Yeah, I was a little homesick a few nights ago (AND jet-lagged). I was out with my volunteer friends and I was starting to miss home! And I just found out from my friend that the Canucks LOST in the Finals, (insert moment of silence! Sad news for Canadians, all over the world!).
Left to Right: Matt (Australia), Tom (Netherlands) , Me (Ju), Chantal (Netherlands), Dennis (UK)All of our niceties, "Western Culture", friends and family! What triggered the homesickness was the common trappings of a Westerner of Asian descent travelling abroad in Asia. The realization of although on an external level I might fit in (I've been commented quite a few times already that I look Nepali, ha!!); on an internal level I'm a English-Speaking Western foreigners visiting an East Asian Nepali-Speaking developing country. And because of this paradox, it's just weird and it makes you miss home more than the average traveler I guess, since you belong but you DON'T belong.
Anyway, Monday-Tuesday has been pretty damn awesome! I went down to our local volunteer agency's office and started training with Dennis. It was a long morning/afternoon, but by the end of it, I was able to more understand the goals and mission of the agency and learn some basic Nepali as well.
We were also able to do some official sight-seeing as well, see below:
Steps leading up to Swayambhu Stupa
View from the Stupa
The Swayambhu Stupa
Monkeys playing by a pool near the Stupa. I had to take this picture, as they are known to cause a ruckus and steal cameras!
These two photos are from Kathmandu: Durbur Square. The architecture in the picture above was inspired from English/European architecture, from a visiting Nepali. Durbur Square also hosted the Kumari, which is generally a Virgin girl, pre-menstruation who is selected upon her qualities (ie. beauty, features, education, sturdiness of personality) to live in a building "as a goddess"; until she starts menstruation or is cut in a way that releases blood. I'm not sure if that's worth the trade, being labelled as a Goddess, but basically trapped in a "large jail cell" for a good portion of your youth. You tell me.- Julius
Not only did the Canucks lose in Game 7, riots started in downtown Vancouver, which is a bit sad. It only takes a few hoodlums to get a drunk mob started.
ReplyDeleteI like the pics. The architecture reminds me of parts of Indonesia when I was there a few years back.
Yeah, that's too bad about VanCity. I heard about it too, it's NOT typical Canadian behaviour.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures. Keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteIs Chantal a volunteer teacher, too? Where is she teaching?
Yes, Chantal is a volunteer as well, actually finished when I started. She was teaching at the initial monastery that I was going to (The Manjushuri One, in Pharping). She's returned to the Netherlands now though!
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