Daily Life: The Monastery and Outside

I've posted already on the daily life in the monastery and also life in Kathmandu, Nepal. However, in this post, I'll attempt to go in more detail of what goes on and hopefully I'll be able to upload some more pictures as well. Before I start, I'd like to say, thank you for reading the blog! And if you haven't read the other posts, feel free to read them as well. I'm writing this for myself yes, but also for others as a mean to share my experiences abroad; as that in of itself can create impact and change in others (such as yourself).

First, life in the monastery is quite different than life outside the monastery. It's so much more simpler and calmer inside. We have set meal times each and every day: 7 am, 11 am and 6 pm. The monks ring the gong at 5 am daily, waking everyone up. Some do chores such as cleaning, sweeping and washing the toilets (they probably do a better job than I do back home, ha!) and others help in the kitchens (to prepare the daily mails for over 80 individuals). There's generally chanting at 8 am, 10 am, English classes at 1, chanting again at 4 pm and sometimes also at 7 pm. It's a full day with mini-breaks in between and that's when volunteers like me can play sports and games with the monks and also sit in the chantings.

The rooms of the monks. They usually share the rooms with 1-2 other monks. It reminds me of when my 3 brothers and I had to share bunk-beds in a room not so much larger than these ones. Comfortable yet humble lodgings.

Incineration area for the garbage! The monks light it on fire weekly. Is it legal? I have no idea, but there's no garbage collection in this area, or perhaps it's too expensive for the monastery, who knows.

Just monks doing their chores.

I'm NOT sure if I posted this picture already, of the monks all eating together in the kitchen area. It's also where they watch Hollywood and Bollywood movies on Friday/Saturday. Also reminds me of my childhood, when my brothers and I would gather around the TV, watching James Bond or Jaws!

More Sweeping. He was doing this at like 5:30 am, I had to take a picture while he was sweeping outside my room. Notice the broom, it's made from sticks. Definitely MORE bio-degradable than our synthetic plastic ones at home.

Yeah, a half-broken outside tap (it doesn't shut off properly). They generally use this faucet to wash their clothes or to take a quick rinse after a game of football or frisbee (eh, I've done it too). I also tried to hand-wash some clothes with only soap and water (like the monks); it's pretty damn hard to do, detergent is DEFINITELY more ideal.

The monks here just got their heads shaven. I think they do this once or twice a month. They do switch the razor-blades, basic hygiene is kept. Good timing for these monks too, a bunch of them just came back from chanting for the well-being of their teacher, Khenpo Rinpoche.

Life outside the monastery is a lot more hectic. As I posted previously, the infrastructure in Nepal is one of the third world. The roads have potholes in them. The garbage collection is non-existent in some parts, there are constant power outages (even though the country has a vast potential for clean hydro-electric energy) and a coalition Government is struggling to form a valid constitution.

There are beggars on the streets, street vendors and stray animals running around everywhere. You stand in the midst of poverty; as rice patties and corn fields line the sides of the roads. It's definitely an interesting place, and I haven't lived with a 'host family' yet; so I can't definitely comment on how life is outside a monastery, I think it can definitely vary in comfort levels. I've talked to a few volunteers that have been spending their times at local orphanages and their conditions were much worse, with quite a few children sharing beds; and not having proper plumping for their toilet facilities.

That makes life look pretty damn good for the monks at the monasteries. And it is. The only thing is though, apparently over 1/2 of the monks do not finish their Buddhist studies, some leave in the middle of the night and never come back. I was quite shocked when a monk told me that. The path and life of a monk is NOT for everyone; and some choose to fend for themselves; instead of sticking to all of the vows.