Sharing Kathmandu Voices at TEDx - Yosemite

Today I was honored to be involved with the first annual TEDx-Yosemite event, held in Mariposa, CA.  There were so many amazing speakers....  I just LOVED the whole day, and felt inspired to follow my dreams and really make a difference in the world.  I have been so sucked up by college apps and endless late-night homework, that I've almost forgotten what really matters.  It's great to get a wake-up call!  

Although it's impossible to condense an entire summer into 8 minutes, here is the brief video summary that I shared today:

Back from Nepal... Now What???

My time in Nepal was so incredible and life changing...  I don't want it to fade in to the past like so many other trips.  In order to follow through, I will be working on several things this Fall. 

Interviews - I conducted several more interviews while in Nepal, and still need to edit the footage.  I am excited to complete these, post them, and share their interesting stories.  Make sure to check periodically on my YouTube Channel for new posts. 

Presentations and slide shows - I am creating a slide show with video clips about my experience.  I will present it in my hometown of El Portal in December, and in several other locations soon after... likely in the Bay Area.  

Sponsoring "my student" - Sweet 3 year-old Tenzin Choedon's education is now my responsibility.  Thanks to the generous donations from many friends and families, I was able to sponsor this young student's 8-year education at Manasarovar Academy.  I have enough funds raised to cover her first 4 years of schooling, and will do whatever it takes to pay for the rest. If you are interested in helping, please contact me.

An Adventure in Nepal??? - Immediately following the earthquake, donations and aid were essential.  Now, several months later, life has stabilized for many Nepalis.  Some friends in Nepal said that they felt awkward or embarrassed to still be receiving donations and assistance.  Shankar told us "...taking donation now feels to me like begging.  It is better to earn my money in honest hard-working way.  Please tell your friends not to send money, but now please send tourist and clients!"  

     Nothing would make me happier than to return to Nepal.  I do not know if that's possible for me this year, but bringing business to our friends in the tourist industry would be a huge benefit.  If someone makes a donation to Nepal, they might write a check for $50 or $100, but if someone takes a trip there, they will spend $1,000+ in a couple of weeks.  That money gets spread around between drivers, cooks, hotels, guides, porters, etc.  Then they get to earn their money in an "honest hard-working way."  

     So many wonderful people will benefit... and if YOU were to go to Nepal, you'd be experiencing such a beautiful culture and incredible landscape!  My Dad is putting together a cost estimate for a 2 week trip at Christmas break that would include Kathmandu temples and schools, trekking, rafting, and jungle safari by elephant and canoe.  Anyone out there interested?   I know it's only a few months away, but if 5 or 10 people are seriously interested in visiting Nepal, we can make it happen!!!  Let us know... 

     --->>>TRIP UPDATE:  Life has been just too full to organize a group trip to   
    Nepal on such short notice.  And although I feel like I could drop everything, 
   and fly over tomorrow, most people need many months advance notice to go 
  on a big international trip.  Hopefully we can make this happen in the next year.  

The people of Nepal have become such an important part of my life.  I hope that by continuing several aspects of my project, I will be always be able to stay connected to Nepal. 

Back home... but my heart is still in Nepal

It's hard to believe that just over a month ago I was in Kathmandu.  I miss everyone in Nepal so much that it hurts, and my experience there is always on my mind.  Although it is difficult to re-adjust and get back into the swing of things back home, I wouldn't trade this summer's experience for anything.

At the beginning of my journey, I was under the impression that I was going to volunteer for a lot more causes and organizations in Nepal, but I ended up focusing on just a select few.  Instead of being disappointed, I feel better that I was able to focus my efforts and energy on what I thought most important.  

During my 6 weeks in Nepal, we accomplished many things:

• Taught 12 classes per week at Manasarovar Academy.  We taught third, fourth, and fifth grade classes with approximately 30-40 children per class.  Subjects included; Poetry, symbolism, plate tectonics, solar system, seasons, eclipses, ecology, predator-prey relationships, carrying capacity, ocean life, and more science topics.

• Demonstrated several science experiments to go out with a BANG!  These included baking soda & vinegar explosions, balloon inflation, the classic Mentos and Coke explosion, and the excitement of high and low pressure through the "egg, fire and bottle experiment."

• Played games with the students to teach them about ecology in a fun but educational way!  These included "Bird beak buffet" which taught the students about adaptations and competition. "Sharks, Fish, & Plankton" was another game during which the kids chased each other while learning about food chains, predator-prey relationships, and carrying capacity. 

• Organized and set up weekly movie nights at the Kailash Home and two movie nights at Manasarovar Academy for the boarding students.  

• Led bird watching hikes with the older students at the Kailash Home every Saturday morning. 

• Organized and played soccer with the Kailash children culminating in a trip to a "futsal" soccer arena with emphasis especially on getting the girls out on the soccer field. 

• Created an audio/visual projection room to remain permanently at Manasarovar Academy for use of the teachers.  This included donating a projector, computer, projection screen, figuring out the electricity complications, and tidying up an old room. 

• Visited quake damaged villages to see relief donations in action. This was a crazy adventure!! We trekked for two days with Shankar Lohani through rice fields and steep muddy terrain visiting too many damaged houses to count.  We were invited into countless villager's houses to eat homemade curd, chai, or Jack fruit and stayed in Shankar's sister's temporary tin house. 

• Committed to use my remaining donated funds to sponsor a young Tibetan girl's education for 8 years.  Tenzin Choedon is three years old and her poor family could not afford to pay for her education.  The funds are only enough to pay for four years, but I am determined to raise enough to get her all the way from Nursury through class Five.  Any additional donations are greatly appreciated and will be channeled into supporting her education.

• Participated in many activities at the Kailash Home such as the annual rice planting, their bread baking training program, and frequent spontaneous games with the younger students.

Overall, my summer spent in Kathmandu was one of the best times in my life! I will definitely do everything I can to go back, to visit friends and continue helping and volunteering there.  I will always treasure the relationships that I built in Nepal.  

Our fundraising efforts this winter and spring was so successful, that

we have extra funds to share with needy families. We used your donations conservatively and carefully, and therefore have nearly $1,500 still to give. I decided to use this to fully fund a poor child's education, from nursery through 5th grade. This 8-year sponsorship (approx. $350/year) will truly change the life of 3-year old TENZIN CHOEDON and her family. (she is the middle child in the photo below)

Her mother escaped from Tibet in 2004, crossing a snowy pass in the Khumbu region disguised as a boy in a yak caravan. She is now hand-weaving colorful cloth, earning ~$10 per week. Tenzin's father works as a day laborer whenever possible, which occasionally brings in 200Rps., or $2 per day. They could never afford the high quality education provided byManasarovar Academy Nepal without long term financial support.

The generosity of families, friends and donors like YOU has made this possible! We are feeling deep heartfelt GRATITUDE to all who have supported the people of Nepal in so many ways!!!

Our Weekly Routine in Kathmandu

The last month has been wonderful, busy, exciting and exhausting! We have been teaching Monday, Wednesday, Fridays at Mansarovar Academy and visiting the Kailash Home on Friday night and Saturday.  Teaching has been great but a lot more work than I ever would have imagined.  It takes a lot of prep making a power point and or lesson plan each night, but seeing the students' excited faces when I walk into their classroom makes it all well worth it.  

     

We usually teach four periods per day at Manasarover, in grades 3, 4, and 5.  Our classes range from 30 to 42 students.  We've been teaching a lot in the new projection room that we established, and the kids are thrilled when we take them down there!  It is really exciting for them to learn in new and different ways, such as the powerpoint presentations we often create. We also show them science video clips from BBC Earth and Oceans DVDs, and play outdoor "ecology games" involving predators, prey, and lots of running screaming kids!

     

On Fridays, after a full day of of teaching, we ride the bus with the students 30 minutes out to the Kailash Home.  We are like a portable movie studio, hauling 2 laptops, speakers, projector and cords along with us.  We usually play soccer or basketball for awhile with the children, and then the "study bell" rings.  My Dad and I do our best to help the students during their study hall time, tutoring them in ecology, accounting, math, science, etc.  After a yummy dinner, several students carry a screen (...a white sheet on plywood) onto the basketball/soccer court, and we set up the projector to watch a movie.  So far we've watched Spirit, The Sound of Music, The Two Brothers, and Curious George.  

Five years ago when my family spent 4 months in Nepal, my mom established a bird watching club at the Kailash Home.  She has returned several times since then to continue the program and I wanted to help keep this going.  Early Saturday morning, my dad, 12 students, and I wake up before 6am to go bird watching.  I've never really been a good birder or had a desire to continually go bird watching, but spending Saturday mornings with such a wonderful group of individuals my age who get excited about birds, really makes me look forward to it!  We usually hike 3-5 miles, from 6am until 12 Noon, and keep track of all the birds we see.  Several students are really motivated to spot new birds, and they meticulously flip through the guidebooks to make sure their identification is correct. 

We return home on Saturday night, or Sunday morning, to relax a bit and prep lessons for Mondays classes.  It's been a really worthwhile meaningful summer here in Nepal, and I can't believe it's almost over...  There is so much more I still want to do with, and for, these sweet students! 

Soccer, Futbol, and Futsal... I love 'em all!!!

It has been so much fun to play soccer with everyone here in Nepal!!!  I just love how everywhere you look, a little pick-up game is going on and every little boy has on a Messi, Real Madrid  or Chelsea jersey.  I have always loved soccer but these children, so desperate to play every chance they get, are fueling my passion for the sport.  "Miss! Will you come and play futbol with us?" Is my favorite thing to hear.  I noticed that it is always the boys who are playing and it made me sad that none of the girls got out there.  I decided along with Lobsang, the manager of Kailash Hostel, to get the girls practicing then organize a special outing to Futsal, one of the small turf soccer arenas recently set up around Kathmandu.  It was so great to get the girls out there and I think it was a success!  I cant wait to play more soccer with them before I leave!

Midsummer Update - "Can't believe we're halfway there..."

I can't believe I'm halfway through this project.  It seems like we've been here for MONTHS, because we've been so busy... teaching, preparing, working, visiting, editing videos, blogging, etc...  When I first arrived, I was surprised to feel a bit homesick, and I was overwhelmed by all the earthquake carnage, beggers, and depressing stories.  But now, after a few weeks, I am fully immersed in the school and the culture, and understand why I love Nepal so much.  I've become so attached to these wonderful students, both the primary kids at Manasarovar, and my teenage peers out at the Kailash Home.  It will be really difficult to leave in August...

Here are a few highlights from the past week:

Monkey Saliva Sampling at Swoyumbunath - We were invited to join a research team who is doing DNA analysis of "temple monkeys" in Kathmandu. They are part of the USAID - PREDICT project from UC Davis Veterinary School, trying to identify potential pandemic viral diseases before they jump from primates to humans. Brilliant scientists and researchers, doing fascinating important work.  Thanks Dibesh, Tierra, and everyone at the CMDN - Center for Molecular Dynamics, Nepal.

Friendship Bracelets - I wanted to share an arts & crafts project with the students, but knew it was difficult to gather lots of materials such as poster paper, paint, scissors, etc...  So I decided to teach them "friendship bracelets" that only require thin string for weaving.  We searched around Boudhanath at all the sewing shops and Tibetan beading & weaving stores, until we found spools of colorful string. I was mostly thinking to do this as a fun activity with the older Kailash teens, but already the office staff at Manasarovar is asking to learn...  When I pulled out the string at Kailash, the students went bonkers!  They crowded around, each cutting multi-color lengths of string, some waiting for guidance, others just knotting randomly.  A few of them picked it up quickly. Everyone loves making bracelets! 

"Rabbits, Foxes, Leaves" - This is a well-known ecology game that teaches habitat requirements, predator-prey relationships, population changes, and carrying capacity. It's also really fun, loud and crazy!!!  The students LOVE running around outside, chasing & screaming, and they're actually learning too.  We connected it to our oceans, coral reefs & marine biodiversity lessons, by changing it to "Sharks, Plankton, Fishies."  We keep track of each round, or "year," and the populations changes.  Next week we will graph the population ups and downs, and talk about the "balance of nature."  The only problem is that 40 of these kids are REALLY loud. It is so difficult to quiet them down & get their attention after each round of the game... We need a bullhorn!  

Swoyumbunath Quake Damage - When we were going out to work with the primate researchers, we also explored the famous hilltop "monkey temple." The main stupa and tower are fairly intact, but some surrounding pillars, monuments, and buildings were totally destroyed. There are lots of workers busting up broken buildings, and hauling away the debris in baskets. Wooden and metal supports prop up ancient temples and structures.  But in a few areas, workers are already rebuilding brick walls, and starting the reconstruction.  It will probably take many years...  The peaceful and spiritual ambience, however, is still intact. It can never be destroyed.  The hilltop has great views over the Kathmandu Valley, and Hindu religious singers provide constant background music. There is such an interesting mix of religions as well... Hindu temples surround the famous Buddhist stupa. Some of the Hindu shrines actually have Tibetan style Buddhist prayer wheels mounted into their outer walls.  Hindus believe that Buddha was a Hindu, and the reincarnation of Vishnu, so in Nepal there is a lot of overlap among these groups. It's great to see such religious tolerance and respect!

Oceans! - We've been teaching about oceans, coral reefs, & biodiversity this week.  The students are SO excited by sea creatures, because none of them has ever seen the ocean.  I think just one boy out of our total of ~100 students has been to a beach, on the coast in India. We've shared slide shows with them, and some great BBC film clips too. Everything, from plankton to whale sharks, blows them away!  Many kids stay after class begging for more information.... "Please Sir, what is starfish and can it eat sea urchin?"  "Miss Miss, do sea urchin have brain?"  "Why is hammer-shark having eyes so far away?"  "Sir! Miss! How can whale catch oxygen if under water? Is it using gill or lung?"  They are SO Hungry to learn!!!  It's been really fun... and also exhausting.... 

A New Projection Room for Manasarovar School

One of the most practical “gifts” we will leave behind when we depart is the new projection room at Manasarovar!  So many donors supported my Nepal project, that we have some extra funds left over to spend.  We decided that a new LCD projector would be a good thing to bring to Nepal, and so we bought one before leaving California.  Our idea was to have movie nights to just excite and entertain the kids.  We would also use the projector for showing educational videos, and teaching in a more engaging style.

But we quickly found that a nice projector by itself is not at all functional.  Some classrooms have no electric outlets, and no one has a screen or blank white wall.  There are many nice windows for natural light, but that poses a problem for darkening a room during presentations. Daily unpredictable multi-hour blackouts, called “load shedding” here in Nepal, play havoc with electronic teaching. And the constant set-up and break down of equipment would have  driven us crazy hauling cords, laptops, powerstrips and the projector from room to room.

So we proposed, cleaned, customized, and have now COMPLETED a dedicated room for the projector!  There were old bird nests in all the window-screens, and years of grime to deal with. We had to locate and purchase an 8-foot wall-mount screen, and transport it across Kathmandu tied to the roof of a tiny taxi with twine…. Until a monsoon downpour began, and the screen would only fit inside if we drove with the tailgate propped open. We worked with a super-handy local electrician to get new multi-plug outlets installed in the room, complete with connections to both the normal power-supply and a portable generator. Dad helped measure and drill to install the screen. We bought power-strips, Bluetooth speakers, and installed old curtains to cover the remaining window.  A local shop owner, when he heard about our mission, re-wired and donated a pair of external speakers that plug directly into the wall outlet. Thanks Sushil!

It took a lot of effort, but the students are now absolutely thrilled when we say, “OK class, today we will go to the Projection Room!”  They leap to the door, and eagerly line up to march downstairs!  It gets pretty hot in there, with several devices plugged in and 35 steamy kids filling the floor… but it’s worth it. We’ll get a fan set up soon to move the stuffy air around.

We’ve already presented power-point slideshows on the Solar System, Eclipses, and the Seasons. Dad just did his weekly Wednesday “teacher talk” for the staff on Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes. The teachers asked so many questions, loved the colorful images and projected graphics, and were very happy to get some background on this pertinent subject!  We’ll share a watered-down version of that show with our students on Friday.


The school recently got a bunch of tablets donated, but they are rarely used due to power outages and lack of training. We did NOT want our donated projector to just sit around gathering dust like that. So another of our goals next week is to train the teachers on how to use the tablets, how to prepare presentations, and how to use the projection room once we are gone.

It’s all really exciting, and feels like a tangible user-friendly package that we will have provided for this wonderful school and its staff.

Birding with the Kailash Bird-Watching Club

When we lived in Nepal in 2010, my mom Karen started leading bird walks with students from Kailash. These walks blossomed into the Bird-watching “club,” with an emphasis on celebrating Nepal’s amazing biodiversity, developing group leadership skills, and discussing conservation issues.  Karen has returned several times, bringing donated binoculars and hard-to-find birding guidebooks.  Several dedicated students have kept the club sporadically active over the years, but a fresh infusion of enthusiasm and regularity always helps!

My Dad and I are spending weekends at the Kailash Home, especially so we can get a really early start each Saturday morning for Bird Walks!  I have to say, it’s tough after a week of lesson planning, teaching, and homework to get up at 5am each Saturday to go out birding… and I’m not even that good at it!  The summer humidity and heat can be brutal, and the walks are quite long, but the excitement of spotting colorful birds is pretty amazing. The students are really enthusiastic, and several jot down every species we identify. Electric blue kingfishers, colorful Barbets, and 2 hard-to-spot woodpeckers were highlights on our first weekend!  We identified over 30 species.  The students know so much more than me, so I feel like I’m mostly learning from them… but they wouldn’t be birding regularly if my Dad and I weren’t here to volunteer and make it happen each week.

The birding club has helped raise their awareness of environmental and conservation issues.  We walk and talk about birds, but also about the polluted rivers, rapid home construction, and loss of habitat.  A few students are now considering studying forestry, or natural resources in college thanks to their time with the birding club.  Over the years, students have said things like “I used to only know crow, sparrow and kite… now I am amazed that Nepal has such beautiful bird life.”  Another told my Dad, “On school bus I was always bored or sleeping. Now I watch outside looking for every bird I can spot.”

Hopefully our brief time re-invigorating the bird-watching club will be beneficial and inspiring for these students!

The Kailash Home - Background and Information

We are spending weekends out at the Kailash Home, about 20 minutes from Boudha on the road to Sundarijal. This fantastic facility is sponsored and run by HCF, the Nepali Himalayan Children’s Foundation, with major funding by US-based Himalayan Youth Foundation. They have created a happy & healthy home for 100 children, with the primary focus on providing them a high-quality education through grade 12.

Young kids come from remote villages of Nepal, primarily in the high mountain areas of Solu, Mugu, Dolpa, Langtang, Rasuwa, etc. These villages have no access to a quality education. Students may walk several hours a day, on difficult trails, to attend sub-standard schools. Often the schools are closed for a majority of the year due to winter snows, seasonal harvesting work in summer, or lack of teachers. These remote villages, with under-educated families, are frequently targeted by child traffickers. Families sometimes “sell” their own children to middlemen who promise good jobs and a better life. In reality these kids end up in the sex industry in India, or in virtual slavery as child laborers.

HCF identifies promising students, and offers them a new life… Through word of mouth in these villages, and home visits with former students, they have become a trusted organization. There is a waiting list of families hoping to get their child into the program. If selected, the students move to the Kailash Home, where room & board is provided, and their school fees are paid by Nepali and International sponsors. Students attend various schools in the Boudha & Jorpati area, and have daily study hall time back at the Home. Due to the expense and time required, students only return to their home villages to visit once every 3-4 years. They do have parent-selected guardians identified in the Kathmandu area so that they can spend holidays with relatives.

These students work hard, study hard, and know that there is a lot of pressure and expectation riding on their shoulders. To provide a well-rounded life, the staff at Kailash also provide many opportunities for recreation and extra educational activities. They play sports, organize game nights, go on hikes and excursions, and grow vegetables and rice in their own gardens. Their “baker training program” has a dedicated group of students who bake 30 or 40 loaves of bread each week for use in their kitchen.

This program really functions like a huge family. Everyone pitches in and helps each other, the older students mentoring and assisting the younger ones. It is an honor and a pleasure to work with these wonderful students, who are being well-educated and launched into a brighter future.  

Feeling GOOD about my teaching!

My Dad and I have been teaching the students about poetry and today, I decided to teach class 5 about symbolism in poetry.  Before the lesson, we were teaching class 3 and asked the class if anyone knew what a verb was.  All 40 students shouted out, in unison, a paragraph-long definition of a verb. It was as if they were all reading a textbook passage aloud.  

My dad and I were amazed by this long chant, and couldn't help but laugh at how impressive it was that they had memorized it.  I think this style of teaching by rote memorization, though, is why it is sometimes difficult for them to think for themselves.  I also became worried that it would be too difficult for them to comprehend symbolism and metaphor.  

We started off the lesson by drawing the Nepali flag on the chalk board and asking them what it represents.  After some confusion, we brainstormed what this symbolic piece of cloth represents. Is it actually Nepal? No, but it is a symbol of all these ideas you have shared...  That seemed to make sense to most of them.  

     

We then moved on to talking about examples of metaphors.  They especially enjoyed when I said "During lunch, Sir Paul is a pig", but I then explained how by using the word "pig", one can imply a number of characteristics, and that is why we use a metaphor for comparison.  They were a little confused when I introduced them to the saying, "Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get", but I think most of them vaguely understood the bigger meaning behind it.  

After a few more examples like, "Eliza's brain is a computer"(not true) and, "Life is a roller coaster", we moved on to how you can use symbolism in poetry.  My dad and I had quickly composed a Haiku that morning to use for this lesson, (Life is a River. Striking rocks along the way. We keep flowing on.) because we had previously taught them about Haikus.  I think this really helped, and a few boys in particular really understood and shared how we crash into obstacles like a river runs into rocks but we flow past them. Several of them made the connection about the recent Nepal Earthquake being a "rock" in their path, but we have moved past it and continue living. Even the teacher sitting in on our lesson raised her hand to answer one of our questions!  

With all this prep, we then introduced, "The path not taken" by Robert Frost to them.  It is a difficult poem to understand, especially by children who's first language isn't English, so we read through it slowly, helping them understand what was going on.  The last stanza is the most substantial and quotable, so we wrote that one on the board and analyzed it.  We had to explain that it is not actually about a man walking on a path and going on an adventure, but that the choice he makes symbolizes the way he lives his life.  After lots of explaining, I think they were able to comprehend this idea and see what the poem is actually about.  We discussed examples of people who follow a "different path" in life. My Dad suggested how Gandhi refused to follow the norm and took his own path, and that is why he did great things.  The people who choose their own path in life, the path "less traveled," are often the most memorable.  

I really think this lesson, although difficult for some to comprehend, got the wheels turning. It meant so much when the teacher sitting in on our lesson approached me to say, "That was very interesting lesson Miss Eliza."  The fact that my dad and I impressed another teacher with a subject neither of us has ever taught, was very reassuring.  Hopefully the children found it intriguing and inspiring as well.  Thank you Mrs. Dobson ;)

My First Teaching Experience

I just finished my first lesson at Manosarovar school; teaching a poetry class.  I was very nervous at first, not being a teacher and never having taught a class before.  I was lucky enough, though, to have my Dad team-teaching with me.  It ended up flowing very well, and the students were so intrigued by what I was teaching.  

While explaining Haikus and Limericks, I remembered that this is the reason I am here, to feed these children's hunger for knowledge.  

The majority of what they learn is copied straight out of a textbook.  To encourage them to think for themselves and write their own poetry is confusing at first, but will hopefully get the wheels turning.  I can't wait to teach more lessons, because with such enthusiastic students, the teaching flows naturally.  

Struggling with my Role here in Nepal...

 We've only been in Nepal for 3 days, but I'm already struggling with the overwhelming and desperate needs that I see all around me.  Tomorrow will be my first day of teaching the wonderful kids of Manasarovar School.  We've put together a weekly schedule of classes to teach, and activities to provide... but on the way to the school, or the bus, or a restaurant, I pass countless beggars and homeless people.  Some were maybe affected by the recent earthquake, but others are so disfigured and handicapped, they have likely been begging on the street for years.   

Then I think about all the schools that have collapsed, and all the thousands of families that are homeless.  Then I think beyond Nepal to all the countries with their problems and the widespread suffering. There are so many in need.  What is my role? What difference can I make?  I really struggle with this..  It's impossible to help everyone, everywhere. Of course I know this.  I know that I have to focus on just one or 2 things, and really pour my energy into that.  But this is really hard for me...  

My Dad and I talked about this for hours tonight, and I do understand that there is no easy answer... but still I want to help as many people as I can, and I feel so small....  I'm here in Nepal, and I worked hard to make this project happen. I'm helping a bunch of students in one school and one boarding home, but there are SO many schools & students that need help.  

When we lived here 5 years ago, I'm sure there were these same problems.  But this time I didn't come here for vacation or trekking, but to help these people and this country.  So I notice the poverty and suffering so much more, and struggle with my purpose.  I have to accept the fact that I can't do it all, I can't solve every problem, I can't save the whole world... 

I always tried to appreciate my privileged life in California, and after living in India and Nepal in my youth, I really had something to compare it to. But now, here in Nepal as a young adult trying to help, I am so overwhelmed with how easy and comfortable my life is.  People here are just trying to barely survive... We have so much excess back home that one of our biggest health problems is obesity. 

I just wish we could even things out a bit, so more people in this world could at least live reasonable lives without so much suffering. 

After 3 long days of travel via Istanbul, we finally made it to Kathmandu.  On our drive from the airport to Boudhanath, where we are staying, I was really surprised at how little earthquake damage I could see.  There were some collapsed brick buildings and a few "tarp villages" where people who lost their homes are camping out.  Some are still sleeping outside, even though their house is standing, because they are too afraid of aftershocks. Overall, the damage was not nearly as bad as I was expecting. I'm sure there are parts of town that are much worse. 

  

Our taxi driver had some difficulty finding the way to the school, since the road we are familiar with was overflowing and muddy due to a broken pipeline. We had to take a different route, but we finally made it to Manasarovar Academy, the school we will be teaching at.  

The headmistresses of the school gave us such a warm welcome and really made us feel at home.  I am so excited and honored to be able to help these wonderful women and all the students!

   The greatest shock for me was seeing the Boudhanath Stupa, where hundreds of Buddhists come to worship every day, all cracked and covered in scaffolding.  It is still a lively active place, yet the drastic difference from what it looked like before was a lot for me to take in.  The stupa was such an important focus for me when we lived here 5 years ago. It was very emotional to see it damaged and under repair.

It will definitely take a lot of time, but, like the whole country of Nepal, it is in the process of being restored.

 In the afternoon, we felt the first of the monsoon rains and it became evident to me how different this trip will be than any other. Seeing a place that I adore, in such a state of rehabilitation is extremely difficult to fathom.  I think that gives me all the more reason to help in the process. 

 I lit a butter lamp as a simple prayer for Nepal, in hopes that my time here can, in a very small way, help in that healing.

Kathmandu Voices would not be possible without your Generous Support!!!

A huge THANK YOU going out to every generous donor who has made my trip and project possible!  I am so grateful for your support, and couldn't do this without your help.  We'll try to post updates regularly, and also share interview videos as soon as we safely arrive in Kathmandu!

Up to $25  >>> Laura Beardsley
,   Emily Jacobs

,  Kathy Langley, 

 Karyn "Kestrel",  Anonymous,  Amy Osborne

,  Katie Wallace,  Erin Babich,  Little Rob the choss monkey, 

 David Jaffe and Eryn Bordes,  Rose Murphy,  Erin McGraw Piotrowski,  Emily Schaller,  Phoebe Hazard Backler and Family,  John & Dorene, 

 Greentrons



Up to $75  >>> Karen & Paul Amstutz,   Kathleen Pfeffer

,   Adonia, Kelsey and Cache Ripple,   

 Ed Whittle,    Pete, Wendy, Katrina & Emily Haws, 

 

 Barbara Carlson, 

 Joanna, Chris and Karsten
,   Jennifer Bedford & Helen Lejeune,  Buttercup, Hellion, Haley, Camille,  

 Sage, Parker, Siri & Peter Newman, 

 Beth Pratt,  Jen Metes, 

 Fregosi Family, 

 Karen & Dick Fearon

,  Wendy, Marklyn, Gabriel, Adrian Retzer,  

 Max Mayfield

,  Ginger Birdsall,  Don & Becky Jenkins,  Donna Smith,  Fred & Jean Tuemmler,  Pierre Bidou,  Carol Saccomano

$100 – 200  >>> Jill, Manuela & Bast

,  Mike Osborne & Linda Eade,

   Baba, Yoly, Jellybonz & Magpie,  Anonymous,  Kurt, Tamara, Nik, Alexandra & Charlie,  Janet DeNapoli (JoLynne's Mom), 

 Carole and Andy Amstutz,  Anita Sandwina


,   Laurel Anderson,  Nicole and Jack Benter (and Roxy!), 

 Marusan W, 

 Jackie Ellis,  Laurie and Rudy Reich

,  Korena and Steve

,  Sharon & Duke McElroy,  Rich and Casey Thompson,  Gail & Mike Emmons,

  Lisa and Craig Jorgens

,  Joan and Larry Fox,  Roger & Betsy Peterson,  Don and Lorraine Sharman,  Marlaine Lockheed and Steve Frakt

,  Joyce & Jack Sweitzer,   Mr. & Mrs. Drew Robarts,  Sue Overstreet,  Nancy Bruce,  Anne Baxter,  Pete & Sonni, , Sean Kriletich,  Rosemary MaCallum

$300 >>> Steve and Tish Harwood



$500  >>> Tom & Marty DeJonghe,   Roger and Judy Benson,   Norm and Janet Pease,  

 Ardath, Joe & Pete Kroner

7 Days Until Departure!

Wow! Only 7 days until departure! I can't sum up the emotion I feel right now.  Soon all the anticipation I've been feeling will be put to the test. I am not scared for what I don't know but for my reaction to all the carnage.  I am ready to execute my project and help this wonderful country!
 Nepal here I come! 

THREE WEEKS until DEPARTURE!!!!

Hello, Namaste & Tashi Delek!

In just 3 weeks, I'll be flying to Nepal with my Dad to volunteer, work hard, teach & tutor, learn as much as I can, and report back via interviews and online videos.  I am so excited, but also a bit nervous.  The end of my own school year, studying for SAT tests, and final exams leaves me little time to do all the things I want in preparation for my Nepal project.

My Dad and I have been contacting friends in Nepal, and they are all very thankful that we still plan to come over to volunteer. They want us to help with teaching & tutoring, leading outdoor activities and hikes, and just spending time playing with the younger children.  Some of these kids come from far away villages, and have been living outdoors in tents for 5 weeks.  They are physically and emotionally exhausted by the stress of this earthquake tragedy.  The directors requested us to spend some time just playing with the younger students.... educational games, any sports, silly games, etc.  Just to help them be kids again.  (Hmmm... I think I'll bring my favorite soccer ball...)

Sometimes I think I should be more nervous than I am about this trip, but I feel pretty relaxed and confident. The airport is operating normally now, many hotels, shops and restaurants are open, and according to our friends, the huge Kathmandu traffic jams are getting back to "normal."

 Traveling with my Dad, and knowing we have several close friends in Kathmandu, makes me feel supported and safe.  Also, YOUR generous support gives me strength and purpose to go out and do whatever I can to help these wonderful people.

Thank you again for helping me fulfill this dream!  I will try my best, and share what I learn.

Love,
Eliza

Donations Update - El Portal Students give $530 so far...

El Portal and Yosemite Park HS students have been collecting and donating "spare change" for Nepali relief efforts.


Today they finished rolling coins, and decided as a class where to send the money....


THANK YOU to the El Portal community & Yosemite tourists for donating coins and bills!!!  Thank you to El Portal Market, Cedar Lodge, and Yosemite View Lodge & Pizza for promoting the donation jars at your fine businesses!!

Here is their account sheet so far:

	El Portal Students - Donation Jar Fundraiser for NEPAL  -  2015
	date	amount donated per date	MercyCorps	One Village   at a Time	Mansarovar     School
	5/15/2015	55			55
	6/2/2015	476	138	138	200
	Total per NGO      >>		138	138	255
	Grand Total	531

Local Yosemite Students Raising Money for Nepal

Concerned by the suffering of quake victims, El Portal School and Yosemite Park High School students started a “donation jar” fundraiser.  100% of ‘spare change’ donations are being sent to organizations working on the ground in Nepal, providing food, medicine, temporary shelter, and education to the Nepalese people. So far they have collected almost $250, and are counting and rolling coins in math class!  Participating businesses include the El Portal Market, Cedar Lodge, and Yosemite View Lodge.   Stop by and share your spare change!  THANK YOU business owners for helping in this effort!

If you'd like to make an online donation, please use the links to great organizations located on the right sidebar... >>>>