which was exactly what we needed. Last week I returned to Chittagong from 8 days in Nepal - 4 of which were spent trekking in the Annapurna mountains. I can't say enough about how beautiful and absolutely breathtaking the scenery was, not to mention the hospitality and warm welcomes we received throughout our stay.
Thanks to the first protest since the new government took power, our plans were slightly altered. rather than starting our trek from a little town, hiking two days to a nice hill to watch the sunrise and then heading back out the same way...we ended up almost doubling the distance, trekking for a full four days (covered roughly 75km), and seeing some of the most gorgeous mountains i've ever seen in my life. we also, thanks to the different route, got to walk though dense jungle, climb waterfalls, literally climb down into a valley and right back up again (that was a tough day), and walk through rolling, terraced hills of rice and soybean paddies. picturesque doesn't even begin to describe it.
Our guides and porters were incredible gracious, inspiring and helpful (even lying to us when absolutely necessary, "Yes, just 10 minutes more, you are almost there!" "Do not worry, just gradually uphill..."). After about a day, they began telling us about their personal lives - regaling us with stories of their families, teaching us Nepali and trying to teach us Nepali dances. I think we were a slight oddity for them...there were 9 of us teachers, very excited to finally be outside of our building for an extended period of time - in the beautiful, pristine, healthy mountains of Nepal, no less - and we were determined to carry our bags for as much of the trek as we could. At first we all refused their help, by the end of the trek they had quite a number of bags on the trail - but nowhere near the amount that other porters had to carry. Our guides kept joking that we were giving the porters a holiday.
Getting to know our porters and guides gave us a small glimpse into Nepali culture. All of them were pretty young (I think the oldest was late 30's), but had been married for almost half their lives. Two had arranged marriages, two had love marriages (and received quite the hoots and hollers from other Nepalis upon such proclamations). One of our porters, who seriously looked like he was probably 15, was actually 34. He'd been married at 17 (love marriage), but his wife began having children right away. HIS 17-year-old daughter was just married (arranged), and she's pregnant. MEANING, he'll be a grandfather at 34. Which blows my mind. Also why we nicknamed him grandpa for the rest of the trek - a name he proudly wore as we continued through the Annapurnas.
The last night on the trail, in Ghorepani, our guides found some musicians and coaxed them into our tea house to play music and dance with us for a few hours. While we were all a little more sore than usual the next morning (at 4:30 am...we woke up early to hike to catch the sunrise), it was an amazing end to our trekking journey. Not to mention that our guides and porters let loose - were singing, dancing and playing music more passionately than anyone else in the tea house. I don't think it's often they get such a group of laid-back, twenty-something, female volunteer teachers.
Back in Kathmandu we did a little sightseeing, but mostly spent our time searching out good food (plentiful throughout Nepal, so that wasn't difficult) and catching up on sleep. Trekking was my favorite part of the trip - save the wonderful visits we got to go on the day before we left. We'd been in contact with Anjana, the Nepal Country Coordinator for the AUW/Access Academy and had asked if it would be possible to get together with some of the parents of our students --- we wanted to be able to bring things to their parents, and bring packages back to Bangladesh with us (it was the least we could do, they were pretty torn up that we were going to their home and they couldn't come with us).
After meeting Anjana, she took us to a school on the outskirts of Kathmandu proper. The second we walked into a large, sun-filled room the parents started buzzing. Obviously we were put in the front of the room, in a line, and introduced ourselves and which students we taught; the families did the same. And once we asked for questions, hands shot up, "how is my daughter's behavior? Is she causing trouble? Is she doing well in classes?" --- they were all about how their daughters were doing academically in the classroom, all asked with the expectation that we would have negative things to say.
just the opposite, actually. I think all the teachers have found most of our students very well-mannered and well-tempered. The problems we face aren't usually behavioral, but situational, students upset at the structures of the Academy, or not equipped with the time management skills to take on a heavy course load and additionally, extracurriculars. And so that is what we told the parents. We were taken, one by one, and placed with parents of students we personally had. We exchanged packages with them (we left with many more to bring back to bangladesh) and shared what we could. There wasn't too much too tell - so much of what we know are those, "well, you just had to be there" stories - but I think just getting to see us, in the flesh, helped to calm the parents' fears. Although, a few of us were crying at certain points, and I think that might have scared a few of them...those crazy westerners...
That night we were personally invited to one of the students' homes to meet her family and take tea (read: massively large meal less than 90 minutes after Anjana took us out for a gigantic lunch...the westerner conundrum...i don't want to be impolite but i honestly can't eat a single bite more...). The minute we showed up we were rushed into the living room by her parents and 4 sisters, shown family photo albums, told stories and fed. and fed. and fed and fed and fed. welcome to nepal, please eat.
Getting to meet our students parents was, by far, one of the most touching and memorable experiences of working at the Access Academy. As a teacher, with a small amount of savings and a monthly (plus some travel) stipend, i've been dealing with a bit of guilt about going away on vacation during the term breaks - especially when i visit the home countries of my students. It's difficult because our students are really homesick, most of them have never lived away from home before now, and would give anything to go home for just a few days. Unfortunately they don't have the money or resources to be able to do that. Since getting back though it's been lovely to see how our Nepalese students have responded to our love of their country - they continually thank us for going there on vacation. If every country I visited was as welcoming, beautiful and friendly as Nepal...well, I probably wouldn't ever stop traveling.
The trip was absolutely amazing, so amazing in fact, that there are multiple teachers that have looked into jobs in Nepal post-Bangladesh. While I don't know if I'm ready to move there right away (I think i've promised family and friends 6 months in the US?), it's definitely on the list of countries I could easily move to. easily.
The view from the top of Pun Hill (45 minutes above Ghorepani), at sunrise. yes, there were hundreds of other tourists there sharing the moments with us. very romantic.
Some candles lit at one of the temples in Durbar Square
The Pokhara Valley (day one, 1 hour into our trek)
angela capturing the sunrise at Pun Hill
Pohkara Valley at 5am. Day one. Thanks anti-maoist government protestors.
Beggar in Durbar Square
The group at the top of Pun Hill
beautiful, beautiful mountains (day two)
view of Fishtail (day one)
Durbar Square
*more pictures to come. the internet's been uncooperative in loading them onto the blog*
