Reminders~

As I share my pictures and experiences with friends and family I am reminded over and over again of special moments in Nepal.  I miss the simple pleasures of living in Nepal...sometimes the smallest things in life are those we appreciate the most. It feels that way to me. Here are few things I miss and I love about Nepal and the people I met through the summer.

As I walked through the village each day I saw children "playing"... these sweet girls are preparing food for their babies...small girls "dress up" so they are beautiful like their mothers and aunties.
I adore the flowers and plants in Nepal~ such a variety and amazing colors~ everywhere you look you can find natural beauty and amazing views surround you...whether near or far....

This picture shows the dining area at Gaun Gahr Hotel in Bandipur.  The hotel is rustic, but BEAUTIFUL beyond... a Newari family home originally it has been renovated back to it's original beauty. I learned much of my Nepali here through dialogues with the staff... and the food was incredible! Rabindra is an excellent chef ~ "ek dom meto chaa" ~

"Birdie drinks" ~ Nepali people all "birdie drink" so they can all use the same water containers without worry of sharing germs!  I am still working on this skill~  :)

I appreciate the challenges of everyday life when I am in Nepal and realize it is not really the "things" in life that make us rich or poor, but more so...the love and connection we have with others... (photo is of typical stove inside a Nepali home).

I miss the moon in Nepal~

I adore our scholarship girls~ they are all so wonderful! It was a great experience to get to know them more personally. I was amazed by their desire to learn each thing I shared with them. It was nice when they became more relaxed with me and I really got to experience each of their personalities in the group and separately. I cannot wait to see them again to continue to see them grow and develop. They are beautiful young women...  :)  so fun!

I love the Nepali women's dress~ they are so elegant as they work hard and carry the burdens in their lives. These ladies would walk through the village each day going about their business. Umbrellas are used for the rain and the sun, and often both sun and rain are experienced within one hour's time in the summer! I have a great respect for Nepali women~ I found them to be strong, kind, compassionate, and patient. 

The Himalayan Times ~

Shortly before the Library opened the Himalayan Times  in Kathmandu asked a question in the paper about which is better...the internet or a library! I simply had to submit a 200 word response...

and I just found it on the internet just tonight!

Mine is on top!!!

Exciting to bump into this because I did not know if they printed it or not!

:)

fun!

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?id=Mjk4NzE=#

that's the link....

Here's what I wrote:

Internet Vs Libraries: Let’s enjoy the best of both

Internet Vs Libraries: Let’s enjoy the best of both

2009-08-29 1:37 PM

Although it is true that modern technology offers those seeking information certain benefits, there is no comparing the use of the Internet and the experience of visiting a good library. A library is a gift to all because libraries offer individuals the opportunity to explore and experience the very essence of the authors’ efforts, wisdom, and knowledge through the ages. We quite literally hear the voices and capture the essence of writers through time. The library is a reverent place that offers each individual, the opportunity to learn and understand if they so choose. Knowledge in the library is free to all. The Internet offers many of the same benefits, so we are truly blessed with both at our disposal.

With great appreciation, devotion, and passion for libraries, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to open The Children’s Library in Bandipur, Nepal on Monday, August 31, 2009 at 4:15pm. With the gracious help of Digumber Piya, and many donors, the library will be a place where children, teachers, and community members can visit and have the best of both worlds — a library with books and the Internet as well!

— Heather Guay, 
California, USA/
Bandipur, Nepal

Pheri Bhetula~ "See you later!"

Pheri bhetaunla~ "I hope we meet again"

Leaving Bandipur was difficult... I had become such good friends with so many of the village residents and the hotel staff. We had, after all, spent a great deal of time together and worked on a variety of projects together. We had many laughs and shared many details of our lives~ so hard to say "goodbye".

I spent most of the night packing my suitcases and figuring out what I needed to take back to the states with me and what I could leave in Nepal for the staff. I was up past midnight trying to make sure I would have enough room in my bags to carry back a few items for my loved ones as well. I had brought so much with me when I arrived and now through the teachers' training, the English classes, and opening the library I had "unloaded" most of it! I was down to one duffle bag, a suit-case, my backpack, and my purse....not bad...for an American!  :)

The Gaun Ghar Hotel staff gave me a Nepali goodbye and showered me with tikas, flowers, yogurt, and gifts...they thanked me for everything and gave me blessings for safe travels...it was so lovely and beautiful. How I had come to really love and admire these people. Several friends from the village also came to the hotel to say farewell...Bimila, Biju, and Asutosh~ Dabika (a little girl I met during my first visit to Nepal) stopped by the hotel early to give me a beautiful flower and wish me safe travels...she told me "I love you." :) so sweet.

The teachers from Dil School came out of one of the homes to give me flowers and wish me farewell...very sweet...the library is directly behind me at the end of the bazaar...

As I walked down the bazaar many of the residents and merchants I had come to know came out of their homes and business to say goodbye. It was sweet...I have never received so many beautiful flowers and gifts and such love...it was really amazing...I felt so humbled, blessed and thankful. It was a beautiful way to end my stay in Bandipur~ sweet, sweet memories.

The Children's Library~ Bandipur, Nepal 2009 "A Library is a Gift to All~"

"A Library is a Gift to All~"

The making of The Children's Library has been a long and wonderful journey~ The opening day was rushed, and I was doubtful of having everything complete even at the noon hour on Monday. Rain was threatening and still I had not even placed the books in the library as the workers were still finishing their final touches. I had hoped to have several days to place the 450 books, educational games, stuffed animals and decorations in the library...but as it stood I had only several hours. Thanks to help of several of my lady friends and young college students in the village, and the hotel staff I managed to get everything in the library and set up so it "looked" like a library!!!! I was simply astounded at how gorgeous the library looked...simply wonderful...beyond my wildest dreams and expectations!

The opening of the library was very grand! I had been inviting all of my "friends" and people I knew in the village and Digumber and I visited the different schools in Bandipur and invited the teachers and let them know when it would be. At the opening there were over 150 people and they all gathered around the library area to celebrate! Mahendra and his wife (the owner of the building) also came from Chitwan to speak and celebrate the opening of the library.

I was the " honored guest" (which is a big deal and means I speak first and the longest~ and women are not usually the honored guest...no pressure!) I gave a not so long speech and tried to speak in a way that everyone would understand me... I simply wanted them to know that the library is a "gift to all" and that "ALL PEOPLE" are welcome in the library...I wished that they would use the library in any way that enhances them and that the hopes from me and all of the donors was that the library would help to enhance literacy and improve the quality of life for all people. I told them that it had been an honor to work with them and that I had come to find many of them my friends...and how thankful I was for that...I thanked Digumber for all of his tremendous energy and hard work... without him the library would have never happened, I thanked each person who helped make the library come into existence....it was a beautiful day...

Several other speakers spoke about the library... Mahendra, Bikram Sir (my Nepali teacher), a local politician, and Digumber spoke last by summarizing the entire journey and speaking about his family roots and dreams for the village of Bandipur, and how everyone must work together to hlep improve education and help children. It seems the making of the library is a sort of catalyst for growth...and that is just as it should be...the sharing of inspiration, knowledge, and spirit...inspires people to DREAM..... if we can share that, in whichever way we are given to share it, then we have accomplished a great deal....

The library has been "open" for two days....each day the library has been literally PACKED... over 60 children are there reading all the books...adults of all ages have visited and are thrilled to explore the many different books. I felt so blessed when two grown sons of a local hotel owner came into the library and browsed a picture book on Nepal... they told me they saw and learned new things about Nepal they had not known before...... truly... a library can make a difference.... at any age.

After polling the children I found about 1/2 are from the local private school and 1/2 from the local public school. The children are so careful with the books and they are truly, truly enjoying the beautiful space to relax and explore books and learn. The children are also playing with the learning games and are choosing the games that require reading and writing in English! They LOVE TO WORK HARD! Our librarian, Biju, is a beautiful and wonderful lady, (she was one of my students from the women's group) and I feel thankful she took the job. She is perfect for the job and it affords her many benefits, win/win situation.

I feel so very thankful and blessed beyond.

I am leaving tomorrow.... I am ready to go "home".
I miss my friends and my family so very much... I will say though, I am going to miss my "new home" and my new friends~ I feel I now have two homes...and that makes me very rich indeed.

Namaste~

hg

The Children's Library Grand Opening!

Due to the delay in some of the construction in the library building there has been a delay in the opening of the library and therefore a delay in my return to America. I will be "home" a week later than expected...Sept. 6! I have been organizing and typing the lists of books for the library and getting everything ready to go, once the paint and glaze in the shelves and floors are dry. It is raining still here every other day so the drying process takes time.
"Nepali time" comes into factor here as well....

The opening will be officially on Monday at 4:15 p.m. and the entire village will be there....
the scholarship girls will be there and so will the women and teachers I've worked with this summer...it feels great!

I will take lots of photos and videotape as well...I'm planning on speaking a little in Nepali as well...we'll see how that goes!

HOpe you are all well...

missing you all so very much...my interent is down and I am on dial up in a mud hut....
can't upload photos.....

xooxxoxo
and Namaste~

Heather

Today~

Today and yesterday the scholarship girls came to the Gaun Ghar, (my home away from home), to learn how to play the learning games that will be in the library and to explore the books. The idea is if the girls know how to use the games they can "teach" and share with the other children in the village. It has been great fun exploring all the different books and playing games with the girls. They love the challenging spelling games, the synonym/antonym games, and also I taught them to play the All American Game- Checkers!!! They loved it!

The library is really beautiful....I mean...amazingly beautiful!

There is a sense of beauty and peace there that I hope you can "feel" from the photos (once I get them uploaded). I think perhaps this is related to many factors~ first...tremendous love and goodwill that this project has been brought forth with...the good intentions and best wishes of all of you who donated and who are keeping us all in your thoughts and prayers....also...the building itself is located at the heart of the village and when you stand on the front porch you can hear children playing, men and women working and moving through their day....Nepali music and a gentle breeze blow across your cheek and through your ears...."Namaste~" and smiles abound.

The library is built in the lower section of a building that is a holy place for people to stop and rest while they are traveling (called a Pati) Women gather here in the evening and sing and play music. The carpenters are from Chitwan and have been working so beautifully~ they are expert wood workers (Thank you to Digumber, once again for his "connections" and dedication to making this library quality for the girls!) Local village people have been working (for minimum fees) painting, staining, cleaning, carrying, working, working, working...... the shelves are half way in and I can see "the library" materialize before my eyes.

When I think of all of these things together, the love from all, and the amount of dedication and work it has taken, and takes to not only bring forth books, and literature, and learning....but the building, the workers, every person who has been involved...and the benefit (that we may or may not know~ the effects of our efforts.....) I have been moved to tears several times when I take all this in.....
and in...
and in......

it's really amazing.

The Library~ Progress Update~

Hello Friends!

I am having trouble uploading my photos, so I will have to write for now!
The past few days have been fast and furious~ there are workers everywhere in the library and
it is really coming along. It looks Dheri RAMRO....BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
I have so many beautiful photos and I can't wait to show you! Everyone in the village has been stopping by to see the progress of the library~ everyone is excited...

The children have been visiting~ one sweet little girl came by and I told her we were building
a children's library...and that we brought many different books on many different subjects....and that she could come and read the books in the library~ She asked me "How much does it cost?"
I told her "FREE" and she said, "FREE?" and I said, "Yes!!!!"
I took her pictures at that moment...she was so excited and happy!!!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!
more later....with pics, I hope!!!!!