I have learned how to do quite a few things I could introduce at my site which could help me figure out my next steps, but there are still a few of them I highly doubt I will do. More trainings are for tomorrow - one of which involves mushrooms, which I do not like the taste of.... However, it sounds like they are pretty profitable and can help with income generation so I am going to the training so I can at least learn. A friend of mine asked me recently what a day looks like for me. It's going to change, but I thought I'd share.
I wake up between 7 and 8am, but usually can't get out of bed due to being tired until 8. I have "nasta" which is the Nepali version of breakfast that includes cheeya and bread/boodja. Afterwards, I have my devotions and hang out with my family. Around 9, we have dahl baht that takes me about 30-60 minutes to eat due to my being a slow eater and the amount of rice given to me. I prepare something to study at the health post and leave about 10.
At the health post, I watch patients and observe what the staff is doing. I'll study and attempt conversation. At lulls, the health post workers and I sit outside in the sun for warmth where sometimes we fold gauze. Afterwards, I go home around 2:30 and have kadja. I'll sit outside studying or go to my room to read depending on the day. My bhais get home at 4 and depending on the day, we'll play cards, talk, or I'll keep studying. Around 7pm is evening dahl baht and afterwards, I turn in for the night because I am tired.
My role as a PCV is to work in the community so when I get back to site I will not be going to the health post every day. At the beginning, it was a good plan because people that came learned who I was, I have gotten to know the health post staff, met the FCHV (female community health volunteers), observed trainings, and learned at the moment what are the most common illnesses occurring during the winter. Now - I need to begin taking that information and working amongst the community despite how I feel about my language.
During trainings, the schedule is typically 8a-5p. We either have an all day training with breaks for lunch and tea or a couple trainings in the morning, tea break, a continuation of the previous training, lunch, and more training. Language class is also an option for other trainings that would not be conducive for your site. For instance, Moringa trees cannot grow at 1400 metres so if your site is there or above - it would not be beneficial for you.
Random facts about my site... I live about 1200 metres high and am about an hours walk downhill to another volunteer's site. When PC went for my site visit and were trying to decipher my bad directions - everyone in my area knew who they were asking for. After training, one of the things I am bringing back to site is a Thai melon. It is apparently easy to take care of and will introduce a different fruit to my village.
I live in a VDC (village development community) in a western district of Nepal. I will try to explain how I figure Nepal is broken down by equating to the U.S., but they are really not as similar as I am making them to be - it is just the closest thing that could semi sort of resemble it.
A district is semi similar to a state. A VDC is semi similar to a county. Wards (there are 9 of them in a VDC) are not really, but are the closest to maybe resembling a metropolitan area. The villages are semi similar to towns.
Hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about my days and Nepal!
Until next time