Beauty~

Glorious Sunrise!

I've been back from Kathmandu now for a few days. Many people were glad to see me and welcomed me back with smiles, Namaste, and nodding glances from across the village paved walkway... it felt good to be back as well. Strangely, I felt so comfortable returning I forgot where I was and started to brush my teeth with the tap water~ it was as if I were "home"!!! OMG! I caught myself, but had to chuckle, how quickly we adapt to things.

Morning view on the Buddhist Shrine, Bandipur~ it looked like a painting.

The rain has finally started here in Bandipur and thankfully the weather has cooled off as a result. It had become unbearable HOT in the past few weeks and there was a water shortage~ these two conditions made life uncomfortable....but we could see amazing views of the mountains, so that was a good thing. I welcome the cooler weather and feel grateful for the abundance of water that is now present in Bandipur...at least for now. Nepalese people really know how to "roll with it" and are resourceful. The village children were happy I returned and when I showed up on the porch with my storybook for the evening I was instantly surrounded by smiling faces and the excited sound of happy kids~ they wanted their story! They asked Sujan when I was gone..."When is the American coming?" (I need to tell them my name again!!! Tonight!)

Here Digumber is speaking with Bindyia, one of our scholarship girls, he is telling her to tell the other girls that we will be taking class each day. Nepali people, especially girls/women, do not express emotions outwardly, they are taught to keep them inside. This is rather different for me...as oftentimes it seems as if they are sad or angry, when in reality they are not. Digumber shaves his head each year in remembrance of his father who passed away many years ago~ this is a cultural tradition among many in Nepal and India.

This is a picture of Digumber and his dedicated staff members, and some of my English students and friends here in Nepal. They are planting plants~ the staff members here are like a family and I have come to really love them as they are so kind and gentle. They always have a smile and they work so hard and are so thankful for everything.... amazing.

Everyone has been so good to me here. Our president in Nepal, Digumber Piya, has really made me feel very comfortable here and arranged many things for me, and I cannot thank him enough. The Nepali people, and especially the Newari people (Bandipur is a Newari village) are so loving, gentle, and kind. Digumber is a leader in many places in Nepal and somewhat of a celebrity (even among the Nepali people we've met in California...they KNOW him...it's so crazy!) He helps many people through his volunteer work and I see him taking care of many business aspects, but always keeping an eye on helping those who need help and finding ways to preserve his culture and enhance the environment. I think the world would be a much better place if more of us worked in the spirit of helping others as well as helping ourselves. It's good to see. He's a good man and many of the young people look to him as a role model.

Namaste~

time for me to teach!

hg