So Much to Say, So Little Time

It’s been an interesting few days. Three hundred volunteers, 40 houses, box lunches, heat waves, random breezes, amazing friendships and many conflicting personalities. We have now begun to predict what our breakfasts will be like, what time our buses will leave for the worksite and who will speak to us first when we walk into the hotel. I finally bought my “I Love Nepal” shirt today…and I love it. Also, Stephanie and I trying not to kill any bugs to affect our karmic situations.

There is chai, boxed mango juice, sun burns (yes, even me), bananas, guavas, loud speaker announcements, children, pink, orange and green Habitat shirts, Kale (the water buffalo), my Hindi/Nepali mix, affection, appreciation, respect, honor.
There is Love.
The bamboo walls have all been woven with bamboo strips, the roof is in place that is allowing for some protection from the sun, the walls are being plastered and we will start to paint tomorrow. Can you believe it…our house is almost done!
Ram Maya married Ram Bahadur at the age of 15. Her daughter is 13 and her son is 10. Roshni is absolutely beautiful. She looks just like her mom. Though she is a quiet and shy little girl, her bubbly friends bring out the teenager in her. Rajit is known as Bala Gopala (Baby Krishna). He is spunky and only listens to you when you speak with authority. He listens to me! And I know he likes me because he brought me a mango juice box, put the straw in it and only gave them to the other volunteers when his mother yelled at him…yep, I’m his favorite! Rajit is an amazing little photographer. I let him take pictures with my camera during the build and I can’t wait to share them with you all.
We also have a lot of SOS Children’s Village volunteers working with us. They are fantastic as well. They taught me a Nepali dance today and I taught them a little Bollywood…how awesome it is that Dance is an international language!
I also had the wonderful opportunity to hike up to house #34 to help translate. I ended up having chai and enjoying the breathtaking views of the Annapurna for their rooftop.
I have to say, I think I have fallen in love with Nepal. Maybe I won’t come back…teek ccha???