For the past few days my Aamaa in Kathmandu has been harvesting her many fields of wheat, with the help of a few other neighbor women and one man. I have gone into the fields to help cut the wheat a few times now, and have found it to be very hard work. At some points during the threshing process I was able to relax and reflect on my experiences here and the upcoming events that will take place in my life over the next year. At other points I watched the other women and wondered why my two days of experience did not make me as fast of a worker as them. At the end of the day, both my Aamaa and I were tired, our backs ached, our hands were callused, and our nails full of dirt. Miraculously, I was the only one with bugs bites. Yesterday I realized that although I would love to think that I could become a farmer and live off my own subsistence if I wanted to, I am just not cut out for the job. While I will continue to help my Aamaa as she prepares her fields to plant new crops, my farming career will stay in Nepal when I leave. When I "grow-up" a small pea-patch or backyard vegetable and herb garden will have to suffice.
While I have been in the physical fields, I have also been in the social fields. I am currently reading and attempting to setup interviews for my final project in Nepal (my language and culture class' finals were in Simigaau and that portion of my studies is now complete). I am hoping to conduct many interviews with government officials, former politicians, and everyday Nepali people about the evolution of the political parties in Nepal. I have about one month to conduct this project, and I am no where near being done, but I am constantly finding new interesting details about politics in Nepal. Nepal has a history of militia-led and social rebellions, and over the years many of these militant groups have transformed into legitimate political parties. The use of physical force in politics is what interests me most, especially because small mountainous countries like Nepal tend to be exhibit this type of political behavior. It is also interesting to watch how the Nepali government is changing. They are a new democracy and currently working on a new constitution, since the last constitution that was promulgated in 1990, was based on a constitutional monarchy, and there has been a major revolution since then. I must note that there are currently no political revolutions of violent acts going on that I am aware of. I feel safe!
All in all, I may be destined to be more on the research end of field work than the getting muddy version. However, I appreciate both and I am open to the idea that my life my take me to many other types of fields, before I settle on one.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Love, Marriage, and Alcohol
I spent the past two weeks living in a remote village nestled in the Himalayas called Simigaau. Simigaau means bean village, but ironically they do not grow any beans. Instead they grow wheat, millet, corn, potatoes, etc.. While I was there I ate potatoes everyday, watched my family harvest wheat, and help feed our nine cows. I lived with a 60 year-old mother, 55 year-old father, and three of their children. In total my parents had seven children, nine cows, three goats, thirteen chickens (on the first day I was there, there were 14 chickens, but one was eaten), and one odd dog. My siblings ranged from aged 13 to 30, and three had children of their own. Needless to say, there were always people around the house doing house and farm work or just hanging out.
Most of the families in Simigaau are of the Sherpa or Tamang ethnicity. The caste system in Nepal is still very prevalent, and certain castes are forbidden to drink, intermarry, divorce, etc. I have actually found many parallels between this system and the class system in the United States. However, in Nepal the lowest casts are considered and called "untouchable." The Sherpa and Tamang societies are more flexible then many other castes, and are considered drinking castes because they consume a lot of alcohol. Unlike the Chettri caste, which is the second highest caste in Nepal, the Sherpa and Tamang people are allowed to intermarry with other religions and ethnic groups, as well as divorce. The family with whom I have been living for the majority of my stay in Nepal is Chettri and they do not drink, and prefer arranged marriages to love marriages (which are now growing in popularity here). Although they are open to inter-religious marriages, they think that inter-caste marriages are very complicated and should not to be done (they do occasionally happen though).
My family in Simigaau was an inter-marriage between a Shepa and Tamang ethnicity, which meant that in the house both Sherpa and Tamang languages were spoken. The entire village is tri-lingual, but prefers Sherpa and Tamang to Nepali, so I had to try really hard to make conversations in our house to be in Nepali. Anyway, everyday my father would wake up and start drinking a drink called raksi, which is a wheat or millet-based liquor. Then he would go into the fields and prepare food for our cows and goats, come back and either drink more raksi or chang, which is a millet-based liquor. At first I was alarmed that he would drink all day and my mother would not only service him alcohol, but sometime make it for him. All the alcohols in Simigaau are made by hand, and I observed their different processes. I have grown up in a culture where drink all-day and every-day is considered alcoholism and a major problem. When I first found out my father drank everyday, I thought,"wow I would dump this guy if he were my husband," but then I would see my mother prepare the alcohol for him. In the end, I came to a few realizations about how in this culture alcohol is like tea and not as bad as what I have grown-up hearing about excessive drinking. Many people drink all the time in Simigaau, but do not show signs of alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Despite drinking, my father would do all the work that he needed to do in the fields, to help the family, and to help the town. The alcohol did not interfere with his relationship with me or the rest of his family, who did not drink. Although I do not endorse drinking all the time, I think that he was able to conduct his life and contribute to our family in a productive way, while drinking. And the love that I could see between my mother and father was very strong. The family also happened to have the most amazing smile, sense of humor, and this immense love for each other.
On another alcoholic note, yesterday I was talking with my actual mom on the phone and she asked me if I had been drinking beer. Although I celebrated my 21st birthday (which is a big deal for US citizens because it is the legal drinking age), I did not celebrate with a beer or any other alcoholic beverage. I did however get a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting... Anyway, to answer my actual mom's question in Nepal they have a beer called Everest Beer, with a picture of a man climbing Mt. Everest, which I think is pretty cool. While in Simigaau I did try raksi, chang, and thomba. At the end of my hike to the village I was greeted and welcomed into the house of one of our kitchen staff workers, who lives in Simigaau. In his house, all of the students and program staff were given raksi and potatoes to eat. I personally found raksi really hard to drink and every time I had a sip I made a funny face. However, it is impolite in Sherpa/Tamang culture to not try it when it is offered, so all the students finished a small glass of raksi. On another occasion I drank a warm mug of chang with my host father, but I had to put iodine in it and wait 20 minutes before it was okay for me to drink it. Many people call chang "Nepali beer," but I thought it tasted more like a cheep and warm glass of wine. Some of my friends agreed and other friends thought it tasted like yogurt. The third alcohol I tried in Simigaau, was thomba. Thomba tasted a lot like chang, but is prepared and drunk very differently. The entire thomba mug is filled with millet and a little bit of water, and then the water is drunk from a straw. Magically pouring warm water into the millet creates alcohol, and the mug can be filled three times before the alcohol is no longer strong. I was told that if I ate the millet I would become sick, so that is why everyone uses a straw to drink it.
Another interesting culture note that connects love, marriage, and alcohol is that when a man wants to get married in Simigaau, he and his family traditionally bring a large bottle or raksi to the women's house. If she does not drink the raksi then she is rejecting him.
Now that I am back in Kathmandu, I am back to just drinking my water... Don't worry Mom!
As a three-year-old Simigaau resident told me, "cheers!"
Most of the families in Simigaau are of the Sherpa or Tamang ethnicity. The caste system in Nepal is still very prevalent, and certain castes are forbidden to drink, intermarry, divorce, etc. I have actually found many parallels between this system and the class system in the United States. However, in Nepal the lowest casts are considered and called "untouchable." The Sherpa and Tamang societies are more flexible then many other castes, and are considered drinking castes because they consume a lot of alcohol. Unlike the Chettri caste, which is the second highest caste in Nepal, the Sherpa and Tamang people are allowed to intermarry with other religions and ethnic groups, as well as divorce. The family with whom I have been living for the majority of my stay in Nepal is Chettri and they do not drink, and prefer arranged marriages to love marriages (which are now growing in popularity here). Although they are open to inter-religious marriages, they think that inter-caste marriages are very complicated and should not to be done (they do occasionally happen though).
My family in Simigaau was an inter-marriage between a Shepa and Tamang ethnicity, which meant that in the house both Sherpa and Tamang languages were spoken. The entire village is tri-lingual, but prefers Sherpa and Tamang to Nepali, so I had to try really hard to make conversations in our house to be in Nepali. Anyway, everyday my father would wake up and start drinking a drink called raksi, which is a wheat or millet-based liquor. Then he would go into the fields and prepare food for our cows and goats, come back and either drink more raksi or chang, which is a millet-based liquor. At first I was alarmed that he would drink all day and my mother would not only service him alcohol, but sometime make it for him. All the alcohols in Simigaau are made by hand, and I observed their different processes. I have grown up in a culture where drink all-day and every-day is considered alcoholism and a major problem. When I first found out my father drank everyday, I thought,"wow I would dump this guy if he were my husband," but then I would see my mother prepare the alcohol for him. In the end, I came to a few realizations about how in this culture alcohol is like tea and not as bad as what I have grown-up hearing about excessive drinking. Many people drink all the time in Simigaau, but do not show signs of alcoholism or alcohol abuse. Despite drinking, my father would do all the work that he needed to do in the fields, to help the family, and to help the town. The alcohol did not interfere with his relationship with me or the rest of his family, who did not drink. Although I do not endorse drinking all the time, I think that he was able to conduct his life and contribute to our family in a productive way, while drinking. And the love that I could see between my mother and father was very strong. The family also happened to have the most amazing smile, sense of humor, and this immense love for each other.
On another alcoholic note, yesterday I was talking with my actual mom on the phone and she asked me if I had been drinking beer. Although I celebrated my 21st birthday (which is a big deal for US citizens because it is the legal drinking age), I did not celebrate with a beer or any other alcoholic beverage. I did however get a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting... Anyway, to answer my actual mom's question in Nepal they have a beer called Everest Beer, with a picture of a man climbing Mt. Everest, which I think is pretty cool. While in Simigaau I did try raksi, chang, and thomba. At the end of my hike to the village I was greeted and welcomed into the house of one of our kitchen staff workers, who lives in Simigaau. In his house, all of the students and program staff were given raksi and potatoes to eat. I personally found raksi really hard to drink and every time I had a sip I made a funny face. However, it is impolite in Sherpa/Tamang culture to not try it when it is offered, so all the students finished a small glass of raksi. On another occasion I drank a warm mug of chang with my host father, but I had to put iodine in it and wait 20 minutes before it was okay for me to drink it. Many people call chang "Nepali beer," but I thought it tasted more like a cheep and warm glass of wine. Some of my friends agreed and other friends thought it tasted like yogurt. The third alcohol I tried in Simigaau, was thomba. Thomba tasted a lot like chang, but is prepared and drunk very differently. The entire thomba mug is filled with millet and a little bit of water, and then the water is drunk from a straw. Magically pouring warm water into the millet creates alcohol, and the mug can be filled three times before the alcohol is no longer strong. I was told that if I ate the millet I would become sick, so that is why everyone uses a straw to drink it.
Another interesting culture note that connects love, marriage, and alcohol is that when a man wants to get married in Simigaau, he and his family traditionally bring a large bottle or raksi to the women's house. If she does not drink the raksi then she is rejecting him.
Now that I am back in Kathmandu, I am back to just drinking my water... Don't worry Mom!
As a three-year-old Simigaau resident told me, "cheers!"
Potty Talk
** Warning: If you are uncomfortable with reading about poop and how I use a toilet in Nepal, then maybe you should skip this post...
When I lived at my host family’s house in Turkey they had what I like to call a squatty-toilet. This means there was a ceramic basin in the floor with a small hole in it, where I squatted over and did my toilet business. Before arriving in Turkey and using that toilet, I had not been given a proper orientation for how to use it. Although there was toilet paper on my first day, when it ran out I started to provide my own. I had no idea how to flush the toilet so everything stayed put inside the hole when I was done. Then when I moved into the dorm in Turkey I had the luxury of a western toilet (i.e. what you find in homes and public restrooms in the US and Europe).
My home in Nepal has the same type of toilet, and in fact most of the private and public toilets are squatty-toilets. This means that my thighs are becoming extra strong! On the first day of the program I was given an orientation of how to use toilets here. Here are the basic steps. (1) enter the charpi (toilet room) and if it is in a house put on the bathroom slippers provided (2) pull your pants down and hover over the basin (3) aim and (4) fire. In the charpi there is usually a small bucket of water, and plastic mug, and a spicket in case you go number two. If there is no water in the bucket then you use your right hand to turn on the spicket. This water is your toilet paper, and if there is no water then you are out of luck and either get creative or hold it. Toilet paper is highly not recommended because it can clog the toilets here. After going to the bathroom you use your right hand to poor water from the mug into your left hand and wipe with your left hand. You pour, wipe, pour, wipe, and repeat until you are all clean. To get dry, I like to either do a little dance or use my hand as a squeegee. To flush you fill a mug or as many mugs are needed and pour water into the basin, until you cannot see your excrement anymore. After everything is all done and your pants are back on, you leave the charpi by using your right hand to open the door. Then wash your hands at a sink by turning the faucet on with your right hand, using your right hand to get soapy, and then taking your soapy hand to wash your left hand, so that you do not make the soap impure. It sounds more complicated then it is.
I am pretty lucky to have two charpi's in my house, so I do not have to leave at night to go to the bathroom. A lot of other girls on the program have bedpans that they must empty in the morning and have to walk outside to go to the bathroom. The reason why they have bedpans is that there are wild dogs that run around at night, so this allows them to stay safe at home. I stayed with a family for three nights in a remote mountain village named Tangting. In Tangting my toilet was outside my dung-made home, so I would have to walk outside at night, but there where never any dogs. Tangting does not have load-shedding because they have their own hydro-power plant, which means that there is constent electricity. So there were also lights on the 10-foot path to the toilet, so I could check for animals before I went.
On another note, I leave on April 28th for a two-week village stay in Simigaau. Simigau is a remote village nestled in the foothills of the Himalaya's so I will not have any email or phone access. I am very excited to go and learn about Sherpa and Tamang culture. I will also have my last two weeks of language classes and final exams there. When I get back I will be starting my month-long research project on the political parties of Nepal.
Hope you are all doing well!
Happy Nepali New Years!
When I lived at my host family’s house in Turkey they had what I like to call a squatty-toilet. This means there was a ceramic basin in the floor with a small hole in it, where I squatted over and did my toilet business. Before arriving in Turkey and using that toilet, I had not been given a proper orientation for how to use it. Although there was toilet paper on my first day, when it ran out I started to provide my own. I had no idea how to flush the toilet so everything stayed put inside the hole when I was done. Then when I moved into the dorm in Turkey I had the luxury of a western toilet (i.e. what you find in homes and public restrooms in the US and Europe).
My home in Nepal has the same type of toilet, and in fact most of the private and public toilets are squatty-toilets. This means that my thighs are becoming extra strong! On the first day of the program I was given an orientation of how to use toilets here. Here are the basic steps. (1) enter the charpi (toilet room) and if it is in a house put on the bathroom slippers provided (2) pull your pants down and hover over the basin (3) aim and (4) fire. In the charpi there is usually a small bucket of water, and plastic mug, and a spicket in case you go number two. If there is no water in the bucket then you use your right hand to turn on the spicket. This water is your toilet paper, and if there is no water then you are out of luck and either get creative or hold it. Toilet paper is highly not recommended because it can clog the toilets here. After going to the bathroom you use your right hand to poor water from the mug into your left hand and wipe with your left hand. You pour, wipe, pour, wipe, and repeat until you are all clean. To get dry, I like to either do a little dance or use my hand as a squeegee. To flush you fill a mug or as many mugs are needed and pour water into the basin, until you cannot see your excrement anymore. After everything is all done and your pants are back on, you leave the charpi by using your right hand to open the door. Then wash your hands at a sink by turning the faucet on with your right hand, using your right hand to get soapy, and then taking your soapy hand to wash your left hand, so that you do not make the soap impure. It sounds more complicated then it is.
I am pretty lucky to have two charpi's in my house, so I do not have to leave at night to go to the bathroom. A lot of other girls on the program have bedpans that they must empty in the morning and have to walk outside to go to the bathroom. The reason why they have bedpans is that there are wild dogs that run around at night, so this allows them to stay safe at home. I stayed with a family for three nights in a remote mountain village named Tangting. In Tangting my toilet was outside my dung-made home, so I would have to walk outside at night, but there where never any dogs. Tangting does not have load-shedding because they have their own hydro-power plant, which means that there is constent electricity. So there were also lights on the 10-foot path to the toilet, so I could check for animals before I went.
On another note, I leave on April 28th for a two-week village stay in Simigaau. Simigau is a remote village nestled in the foothills of the Himalaya's so I will not have any email or phone access. I am very excited to go and learn about Sherpa and Tamang culture. I will also have my last two weeks of language classes and final exams there. When I get back I will be starting my month-long research project on the political parties of Nepal.
Hope you are all doing well!
Happy Nepali New Years!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Finger Lickin' Good
I have now been living Nepal for three months, so a lot of daily tasks that at first took time to adjust to, I now feel are a normal part of life. For example, every single meal here I eat with my hands, and yes, I do lick my fingers after eating. More specifically I eat with my right hand. If your wondering why I eat with my right hand specifically and how I keep my hands clean enough to eat off of, don't worry; everything will be explained below.
It is important to note that there are a lot of health rules that I am suppose to follow, and the both the Pitzer program staff and my host family follow when preparing food so that I do not get sick. For example, all the water I drink must be boiled for at least 20 minutes to kill all bacteria before I can drink it; all food dishes must be covered with a plate when they are not attended to so that flies do not infect them; my plate and mugs must be heated over a fire to disinfect them before I can eat off of them and I am not eating any raw vegetables unless they have been iodized. This means that I have to be very careful of what restaurants I eat at. However, following these health rules is a lot easier then they seem and I have been in fairly good health my entire trip.
Another important rule is that I wash my hands with soap before every meal and thoroughly dry them in the air. I must let my hands dry completely without touching anything to kill all lingering bacteria from the water. If water from my hands gets in my food, I run the risk of getting bacterial dysentery... After my hand is completely dry, if I haven't touched anything with my right hand, I can begin to eat. In Nepali culture everyone eats with their right hand, even if they are left handed, because in Nepal you are suppose to use your left hand to wipe your butt after going to the bathroom (we don't use toilet paper here, but I will explain that in my next post). Although, we wash our hands after going to the bathroom and also wash our hands before eating, it is considered and impure hand. However, after eating, your right hand becomes polluted and you cannot touch anything with it. There are a lot of rituals in Nepal which are polluting and purifying. The plate and cup from which you eat and drink, as well as your mouth also become considered polluted until they are washed. So after every meal and snack, I rewash my hands and wash my mouth, then wash my dishes. It gets complicated because then I can only turn on the faucet to wash my hands with my left hand, even though after I go to the bathroom I can only touch the faucet with my right hand.
Okay now that I have thoroughly confused and possibly bored you with eating logistics in Nepal I will make your mouth water by describing what I eat. Traditionally, Nepalis eat two daalbhaat's and a kaaja a day. Daalbhaat is a plate with rice, vegetables, lentil soup, and a spicy dish on it. Daal literally is the lentil soup and bhaat literally means rice. Kaaja is usually a large snack like flat bread and vegetables, flattened rice (like cornflakes), fried bread, a Nepali pancake, or something sweet and delicious. Most Nepali's eat their first daalbhaat around 9 AM and there second around 8 PM, with kaaja in between. After the second daalbhaat, if there is no electricity and therefore no TV to watch everyone goes to bed. I eat kaaja as my breakfast before school every morning. Typically I eat three rotis, which are flattened bread that my Aamaa, Didi, and I roll every morning and cook on our kerosene stove. I also eat either potatoes, a cooked leafy-green vegetable, cauliflower, or beans with my roti. I also never leave the house in the morning without drinking chiyaa (black tea). Then in between classes at school I have a chiyaa break with biscuits and peanut butter! And around 1PM I eat my first daalhaat of the day. On my days off, I eat every meal with my family so the order is switched.
When I get home in the afternoon I usually spend time talking with my Aamaa and Didi and then start cooking our evening daalbhaat with them. My job is usually to cut potatoes or put whatever spices my Aamaa tells me into the vegetables on the stove. The food is delicious! Typically my Aamaa puts masalaa and a few chilly peppers in the vegetables. Recently she has started to put ginger in our chiyaa and daal, which I appreciate. Every night there is a variation of vegetables and types of daal. At the kitchen table, my Daai (older brother) usually makes it home just in time for my Aamaa to serve food. There always seems to be the same fight between my Aamaa, Didi, and Daai at the table about how much food they each get. My Aamaa, like many mothers across the globe, wants my Didi, Daai, and I to eat a ton and take seconds or thirds, and we are always stuffed after our first serving. My plate is usually a huge mound of bhaat! My Didi always tells my Aamaa that she is full and covers her plate with her polluted hand so that my Aamaa will not add anymore food, but when my Didi turns her head somehow more food appears on her plate. My Daai does the same thing, but likes to add "give it to the dog, give it to the dog." This make my Aamaa a little upset and she then puts even more bhaat on his plate. Extra food does go to our dog though. Daai usually eats super fast and then runs up stairs to go to bed. At first I thought that he probably doesn't like being the only man among three women every night, but now I think he just is full and does not want to eat more because we literally eat a lot! So for those who worry that I am not getting enough food, don't worry I have an Aamaa pushing more food on my plate when I am not looking and guilting me to eat more when I am ukass mukas (stuffed).
Just to note, in the Nepali language there is a word for rice at every stage of its life - when it is a seed, when it is unhusked, when it is husked, when it is cooked, etc - which shows how important it is to the Nepali diet and culture. Saag is the term that describes all leafy green vegetables in Nepal. I eat a lot of saag, but sometimes it is lettuce, mustard leaves, spinach, etc.
While I have been here I have been able to get a burrito (which is something I craved in Turkey), Italian food, snickers bars, and a birthday cake. There are also a lot of different types of Nepali food I have tried, like chhuni, a flattened rice that gets deep-fried, and momo's, which are vegetable dumplings. So far, I have enjoyed everything.
Ramo sanga kannus! (Happy eating!)
It is important to note that there are a lot of health rules that I am suppose to follow, and the both the Pitzer program staff and my host family follow when preparing food so that I do not get sick. For example, all the water I drink must be boiled for at least 20 minutes to kill all bacteria before I can drink it; all food dishes must be covered with a plate when they are not attended to so that flies do not infect them; my plate and mugs must be heated over a fire to disinfect them before I can eat off of them and I am not eating any raw vegetables unless they have been iodized. This means that I have to be very careful of what restaurants I eat at. However, following these health rules is a lot easier then they seem and I have been in fairly good health my entire trip.
Another important rule is that I wash my hands with soap before every meal and thoroughly dry them in the air. I must let my hands dry completely without touching anything to kill all lingering bacteria from the water. If water from my hands gets in my food, I run the risk of getting bacterial dysentery... After my hand is completely dry, if I haven't touched anything with my right hand, I can begin to eat. In Nepali culture everyone eats with their right hand, even if they are left handed, because in Nepal you are suppose to use your left hand to wipe your butt after going to the bathroom (we don't use toilet paper here, but I will explain that in my next post). Although, we wash our hands after going to the bathroom and also wash our hands before eating, it is considered and impure hand. However, after eating, your right hand becomes polluted and you cannot touch anything with it. There are a lot of rituals in Nepal which are polluting and purifying. The plate and cup from which you eat and drink, as well as your mouth also become considered polluted until they are washed. So after every meal and snack, I rewash my hands and wash my mouth, then wash my dishes. It gets complicated because then I can only turn on the faucet to wash my hands with my left hand, even though after I go to the bathroom I can only touch the faucet with my right hand.
Okay now that I have thoroughly confused and possibly bored you with eating logistics in Nepal I will make your mouth water by describing what I eat. Traditionally, Nepalis eat two daalbhaat's and a kaaja a day. Daalbhaat is a plate with rice, vegetables, lentil soup, and a spicy dish on it. Daal literally is the lentil soup and bhaat literally means rice. Kaaja is usually a large snack like flat bread and vegetables, flattened rice (like cornflakes), fried bread, a Nepali pancake, or something sweet and delicious. Most Nepali's eat their first daalbhaat around 9 AM and there second around 8 PM, with kaaja in between. After the second daalbhaat, if there is no electricity and therefore no TV to watch everyone goes to bed. I eat kaaja as my breakfast before school every morning. Typically I eat three rotis, which are flattened bread that my Aamaa, Didi, and I roll every morning and cook on our kerosene stove. I also eat either potatoes, a cooked leafy-green vegetable, cauliflower, or beans with my roti. I also never leave the house in the morning without drinking chiyaa (black tea). Then in between classes at school I have a chiyaa break with biscuits and peanut butter! And around 1PM I eat my first daalhaat of the day. On my days off, I eat every meal with my family so the order is switched.
When I get home in the afternoon I usually spend time talking with my Aamaa and Didi and then start cooking our evening daalbhaat with them. My job is usually to cut potatoes or put whatever spices my Aamaa tells me into the vegetables on the stove. The food is delicious! Typically my Aamaa puts masalaa and a few chilly peppers in the vegetables. Recently she has started to put ginger in our chiyaa and daal, which I appreciate. Every night there is a variation of vegetables and types of daal. At the kitchen table, my Daai (older brother) usually makes it home just in time for my Aamaa to serve food. There always seems to be the same fight between my Aamaa, Didi, and Daai at the table about how much food they each get. My Aamaa, like many mothers across the globe, wants my Didi, Daai, and I to eat a ton and take seconds or thirds, and we are always stuffed after our first serving. My plate is usually a huge mound of bhaat! My Didi always tells my Aamaa that she is full and covers her plate with her polluted hand so that my Aamaa will not add anymore food, but when my Didi turns her head somehow more food appears on her plate. My Daai does the same thing, but likes to add "give it to the dog, give it to the dog." This make my Aamaa a little upset and she then puts even more bhaat on his plate. Extra food does go to our dog though. Daai usually eats super fast and then runs up stairs to go to bed. At first I thought that he probably doesn't like being the only man among three women every night, but now I think he just is full and does not want to eat more because we literally eat a lot! So for those who worry that I am not getting enough food, don't worry I have an Aamaa pushing more food on my plate when I am not looking and guilting me to eat more when I am ukass mukas (stuffed).
Just to note, in the Nepali language there is a word for rice at every stage of its life - when it is a seed, when it is unhusked, when it is husked, when it is cooked, etc - which shows how important it is to the Nepali diet and culture. Saag is the term that describes all leafy green vegetables in Nepal. I eat a lot of saag, but sometimes it is lettuce, mustard leaves, spinach, etc.
While I have been here I have been able to get a burrito (which is something I craved in Turkey), Italian food, snickers bars, and a birthday cake. There are also a lot of different types of Nepali food I have tried, like chhuni, a flattened rice that gets deep-fried, and momo's, which are vegetable dumplings. So far, I have enjoyed everything.
Ramo sanga kannus! (Happy eating!)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sounds of Religion
During the past few months I have experienced auspicious holidays and visited holy sites for five of the worlds most prominent religions. For example, I was in Turkey for Ramadan, and visited Vatican City and Jerusalem. Now I can say I have been to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. In Buddhism there are actually five Buddha's, and last week I visited three of their birthplaces. The three birthplaces I saw are marked with stone pillars. The fourth Buddha is who we know as Lord Buddha or Siddhartha, and the fifth Buddha has yet to come into existence. Surrounding the stone that marks Lord Buddha's birthplace, there are many monasteries, which have been built by different countries. Each monastery is architecturally unique and some mark holly sites. For example, Sri Lanka's monastery houses the tree that Buddha sat under to meditate.
While the main religion in Nepal is Hinduism, Buddhism is also very prominent. There are also a few Muslim and Christian populations here. As soon as I arrived in Lumbini and settled into my hotel I heard the Call to Prayer. Although Lumbini is a place that Buddhists pilgrim to from around the world, there was as mosque in the middle of town. The sound of the Call to Prayer was a nice reminder of my life in Turkey. It was almost calming to hear what I had grown accustom to hearing five times a day. However, it was also a bit ironic that this is where I would find a large Muslim population in Nepal.
The sound of religion in Nepal is different from that in Turkey. Instead of hearing a voice singing five times a day, I hear a bell ringing twice a day. My Nepali family is Hindu, and twice a day my mother practices Puja. Puja is a ceremony done for many different occasions and to mark many different holidays. The Puja my mother does everyday is in honor of her deceased father and husband. The process involves ringing a bell, lighting a candle, reciting a few verses, and taking Tika. Tika is typically a red powder that women and men put on their foreheads or on their hairlines during ceremonies or after marriage. When a womens husband has died, instead of the traditional red Tika, her Tika will be a lighter color such as pink, white, or yellow. Anyway, my house is next to a Hindu Temple, so every morning I can hear people going to the temple to pay tribute to someone or pray to the gods, or my neighbors ringing a bell in their home's personal shrine. Although I live next to a temple, there is a room in my house dedicated to doing Puja. Other Puja ceremonies I have participated in have been for the engagement of a Pitzer graduate who lives in and is from Nepal, commemorating the death of my Nepali great grandfather, an occasion when the entire side of my Nepali mothers family came together, and to celebrate the beginning of studying in Nepal.
I am now growing accustom to hearing these bells ring everyday. When I go home in June, I hope to realize another sound that I may have missed before.
While the main religion in Nepal is Hinduism, Buddhism is also very prominent. There are also a few Muslim and Christian populations here. As soon as I arrived in Lumbini and settled into my hotel I heard the Call to Prayer. Although Lumbini is a place that Buddhists pilgrim to from around the world, there was as mosque in the middle of town. The sound of the Call to Prayer was a nice reminder of my life in Turkey. It was almost calming to hear what I had grown accustom to hearing five times a day. However, it was also a bit ironic that this is where I would find a large Muslim population in Nepal.
The sound of religion in Nepal is different from that in Turkey. Instead of hearing a voice singing five times a day, I hear a bell ringing twice a day. My Nepali family is Hindu, and twice a day my mother practices Puja. Puja is a ceremony done for many different occasions and to mark many different holidays. The Puja my mother does everyday is in honor of her deceased father and husband. The process involves ringing a bell, lighting a candle, reciting a few verses, and taking Tika. Tika is typically a red powder that women and men put on their foreheads or on their hairlines during ceremonies or after marriage. When a womens husband has died, instead of the traditional red Tika, her Tika will be a lighter color such as pink, white, or yellow. Anyway, my house is next to a Hindu Temple, so every morning I can hear people going to the temple to pay tribute to someone or pray to the gods, or my neighbors ringing a bell in their home's personal shrine. Although I live next to a temple, there is a room in my house dedicated to doing Puja. Other Puja ceremonies I have participated in have been for the engagement of a Pitzer graduate who lives in and is from Nepal, commemorating the death of my Nepali great grandfather, an occasion when the entire side of my Nepali mothers family came together, and to celebrate the beginning of studying in Nepal.
I am now growing accustom to hearing these bells ring everyday. When I go home in June, I hope to realize another sound that I may have missed before.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Mero Nepali Pariwaar ra School (My Nepali Family and School)
Nameste (I bow to the divinity within you = hello),
I have now been in Nepal for a month! It is absolutely amazing! The transition into Nepali society and daily life has been a smooth one, and I am enjoying every aspect of of this adventure so far! For the first two weeks I was living at the Pitzer program house and intensely studying Nepali. Now I am living with a host family and still intensely studying Nepali.
Prepare yourself for a long blog post... The entire country of Nepal is "load-shedding," which means that for 14 hours a day there is no electricity. Nepal gets most of its electricity from hydro-power, and because it's not the rainy season there is a lack of energy. Since I am in school nine hours a day, it is hard to get to an internet cafe during the hours that there is electricity. Therefore, the stories have piled up and I have so much to share with you! This post just a tid-bit of what my life has been like here.
Pariwaar (Family):
I am living in a pink house with my Aamaa (Mother), Didi (older sister), Daai (older brother), and a dog named Tulgi. They have all been very welcoming! My Aamaa works at home and in the fields around our house during the day. She is an amazing woman and is always smiling and cracking jokes. I am becoming very close to her and my Didi. Here is an example of one of my Amma's jokes: Every Saturday is "family day," which means I have a day off from school, but I am required to spend time with my family. Saturdays is also when I shower and wash my clothes (I will have to write about this process another time). Last Saturday, after my shower, my Aamaa and I were sitting on our rooftop terrace and she was brushing and braiding my hair. She kept telling me that I had lice! I would say, "what! Are you joking? No I don't!" The she would reply, "no, just kidding," pause and tell me again that I had lice. This want on about five times and in the end I really do not have lice...I promise!
My Didi is 23 years-old and my Daai is 21 years-old. They both are waiting to hear results from college exams, so they are not working or in school(my Didi is waiting to hear how she did on her nursing exam.) This means my Didi is usually helping around the house and spending time with friends. She is usually around after I come home from school, so we hang out, chat, and help Aamaa cook dinner. My brother however, is never around. He is usually hanging out with his friends when I get home. He comes home just in time to sit down with us for dinner, which is around 7 PM, and then literally sprints to bed afterward. Therefore, I have not spent much time getting to know him, but when I do see him (other than at dinner) he is usually playing with our 11 and 2 year-old neighbors and very kind.
Next door is my Sano-Hajurbaa (little-yes dad = little brother of my grandfather)house. He lives with his son and son's family. In Nepal it is traditional for the parents to with their eldest son's family. The means that every first-born son knows growing up that they are stuck with their parents forever!!! His house has the 11 and 2 year-old boys. They are pretty cute. The 11 year-old always tries to speak English to me and everyone gets made at him, which is pretty funny. The 2 year-old always comes over during breakfast and is around to play with (we probably speak the same amount of Nepali).
A few blocks away is my Baa's (father, who is deceased) parent's and younger brother's house. My Kaka (uncle) and Hajuraamaa (yes mom = grandmother) come over to my house fairly often. Usually my Hajuraamaa comes over in the morning for chiyaa (tea)and to give us fresh milk. However, she has been sick for the past few days and has been unable to come over. My Hajuraamaa is a character though, and only has a few teeth! She usually comes to our house to sneak a cigarette and drink lots of chiyaa. One morning I came down stairs for breakfast and she was sitting at the kitchen table, and told me she was on her fifth glass of chiyaa. My Amma then joked that Hajuraamaa has no teeth because she drinks too much chiyaa with too much sugar and that she smokes. My Hajuramma then smiled in agreement! I typically only see my Hajurbaa (yes dad = grandfather)and my Kaki (aunt) when I go to their house. My friend Ana also lives at their house, so we walk to and from school together.
Just to note, I am the tenth Pitzer student my family has had. They are very good about speaking slow enough for me to understand and using Nepali words to help describe words I do not know. Also, I am pretty sure my Didi and Dai know English, but are keeping it a secret from me, which I appreciate because I am trying to learn as much as I can.
School:
School is about a 30 minute walk through mustard, potato, onion, etc fields from house. Every morning I wake up 7 AM, eat roti (a flat bread that looks like a pancake) and vegetables, and leave for school around 8:20 AM. School is typically from 9 AM to 5 PM, but sometimes runs a bit late. We have four hours of Language class in the morning, with a short chiyaa and biscuit break in between (I will have to devote an entire blog post just to food and how we eat...). In our language classes we are not allowed to speak in English or take notes because our teachers are trying to teach us Nepali as if we were learning it as our first language. It is difficult, but this learning style really works! I am legitimately able to have conversations with my family and get around the city on my own. I would say I know more Nepali now then I know Turkish, and I studied Turkish for 5 months. There are three main language teachers, and we switch teachers everyday. The classes have two or three students in them and they change after every week. After class we have a guest lecture to us about an important Nepali topic. So far we have learned about the Caste System, Nepali History, Current Political History, Natural Resources, Foreign Aid and Development, etc.
This program has also allowed for some alternative learning and field trips. Last week we each went to different NGO's and interviewed their directors about what they are doing and why. Then we shared with each presented the NGO's to our class. I went to an NGO named CDO that deals with the brick factories in Nepal, which have very poor conditions. The workers and children lack sanitation, education, health care, food, and basic life necessities. CDO helps provide all these resources through a school, scholarships, health seminars, workshops, and a mobile health clinic. I was able to tour a brick factory site and it was pretty eye-opening! Our field-trips are not your average elementary school style trip... We have a lecturer come with us and tour us around a site. We have had a historical tours of Kathmandu, Patan, Pashupati Temple, a big Stupaa, etc. Both the cities of Kathmandu and Patan have large squares filled with Hindu and Buddhist temples because at one time the kings of the two cities and one other city were in competition to see who could build the most temples. So you could imagine (or google and see) how beautiful their squares are - both squares happen to be named Durbar Square. The primary religions in Nepal are Hinduism and Buddhism, but I will have to save religion for another post...
It's important to note that there are only eight bidyaarthi (students) on this program. We are all girls! Six are from Pitzer, one from Pomona, and one from Vassar. Everyone is interested and dedicated to learning Nepali and about Nepali society, so we all motivate each other and push each other to practice our language skills.
Well folks, that's about I'll I have time to write about... Tomorrow I leave for an eight day trip to Chitwan and Lumbini. In Chitwan National Park I will get to ride an elephant and go on a safari ride! Lumbini is where Buddha was born, so I am sure I will see a lot of beautiful temples. Of course, I will let you know what happens!
Suppaadin (have a good day)!
P.S. I saw Mt. Everest as I flew into Nepal!
I have now been in Nepal for a month! It is absolutely amazing! The transition into Nepali society and daily life has been a smooth one, and I am enjoying every aspect of of this adventure so far! For the first two weeks I was living at the Pitzer program house and intensely studying Nepali. Now I am living with a host family and still intensely studying Nepali.
Prepare yourself for a long blog post... The entire country of Nepal is "load-shedding," which means that for 14 hours a day there is no electricity. Nepal gets most of its electricity from hydro-power, and because it's not the rainy season there is a lack of energy. Since I am in school nine hours a day, it is hard to get to an internet cafe during the hours that there is electricity. Therefore, the stories have piled up and I have so much to share with you! This post just a tid-bit of what my life has been like here.
Pariwaar (Family):
I am living in a pink house with my Aamaa (Mother), Didi (older sister), Daai (older brother), and a dog named Tulgi. They have all been very welcoming! My Aamaa works at home and in the fields around our house during the day. She is an amazing woman and is always smiling and cracking jokes. I am becoming very close to her and my Didi. Here is an example of one of my Amma's jokes: Every Saturday is "family day," which means I have a day off from school, but I am required to spend time with my family. Saturdays is also when I shower and wash my clothes (I will have to write about this process another time). Last Saturday, after my shower, my Aamaa and I were sitting on our rooftop terrace and she was brushing and braiding my hair. She kept telling me that I had lice! I would say, "what! Are you joking? No I don't!" The she would reply, "no, just kidding," pause and tell me again that I had lice. This want on about five times and in the end I really do not have lice...I promise!
My Didi is 23 years-old and my Daai is 21 years-old. They both are waiting to hear results from college exams, so they are not working or in school(my Didi is waiting to hear how she did on her nursing exam.) This means my Didi is usually helping around the house and spending time with friends. She is usually around after I come home from school, so we hang out, chat, and help Aamaa cook dinner. My brother however, is never around. He is usually hanging out with his friends when I get home. He comes home just in time to sit down with us for dinner, which is around 7 PM, and then literally sprints to bed afterward. Therefore, I have not spent much time getting to know him, but when I do see him (other than at dinner) he is usually playing with our 11 and 2 year-old neighbors and very kind.
Next door is my Sano-Hajurbaa (little-yes dad = little brother of my grandfather)house. He lives with his son and son's family. In Nepal it is traditional for the parents to with their eldest son's family. The means that every first-born son knows growing up that they are stuck with their parents forever!!! His house has the 11 and 2 year-old boys. They are pretty cute. The 11 year-old always tries to speak English to me and everyone gets made at him, which is pretty funny. The 2 year-old always comes over during breakfast and is around to play with (we probably speak the same amount of Nepali).
A few blocks away is my Baa's (father, who is deceased) parent's and younger brother's house. My Kaka (uncle) and Hajuraamaa (yes mom = grandmother) come over to my house fairly often. Usually my Hajuraamaa comes over in the morning for chiyaa (tea)and to give us fresh milk. However, she has been sick for the past few days and has been unable to come over. My Hajuraamaa is a character though, and only has a few teeth! She usually comes to our house to sneak a cigarette and drink lots of chiyaa. One morning I came down stairs for breakfast and she was sitting at the kitchen table, and told me she was on her fifth glass of chiyaa. My Amma then joked that Hajuraamaa has no teeth because she drinks too much chiyaa with too much sugar and that she smokes. My Hajuramma then smiled in agreement! I typically only see my Hajurbaa (yes dad = grandfather)and my Kaki (aunt) when I go to their house. My friend Ana also lives at their house, so we walk to and from school together.
Just to note, I am the tenth Pitzer student my family has had. They are very good about speaking slow enough for me to understand and using Nepali words to help describe words I do not know. Also, I am pretty sure my Didi and Dai know English, but are keeping it a secret from me, which I appreciate because I am trying to learn as much as I can.
School:
School is about a 30 minute walk through mustard, potato, onion, etc fields from house. Every morning I wake up 7 AM, eat roti (a flat bread that looks like a pancake) and vegetables, and leave for school around 8:20 AM. School is typically from 9 AM to 5 PM, but sometimes runs a bit late. We have four hours of Language class in the morning, with a short chiyaa and biscuit break in between (I will have to devote an entire blog post just to food and how we eat...). In our language classes we are not allowed to speak in English or take notes because our teachers are trying to teach us Nepali as if we were learning it as our first language. It is difficult, but this learning style really works! I am legitimately able to have conversations with my family and get around the city on my own. I would say I know more Nepali now then I know Turkish, and I studied Turkish for 5 months. There are three main language teachers, and we switch teachers everyday. The classes have two or three students in them and they change after every week. After class we have a guest lecture to us about an important Nepali topic. So far we have learned about the Caste System, Nepali History, Current Political History, Natural Resources, Foreign Aid and Development, etc.
This program has also allowed for some alternative learning and field trips. Last week we each went to different NGO's and interviewed their directors about what they are doing and why. Then we shared with each presented the NGO's to our class. I went to an NGO named CDO that deals with the brick factories in Nepal, which have very poor conditions. The workers and children lack sanitation, education, health care, food, and basic life necessities. CDO helps provide all these resources through a school, scholarships, health seminars, workshops, and a mobile health clinic. I was able to tour a brick factory site and it was pretty eye-opening! Our field-trips are not your average elementary school style trip... We have a lecturer come with us and tour us around a site. We have had a historical tours of Kathmandu, Patan, Pashupati Temple, a big Stupaa, etc. Both the cities of Kathmandu and Patan have large squares filled with Hindu and Buddhist temples because at one time the kings of the two cities and one other city were in competition to see who could build the most temples. So you could imagine (or google and see) how beautiful their squares are - both squares happen to be named Durbar Square. The primary religions in Nepal are Hinduism and Buddhism, but I will have to save religion for another post...
It's important to note that there are only eight bidyaarthi (students) on this program. We are all girls! Six are from Pitzer, one from Pomona, and one from Vassar. Everyone is interested and dedicated to learning Nepali and about Nepali society, so we all motivate each other and push each other to practice our language skills.
Well folks, that's about I'll I have time to write about... Tomorrow I leave for an eight day trip to Chitwan and Lumbini. In Chitwan National Park I will get to ride an elephant and go on a safari ride! Lumbini is where Buddha was born, so I am sure I will see a lot of beautiful temples. Of course, I will let you know what happens!
Suppaadin (have a good day)!
P.S. I saw Mt. Everest as I flew into Nepal!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Kathmandu Bound!
I will be living, studying, and traveling in Nepal from February 2nd to June 12th (Happy Birthday Mom)! You can send me snail mail at:
Miriam Stiefel
G.P.O. Box 1846
Kathmandu
NEPAL
So far on my adventure I have taken 14 planes, and by the time I return home I will have literally traveled around the world on 20 planes. Throughout my life, I have traveled on planes, trains, boats, bikes, and automobiles, as well as horses, camels, donkeys, and lamas. I cannot wait to experience what comes next. Maybe an elephant ride?
I am leaving on a jet plane and I don’t know when I will write again… But I promise that I will keep you apprised of my whereabouts and happenings as best I can.
Miriam Stiefel
G.P.O. Box 1846
Kathmandu
NEPAL
So far on my adventure I have taken 14 planes, and by the time I return home I will have literally traveled around the world on 20 planes. Throughout my life, I have traveled on planes, trains, boats, bikes, and automobiles, as well as horses, camels, donkeys, and lamas. I cannot wait to experience what comes next. Maybe an elephant ride?
I am leaving on a jet plane and I don’t know when I will write again… But I promise that I will keep you apprised of my whereabouts and happenings as best I can.
The Land of Milk and Honey (Israel)
Over the past two weeks I have spent time with my wonderful parents and meeting 10 relatives. We traveled the entire Northern perimeter of Israel, from the Dead Sea to the Golan Heights. While we mostly enjoyed sunny skies, we also had the pleasure of experiencing rain and wind storms in Tel Aviv. After walking the Rampart of the Old City of Jerusalem, I ate certified kosher sushi. I watched the IDF investigate and destroy someone’s misplaced briefcase, while 20 meters away a boy and his family celebrated his bar mitzvah in the streets. Through a tour of the Carmel Mountain with my cousin Michael Weinberger, I witnessed the devastation left behind by biggest fire in Israel’s recent history. The photos below tell a few of my Israel travel tales…
Who knew ordering two salads and two kababs could mean so much food!
You don’t have to be “Dead” to enjoy this Sea…
Mom and I also learned two new natural history facts:
This hyrax is a relative of the elephant, and the sweat of hippopotami is red.
Who knew ordering two salads and two kababs could mean so much food!
You don’t have to be “Dead” to enjoy this Sea…
Mom and I also learned two new natural history facts:
This hyrax is a relative of the elephant, and the sweat of hippopotami is red.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Shalom from Israel!
I arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday, January 17th and have since traveled to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Masada, Rosh Pinah, and Tzfat. While I am enjoying my time in Israel, this blog post is about last week.
Last week, I traveled to Prague and Vienna with my friend Quentin. It was wonderful! I spent two nights in Vienna, three in Prague, and then two more in Vienna. A few of the highlights from Vienna include going to the Schönbrunn Palace, where people like Maria Theresa, the Habsburgs, and Marie Antoinette lived (see the first photo), Museum Hundertwasser, and the Naschmarkt. In addition, we saw an English-speaking comedy performance by a group named “The English Lovers.” In general, I had an amazing time walking around the city and spending time with my friend.
In Prague, I was very lucky to visit the grave of my Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandmother. This is not a joke! Hendel Bassevi is my great grandmother ten generations back, lived in the early 1600s, and is now buried in the famous Old Jewish Cemetery (see the second photo). She was known as the “Queen of the Jews” in Prague because of her philanthropic work. Her grave was among the biggest and most decorative in the cemetery, so she must have been very appreciated. Hendel was married to a Jacob Bassevi von Treuenberg, who was a member of the Bohemian Court, and was actually knighted for helping Emperor Ferdinand II finance the Thirty Years War.
I also explored Prague’s past from its medieval to modern history by visiting the Astronomical Clock (see the third photo), Charles Bridge, the Communist Museum, Jewish Quarter and Museums, etc... Architecturally, Prague is a very beautiful city!
Overall, I had an awesome time getting to know both Vienna and Prague. I definitely recommend visiting them both. However, I had a small luggage issue flying to Israel from Vienna on Air Baltic… Let’s just say one piece of luggage is still in Vienna and will be heading home to Seattle soon with some of my belongings because of exorbitant fees. Due to the fact that my contact lenses are on their way back to Seattle, I will be wearing my glasses for the next five months! It’s probably healthier that way anyway…
I have a week left in Israel to spend with my parents and get ready for Nepal! I am so excited, but nervous to leave the comfort of my computer and warm shower.
B’Shalom (In Peace)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
New Blog New Year:
In late October my grandfather, Ernest Stiefel passed away. After his death I was at a loss of words. How could I tell you, the readers of my blog, how I felt? When I returned from my trip home for the funnel, I could not bring myself to put my feelings into a written expression. I have always considered my grandfather, whom I called Opa, to be an inspiration and hero. He was a Holocaust survivor, a community organizer, a businessman, a family man, and as cliché as it sounds, the smartest man I have ever known. While the traditional Jewish grieving period has passed, the feeling of loss continues to linger.
Throughout the past five months I have traveled to Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Austria. I have traveled within Turkey to Pamukkale, Ephesus, Selcuk, Istanbul, Trabzon, Hattusa, Antalya, etc… This morning I had to pack up all my memories and lessons learned and fit them into a mere duffle bag. The tangible and intangible cannot even begin to fit. Everything I have learned about the Turkish culture, my own culture, and myself I will now bring with me to Nepal.
As this experience comes to a close and I embark on the next, I must share what I am thankful for: I have met so many wonderful people from around the globe, who have taught me invaluable lessons. I have had amazing teachers and interesting classes, and finally finals are done! I have tried new foods and often felt the consequences… I have experienced Ankara in the summer heat, fall breeze, and winter snow. In Turkey, I have learned that the word hospitality means so much more then I ever thought it would.
Yesterday it snowed again in Ankara and whiped my slate clean. From here I go to Austria, the Czech Republic, Israel, Jordan, and then Nepal. My New Years resolution will be to write on this blog more often. However, the extent of my Internet access in Nepal is a bit unknown. While I head into more unknowns, I must recognize how much I have learned and grown here in Turkey. I know that I am well prepared to tackle any challenge that comes my way.
Güle güle Türkiye... seninle çok iyi zaman geçirdik... belki bir gün tekrar bir araya geliriz...
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