Hi everybody! I hope that you are all doing well. Its my fourth week in Nepal - I can't believe I've been here this long! Today is Shiva Raatri, a Hindu holiday dedicated to the god of destruction, and as such I don't have school, hooray! At this very moment there are thousands of pious Hindus and Buddhists swarming Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu (we went there a few weeks ago), carrying out different rituals and traditions to show there devotion to this powerful god.
Last Saturday was awesome - a valuable "cultural experience" one would say. My aamaa's little brother just came back from Dubai where he works as a restaurant manager. In gratitude for his safe arrival (I think - the language skills are still a major fail!), my aamaa's family performed a four-hour-long puja, and my aamaa and I joined them for it! My aamaa and I left before morning daalbhat, and took various crowded buses to my uncle's small village in the beautiful hills surrounding Kathmandu (crowded takes on a whole new meaning in Nepal. In large-ish van that would seat 15 in America transports approximately 30 people here. Saturday, I rode in a van where people were hanging out the side door because there was no space inside, either to sit or stand!). Anyway, when we arrived at my uncle's house, I met approximately 5 million people, all with names I couldn't pronounce, and a specific kinship term which, of course, I could never remember. After a generous helping of delicious daalbhat (with chickpeas, potatoes, peas, spicy tomato ajaar, and jack fruit prepared like spicy, savory meat), I followed the various members of my aamaa's family to a nearby temple in the middle of a school. We were on the tip of a hill, and I could see Kathmandu and the surrounding villages below us; I could even see the famous stupa at Swombunath, where my class went a few days ago. It was by far my favorite field trip so far - also situated on a hill, the massive golden stupa is surrounded by thousands of prayer flags, and many smaller, but equally magnificent buddhist temples. I must go back there!! Anyway, back to yesterday's puja. All of the women in my aamaa's family were dressed in beautiful red saris, wearing thick black eyeliner, golden jewelry, and long red adornments in their hair (of course I have forgotten the name for them). They all sat on mats circling a small fire in the center, which had a canopy made of branches and a rectangle of tika drawings surrounding it. My thin and wrinkly grandparents (my hajurbaa and hajuraamaa), joined the circle, in addition to my uncle, and a Hindu spiritual leader, who's official title I have, again, forgotten. We brought tons of food, tika powder, money, flowers, bowls and plates made of dried leaves, and after lots of laughter, happy, boisterous yelling, and pictures, the spiritual leader started reading from a Hindu text, and directing people in various rituals: offering the food, putting tika on the offerings and each other, sprinking holy water (everywhere), lighting candles and incense, etc, etc. It went on for hours....but thankfully they let me take photos throughout the whole thing, so I was quite entertained, and even played catch with a small flower and a little girl for a little while.
While I was watching, I realized how similar this puja was to some of the rituals/offerings we make in my own church. Though not nearly as elaborate, colorful, or messy, the family community that came together last Saturday to express gratitude to the gods felt quite like my own church community when we come together to celebrate religious holidays with religious texts, delicious food, and each other's company. I had never valued that before; actually I was a little irritated or bored with it. Though our traditions don't always make sense to people in Western culture, though hold so much value - why should I chastise something that unites people, and gives them a sense of identity and purpose? One of our lecturers said that Hinduism has adopted many ideas from other ideologies, but often refuses converts to its own way of thinking/living. Hindus believe that all religions ultimately worship the same god, so why should one convert from one religion to the next? The only familial, and cultural disruption can come from something like that. Although I don't totally agree with that last statement, it is certainly something I should consider as I make decisions for myself. What do I believe? is one question, but What is important to me? Family, tradition, culture? must also be asked. There is more to life than being an individual, I suppose.
It's my sixteenth day with my Nepali family, and although not every moment is 100% awesome and fun and fantastic, I have had so many good moments with them. (Ah! I don't think I've introduced my family yet! Quickly: My father (baa) is named Chandra, and he is incredibly nice, and is always helping me with my language. My mother (aamaa) is small and cute, and has the best laugh. My older sister (didi) (22 years old) is sarcastic, and a little impatient, but always laughs at the dumb things I do to entertain myself and others. Lastly, my little brother (bhaai) (20 years old by Nepali standards...though his facebook page says that his is 18...) is a quiet and studious, but I like him alot. Marie!!! He is watching "You are Beautiful" on his computer! Who would have thought that I'd be watching your favorite Korean drama here in Nepal?) A few nights ago, I was sitting with my aamaa and didi before bed, doing my best to converse with my little bit of Nepali. Somehow my didi and I started a charades-style conversation, gesturing the small things that we say to each other everyday "Namaste! Raamro sapana dekhne!" (Goodnight! Have good dreams!) turned into palms pressed together, with a silly smile on our faces, and then a head resting on one shoulder, with hands gesturing madly in the air above. I'm probably not conveying the situation very well, but we all thought it was hilarious, and my cute little Nepali mom almost fell over laughing. Yesterday, when I was explaining to my family what the dermatologist said about my hand (My hands had a nasty reaction with my acne medication after I spent an afternoon in the sun. I stopped the meds; everything will be fine), and instead of saying "chaalaako doctor" (skin doctor), I said "chapaalko doctor" (sandal doctor), which had my entire family, and the surrounding neighbors all laughing. "Doctor, mero chapaal dukyo. Malaai dherai ausaadi dinus na!" (Doctor, my sandals hurt! Please give me a lot of medicine!) The other night I fell asleep in my didi's bed, after a late-night conversation, and tonight, I might spend the night in her room :D
Anyway, things are going well - a little better than I expected. Some of the other girls are having more trouble adjusting to the culture, and I don't know if its because my family is a little lax, in terms of adherence to Hindu traditions, or what, but I feel like things are going very smoothly here. I wouldn't mind being a little closer to the other girls on the program, but hopefully that will come with time. Tomorrow at 7:30 in the morning we leave for the birthplace of Buddha, and the wild jungles of Chitwan (elephants and tigers and rhinos, oh my!). There is so much to do, and suddenly I've become very lazy! I'm never going to get my assignments done in time!
Miss you all,
Kori
Sorry these pics are all out of order, and I am too lazy to fix them!
A bald guy at the puja with a piece of red tika rice on his head. Awesome.
My hand. Looks like an wicked chemical burn, right? Don't worry, Mom. It doesn't hurt.
My hajurbaa (grandfather), smoking who knows what.
The women on my aamaa's side of the family. My aamaa is the one with the big smile.
The puja.
My house. And my laundry.
Me and my aamaa at the puja. Look at her sari, and my kurta suruwaal!
Some of my cousins. SO CUTE, RIGHT?
In Nepali, tall girls are called "ugli". Hahaha, so accurate. Though in my kurta suruwaal, I feel more like a sun goddess.
Me and my cousin's baby, Swaadin.
Food at the puja. Too bad I'm not allowed to eat any of it. :(
Some of the smaller temples near Pashupatinath. Foreigners are not actually allowed in the Pashupati temple.
Last Saturday was awesome - a valuable "cultural experience" one would say. My aamaa's little brother just came back from Dubai where he works as a restaurant manager. In gratitude for his safe arrival (I think - the language skills are still a major fail!), my aamaa's family performed a four-hour-long puja, and my aamaa and I joined them for it! My aamaa and I left before morning daalbhat, and took various crowded buses to my uncle's small village in the beautiful hills surrounding Kathmandu (crowded takes on a whole new meaning in Nepal. In large-ish van that would seat 15 in America transports approximately 30 people here. Saturday, I rode in a van where people were hanging out the side door because there was no space inside, either to sit or stand!). Anyway, when we arrived at my uncle's house, I met approximately 5 million people, all with names I couldn't pronounce, and a specific kinship term which, of course, I could never remember. After a generous helping of delicious daalbhat (with chickpeas, potatoes, peas, spicy tomato ajaar, and jack fruit prepared like spicy, savory meat), I followed the various members of my aamaa's family to a nearby temple in the middle of a school. We were on the tip of a hill, and I could see Kathmandu and the surrounding villages below us; I could even see the famous stupa at Swombunath, where my class went a few days ago. It was by far my favorite field trip so far - also situated on a hill, the massive golden stupa is surrounded by thousands of prayer flags, and many smaller, but equally magnificent buddhist temples. I must go back there!! Anyway, back to yesterday's puja. All of the women in my aamaa's family were dressed in beautiful red saris, wearing thick black eyeliner, golden jewelry, and long red adornments in their hair (of course I have forgotten the name for them). They all sat on mats circling a small fire in the center, which had a canopy made of branches and a rectangle of tika drawings surrounding it. My thin and wrinkly grandparents (my hajurbaa and hajuraamaa), joined the circle, in addition to my uncle, and a Hindu spiritual leader, who's official title I have, again, forgotten. We brought tons of food, tika powder, money, flowers, bowls and plates made of dried leaves, and after lots of laughter, happy, boisterous yelling, and pictures, the spiritual leader started reading from a Hindu text, and directing people in various rituals: offering the food, putting tika on the offerings and each other, sprinking holy water (everywhere), lighting candles and incense, etc, etc. It went on for hours....but thankfully they let me take photos throughout the whole thing, so I was quite entertained, and even played catch with a small flower and a little girl for a little while.
While I was watching, I realized how similar this puja was to some of the rituals/offerings we make in my own church. Though not nearly as elaborate, colorful, or messy, the family community that came together last Saturday to express gratitude to the gods felt quite like my own church community when we come together to celebrate religious holidays with religious texts, delicious food, and each other's company. I had never valued that before; actually I was a little irritated or bored with it. Though our traditions don't always make sense to people in Western culture, though hold so much value - why should I chastise something that unites people, and gives them a sense of identity and purpose? One of our lecturers said that Hinduism has adopted many ideas from other ideologies, but often refuses converts to its own way of thinking/living. Hindus believe that all religions ultimately worship the same god, so why should one convert from one religion to the next? The only familial, and cultural disruption can come from something like that. Although I don't totally agree with that last statement, it is certainly something I should consider as I make decisions for myself. What do I believe? is one question, but What is important to me? Family, tradition, culture? must also be asked. There is more to life than being an individual, I suppose.
It's my sixteenth day with my Nepali family, and although not every moment is 100% awesome and fun and fantastic, I have had so many good moments with them. (Ah! I don't think I've introduced my family yet! Quickly: My father (baa) is named Chandra, and he is incredibly nice, and is always helping me with my language. My mother (aamaa) is small and cute, and has the best laugh. My older sister (didi) (22 years old) is sarcastic, and a little impatient, but always laughs at the dumb things I do to entertain myself and others. Lastly, my little brother (bhaai) (20 years old by Nepali standards...though his facebook page says that his is 18...) is a quiet and studious, but I like him alot. Marie!!! He is watching "You are Beautiful" on his computer! Who would have thought that I'd be watching your favorite Korean drama here in Nepal?) A few nights ago, I was sitting with my aamaa and didi before bed, doing my best to converse with my little bit of Nepali. Somehow my didi and I started a charades-style conversation, gesturing the small things that we say to each other everyday "Namaste! Raamro sapana dekhne!" (Goodnight! Have good dreams!) turned into palms pressed together, with a silly smile on our faces, and then a head resting on one shoulder, with hands gesturing madly in the air above. I'm probably not conveying the situation very well, but we all thought it was hilarious, and my cute little Nepali mom almost fell over laughing. Yesterday, when I was explaining to my family what the dermatologist said about my hand (My hands had a nasty reaction with my acne medication after I spent an afternoon in the sun. I stopped the meds; everything will be fine), and instead of saying "chaalaako doctor" (skin doctor), I said "chapaalko doctor" (sandal doctor), which had my entire family, and the surrounding neighbors all laughing. "Doctor, mero chapaal dukyo. Malaai dherai ausaadi dinus na!" (Doctor, my sandals hurt! Please give me a lot of medicine!) The other night I fell asleep in my didi's bed, after a late-night conversation, and tonight, I might spend the night in her room :D
Anyway, things are going well - a little better than I expected. Some of the other girls are having more trouble adjusting to the culture, and I don't know if its because my family is a little lax, in terms of adherence to Hindu traditions, or what, but I feel like things are going very smoothly here. I wouldn't mind being a little closer to the other girls on the program, but hopefully that will come with time. Tomorrow at 7:30 in the morning we leave for the birthplace of Buddha, and the wild jungles of Chitwan (elephants and tigers and rhinos, oh my!). There is so much to do, and suddenly I've become very lazy! I'm never going to get my assignments done in time!
Miss you all,
Kori
Sorry these pics are all out of order, and I am too lazy to fix them!
This is so awesome Kori! It looks like you're having fun!
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever known! And, yes, you do look like a sun goddess!
I hope you continue to have fun! I'll try to keep more updated with your blog so that my comments make sense.
Lots of Love, Liana.
By the way, your aamaa is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHey, hey!
ReplyDeleteFinally figured time for a comment...
Ya got an awesome thing going haha...
Almost feel jealous almost...
Its like a whole different world...
and here i'm doin taxes 9 hrs a day...
Get some good shots of your student
cohorts on your trekking trip...
See ya when the sun comes up again...
jg
What an unbelievable experience! It will be great when your language skills/knowledge-of-the-culture let your incredible personality shine through, not to mention your sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteI hope your comment about "stale library doing p. chem hw" was more about the library than the subject :).
Look forward to hearing more!
Kori~ Did you ever get my letter? I wanted to make sure you got the first one before I sent you a second.
ReplyDelete