I was chosen as a Resource Volunteer so May brought me to teach the 203 group on their Week 6 about improved cookstoves. As I arrived, I saw the doctors about the severe decrease in my period flow over the last 3 months. They did an ultrasound to check for PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Synrome), but did not find anything. Another appointment was made for the next month to check other things. The next day, I went to the PST site. The whole week I was sick between headache, nausea, vomitting, and dizziness. I am extremely thankful for the 203 group as they were very gracious. That whole week, I felt like I did not make much sense, but the groups I taught made 3 cookstoves so there was some success at least!
I was at site for a week, but spent that trying to get over my dizziness. Luckily, it finally got better by the end of the week when I needed to go pick up my mom who came for a visit! It was so fun watching my mom experience Nepali transportation! We had a great time exploring and having her see different parts of Nepal and where I lived in my village. Afterwards, I stayed a little longer in KTM to have another ultrasound done and hormone levels checked.
Everything came back fine, but the doctor suggested I go on birth control. I immediately started tearing up. While I am not Catholic, I am still personally a little on the side of no medicated birth control. Even though it would have been only for a few months, the idea was still something that I was not wanting to do. It was decided I would eat more nutritionally (though how I can do that in village is anyone’s guess…), record what happened the next couple months, and come back for a follow up. The doctor said under her breath that maybe I would feel more comfortable with the idea then…lol
In June, I came back to site and finally got my counterpart and kids nailed down for who I would bring to the GLOW/BRO camp. I also learned the dance I choreographed using resources from the internet as well as my own musical/dance expertise as I volunteered myself for the dance extracurricular activity. I trained and helped some people in Ward 5 make a Moringa nursery. I taught a FCHV (female community health volunteer) and her husband in Ward 9 how to make a Moringa nursery. She had plans the next day to train her other FCHVs to in turn train others. My friend received a refresher training on how to make a Moringa nursery and was given seedlings for a VDC (village district committee) where she worked.
I went a little early for committee meetings and helped prepare for our GLOW/BRO camp that would be happening in July. We had committee meetings where SGC (small grants committee) redefined how we reviewed grants, the process, and etc. because many volunteers that month turned them in past the date we had asked so we could have time to review before the end of the month deadline. I literally went back for two days before I turned around and went with 3 boys, 2 girls, and my counterpart to our GLOW/BRO camp. During those 2 days, I discovered another Moringa nursery was planted in Ward 6 of the VDC nearby.
GLOW/BRO is short for Girls Leading Our World/Brothers Respecting Others. This is an empowerment camp that I and 5 other volunteers planned because we all wanted to teach equality amongst caste and gender. We talked with local NGOs (non government organizations) and PC to come give the trainings. Day 1 talked about leadership and how to be a leader. Day 2 was about gender and caste issues. Day 3 was about sexual health and relationships. Day 4 was about life goals and how to make an action plan for the future.
IT WENT SO WELL!!!!! Well, we had some issues because we ended up having all male counterparts that were “tulo manches” (big people) in their area. They were not as helpful in the trainings or watching the kids as we thought they would be. Other than that, the kids were given opportunities to ask questions that normally are not talked about. They were asked to think critically (which is not something they do in schools - it’s all about how well you memorize) and were interactive in the trainings.
Now I have been back at site for a week. Due to the lack of sleep from camp and also probably the constant traveling, it has been taking me forever to recover from a summer cold that also has involved dizziness. I have also had a heat rash that has been lasting awhile despite my attempts to help it out. The weather has also not been great in the fact that usually there is a lot of sunlight and rain. We have been having the heat and rain, but no sunlight. This means that my Moringa seeds are not sprouting and it is not time yet for the nurseries to be transplanted.
Well, I tried to make this post short. Didn’t work so well… The Country Director is coming for a visit in a week. I hope there is sunlight soon so I can show him how the Moringa is going because at this point - there is not much to show. In 2 weeks I plan on traveling around Nepal where I haven’t been before. I will try and be better about blogging these next 3.5 months I have left in my PC service!