Nepal, schools, etc.

My goodness. So much has happened and so much before we arrived. A whirlwind of worlds.

Needless to say Haiti is bruised and beyond comprehension on all our minds. We (Sander and I ) were ready to roll immediately, but seats were taken back, suddenly not avilable. And likely that was the right thing: fate perhaps wants us there when we are most needed.
So far all of our friends are accounted for and reported alive. One acquaintance (UN) still missing..
I'll keep you updated on that. many friends have sent/pledged more than they already donated via other sources, and to the Nepal /OneBigBoost project, or simply sent thoughts and prayers. All equally needed. THANK YOU ALL!
Our plan is to send up a soup kitchen in the areas (have contacts, places to stay and own food/water) for those hundreds waiting in line at the S Marc hospital with serious injuries, arrived from the toughest areas to a margin of safety. (Saint Marc, 5-6 hrs north of PaP)
The ogistics of etting med supplies, food, water and shelters to areas outside Port au Prince is not imaginable to us here, with our luxury and organized structure.

Nepal. Hmmm. What marvelous experience.
First of all some words to and about those who were able to support our (Beth and I) OneBigBoost© project there. You have NO IDEA of the joy, excitement and appreciation of the two schools and the community we had targeted. You've made a real, real difference in the lives of many who are overlooked there!

First of all we did a lot of learning and visiting in the Kathmandu area, picke up $200 returned cash (the world is a good place) from two totally strange Dutch people, a mother and daughter, who were stranded at the Kath airport with us at midnight. They didn't have US $ and an ATM was not available. No euros or tr checks accepted. So there they were. They had to pay for their visas to get through, which cost us $40 a piece, them $100 each - no clue why we were less important- so we decided to stick out our necks and help them. I love it when faith in people is real. 3 days later we picked it up at a trekking place in Kathmandu/Thamel.

After K we went west and ended up in Begnas Tal, a small community before you get to big and touristy (but fun and bubbly) Pochara (POchara, with a SOFT Dutch 'g').
In Begnas Tal we were soon surrounded by lots of little urchins, who became our daily friends. The most outstanding was Gatha. Gatha is 12 years old, highly intelligent and incredibly eloquent in English. What a wise child with much to say and amazing knowledge. It was love at first sight for all three of us. And little Nisa, her 10 yo friend. (Nisa's house is so little that there is no address)
One of the first conversations:
"Hello. My name is Gatha. This is my BEST friend Nisa. I am twelve and Nisa is 10. What are your names, where are you from and how old are you?" All answers given.
"So. I am going to a nearby school, which is a boarding school" (means private, not necessaily sleeping there). " Nisa goes there (pointing up the mountain, across many rice paddies). I am the number one student of my class. Except in running, (sad face) I only came in 4th.
I think it is ok. There are more important things in life for me in store at this moment, so I must concentrate on them!" Beth and I had a riot!
(Her 2nd language, mind you!)

In the afternoon of our 2nd day there, we had ordered a taxi/driver to take us to a little mountain school where the books from Highlights for Children, and the ones we contributed, were to be taken. While waiting for Beth, all the little village urchins (and young lady) were surrounding me. They had to know what was in the very heavy suitcase. I explained and faces ell. I realised then that none of these kids had ever owned a book. Word-free books for the little ones to a book on the cosmos were distributed among them. It was the highlight of my trip, actually.
I remember getting my first two books, one from an aunt when I was six, the other when I was 10. I still have both. Books are worlds. I guiltily explained to descending Beth what I had not been able to avoid, but she just beamed.
The mountain school was tiny, busy, clean and exciting. The director introduced us to the principal and the teachers and the clean urchins. It was a great time, with the kids pouring over the books. But they actually have a library, from many donations, which was fabulous. The director (read beneficiary) was a nearby businessman who had started an incredible mountain resort there. Yes: I'd like to swim and enjoy the view fom the whirlpool there some day!
He had started the school and is very good at getting more people involved. We're thinking that OneBigBoost could build the outdoor kitchen they need so they can feed the poorest a midday meal (biggest). For only $500, we can do this from left-over and (none-Hhaiti) money. A thought to think.
The last evening we invited Nisa and Gatha for dinner in our simpe trekkiing hostel up the 'hill'. When we asked what they weould like to eat, Nisa and Gatha looked at each other and went into a whispering spree. "Nisa and I would like to had dry food". beth and I gave each other a rather puzzled look. "DRY FOOD?" "Yes. And if you give us some money, we will go down and choose it ourselves." We told them we had a running account there and they could put it one the bill.
With smiles from ear to ear they ran (in the dark, of course) downstairs and cam back with...two bags of Lays potato chips. The conversation that night was as interesting and eloquent as ever and we had a blast.
The next day Gatha came buy to say good bye, told her all abount her first (and second)
menstruation and that she was 'disheartened' when it stopped. After your 3rd one there is a big community celebration and she was SO looking forward to that! It had been 4 months now...so...
Such a different world
We will stay in contact with Gatha and Nisa, and they will be in our hearts forever.
In Butwal, where we arrived 3 days later, we were inundated with flowers and shawls, handsfull of petals, clapping, singine, group 'Namastes' (200-400 kids - pretty tear-jerking!) and beaming staff. This area was our target, The big private boarding schools (yes most did indeed live here) were amazing in quality and structures. Beth conducted a great hexagon project with a large goup of older students, brought in from at least 7 area schools. The student's wisdom and understanding left us at times speechless. They presented cultural dances, instrumental (wow-a medieval pump mini organ!!!) and singing, as well as speeches fom them and faclies. All tgether we visited, I believe 6 or 7 schools. Hard to keep count after a while. We were whisked, fed, introduced over and over, given endless gifts and trophy-like objects named 'Token of Love', bespoken and bespeeched, drunk with (oh-they have some good stuff!!) and fed over and over.
Since I don't eat much it was cath-24 for me. If I put little on my plate, they are very unhappy. If they put much on my plate, I cannot eat it. If you don't clear your plate, you insult them. Oh boy..Nepali dillemmi.

Last but not least we finally went to the school we came for.
Through a rubble-filled neighborhood, over a dubious, swinging ridge, over rocks, over catching barbed wire, through a dry streambed, over a dried-up rice paddy: we finally arrived not at Grandma's but at Hari Pathic's school. It consisted, as usual for public schools, of an L-shaped row of classrooms. Because of yearly flooding the school is built high up on a cement platform. (The Tibettans keep putting their tents in the flooding area, to be scattered (or washed) away each spring.) It was a crumbly, grim looking building, BADLY in need of clean, cheerful paint and materials. (Interested in a team, anyone????)
The children were just children, like any other excited, lovable creatures in the world.
In truly cast-away old uniforms, flipflops or even bare feet, they stood in rows, girls separated fom the boys in alternate rows. Each row from the smallest KG child to the highest (10th) grade. Faces beaming, lots of giggling at the 'moto' (fat) lay and the one with a thousand curls. The staff stood on the higher platform that formed the entry line to each classroom. As is custom: all women faculty also wear uniforms: elegant 3-piece garments of the same fabric. Men wear suits and Nepali hats. Really great-looking. Theirs (ladies) were a rose-color. Soft and dignified.
More speeches, more clapping, more garlands (a la Hawaii), more flowers, more huge smiles (kids) and shy ones (faculty). And giggles.

We gave them the books first, received with amazing joy. Then we each 'unveiled' a computer and the cheering turned to absolute screaming! These are their first ones, and I believe they felt they were finally part of the world of 'the other side'. And so they are.

You've all done so much good, friends. Thank you, again and again.
You have opened up worlds and minds and windows of opportunity.

Then the projector came out - more cheering although they didn't really understand what it was until Hari said "Movie". Tumultuous response!

At the end, finally, we went into one of the classrooms, had more milk-tea and milk-coffee, and the equipment was opened, tested and found to be in excellent condition. One of the Board members is a computer expert/technician and will help with anything the do not understand. We watched a bit on the projector, which worked also (phew!).
When we left, among more excitement, lots of kids wanted to shake our hands and offer more "namastes".
One little boy cheerfully offered Beth his left hand, which she took and shook...then realized what he with beaming face had done (we're in the east, remember!) and shook her finger admonishingly at him,while all the kids around the rascal (who had been waiting for this trick) all burst out laughing. It was so funny! Kids are kids. And these, some grimy, others too skinny, were beautiful.

Throughout our travels we met fantastic, educated and loving people. Those who were not (yet) educated/ able to read and write were so eager to be. But it takes more that wishing to make it come true.
The countryside is much like in Haiti: half-finished houses, terrible roads, either really bad or really nice cars, overloaded buses, dinky school buses, piles of rubble and garbage everywhere ...but people who know the facts of their government, who treasure their culture. But we saw beggars rarely and only in the city. Maybe less than 10. In Haiti that drives you crazy!
And then the above-and-beyond countryside you all want to hear about.
Himalayas and Himalayans.
I will talk more about that in the next blog, when I can add pictures. They are better than words.

In the mean time, family and friends: Thank You for supporting these great kids and schools. it was ALL so MUCH needed and APPRECIATED.

You have done a good thing!

Love, Marianne