This is certainly early to post this, but I figured I would anyways just as a prequel. I’m only 5 months into my 2 year service in village, yet I’m already realizing what habits I am going to have coming back. I’m sure there will be more as time continues to go on!
1. I will be saying “linus” and “dinus”. These mean take and give.
2. I will be saying “au” complete with hand motion. This means come in the informal form and I say it quite often to the little children in my life - not that they listen because I am a scary person to them!
3. It will take me sometime for it to register that “Stephanie” is my name. I already pause when I am talking with non-Nepalis and they ask me my name. In village and with other Nepalis - my name is immediately “Mahima”.
4. I have become quite fond of wearing a long top or short dress with leggings. I also enjoy wearing the kurta surwals, but they aren’t exactly in style in America… I probably may wear a kurta with leggings.
5. “Tik cha” and “la” are going to be heard quite often instead of “OK”.
La, now that I type this out - I realize it may not be a lot. It just seems like it is!
Anyways, I am realizing how much your body relies on protein and iron to function. Mornings have never been my friend, but since having some protein powder and eggs - it has gotten easier to get up. However, I have noticed that I get tired in the afternoon. Coffee has helped prolong the time, but I still feel like I could take a nap and quite often do - or at least duck into my room for an hour or so. Village has turned me into a little bit of an introvert!
I messaged a volunteer that has been here longer than I. She mentioned she felt the same way about naps in the afternoon, but iron pills helped. I started taking the vitamins with a lot of iron in them and as the week has gone on - a nap has not felt necessary! Unless you go on a 4 hour hike…then you’re out of commission for 2 and a half hours… I really hope to avoid the next time people go to the temple way uphill. This time was not as bad because it was a different road, I knew a little more on what to expect, and I made sure to bring my water bottle. Last time I didn’t bring it ‘cause I thought it was not very far and that we were coming straight back - which was NOT the case!
Yesterday I caught up with a lady that knows a lot about the farming in my area. I had some questions for my VSA (Village Situational Analysis) that she could answer. Some people came when they saw me and invited me to go to another village where they were going to visit because another volunteer lived there too. I told them I couldn’t because I had to write my report and explained that the report was technically due last week. I then proceeded to tell them that even with my working on it - it probably still wouldn’t be done tomorrow. They began laughing and said they enjoyed my joke… I was serious.
At the moment, I’m again procrastinating. It is mostly done, but not quite. I may actually finish it, but it won’t be sent today. Or tomorrow for that matter! I’m going to make another cookstove, hopefully with the help of another volunteer. I am also just realizing as I type this that I was talking to my younger bhais about going to a capital on Saturday together so I can send my report. I will not be able to go then ‘cause I was invited to my older counterpart’s house and with my doing the stove Friday…it’s more of a possibility. I won’t be able to send my report until Sunday!
Apparently, only 9 people out of our current 28 sent in their VSAs by the correct deadline. I was NOT one of them. The deadline has been extended to being due tomorrow, but for the reasons I stated earlier - that is not going to happen either. I’ll send it Sunday. By then, it should be completed - right? Well…as completed as I’m going to make it. There are still several questions I have not answered because I haven’t gone to the people that have the answers yet, but I have a good portion of it completed. Yeah for procrastination! lol
PS. Emilio - I would love to send a letter to you! I will post when I send it, though I have no idea how long it will take to get to Spain.