steamy, splattering foods, the kitchen in my house is actually the coolest spot around thanks to the floor to counter slabs of marble. I find that I channel almost all my excess body heat through my feet so there is nothing more comforting than soaking up the cool through one sole…which inevitably cools the other soul.

Nimbleness. One of the things that I have learned since being here is just how much I appreciate nimble organizations. The type of organization that can be quickly responsive, adaptable, flexible, and strategic – that doesn’t get bogged down by adhering to excessive, circular, and semantic conversations. I truly believe that nimbleness is possible for an organization of any size, degree of hierarchy, or type of work. It is often thought that being smaller means being more nimble, but really it is more about the implementation of organizational structure not the actual structure itself. In a dictatorship, nimble is easy – boss makes decision and can change the decision based on new information at any time. In the same way, a more participatory organization could empower those most impacted to make the decision on behalf of the group. I believe that very few organizations recognize nimbleness as a high priority but I think this will become increasingly important – to stay ahead they will need to be nimble to remain competitive.
Good communication. Good things happen when communication is good. I was reminded this week that communication takes practice, patience, and listening. Listening. Listening. Maybe speaking. Listening. And no matter how experienced or capable you are in communication there will be tests of this skill – moments when your abilities fail you and you need to find some new strategies. But as soon as you stop allowing your communication strategies to evolve, the less able you will be to communicate.
Garlic and cheese rolls. Near our house there is a wonderful Italian bakery of which we only recently started taking full advantage. They make breads, cookies, pastries and other delicious goodies. But my indulgence there is singular. In fact, I don’t think my eyes even drift further than the large tray of warm garlic and cheese rolls. They always have my full attention, the garlic winking, the cheese seductively draping itself over the wholesome multigrain goodness. For those who know me well, they could tell you just how much I love savoury breakfast. So, for breakfast, we sometimes walk over for a breakfast treat and delicious latte (next door is a little coffee roasting shop that hand grinds beans and steams milk individually for each latte…divine and the best to be found in Kathmandu I think). Below is a photo tribute to this new Saturday morning ritual.