Category Archives: food

Honouring Fridays: July 31st, 2009

So, I am actually rambling away on a Thursday evening writing this blog. It is the eve of my first all-nighter in Nepal. A proposal so flawed it needs its own reality TV show must be perfect by tomorrow morning. So, to warm up the writing juices getting a jump start on the blog seemed like a good idea – especially because it reminded me to be grateful, as Fridays always do. Now, with a better, healthier, and more positive outlook on this all-nighter I am going to get to it.

Naspati. Another week, another magical fruit season. New to markets these past two weeks are naspati, the ubiquitous asian pear/applepear/Pyrus pyrifolia. These round and crunchy fruits are kin to the pear and while expensive at home, come at a ridiculously affordable price here. Last weekend for our regular Saturday gathering (where I have found my niche as honoured dessert maker) I made a poached version with a few tweaks to this recipe from Marvin at Burnt Lumpia. Instead of wine I used pomegranate and grape juice to poach, meaning I skipped the additional sugar in the poaching liquid. Served cold with fresh cinnamon cream, the reduced poaching liquid, and homemade cashew and almond granola they were delicious! Perhaps if you get yourself over here in the next month I could make you some…provided they are still in season…oh who am I kidding…if they aren’t in season something else delicious will be, so get the heck over here!

Girlfriends. Hard to imagine life without the care and love of a good group of girlfriends. But this week I think I realized just how much I miss those friends who are simultaneously an adviser and empathizer. They help sort out the myriad of emotions and yet somehow manage to remain both level-headed and compassionate – feeling what you feel but not getting so deep into the crux of it that they are no longer able to help dig you out. And they know you well enough to know when to challenge or to simply agree, when to pour a glass of wine or reach for the gin and tonic, and when a little laughter is better than tears. They just know. Thank you so much to all my girlfriends who have reached out over the past week with emails, snail mail, packages, and good thoughts. It was just the love I needed this week.
Knowing that I still have lots to learn. I guess this is not a new revelation. No thunder crashed or lightening flashed when I told myself this afternoon that I still have so much to learn. Because I actually don’t think this state of mind ever really changes. I always think I have much to learn, but the harder part is being grateful for it. It isn’t about being young or old, schooled or unschooled, experienced or unexperienced – it is about curiousity – about retaining that curiousity when you are learning something you maybe don’t want to learn. And that is something I still have to learn…to appreciate the lessons that are the hardest to appreciate.
Randomwebsitegenerator. Sometimes I need inspiration. And I read this article just the other day that suggested using randomly generate websites to inspire solutions to problems (they called them probortunities…don’t even get me started!). And I remembered a number of years ago this website that helped generate random URLs. So I tried it and found inspiration here, and here, and here, and here…places I may never have found otherwise if it wasn’t for my trusty randomwebsitegenerator friend. Thanks for the randomness friend!

Honouring Fridays: July 24th, 2009

5 Replies

Last weekend we took a fantastic day-trip hiking along the edge of the hills that surround the Kathmandu Valley. Spectacular views, excellent company, incredible Buddhist monasteries, and some much needed peace were the highlights. The single low-light: the most crowded and painful microbus ride through almost knee deep monsoon puddles after waiting for 45 minutes. It was totally worth the pain but clearly I need some practice on the whole Buddhist zen…the following conversation occurred between me and my brain during said painful micro ride:

Breathe in deeply (except while my nose is crammed into the armpit of the guy in front of me).

Breathe out deeply (and hope that guy in front of me doesn’t mistake my excellent belly-breathing as a sexual advance).

Let all the muscles from the top of your head to the bottom of your toes just relax and release (except for the muscles that are hanging on for dear life to the roof of the 10-person microbus that is currently carrying me and 50 other people through torrential rains).

Close your eyes (but occasionally scan the rain streaked windows for any landmark that looks familiar where I can make a fast exit).

Imagine you are floating (actually, I am floating, there are so many people on this bus that they have squished me upwards for lack of space and your feet are no longer connected with the ground).

Your weight is fully supported by a gentle breeze (actually it is not a breeze but the heavy breathing of the 50 people crammed inside this small space).

Let any thoughts you have surround themselves in bubbles and float away (how do I surround every curse word I have ever known in a bubble?).

Allow yourself to drift away, slowly, gently into the state of peace (or how about I just get the heck off and find a damn taxi!).

So despite my inability to release my ego and be zen, I do have many things to be grateful for.

Bacon. Greasy and salty, crunchy and chewy, deeply savoury goodness in the form of a fried strip of pig meat. Bacon is something I rarely eat here in Nepal. But the breakfast buffet at the hotel I stayed at for a workshop this week served bacon. And I ate it. All of it. I couldn’t stop myself – I actually went for a second helping of just bacon…who does that??!!! I think it reminded me of home and filled some sort of hole in my soul. It felt almost spiritual – like some inner food-god connection had been unleashed. Perhaps if I had carried some bacon on the micro with me the conversation above would be different. Don’t you worry bacon…we will have a rendezvous again soon, although this time I might just arm myself with some lettuce and tomato. Until then, I will keep you in my thoughts here.
I am grateful for realizing that it’s no longer my problem. We had a proposal due for funding today. It isn’t yet finished. I don’t know when it will be. We might get an extension but we might not. I poured heart and soul into helping to write this thing but couldn’t do it alone. I asked for help and nobody heard my call. I was seriously saddened and frustrated until I spoke with a good colleague, Jeevan, and he reminded me that it wasn’t my problem. I was propping up a crumbling building alone – even if I managed to stabilize one corner, it was still doomed to crumble. I did everything I could but if the building crumbles…I will be sad but it’s just no longer my problem.
Being in the right place at the right time. During our hike and monastery visits last week, just as we arrived at the final monastery, the thunder began to clap and a light rain began to fall. Almost at the exact same time a large drum began to sound inside the monastery. The Buddhist monks were being called to prayer. It was a practice of one of the traditional Tibetan chants. We were able to sneak inside and sit near the back and observe the ritual chanting. It was a beautiful combination of sounds – the booming of large drums marking a return to mindfulness, the gentle snap of fingers when a particular state of consciousness or being had been achieved and the gentle murmur of about 100 voices repeating the soft and rounded Tibetan words. With the rains outside it was the perfect place to be, without a plan and finding ourselves sitting on the edges of daily life in a monastery.
Rex. He has been trying to make it onto my blog for weeks. But I always tell him that I am ALWAYS grateful for him so don’t need to blog about it every week. But this week, I am more grateful for him than usual. He has been away in Hetauda and I am always reminded, when he is gone, just how much support, love, kindness, patience, laughter, and joy he brings to my life. You made the blog sweetie – now get on that crowded smelly microbus and come home soon!

Honouring Fridays: July 10th, 2009

Leave a Reply

We are rounding the corner to the end of month 8 in Nepal. It is really, really hard to believe. But when I look at my life here, maybe it’s not so hard to believe after all. I barely notice the roving cattle in the middle of the busy streets, I am adept at dodging various forms of excrement on the sidewalk, I didn’t blink when I saw the fruit man sharpening his knife on the edge of the curb, I feel naked with a jauntily tossed scarf around my neck, mangos have become their own food group, I can jump from taxi-micro-bus-tuk-tuk easily and without hesitation, I walk into oncoming traffic regularly and am confident that a brief wave of the hand will allow me to cross safely, and I am starting to think that the earlier in the day one gets to eat something curried, the better.

Teej. Shrawan is the name of the Nepali month from mid-July to mid-August. Typically, all Nepali months are about the same length as Roman calendar months but they begin halfway through a Roman month and end halfway through the next Roman month. Shrawan is an important month on the Nepali calendar for women. During this month is the celebration of Teej. Teej is a festival of women filled with dancing, singing, ritual bathing, and fasting for up to 3 days. Red clothes are typically worn during this time to symbolize joy and happiness, reflecting also the marriage ceremony when women wear red saris. Married women pray for happy marriages and healthy, long lives for their husbands. Unmarried women pray for finding a good husband. What I appreciate is a whole month with a strong focus on women. True, the focus is on the role of women as wives, which seems limited and perhaps slightly old fashioned, but here in Nepal this is a very important role. For me, it will be more about women coming together in kinship, spirit, and celebration. And I did buy some green glass bangles, which promote health and good blessings for your husband…can’t hurt right?
My new lunch spot. With the new office move I found myself without the common comforts of my old office. Most notably lunch! We had such lovely daal bhaat and curried vegetables every day and the thought of packing a lunch and slogging it all the way to work was unappealing. So, I and my colleague Sujata, stepped out to find a nearby eatery. We walked about 10 meters down the road. And stopped. And there was a lovely, small, local, and bustling shop. Owned by a gracious and kind family that has developed a strong customer base from the private school next door – oodles of uniformed children stop there for snacks after class. They sell some of the best samosas, alu chop (like a heavily spiced, chickpea flour coated, deep fried, mashed potato finger), and vegetable momos I have found in my time in Nepal. And the momos are about 25 NPR which is about 25 cents….hard to beat. Now we go twice a day – once in the morning for tea and samosas and once for lunch of momos, chops, and a cool Sprite.
Homemade Sun Tea. Easily one of the most thirst quenching, satisfying, and quick drinks to make. Tea is plentiful, sugar is local, and small lime/lemons – kargatti – are always available. Plus, the regular and intense sunshine makes perfect sun-tea! I read the numerous warnings about the health risks of sun tea (seriously?) and decided that the risks for sun tea and decidedly less risky than most of the other food I ingest on a daily basis. I have taken to using flavoured teas like raspberry and peach (can’t get the real fruit here so the subtle flavour infused in the tea satisfies the basic need). Topped with some sugar and fresh squeezed kargatti – delicious!
Gandharba musicians. One of my great VSO colleagues, Raj, comes from the musical Dalit caste, also called the Gandharba caste. Historically, castes were formed by grouping certain professions. Professions that were considered favourable, powerful, or prestigious are upper castes. And those that were considered menial, degrading, or sacrilegious were deemed lower caste. The arts, overall, were considered low caste professions and as such many of the Nepali artists belong to the Dalit caste. Raj is passionate about his history and spends every free moment, when not working on VSO stuff, promoting, sharing, and enhancing the public awareness of the Gandharba caste. Today he was featured on a national radio program, he regularly writes articles for various publications, has won international awardsfor his work on Dalit issues, and he has recently helped to create a relationship with a musical school in India which provides a scholarship to one Nepali musicians each year and has just begun to offer a course in traditional Nepali music. I am grateful for all he does to work on behalf of Dalits in Nepal, especially the very talented Gandharba musicians. To download some Gandharba music to sample look here.

Honouring Fridays: June 26th, 2009

3 Replies

Terrible nasty chest infection and head cold-2. Tlell-0. I had thought, and pardon the visual nature of this next paragraph (please skip if desctiptions of illness, bodily fluids or somewhat gross cultural habits make you the least bit naseous), that any sickness I would encounter in Nepal would likely result in symptoms of the spewing variety or the ever persistent and enviable “bottom explosion”. I discovered, however, that my achilles heal when it comes to sickness is respiratory. I must have a magnetic field that attracts the bugs that cause the worst possible head colds and chest infections. The coughing, hacking, I-just-swallowed-sandpaper, head pounding type of cold that confines one to the Neocitron, sleep, groggy movie watching, sleep cycle has gotten me twice in the last 6 months. And I have no doubt it will strike again. The plus…I can eat as much unwashed fruit and unsantized vegetables as I please and seemingly never have stomach or bowel problems…the minus…I still haven’t got the hang of blowing my nose by standing in the street, pressing one nostril in, blowing out the other, and letting whatever comes out drip into a puddle on the ground…I rely heavily on tissue and am a-ok to keep it like that…it just means I have to carry around rolls of toilet paper in my purse.

Asparagus. Like a light sabre of glowing green goodness, the pointy green spears lured me. I had never thought that asparagus would be a vegetable of discovery here in Nepal but just up the road from my house there is an small organic asparagus growing farm, which conducts research and hosts workshops on how local farmers can grow asparagus. I eagerly popped into the small lane and nosed around until I found the place. ALAS! They didn’t have any just yet…that was 4 weeks ago. And today (trumpets please!) the large grocery store near out house had bundles and bundles of them! Who could resist? Tomorrow morning, we plan to have an asparagus eating competition, followed rather closely by everyone’s favourite toilet game…how can you tell I ate asparagus today? 😉
Eating in restaurants where nobody asks you “how does everything taste?”. There was a moment of clarity this week when out eating in a restaurant where we realized why it was so much more enjoyable than eating out in Canada – they let you enjoy yourself and only interrupt when you beckon them! Genius! I am all for prompt and efficient service in restaurants but I do believe that the continual witty banter, checkin’ in, and crouching next to my table to really get to my level has gone a bit too far. Granted, sometimes you can feel neglected, ignored, or even snubbed but it doesn’t take long to realize that the power is really in your hands – when you want something you just have to ask and when you want for nothing, you can bask in it knowing that nobody is hovering to anticipate your every need.
All-natural silver cleaner. My silver jewelery has been taking a beating since we arrived (explains why every Nepali woman is decked out in gold…apparently silver tarnishes much faster than other metals and is accelerated in places with high humidity…Nepali women know best!). In efforts to stay away from harsh chemicals I did some quick searching for a natural solution. All you need is baking soda, aluminum foil and hot water! Or toothpaste.
Visitors! We are eagerly awaiting the arrival, in just over 2 1/2 months, of my parents from Canada. There is something so satisfying about having a date, firm and confirmed, in the near future when you will have a new injection of excitement into life. You get to see your new home through fresh and unjaded eyes which can make everything look so very different. I think it will gives us new appreciation for what an amazing adventure we are having and the last kick of energy before we close our time in Nepal. I am grateful for counting down…only 80 days left!

Honouring Fridays: June 5th, 2009

Leave a Reply

The weekend ahead is full relaxing – no plans and no plans to make any plans. When I started posting blogs on Fridays the idea was to recognize just how much potential and excitment was wrapped into a Friday – to honour that magical anticipation with some bold words of appreciation. I am amazed that after writing posts for every Friday since January, I am still full of things to be grateful for. And while I may have slipped for moments of whining, focussing on the positive things has certainly kept my spirits high and my perspectives in check…no problems, just inconveniences 🙂

Lychees. The season of fresh lychees is in full swing all over Nepal. The rough brown and pink exterior hides inside a rather gelatinous looking eyeball of sweet, juicy goodness. I, for one, don’t mind the texture but I could see how it may throw some people off. Eaten by the dozens they leave the fingers sticky with sugar and rough shards of husk everywhere! But they are beautiful to look at and sold by the 1 kg bunch from the neighbourhood fruit seller. I discovered that I had many unanswered questions about the lychee that wikipedia just didn’t have the answers to – enter LycheesOnline with the best set of FAQs I could find including “Can I plant the seeds from my lychee fruit to grow a lychee tree?” – everytime I eat a lychee is this the question I ask myelf. The answer – YES!
Change. The VSO Office in Nepal is undergoing some very drastic changes over the next few months. Staff are moving on to new opportunities, having babies, and shifting focus. Additionally, there is a large corporate strategic review happening right now as well. Everything is in flux. Nothing feels stable or firm. However, deep inside that change is opportunity. It is small, hard to see, and sometimes only evident after squinting for a really long time, but in the distance is the light at the end of the tunnel that brings fresh ideas, renewed energy andexceptional creativity. There is much to be grateful for but today I am grateful for possibilities.
Will Ferrell in Man Vs. Wild. So, Man vs. Wild is apparently, a really popular show on Discovery channel. I don’t watch it but I couldn’t resist downloading an episode that featured the Man (Bear Grylls) out in the Arctic of Sweden with Will Ferrell. It was fantastic! And it helped cool me down with the scenes of snow and ice in this humid hot house of an apartment.
Getting out of Kathmandu. Last weekend we took to the river and had an amazing time rafting through the green hills of Nepal. What I appreciated most about this experience was that it pulled the focus away from Kathmandu and reminded me just how incredible Nepal truly is. The geography is extreme, the beauty is intense, and the poverty is very real. But the poverty, while shocking to some, is simply life for many Nepalis. They eat what they can grow and live simply. So, while we make every effort to help Nepali people eliminate poverty, let us not also remove their ability to choose in the process. While we may see the benefits of refrigerators, cement houses, and products for every possible cleaning dilemma, they see the benefits of house made from local materials, eating daily and not relying on foods that need to stay cold, and having immune systems that cleaning products would actually weaken. Poverty is not equivalent to a desire to change or a need for a different life. It means the need for food, clean drinking water, and education – and then choice to determine the type of life they want.

Honouring Fridays: May 29th, 2009

3 Replies

In efforts to get a jump on my blog post due to a white-water rafting extravaganza happening this weekend, I am writing this on Thursday night. Usually peaceful and quiet evenings are the norm in our cozy little neighbourhood. However, tonight we have the distinct privilege of a wild and noisy party happening next door. Ordinarily, I might be particularly bothered by this disruption of peace but it is hard to be mad when the crowd is grooving to a great live band and screaming the lyrics to Bon Jovi and the Police songs at the top of their lungs…if I close my eyes I could be anywhere…when I open them I am both surprised and tickled to remember I am rockin’ out to Bon Jovi in Nepal 🙂

Plums. Appearing in street-side wicker baskets all over the city, the bright red and yellow globes are the new must-have fruit of the season 🙂 About the size of very large cherries with intensley bitter skin and sweet juicy insides they are the perfect accessory for fruity salads or workplace snack attacks. And the pits make great chew toys for long bus rides and are fun to spit out the windows of moving vehicles. Plus, they are THE newest super food…watch out plums…you may have tried to stay out of the spotlight but I think you might be headed into the super food fastlane…ask the blueberry for tips on handling the “pit”falls of fame and fortune.
The sound of children playing in the alleys near our house. From the sterile and serene environment of our Vancouver apartment to our bustling and yet peaceful neighbourhood in Kathmandu, the sounds have changed with the seasons (the evening dog choir is the only constant) and we now have frogs, crickets, and monsoon rains to soothe us to sleep. But the most joyful and happy sound is actually the sound of the neighbourhood kids playing in the alley. Squeals of delight at being caught in the rain, laughter when a friend gets lost in the empty lot, beautiful singing of one of the many traditional folk songs, and shouts between competitors in one of the many imaginative games they play. It is the sound of complete comfort and reminds me just how inventive and creative kids can be with nothing more than each other for company.
Braids. It has been an incredibly long time since my hair was long enough to braid. Ponytail, yes, braid, not quite. But the time has come to march the braid out. I have dreams of having those long thick braids that many Nepali women have – glossy, black, and as thick as a rope – it will never happen but one can dream. Instead I parade a more meak and sad version of the braid, thinly woven into a teeny tiny blonde rat-tail like braid (it feels this bad but I have been assured by credible sources it is not this bad). Braids hold a kind of earth mother mystique for me – perhaps beause my own mom worn one in my early years – but I always feel like I should bake bread, till the earth, and milk cows when I wear a braid. Natural, earthy, and maternal – all stylish looks in Nepal.
Having less choice. I walked past a sign this afternoon in a large kitchen appliance shop. Their slogan “130 modles of kitchen appliances, with more on the way” . WHO needs 130 types of fridges and stoves to choose from? In Canada, I remember quite vividly suffering from my need for choice. In fact, I carried it all the way to Nepal and have only just recently shaken the need. I bought my first kurta surwal (Nepali clothes) after visiting 6-8 different tailor shops, patiently searching for the perfect fabric and colour. I was certain that if I looked a bit further I would find exactly what I wanted – in psychological terms this is called being a maximizer. But it didn’t take too long for me to realize that the quest for that perfect something was entirely built upon my need for excessive choice – to leave no stone unturned before making my decision. Yesterday, I went to two shops, next door to each other, to buy another kurta surwal. I looked at the options, picked the two that pleased me the most, got measured, and left. I liked what I chose and felt no urge to keep searching for something better – I have become a satisficer! More choice for me meant I was paralyzed by options…less choice meant I got to buy something lovely and had enough time left to stop, buy some plums, watch the kids play, braid my hair, and smile knowing that all the choices in the world would not make up for missing the opportunity to live in this moment.

Honouring Fridays: May 22nd, 2009

2 Replies

Let’s keep this short and snappy shall we? Time has been creeping away from me lately and I find myself on a Friday afternoon facing into a weekend jam-packed with meetings, presentations, language refresher classes, and proposal reading and have just finished up a week that contained a 4-day volunteer conference with full to bursting days. So, I am in the mood to get straight to the point – no waxing poetic or philosophizing about life in Nepal. Just some honest-to-goodness moments of gratitude worthy of sharing and then on to enjoying this lovely Friday evening.

Debate. Alright, I hate debate. I loathe the strict and structured format, the polarization of opinion, and the outcome of motions “standing or falling”. However, this week, I saw the value of debate. It kep people quiet. More specifically, it kept the people who talk too much quiet and gave the people who did talk a time limit. And while I don’t find the process of debate fulfilling, I sure do like the silence it can provide. I can think of a number of meetings where this would be helpful here in Nepal – keeps the loud ones quiet enough to here the voices that are mere whispers.
Miracle ovens. One of the highlights for the volunteer conference was that we had a cooking demonstration session. A group of us put together a collection of easy recipes one can make on a 2 ring gas burner or in a miracle oven. I took the challenge and produced a chocolate cake! Over a gas burner! Thanks goes entirely to the magical Miracle Oven. A miracle oven is like a bundt pan that sits oven a gas flame with a lid over the top. The centre hole in the pan allows heat to move through the centre and create an oven-like atmosphere in the bundt pan. Amazing, but true, a perfectly moist and delicious chocolate cake was mixed and baked over one gas flame 🙂 Loaves and fishes…pshaw…chocolate cake is the true miracle!
OR2K. One of my favourite new restaurants in Kathmandu, serving up magically delicious Israeli food. How I did not find this months ago, I will never know, but surely am glad I found it now. Last night we went and had falafel, hummous, baba ghanoush, a soured cream cheese dip, and a spicy tomato spread all slathered on thick and soft pieces of naan bread. I will admit that the place is more than a little touristy but the food is so delicious it is hard to resist and the prices are reasonable. It is hard to imagine getting jazzed up by hummous but the escape from curry was heavenly, even just for one night. OR2K means “Light to Kathmandu” in Hebrew.
Great chimeckiharu (neighbours). We live in a building with great people. We have caring landlords and even a couple of fledgling friendships with people in the building. Yesterday, I rescued a pigeon trapped in our stairwell with the girl downstairs. And Rex might take motorcycle lessons with the guy on the first floor. They are good people and I am so grateful to have good people who live in such close proximity. There should be a day every year for people to honour their neighbours…to thank them for being good and neighbourly…I think it should be May 22nd every year. In fact, I think I will begin this year – if you want to join me cross the hall, road, or field and bring that neighbour of yours some cookies!

Honoring Fridays: April 17th, 2009

Leave a Reply

Where to begin! Last weekend we had a spectacular trip to Pokhara which has a spectacular location on Lake Fewa, nestled into the “hills” (read large incredible mountains which to the locals are nothing in comparison to the Himalayas but to everyone else are fully mountains). It was our anniversary trip so we kept it totally unscheduled and just enjoyed the spontaneity and indulgence of it all. Without a doubt the best part was the swimming pool – with temperatures hovering around a humid 30 degrees C, there was nothing more refreshing than spending the day in the pool. Now for my weekly dose of gratitude…

Planning(as I call it)/Dreaming (as he calls it). Many of our conversations during the weekend centred around what the next year might bring – dreaming about the future and just what we imagined and hoped for ourselves and each other. There is something utterly thrilling to think ahead to what is possible and let the mind race ahead a bit. The risk, of course, is that present time is less appreciated, less thoughtfull spent, and less enjoyed. However, we indulged and just dreamed about what might be…it was hopeful, inspired, and energizing…thanks to Pokhara for inspiring our next dreams.
Sweet chili sauce. Condiment of the gods, sweet chili sauce is one of the few condiments in our fridge (currently soya sauce, dijon mustard, butter, and sweet chili sauce are actually all that are in our fridge at all…we are confident that when the power is out they are “tough enough” to withstand some subtle warming without turning into poison). What I do recommend is sweet chili sauce on friend rice. Delectably spicy and sweet at the same time with the nice firm crunch of vegetables. Better, in fact, than the traditional soya sauce. Not at all Nepali in any way but cheap and tasty nonetheless.
Summer fabrics. With the onset of hot weather the prospect of shopping has once again popped into possibility. Exceptionally cheap and perfect for hot weather is fantastic linens, cottons of every colour, hue, pattern, design and combination of emrboidery, sparkly sequins, or complex hand painting. I will admit that the clothes I brought from home are no longer suitable for this weather – they are sticky, heavy, and these days at least 3 sizes too big. That means a trip to my local tailor for something new…yipppee!
New load shedding schedules. All I can say is we are down from 19 hours a day to 12…it almost feels luxurious and decadent…its not…but it still feels like it, so while the euphoria lasts I am going to enjoy it.

Honouring Fridays: March 13th, 2009

Leave a Reply

Mid-march already! So hard to believe it really. At home, I could mark the months with work cycles, important dates, holidays, and often seasons; here is harder to mark the passage of time as readily. The holidays are new and unfamiliar, the work cycle is totally new, and the seasons seem to wash slowly into each other like the bleeding of water colour paints. Perhaps this why time is more fluid and less structured here…thinking in larger increments of time lends itself to a more free and bigger picture way of thinking. The immediate details don’t matter…the afterlife, one’s legacy, one’s family history and sucessive generations…that is how time is truly measured in Nepal.

Nepali Straight talkers. Today I had my first productive meeting with my Global Campaign for Education-Nepal steering committee. The challenge for the past 4 months has been to try and observe, assess, and understand the organization and leave plenty of room for them to involve me where they see fit. I am very conscious of the methods other INGOs use to push their own agendas and I am very focussed on not working in that way. It is their country, their education policy, and their coalition…I can support but they need to feel comfortable with me. So, months roll by, I wait. And today, a tipping point thanks to another INGO. They had brought along a senior member of staff to observe and comment on the planning process (we are 8 reports behind schedule for our donor oganization….blech!). He was able to say the things I wasn’t – he could speak as a Nepali to another Nepali, with confidence about how things work , in a direct and constructive way. And the best part was that he was able to reinforce many of the recommendations that I had been making….so without getting too hopeful I would like to believe that this signals a productive turn in the work of the coalition. Yippee!

Cabbage. One of the most under appreciated, hardy, and satisfyingly crunchy vegetables to hit the culinary scene some centuries ago. Last night we made the most delicious sesame-soy-honey coleslaw with fresh green cabbage, carrots, red onion, and a smashing dressing. Recipe is coming soon….but wanted to remind folks that the lowly cabbage is worth a second look. Excellent in curries, instead of tortillas as wrappers for tasty fillings, in salads, pickled, in soups, as filling for tacos…consider this slogan…”where one could use lettuce….CABBAGE instead!”
M’s Family. The parents of my dear friend, M, arrived in Nepal this week. M’s mother was recently diagnosed with cancer so this trip has already been an emotional and mental preparation. A small group of us went for dinner with them this week and it was such an honour to meet them. There we moments of intense sadness and tears but also moments shining with laughter and sheer joy for being together. The poor waiters must have thought we were crazy, switching from laughing to tears in mere seconds. It was however, one of the most genuine, real, and honest moments of my time here in Nepal. Nobody tried to pretend things were okay or to create an atmosphere that felt overly celebratory. We all just shared our meal and infused our time with love, good conversation, support, warmth, understanding, and compassion…when we felt like laughing we laughed and when we felt like crying we cried.
Feeling a place through art. Other of my dear friends, and a fellow Canadian, is an exceptionally talented painter. It is a hobby but in my mind it is his true calling. He captures more vividly the mood, feeling, and inner sense of Nepal than any picture I could take with a camera. A few of his paintings are available to view on his website. His Nepal hills pulsate with purples, blues, greens and appear smoky with the haze of fog. It is always one of my favourite things to be in a place with G and then to revisit that place through his paintings.

Honouring Fridays: March 6th, 2009

Leave a Reply

I missed last Friday`s post and then was late on this Fridays…a sure sign that work is getting busier and there are fewer hours when free-time and electricity coincide.

Friday socializing. The cohort of volunteers that arrived right before us have instituted a lovely casual Friday gathering for anyone who is interested. It is usually a chance for us to reconnect, debrief, and share with other volunteers. The crowd changes depending on who is free but the conversations always remains engaging, lively, and interesting. Last night I had a fantastic debate over the role of INGOs in development work…clearly there are various opinions on this and it was a good opportunity for me to test some of my own theories and assumptions about our organization. Thanks to NB for the great debate.
Royal Tandoori. By far our absolute favourite restaurant for cheap and delicious food in Lazimpat, the region of Kathmandu where we live. They have curries and naan bread that put anything found in Vancouver to shame (although Indian Oven is a pretty close contender). We can eat 4 pieces of naan and 2 different curries and pay about $3…we could eat there everyday. We go there so frequently that we see the staff cycling around other areas of Kathmandu and they wave hello…perhaps time I invested in a brick oven to make my own naan?
Kurta surwaal. Imagine the ease of getting dressed every morning for work when all you needed to do was jump into loose baggy pants, a long tunic top, and wrap yourself in a scarf for warmth? This is my work outfit most days of the week. And imagine again if everyone was wearing these outfits in purple, pink, red, orange, green, and blue patterns – like looking through a kaleidescope – everywhere you turn the clashes of pattern and colour in clothes jumps into vision. So, I joined the parade. I have had some lovely kurtas made for me but my favourite is the first one I bought in a deep orange colour with some paisley green and yellow patterns. Honestly, getting dressed for work has become one of the easiest and simplest parts of my day! Below is a picture of me and my friends H and M in our beautiful kurtas.
Candles. Simple reality that with 20 hours a day without power the simple and humble candle becomes the source of all light in our small apartment. It felt romantic and quaint for the first couple of weeks – now it is just a necessity. BUT, it provides a great excuse to purchase cheap bottles of wine as the bottles double as candle holders when the sweet elixir has been drunk. Thanks to candles for forcing me to buy wine…