After Tokyo, Rmax and I spent four days exploring Kyoto and its surrounding cities. Kyoto was the the capital of Japan before Tokyo. It is a very old place with lots of temples and shrines. Most of our time in Kyoto consisted of visiting about five temples, a rock garden, a bamboo forest, and a traditional Geisha neighborhood (Geon). I also meet up with a friend from high school who was studying abroad in Kyoto. Meeting someone from home in Japan was very cool! Kyoto is a lot smaller and quieter than Tokyo, and it is about a three hour train-ride from Tokyo on the Shinkansen (bullet train).
In Kyoto, Rmax and I were both were having small aches and pains from traveling, so we decided to get massages. We happen to pass by a nice looking spa and went in and booked two massages for the following day. When we arrived for our appointments we were greeted with cold, herbal tea and asked if we wanted a traditional shiatsu (pressure) massage or an oil massage. We both decided on the shiatsu massage. The receptionist's English was not fluent, but with my Japanese we could understand each other. She asked if we wanted to have separate massages or massages together. We said separate and then received separate bills. Once again we were asked if we wanted separate massages and we said we did. Then Rmax and I were lead in separate directions to the female and male locker rooms. Before entering the spa I was instructed to take off my shoes and put on slippers, and then I was provided with amazingly comfortable Japanese-style pajamas. I changed in the locker room and then was taken down a long hallway to a red room with dimmed lights. To my surprise Rmax was there! And there were two tables set up. We had a private foot-bath (when we chuckled about the fact that we were having a couples massage in pajamas) before we took our spots on the tables for our massages.
My masseuse spoke more English than Rmax's masseuse, which was ironic because I speak more Japanese than Rmax. So any questions that they asked like "how hard would you like your massage?" were asked by my masseuse and usually translated for Rmax's. I think Rmax and I both dozed in and out during the massage. When we were done we were guided back to our respective locker rooms and then met at the spa bar, where we were serviced water and given a warm/wet towel to wipe our hands.
The couples massage is a small example of the language-barrier we encountered, but the massage itself was definitely relaxing and worth it for our backs!
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Adventuring in Tokyo: Asakusa, Akihabara, Shabuya, Harajuku
Konichiwa from Japan!
I am traveling in Japan with my friend from college, Rmax. On graduation day we decided to go to Japan together. Of course this decision was made while eating sushi in Claremont, California. Although, we have yet to experience sushi in Japan... For me, the purpose of this trip is to practice my Japanese and to explore parts of Japan and Japanese culture that I have not previously seen. We are currently staying at my friend's parents beautiful home in Tokyo. The family has been extraordinarily generous and helpful. We are located in Shibuya-ku, which happens to be central and near many desired attractions.
Today, we started in Asakusa, which is the oldest part of Tokyo. Asakusa and the Sensoji temple survived fire bombings in World War II. Th e Sensoji Temple is a beautiful wooden and red temple with iconic red lanterns. The temple is surrounded by a bazaar, full of shops selling little cakes, drinks, shaved ice cones, and little trinkets.
From there we went to the electronics district, Akihabara. Here you can find just about any part, battery, or wire needed to build or fix literally any electronic device. There are also computer, camera, and phone shops. The entire area is like Best Buy on speed. The streets, buildings, and billboards are brightly colored and often have English phrases that don't make sense. Rmax felt overstimulated by giant posters and the mass amount of people in this district. This area is also known for its anime (Japanese animation/cartoons) and cos-play (costume play). In this district it was immediately apparent that I was in a mostly male-dominated area. The few Japanese women around were walking and dressed as cartoon characters, maids, and school-girls. These women are typically dressed up to promote a club, store, or product. Whenever we tried to take their photo, the women would turn around and usually shield themselves beneath umbrellas. From an outsiders perspective, Akihabara is like geeky, male fantasy come true, with women, anime, and computer games to go along with that fantasy. This made the district a great place for people watching and we were able to find a very reasonable and quiet soba (buckwheat noodle) shop. We both found the quiet and organized restaurant to be a nice refuge from the bustling streets. Additionally, it has been in the 80s and very humid, so cold noodles were very refreshing!
After exhausting Akihabara, we traveled to Shibuya station, which has one of the largest and busiest crosswalks in Tokyo! When the pedestrian symbol turns green, it does so at every crosswalk and a sea of people flood the intersection. We went to a split-level Starbucks to watch the action! At one point there were so many people in the intersection that I could not see the the painted white lines in the crosswalk. We purposefully went Shubuya on a Saturday afternoon when people were out of work and in the streets. This area is very popular because it has a lot of clothing and fashion shops, as well as restaurants. Mass crowds are a theme throughout Tokyo because of its extensive population.
After taking in the crowds, Rmax and I walked from Shabuya's intersection to Harajuku and Takeshita-Dori, which are also known for their fashion and people watching. However, these neighborhoods more funky. Women dress up in corsets, platform converse shoes, dyed hair, bright colors, etc. Usually dogs are also dressed up and have their hair dyed. Harajuku style was made popular in the US with Gwen Stefani's music videos, which featured Harajuku girls dancing. Interestingly, there are many dance troops in Japan and boys and girls compete to get on TV shows and perform musical numbers in this style. When Rmax and I went to Yayogi Park, in the center of Tokyo, we were able to see groups of students practicing their dance moves.
Overall, this was a pretty jammed-pack day. We covered a lot of ground and saw some of the more famous districts in Tokyo! Photos to come later!
I am traveling in Japan with my friend from college, Rmax. On graduation day we decided to go to Japan together. Of course this decision was made while eating sushi in Claremont, California. Although, we have yet to experience sushi in Japan... For me, the purpose of this trip is to practice my Japanese and to explore parts of Japan and Japanese culture that I have not previously seen. We are currently staying at my friend's parents beautiful home in Tokyo. The family has been extraordinarily generous and helpful. We are located in Shibuya-ku, which happens to be central and near many desired attractions.
Today, we started in Asakusa, which is the oldest part of Tokyo. Asakusa and the Sensoji temple survived fire bombings in World War II. Th e Sensoji Temple is a beautiful wooden and red temple with iconic red lanterns. The temple is surrounded by a bazaar, full of shops selling little cakes, drinks, shaved ice cones, and little trinkets.
From there we went to the electronics district, Akihabara. Here you can find just about any part, battery, or wire needed to build or fix literally any electronic device. There are also computer, camera, and phone shops. The entire area is like Best Buy on speed. The streets, buildings, and billboards are brightly colored and often have English phrases that don't make sense. Rmax felt overstimulated by giant posters and the mass amount of people in this district. This area is also known for its anime (Japanese animation/cartoons) and cos-play (costume play). In this district it was immediately apparent that I was in a mostly male-dominated area. The few Japanese women around were walking and dressed as cartoon characters, maids, and school-girls. These women are typically dressed up to promote a club, store, or product. Whenever we tried to take their photo, the women would turn around and usually shield themselves beneath umbrellas. From an outsiders perspective, Akihabara is like geeky, male fantasy come true, with women, anime, and computer games to go along with that fantasy. This made the district a great place for people watching and we were able to find a very reasonable and quiet soba (buckwheat noodle) shop. We both found the quiet and organized restaurant to be a nice refuge from the bustling streets. Additionally, it has been in the 80s and very humid, so cold noodles were very refreshing!
After exhausting Akihabara, we traveled to Shibuya station, which has one of the largest and busiest crosswalks in Tokyo! When the pedestrian symbol turns green, it does so at every crosswalk and a sea of people flood the intersection. We went to a split-level Starbucks to watch the action! At one point there were so many people in the intersection that I could not see the the painted white lines in the crosswalk. We purposefully went Shubuya on a Saturday afternoon when people were out of work and in the streets. This area is very popular because it has a lot of clothing and fashion shops, as well as restaurants. Mass crowds are a theme throughout Tokyo because of its extensive population.
After taking in the crowds, Rmax and I walked from Shabuya's intersection to Harajuku and Takeshita-Dori, which are also known for their fashion and people watching. However, these neighborhoods more funky. Women dress up in corsets, platform converse shoes, dyed hair, bright colors, etc. Usually dogs are also dressed up and have their hair dyed. Harajuku style was made popular in the US with Gwen Stefani's music videos, which featured Harajuku girls dancing. Interestingly, there are many dance troops in Japan and boys and girls compete to get on TV shows and perform musical numbers in this style. When Rmax and I went to Yayogi Park, in the center of Tokyo, we were able to see groups of students practicing their dance moves.
Overall, this was a pretty jammed-pack day. We covered a lot of ground and saw some of the more famous districts in Tokyo! Photos to come later!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Stay tuned...
Greetings friends, family, and strangers who read my blog!
Over the next few months I will begin to travel again. First, I will travel to Japan to visit friends, practice my Japanese language skills, and see awesome sights. Then I will start teaching, as a Fulbright Fellow in the Czech Republic. I am beginning to update and remodel my blog, so stay tuned!
Over the next few months I will begin to travel again. First, I will travel to Japan to visit friends, practice my Japanese language skills, and see awesome sights. Then I will start teaching, as a Fulbright Fellow in the Czech Republic. I am beginning to update and remodel my blog, so stay tuned!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Two Types of Field Work
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.
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.
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!)
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