DAY OFF

Astonishingly , i had a nerve to take a local bus to go to Thamel , and even to ride it in the top of bus , the way all homies do . It was horrifying ( Indiana Jones ride at Dysneyworld feels like bagatelle comparing to that ) , and my bottom didn't thank for that neither - got so many bruises!

Thamel , after being isolated for one week , looked very medley . Full of lights , cars, bikes , hotels , bars , spits , smells and so on .

Nice dinner with all the the other pals from the VIN ( volunteers initiative nepal ) , medium hotel , warmish shower , soft bed - what could one want possibly more for Saturday night off ...

DAY 2

The orphanage dog Dieu ,who leads us to school

Kusum

5 a.m. Woke up of a distant car or motorbike signals . Why this country can't sleep longer ???

Didn't have a strength ( or will ) to take a cold shower - and ,, cold '' is not strong enough to describe this arctic , icy water anyway ...

Then escorting orphans to school . We are all lined up in one line like a gang of ducklings . This school walk was supposed to take 10 minutes , but it took me longer than 30 minutes to get to destination . I wouldn't call it just simple promenade , it was more like climbing the mountains , sort of trekking . I was the one to look after the kids ,but it was them , who looked after me , screaming :

- Be careful , Sista , BE CAREFUL !

The local school looked just as you would imagine any village school could look like . Teen girls , sitting side by side , gossiping and giggling ; teen boys , gathering in groups , hawking and spitting , juniors - just running and playing around - kind of stereotypical , peaceful image ,which you can stare at for ages . . .

The bell rings , and fun is over . We go to our ECD ( early childhood development ) class . Today there are only 5 children , aged 3 - 5 , to be taken care of , one of them is from my orphanage - little Ebo . The language barrier hits straight away , so i have to use all the burlesque grimaces or acting skills to have at least some communication with kids . We play all the Montessori games i brought from home ( thanks to my friend's contribution ) . Children are really attentive and curious to any game they are being introduced to . They obey every order their local teacher is saying ( i am envious of that , cause every time i try to say something , they look at me as i would be a little green man from other planet ) .

During short break we - them , actually -play some nepalese music with madals ( nepalese drums ). Half of the school gangs up at the doorway to see this .

Done at 3 p.m. Rocky road back to the orphanage . The youngest kid Ebo proposes nobly to carry my handbag , i do refuse ( i should be caring his back and him instead ) , he gets upset , so i let him carry my bag . You can tell ,that he feels very superior and honored because of that .

Back in the orphanage we found the girl , Kusum ( 14 ) , who can't go to school with everyone because of her leg's inability . All day she just sits outside , observing the world or watching TV. She has no tutor , the orphanage can't pay her placement with a special school . Every time you look at her , her face lights up with such a inner smile . Kusum crawls to toilet , to TV room -anywhere she had to go . Other kids are quite gentle to her , they assist her with a dishes , talks to her about what happened at school that day .

6 p.m . No electricity . The first time in Nepal i have heard of this ,, load schedding '' , and i am seriously considering of going and bringing flowers to Benjamin's Franklin's grave to pay my respect for such a brainy invention discovery as the Electricity ...

DAY 3

little Sandja

6 a.m . - cold shower ( cold spritz , more likely )

7 a. m . - english lesson , which consisted mostly from learning ,, If you're Happy and You Know it " ( clap clap ) song . That's the only thing i could think of this cold and early morning hour . During the lesson children served me a cup of hot liquid , which had the same color as black tea , but it did taste more like a maple syrup .

8 a.m. - breakfast time . Rice , rice and rice ( got almost chocked on it ,but finished my plate with dignity ) .

9 a.m . - school time . 5 hours of ECD classes with no break .

There is this 4 years old girl at the class , called Sandja . Sadly , she has a very strong urine odor around her . Local teacher explains , that her parents are drunks , who don't really approve their daughter's education etc . Sandja keeps wearing the same dungy outfit for months and months , and she has not been washed for quite a time herself as well .

To be honest , the local teachers look like a holy beings to me . They watched after the children with such a natural love and care . They don't even mind the 21 runny noses . It looks like , that all the children in this country have a permanent coryzza . After spending 5 hours with snotty faces , i did feel a bit nauseous .

Coming back home after the school , helping with some homework . Embarrassed myself in front of everyone , when couldn't solve the mathematic task for 10 years old .

After such a long day , i felt having something more various for dinner than rice , so went to local restaurant ( where , obviously , i was the only customer in really long time ) . I had the plate of instant chinese noodle - it did taste like an ambrosia to me . Came back home with a candle , cause electricity is gone again and then bed , which is not an actual bed - it's a piece of chunk with no pillows , no mattress , but probably it's good for my back ( not to be too pessimist :)