1st impressions – Nepal | rfljenksy

Well, here I am in Nepal. Just a quick connection to share some of my first thoughts about life in Nepal. Please understand I have only been from my house to my work and at one small event in between. I hope you enjoy.

I arrived in Nepal about 10:30 pm on a Friday night after spending a week in Hong Kong with a dear friend and her family. Even though I had been in this time zone for almost a week, of course I still felt a little tired. I got dropped off with a notice that I would be picked up at about 10:30 am to do some shopping. My sponsor took me to breakfast and to the grocery and then I came back home. I didn’t get a huge opportunity to take photos on the first day. I was just a little jet lagged and forgot my camera.

On Sunday I awoke to the sound of “We will We will Rock YOU!!” Sung in English and performed by several young children outside my back patio. I found out very quickly that Nepalese people have a 6 day work/school week. I was a bit of a fanatic with some picture-taking at this time from my balcony. Some of the teachers began to quietly talk and look at me and point. I later found out that all of the American’s in the building were standing on the patio snapping photos as well.

School behind my apartment

Loved these imaged of the students in black and white

Singer of “We will Rock YOU!”

Young girl joining Monday morning Karate class.

I was picked up again at about 10:30 to tour a few things that were important to our time in Nepal. On this day after once again going to a local diner I managed to make it to a market. It was a bit dirty with the vegetables strewn on the ground or even on little dirty mats. Apparently during the monsoon season here everyone had been advised not to eat any of the lettuce or leafy greens because there was some sort of parasite in them that even the bleach people commonly wash their veggies and fruits with was not killing it. I’ve chosen to try a more natural method of cleansing by using “grapefruit seed extract”. I used this all through the two years I was in Venezuela and I never got sick. Several people here are also using it and have stated that they have yet to get sick.

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Fear not, the fruits and veggies that are not consumable do not go to waste. A random passing cow will stop and nibble on what is there. Cows here have more rights than people and they have the right away in the streets as well. So I’ve been told.

random cow in market

Speaking of right of way…I’m not sure who has it on the streets. You drive on the left side of the road but in reality you drive in the middle of the road and people pass on each side of you coming in each direction. This is exactly the reason I will not be driving but depending on someone else to do that for me.

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These final shots are some random ones I took from my rooftop and the rooftop of a neighbors. I hope you have enjoyed this introduction to Nepal. Feel free to stop in any time.