Hopeful Home

Hmmm....you know what? I'm ready to leave Nepal now! I think 3 months is enough time here...I have been at the Hopeful Home orphanage for over one week now and it's tiring to say the least. When I first got there, I was told I would be sharing a room with another volunteer, which indeed was true. I was very grateful to have Rosie, from Australia, to share the children with because there are 38 of them and you can imagine how difficult it would be to learn all those names without a bit of help, can't you?! We (or rather 'me' as Rosie has now left to go back to her hometown in Perth) are expected to be there from 7.30am until 9.30am, then from 4pm until 7pm (except Saturday - when we should be there ALL DAY). EXCEPT now that there have been more strikes in Nepal the children have not been at school so I HAVE BEEN trying TO ENTERTAIN THEM ALL DAY EVERY DAY since LAST SATURDAY. When they are at school, like today, it's much better as you have 'free time' in the day. I don't know how Rosie did it because before I came to join her, she was on her own for 3 weeks WITHOUT ONE DAY OFF (except when she was sick but that doesn't count).

My favourite children are the small ones because I like hearing them laugh and like to learn dances from them. They take it very seriously when they are dancing and expect you to be able to copy them after watching them 'one time'. By the way, their favourite saying is 'one time Miss' which means 'in a minute Miss'. They are so sweet and all call me "Nisha Miss" (my nepalese name is Nisha - did I tell you that?! Dai gave me this name...) The older children are a bit moody, especially the boys - the girls are the best! The 'management', as in the head boss lady, is a bit scary. She got really annoyed yesterday when she thought that Rosie had left without giving her a Christmas present (she did kind of get her a present, which consisted of used peanut butter, opened honey and needles and thread!) but I don't blame Rosie at all for giving her these hilarious gifts because the week before this, Rosie and I were asked to 'volunteer' 27,000 rupees of our own money (that's about 220 quid!) to pay for 38 children + 12 anonymous guests for a picnic! How on earth they came up with figure I don't know. Actually I do, because they showed me the calculations, which they had totalled-up wrong and then added another 2000 rupees! No shame...no shame.

I wasn't going to at first, but I'm now in search of some cheap (but nice) christmas presents for THE CHILDREN. (Thank you mama for sending those colourful stickers to me because I know they will love them!) The Nepalese people do like to celebrate Christmas but apparently some years back they didn't and 'they' (Dai and his saati's - 'friends') had to go to the king (there isn't one now - don't ask coz I still don't understand what happened to him) and demonstrate on the streets until they got Christmas Day granted as a National Holiday (I'm not sure how much of this is true by the way). Anyway, after Christmas Day is over I have only TWO DAYS LEFT in NEPAL as I have decided to spend time (maybe a month, maybe more!) in NEW ZEALAND! WOooooooooo!

I'm so excited because I have booked myself a party ticket to go to a 4-day DRUM&BASS/REGGAE/HIP HOP rave starting on Wednesday 30th Dec 2009 until 2nd Jan 2010. New Zealand is 12 hours in front of UK so when you are all eating your lunch on Thursday, I will be one-stepping (as Luke says!) into the night of 2010! I have hired a sleeper-van so I can drive myself from Christchurch to the partay and back. I've bought the Lonely Planet guide for New Zealand which has made good bed-time reading for me - except that most nights when I go to open the book, the power goes off, so I have to read in the dark using my wind-up torch, which needs 'winding up' every 30 seconds...absolutely ridiculous. I'm really looking forward to permanent power supply, a hot shower, clean/unmatted hair, and a food menu that contains lots of MEAT where I don't have to be afraid of being sick. I am going to miss Nepal for its cheap food/internet/taxis/laundry/music/gifts/toiletries/clothes/jewellery/....the list goes on. I would say I'm going to miss the hot weather here, but IT'S SUMMER in NEW ZEALAND! YEAAAAAHHHHH!

I'm not sure whether I'll write another blog before I leave Nepal - if I don't end doing one, you'll be hearing from me in NZ in JANUARY!

Thinking of you all in England with your White Christmas ! HAVE FUN, STAY WARM AND BE MERRY!

Lots of love,

Nadine xxx