The first few days

I've been in Nepal for a few days now, and so far, so good. The arrival could not have gone much smoother, and I quickly found myself in my new room at Buddha Rooms. I did not sleep much that first night but rather woke up sharply at 5am to the sound of cars, shouting, and dogs barking at monkeys running across the electricity lines. For the next two hours, I tried to go back to sleep, but to no avail; I was wide awake. Yay for jet lag, right?

But other than that, the jet lag has not been too bad. A massive wave of tiredness did roll over me at work just a few hours ago, but otherwise I've been able to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. I still wake up early because I refuse to close the windows despite the city's various morning sounds. I'm sure I'll grow fond of them in no time...

The street where I'm staying

I've only taken a few photos so far, so I apologize if the images (in this blog post, as well as others) are sparse. The main reason for this is that taking photos makes me uncomfortable. I'm afraid that if I stop to take pictures of things that catch my eye, I'll just bring more attention to myself, i.e. as someone who feels they can appropriate their surroundings, or, rather, as someone who feels that everything around them is on show, to be observed, prized, cataloged. But this is not a zoo (and boy, have I always despised zoos). Although I do take an occasional photo, I do this hesitantly, awkwardly, like a child who is afraid of breaking the rules.

Note: I say this to explain my own relationship with photography, not to condemn anyone who does enjoy taking pictures.

That being said, here is another photo (hypocritical, I know) of Kathmandu in the evening. I am not staying here but rather in Patan, known also as Lalitpur. As far as I understand it, Patan is the old Kathmandu, and the differences are striking. Kathmandu definitely feels much more like a big city than Patan does! I met up with a Nepali friend that mom and I met last summer in Switzerland for dinner and a good chat. Question: should I participate in his 21/50 km trail race in a month's time? I haven't run all that much before...

Thamel, Kathmandu certainly caters more to tourists, many of whom never make it as far as Patan.

Yes, it's different here in Nepal. But, different than what, exactly? Different than the US? Yes, there is more visible poverty. Yes, you have to make sure the water you drink is filtered. Yes, everyone drives around fearlessly and not without some crazy maneuvering. But other than that, people are people, and we're all just trying to live this thing called life.

Of course, the way we live is shaped immensely by the environment in which we live. Our circumstances either aid or limit us. However, there are ways in which we can augment our experience of the world around us. One way of which I am a proponent is poetry. What the hell does poetry have to do with anything, you ask? I believe that poetry gives us the tools to break down the barriers that prevent us from understanding ourselves and this world, and even those that prevent us from being happy. Although some poetry follows strict rules, it is also characterized by the freedom to say whatever you like in whatever way speaks to you.

For this reason, poetry is what I am focusing on as I am starting to develop (and soon, teach!) a number of lesson plans for kids in grade 6-8 here in Nepal. As I mentioned, I am doing this with  an organization called Srijanalaya (@srijanalaya on Instagram or you can also find them on Facebook). Although up to now they have focused mostly on the visual arts, they were more than happy to let me come and bring poetry to the table as well.

This Saturday, Srijanalaya and Nritya Aagan (a dance studio) are actually doing a performance of a children's book about a girl named Sanu, and although I've already watched them rehearse several times, I'm so excited to be a part of this and interact with some local children.

Someone asked me the other day whether I was excited to start working, and I responded yes. He laughed and said, "I'm never excited to go to work." At that moment, I realized how far my privilege as a young, white, and (partly) American woman extends. I don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay the rent or bills, because the university that I go to generously funds these kinds of internships in order to "expose" their students to the rest of the world. Sometimes, I think this is all a load of bull. But then, wouldn't it be worse if I just remained in a bubble?