The monsoon is a week late. The temperature has soared into the high 30’s and can only be set to rest with the advance of the monsoon. Apparently it is predictable – every year there is a date that all Nepali’s anticipate when the monsoon rains rush in and quench the thirst of farmers who need to rains for their rice crops. Being late is a big deal. Without the rains their rice crops will not produce the food that they require for their families. And it means that water in the capital city is also limited – less coming through the pipes means less stored in the large tanks atop many of the buildings in Kathmandu. The recent prediction is that it will arrive in 10-15 days…we hold our breath that the rice crops will still be viable and get comfortable with our sweat and dirt…the rains will come.
- Airtreks. With tickets finally “in-hand” for our ridiculous round the world adventure (airport codes in order are: KTM-DEL-HKG-NRT-HNL-OGG-NRT-MNL-AUH-CDG-LHR-KEF-YYZ-YVR) that begins in January, I couldn’t be more grateful to the good folks at Airtreks for all their help. They helped us navigate our complicated route, found the best deals, and offered some great customer service. And although it looks expensive on the surface, when one considers the various flights and connections we are making it was pretty darn reasonable. While many of the legs will be just quick airport stops, some will be the beginning of incredible new experiences – who could resist a 3-day, no extra charge stop-over in Iceland!
- New colleagues and new offices. Much to my great excitement, and what may go down as my single biggest accomplishment here in Nepal, my organization, National Campaign for Education, Nepal (NCEN…used to be GCE Nepal but they changed their name…long story) has a new office! And with that office comes a newly hired full-time Program Coordinator. I now work 3 days a week with my new colleague Sujata in a small house in Thapathali. We rent two small rooms on the cool and shady ground floor. She is keen, talented, and really fun to work with. Plus, she loves financial management and that is where we need to most help. I hope these final six months are full of good progress and am so grateful for some new energy at work. Plus, our office has an avocado tree in the yard…this will probably be the only time in my life I can say that 🙂
- Didi. Didi is a Nepali word which means older sister. It is a term used for your actual older sister, but also used for a woman who is older than you, but not old enough to be your mom, whom you want to address somewhat respectfully (otherwise you would use bahini (sounds like tahini) which means little sister but is disrespectful if you use this term for someone older than you). In our house we have a lovely didi who washes our laundry for a small monthly fee of 500 NPR (about $8 CAD). She is the sweetest Nepali woman and we are so grateful to have her service. While I sometimes feel guilty for not washing my own clothes, the reality is that for many Didi’s who clean houses and do laundry, this is the only income they have. I will happily pay a fair and ethical wage to employee a local woman to earn some money.
- Barfi. Alright now…stop giggling about the name. This is one of my favourite sweet treats in Nepal – an Indian treat that is actually widely available around the world. I prefer a pistachio or cashew barfi, but it can also be made with coconut, almonds, chick pea flour, chocolate, mango, or carrot! This weekend, I hope to try my hand at some barfi-making for a dinner party this weekend – I will try to post some results of that effort and let you know how the carrot barfi turns out!