This going to bed early
is just not for me. Woke up at 4am and only had 5 ½ hours to
kill before I got picked up for work. The working day for Tewa is
10am to 5pm, so the bus picks me up at 9.30. Did a bit of reading,
vegged around, had a shower and went across the road for some toast
and coffee. I'm still severely hanging out for a decent cuppa ...
Tewa is located on what
would appear to be the outskirts of Kathmandu. Its a beautiful
location and they are in the process of building a new main building.
They are currently in the smaller type buildings located on the
roadside, which will eventually be rented out as shops. I will have
to put some photo's up, but I have been so busy just taking in the
sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere that I haven't even bothered to
take out the camera yet. I was very warmly welcomed and very nicely
got in trouble for trying to work on my first day. Just relax and
chat I was told. So, it was out with the photo's, did the proud Mum
thing and answered lots of questions about life in Australia. One of
the girls, Moni is going to pick me up on Sunday and take me for out
for the day. It appears that Saturday is the day most of the shops
are closed here and Sunday its business as usual. I also found out
the story to the tea, tea in Nepal is made with normal tea, but they
put sugar and spices in it .. this is the 'weird' taste. Yeeha, one
of the girls made me a 'normal' tea, black, but at least it was
drinkable. Will get my own cup and some UHT and come Monday I am
going to totally savour and enjoy a decent cuppa.
Lunch is made and eaten
in the small kitchen they have off to the side, So far this has been
the best meal I have had here. It was a traditional simple Nepali
meal of rice, lentils and curried vegetables. I thoroughly enjoyed
the meal and everyone was using lunch time to start teaching me
Nepalese. I'm fairly lucky in that all of the people at Tewa speak
English, but when they are conversing with each other its Nepalese.
It is so strange not understanding a word that is being said. It
sounds so fast and I doubt that I will learn to understand much in
three months, but like so many things here already in three days it
certainly gives me a much greater appreciation of what we have in
Australia and I will now be able to empathise with people who are in
the same situation back home. Nepal is something like the 3rd
poorest country in the world and I have already seen so many things
that we just wouldn't accept. The safety standards or lack thereof,
the health standards. Across the road from Tewa is a butcher. This is
another on of those stall type things and the meat is just chucked on
the bench whole, be it a chicken or cow and hacked up on the spot.
The one today was chopping up bits of a chook as people asked for it
and then throws the pieces on some bits of brick and then proceeds to
blow torch it with an oxy gun. I have no idea why, but I'm sure I'll
find out. There doesn't appear to be any fridges, no netting or
shelves, its absolutely amazing. So, after a hard days work chatting
( and no smart comments, I can hear them from here) its back to the
hotel for another early night. I figure I could do with a few, and
the liver appreciates it no end after the last month or two, well
maybe three, but give me a week or two and I'm sure to find some form
of nightlife around here. I could go to the 5 star hotels, but I
might as well have stayed at home if I do that.