And this is my job

Hi all,

I'm really only writing tonight to brag a little bit, so please try not to get too annoyed with me. Anyway, yesterday and today were both pretty great days. Yesterday, some relatives of my family were kind enough to allow me to attend their daughter's engagement party. It was really interesting to see how engagements happen in Nepal, but it was also a ton of fun to celebrate with the happy family. There are a few pictures up in one of the slideshow boxes, if you're interested.

This morning, I also got to go on a mini adventure. I walked all the way from Jorpati to Kopan Monastery and back, a 9 mile walk one way. Even more impressive, Kopan is at the top of what we would call a mountain. My dhimal teacher tried to convince me it was only a small hill, but once I get the pictures up you'll see why I refused to believe him. Anyway, it was well worth the trek because the monastery was gorgeous.


My guide for the trip was my dhimal teacher's high school aged daughter and it was so much fun talking with her as we went along. She is such a sweetheart and like any teenage girl, she loves to talk. I'm pretty sure I know everything about her school, and her friends, and her friends' friends now. The best part is that's exactly the kind of think I get paid to do. I feel so lucky to not only have the opportunity to spend time here in Nepal, but also to be able to be doing the kind of work I'm doing. I can't think of any better job in the world. (Please feel free to remind me of this when I'm writing and complaining constantly!)Of course, I would never write up notes on anything that my young friend told me today, because she's underage and I would consider it to be unethical, but even so, it helps to get perspective on some of the things that her elders have been telling me and really gave me an opportunity to think about other questions I might ask other Dhimal about their childhoods and their schooling.

It was also a great chance for me to work on the ways in which I relate to people during "interviews". It was fun, (personally) and useful (professionally) to see which of my stories she related to, and what things I could commiserate with her about. Now, I just have to find a way to get more mature women to be as friendly and open with me as their children are! Anyway, looking back on it, it was an interesting interaction for a lot of reasons. At one point, I remember smiling to myself because I was thinking how funny it was that I was feeling like my best friend here in Nepal is only 13 years old, and yet at another point, I was analyzing each question I asked and carefully monitoring the responses. (But before any of you worry, I've finally managed to make two good friends here, so I'm not actually bff with a freshman, and the friendlessness that some of you heard me complain about is officially passed.)

Anyway, I could say more but it appears as though my legs just realized how much work they've done today, and they are starting to protest, so I should do my homework and crawl (probably literally) in to bed! Goodnight all. As always, I'm sending my love!!