Not Always Peaches and Cream!

Here are some reasons why traveling,especially to Nepal, isn’t always considered a “vacation.”

The other morning I woke up and was greeted by a leech just hanging out on my kitchen floor.  Quite honestly, it was not the first thing I wanted to see in the morning but I was just happy it wasn’t on my body! Although I don’t know how it got in the house, I guess I wasn’t too surprised because of the fact that it hasn’t stopped raining since my mom left almost three weeks ago now.  Which could also explain why my shoes are caked with mud and animal feces.  The other day while walking I stepped in a huge mud pile (at times they are impossible to avoid) or so I thought. Turns out my foot started sinking in and it was then that I realized I was actually in cow manure! I probably shouldn’t have went into a café right after that because I don’t think my waiter appreciated the fact that I reeked like a farm.  Seriously it was disgusting and a little humiliating because I really did not smell good….at all!

I hope I can get these things clean

The other night I left my umbrella outside to dry and the next morning I discovered that two little frogs had taken up residence.  Note to self: keep all things inside.

Because of the rain, it’s taken my laundry days to dry. And when my clothes finally do dry, they smell so musty that I can’t even bear to wear them. My perfume doesn’t even do the trick! The line I hang my clothes on is only partially covered by a small roof.  Which is probably irrelevant because my attempt at washing my clothes by hand is pretty pathetic. I think my clothes actually end up getting dirtier. 

The bucket showers I’m taking are starting to get a little old. Especially when I have to wash my hair outside AND it’s raining.  My hair is probably not getting as many washes as it should and feels like a pile of dirt. Which I guess is a good thing because I now blend in with my surroundings.

After my first few days here, I actually noticed a rash that was developing on my neck.  I proceeded to look a little closer and noticed my neck was in fact quite dirty.  Apparently my bucket showers aren't doing the trick. :)

The huge miracle for my stay this time around in Nepal is the fact that I have my own apt – kindly given to me by the family for my time here. I can’t even begin to explain how much of a miracle this is!

a pretty cute place I do have to say :)

With that being said, at times the apt can still be quite interesting.  The first night my mom and I were here, the toilet clogged.  The draining system here is ridiculously terrible…so terrible that it seems a drainage system doesn't even exist.

I don’t have a refrigerator which isn’t too big of a deal except that I don’t like to waste food. When I tried to eat my leftover soup on day 2, my gag reflexes kicked in and I realized I could probably afford to skip a meal.  Looks like Brandy was on the menu!

The apartment has no internet or TV, I forgot my portable dvd player, and at night the power sometimes goes off. So on certain occasions I find myself sitting in the dark from 7pm onwards.
Luckily I have my trusty headlamp and an awesome smelling candle to keep me company. :)

oh you know....just hanging out.  :)

The dog that lives on the premises of my apartment sleeps the entire day.  However, at night it’s a different story!  This little mut goes nuts and has quite an obnoxious bark! And of course he only starts barking once it turns dark outside and people are finally laying down to go to sleep. Which is always nice. :)

Not as innocent as he looks!

While walking around, taking the buses and just plain old living here, it’s pretty hard for the local Nepali people NOT to notice that I’m a foreigner.  Which can only mean one thing….they stare!! And I’m not talking a quick glance and then they shyly turn away….I’m talking a full on stare! And they don’t even care…which sometimes drives me even more nuts! On my good days I’m able to ignore it, on my mediocre days I flash a huge (sometimes sarcastic) smile that is usually returned, and in my not so proud moments, I do a super obnoxious wave that I’m sure they get a kick out of!

Lastly, my tourist visa expires one day before my flight.  So obviously I went to the Department of Immigration to extend my visa.  However, the immigration officers wouldn’t let me! They said they were certain I’ll be fine at the airport and won’t have any problems.   After trying to talk some sense into them and explaining that I would feel more comfortable having a valid visa while trying to exit the country, I realized it was hopeless.  Here’s to praying the immigration officers at the airport are just as relaxed about an expired visa as the ones in the office! #pleaseprayforme!

The Immigration office...and such a proper sign they have!

So as you can see, traveling is not always peaches and cream, contrary to popular belief!  

And this is why my next trip is going to be an actual vacation, on a beach, by a pool, with a cold beer in each hand!  :)

A day for the kids!

After my mom and I lugged 60 books in our carry-on luggage for 22 hours, the day had finally come to give all the kiddos their book that they had written.  The school organized a really nice program, they even made a special sign, and many of the kids performed some traditional Nepali dances and sang some solos. :)

I'm pretty sure this is the most attentive I've ever seen them.  :)

 I really don't think the kids knew that they would each be receiving a copy of their own book.  So for all of those who made that possible, thank you soooooooo much.  The kids were thrilled and I could tell by their reactions they weren't expecting this. :)

Presenting Dolma with her book - Class 4

 

Presenting Sonam with her book -class 6

As with the tradition in Nepal, for the inauguration of a book, a chief guest of honor is invited.  This guest is presented with the book and is the first one to open it.  Well this chief guest of honor seemed to be so important that he was exactly an hour late.  Not only that, he also gave a little speech...although I shouldn't say little...to be honest it was way too long, the crowd grew a bit antsy, and after his speech, he left the program early!  Quite typical in Nepal!  There were a few things during the program that probably could have went a little better...but things in Nepal don't always seem to go as planned!   :)

Chief Guest of Honor

After presenting all the kids with their books and calling them up on stage one by one, they had to patiently wait to open their books until everyone had received one.  It was pretty cute to see them trying to look through the wrapping paper. :)

I think this little guy was in shock for a few minutes :)

Personally I think the best part of the day was the autograph session. All of the authors got to go on stage and autograph quite a few books that people had purchased.  They took the autographing super seriously and I could tell they felt like they were a big deal.  Which they were! :)

Raj class 4

Jishank Class 4 signing autographs

Thank you again to everyone who made this day possible...you know who you are!  I'm so happy that the books are finally in the hands of the authors ...exactly where they should be.  :)

Adventures in Nepal with the Madre! :)

I first want to start off by saying that I am so extremely proud of my mom for coming to Nepal with me and for being so adventurous. The week that she was here was such a whirlwind of events that it now already feels like a dream.  For it being her first time out of the country, she definitely picked a one of a kind place to visit....and I now think she is going to need a vacation from her "vacation."  :)

This was right before her ticket flew out of her hand and she didn't think it was a big deal. Ummm...don't worry Mom, I'll get it. :)

 I'm not sure what my mom's favorite animal is, but I'm guessing it is now the cow.  After pretty much sharing a neighborhood and walking the streets with them, I don't know how it couldn't be.  I'm kind of surprised she didn't bring one home with her.

The cow was a little camera shy

I'm also going to make a prediction that my mom will now give up her car that she has at home. After a week of walking for hours in the blistering sun, muddy streets, riding in the jam packed buses, and crossing streets that aren't meant to be crossed, I can't imagine that she would want the comforts of a car again  Hmmmmm.....I guess only time will tell.

The only time you'll see my mother in tennis shoes...I guess it was the mud?  :)

Besides riding buses and getting lost in Kathmandu, we did make some time to check out some of the tourist places.  And although the drive to Nagarkot (a little town up in the hills) was a little bumpy, considering the road probably shouldn't even be classified as a road, the views were pretty stellar.

Monkey Temple...thank God for no monkey attacks

Nagarkot- pretty sure I'm obsessed with these clouds :)

Like any place, the people are usually the ones that steal your heart.  And I think my mom would agree. After spending some time with these people, being invited into their homes and being offered so much food and tea it makes you sick (literally), it's hard not to fall in love with them.

Lunch with some great people

Class 4 girls :)

Thank you so much for coming with me Mom to see this wonderful place and meet some amazing people...and I'm glad we got to be roomies in Nepal...oh wait, we're roommates at home too!  Haha lucky you! 

Enjoying an Everest Beer in our cozy apartment :)

Receiving a token of love....only in Nepal :)

Our Earthquake Experience- A Book Written by the Children of Nepal

On behalf of the children of Nepal, thank you to everyone who made this book come to life!  It wouldn't have been possible without the help of a number of people. One of them being my brother, Lucas, who actually knows how to put a book together...so thank you Lukey!  :)

Me and Lukey :)

This book was written by the children of Maitidevi Boarding High School.  I'm the lucky one that had the privilege of putting it together for them.  This book contains their experience of the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in April of 2015.  You'll read about where they were during the earthquake, how they were feeling at that time, and how they are adjusting now. They've done an outstanding job and I am so excited to share this little part of them with all of you.

 I've included a copy of one of the papers from a boy in class 3 who shared his experience of the earthquake. I hope this gives you a little glimpse of how their minds work! All of the students wrote two rough drafts before finally submitting their final copy to me.  As you can see, their writing is kept as it is!  :)

As of right now, the children still don't know that this book even exists. My hope is to go to back to Nepal (as soon as I possibly can) and surprise all of them each with their own copy of the book. They are going to absolutely freak out!

There are 48 authors and 5 members of the family who run the school.  I hope to be able to bring all of them a copy of their own book as well as some extra....just in case! :) Once we're able to get each student a book, the remaining proceeds and donations will go towards the school and families.

In particular there are a few students who come from families who desperately need assistance, not only with paying the school tuition but with putting rice on the table. Keep in mind, when we're able to help a family pay the year's tuition, it not only helps that particular family, but also helps the school to continue operating as well as to pay the teachers' salaries.
It's important to know that the family who runs the school has a heart of gold and at times will let those families who aren't able to afford tuition come to school at no cost.  This is absolutely amazing, but since there are so many families that aren't able to afford the tuition, it means there are less funds for the school to operate at the capacity it should and the teachers don't always get paid on time.

Please message me if you would like more information on these particular students and families and how you can help.  Donations are needed and appreciated!

To support the kids of Nepal so we can surprise them with a book of their own, please go to the website link below to submit a donation. (If you're in the Milwaukee area, I would be happy to pick up the donation because I know that you probably want to see me!)  :)

http://shannonrobak.wix.com/namastenepal#!earthquake-experience/c1cmm

Stay tuned because the book will be available for sale coming soon!  :)

Thank you so much for making this possible!
 

Let's Talk about....Diversity.

Diversity.
What would the world be like if we were all the same?  I know. I know what many of you are thinking.  "Well...if everyone was more like me, this world would be awesome!" Nice try.  :)
But seriously, don't you think it would be pretty boring?  Although if everyone was more like me, they would have all collected starburst wrappers when they were younger.  Now that would be cool. :)

But consider for example, your age.  If you're an "adult" reading this, then everyone in the world would be exactly like you....which would also mean they would be the same age. There wouldn't be any kids to play with to make us feel younger, and there wouldn't be any elderly people around to share their wisdom.  If everyone had the same thoughts and beliefs as you, who would you call for advice?

So why is it that diversity sometimes seems to scare people?  Maybe it's the unknown or maybe it's because we don't take the time to really reach out and get to know each other. We may not understand certain traditions, rituals, or beliefs about other cultures but that doesn't mean that we can't learn from them. Diversity is meant to enrich our lives and teach us new lessons every day.  Sometimes it can be a matter of getting out of your comfort zone and reaching out to someone new.

There are billions of people around the world, each with their own feelings, beliefs, and spirituality. Yourself included! No two people in this world are exactly alike. And if you think about that for a minute, that's pretty darn cool. We can either choose to distance ourselves from people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, or we can embrace this beautiful world we live in and acquire new perspectives which can ultimately transform our lives.

There are roughly between 6,500-7,000 different languages in the world.  Not one is better than the other.The diversity of languages is just another astonishing aspect about this world we live in. Not to mention, learning a foreign language is an excellent way to exercise different components of your brain.

Many of us have been extremely blessed to have been born in a place where we grew up having hot meals, a nice cozy bed to sleep in, and family and friends who know us and love us.Why were millions of other people born into extreme poverty, without food, clean water, or even a safe place to go to the bathroom? And how amazing is it that many of these people who were born into those circumstances believe that they are the ones who are truly blessed. We have much to learn from these individuals, who although they may be lacking in material wealth, they are abundantly rich in spirit. No matter how you look at it, we are all one. We all came from the same creator, and even with the diversity of our lives, whether we were born materially rich or rich in spirit, everyone wants to be happy.  And based on that human instinct alone, we can and SHOULD unite.

If God blessed us with an abundant amount of resources, gifts, I really believe those are meant to be shared. And in doing so, we will be helping each other. If you haven't already...embrace the diversity that is available to you, because in doing so, it could change many lives.... yours included!

The world's different cultures, beliefs, and traditions are what make this world so incredibly AWESOME! Let's encourage others to step out of their comfort zones, embrace diversity, reach out to those in need, and soak in all the awesome people our world has to offer.