This week has flown by!  Much of it was spent in a planning session for VSO Nepal’s Education Program which gave me a great overview of where we have been and where we are going.  The incredible focus on analysis, evidence, and rigorous reporting structures was a suprise (although it shouldn’t have been) as we are accountable to DFID (British equivalent to Canadian International Development Agency in Canada).  But I had forgotten how rigourous all that reporting could be…need to keep those ducks in a row!

• Health. We recently had some sad news that the mom of one of my good volunteer friends here may have cancer. It shakes up reality beyond belief and I think has really reminded us all just how far away we are.  We don’t feel far away most of the time thanks to Skype, Facebook, and MSN Messenger.  But when these types of life events happen it can feel like another planet.  The diagnosis comes out this afternoon so we are all waiting nervously…I am so thankful that people I care about are healthy…please, please stay that way!
• The colour red. An important colour in Hindu culture and often a key signifier of marriage here in Nepal.  Red lugaa (clothes), red churri (bracelets), and red tikas (religious symbols placed on the forhead) symbolize that the woman is married.  I have started wearing red sparkly bangles (so unlike me, I know) to indicate my status.  It is amazing what a pair of red bangles can do…significant decrease in men chatting me up!
• My friendly taxi cab cluster. So every morning and afternoon I walk for about 15 minutes between work and the bus stop.  And at a particular corner is always a crowd of taxi cabs.  The first few times they would ask me if I want a taxi (because I am white almost every taxi asks me everywhere).  My response “chaindaina” which means “no, thanks, I don’t need/want one”.  They laughed and laughed, enjoying that I spoke Nepali.  It has now turned into a game…they know I don’t want a taxi but still take great pleasure in shouting out “Taxi madame?” twice every day, knowing I will say no.  They have also become a wonderfully regular and familiar part of my journey and I actually look forward to testing out new ways of saying now (Arko patak = another time, bholi bihanna hola = tomorrow morning maybe, or Ma hidera janne mon par cha = I like going by foot).  So nice to feel like you are part of a community in some small way.
• Cheese. So, I have a confession.  There is a dairy about 10 minutes from my house that sells cheese.  And I buy it.  And I eat it.  And I love it.  Paneer, mozarella cheese, kanchan cheese (sort of like a sour gouda), even yak cheese…the meltier, squidgier, the better.  I have even taken to having grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast!  I can’t get enough of the stuff…when one can even put it in curry (palak paneer anyone?) I think it is possibly the most multi-purpose thing ever.  Although, what can one not put in curry really…?  Perhaps it is curry I should be grateful for!