Here comes the sun....

The sun comes out very suddenly and thoroughly here as if it were being switched on. Every time the mist moves away from the mountain tops we can see a little more snow there and a more stunning view. We have two balconies to our rooms. From the front one can see across the whole Kathmandu Valley and to the mountain regions beyond. There are some great sunsets from the stoop. And at the back ... the Himalayan mountains overlooking views of the village houses.

A little about my school. It is the local government school. The village people are from the Tamang tribe. Tamang is also the name of the language they speak. The official teaching medium is Napali (detecting a problem already?) and, just to confuse matters, English is compulsory. The level of operation of the teaching staff, even with the best of intention, is about grade 9-10.
Girls marry young here. Some leave school from grade 9 to do so. From then on the weight of responsibility for home and children is theirs alone. They feed the animals as well as the household from small plots of land. They earn ruppees where they can and I can hear and see them working all day, every day as long as there is light.

I am adding a couple of photos of some of the students in my classes. These two young girls are Ulima and Krisnala Tamang. The older child is one of my students. Their mother is in the sky along with their younger sister and their father is away with the army. Quite a few of the menfolk seem to be away in the Gulf or earning somewhere else.

I also enclose a photo of Bhaktapur, our local town. I really did manage to find the Nepali equivalent of black sugar paper here. PVA is proving a little more difficult tho'. The student books are made up of paper which is more like Izal. But we are doing our best.

The buses here are quite something. Viv uses them for work and, I am sure, could say more. She has travelled closely packed, along with goats and rice sacks (including one which burst in transit and caused a slight incident) as well as great numbers of people. It is every bit as crowded as the underground except that the crowding continues on the roof of the bus too. On our way back from Bhaktapur Viv did sterling work holding the bus' backdoor closed with a piece of string. Mysteriously someone managed to make the door stay closed with the use of a toothbrush.!!

Bhakta arrived back from Tibet last evening and is arranging a few days away for us. We have a week until the schools open after their holiday break. We are going to Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) and thence to Chitwan for some jungle stuff.
Love Jill xx

Shree Krishna Higher Secondary School and other things

Well, now that I've spent 4 days teaching at Shree Krishna Higher Secondary School, it's time to tell you something about what it's been like.

I've been teaching two classes of year 9s who are 14-15 years old. There have been approximately 60 - 80 students in one class and about 40-60 in the second and they all sit in rows of benches which are attached to desks. We started off with some general dictation and pronunciation so that they could get a bit more used to my accent, then we moved on to questions and answers so that they would each have a chance to speak. Most of them were fine about it, but some of the girls were just shy and giggled a lot, whilst some of the boys looked down at their shoes. I guess it's just not what they're used to doing, and it isn't comfortable for them to be taught in that way. So then we moved on to doing some grammar work, which they were far more comfortable with, and also got the hang of quite quickly. So I guess most of my work after the holidays will be grammar, interspersed with pronunciation. I've been trying to fathom out how to teach the 'sh' and 'v' sounds which don't occur in the Nepali language. I think I've worked out how to do it, but I have yet to try it out. I have to say, though, that they are all friendly and a lot of them will talk to me individually, even though they're too shy to do it in front of their classmates.

The other class I'm teaching, the year 12s, are completely different. They range in age from 16 - 20, and on the whole are very talkative and lively. One always greets me as 'grandma' because I am so old ! So far I've spent most of the time just talking with them, but they also need some help with grammar and pronunciation, so I'll be planning that in after the Dasain holiday.

Friday was somewhat different. I did teach the two class 9s, but after that there was a cultural programme put on by the students to celebrate Dasain. They did really well, staging it all themselves, sorting out the programme, and there were some really good performances. Suntali Tamang, who lives opposite where we are staying and takes me to school every morning, was the first act on (see right), and was very good. There were other dances in more traditional Nepali dress too (see photo on the left), and singers, and sketches and jokes (none of which I understood of course, but seemed to go down very well with a large audience of students, teachers, parents and other officials). The whole programme took about 6 hours, and was really good.

Yesterday we went to Kathmandu for the day, to have a massage (1 hour for less than a tenner), and to do some shopping. I think we have enough books now to last us for a few days at least (we'll need them if it doesn't stop raining soon!). At night the owner of the place we're staying in was there with his wife and baby daughter as he had invited his friends and relations to lunch to celebrate Dasain. We had a very nice talk to them - he runs the tourism business, and she works for ActionAid in Nepal, which we found very interesting. Today they are having another lunch for more friends and family, and we have been invited.

So that's it for now. There will be more later (of course).

Vivienne

Happy Deshain 2063

Today is friday (I think) and the last day before the Deshain holiday. When I arrived at school the children were busily decorating the rooms with flowers and insence and red powder. There was a general air of exitement just like Xmas Eve. A few hours later, after they sang some more Nepali folksongs here I am in the village at the internet point. But you should see me. So many of the students wanted to honour the school and more particularly the teachers and most particularly me... (apparently thats what today is about) that I have a great many flower garlands and so many rice tikka marks (approximately) on my forehead that I look somewhat garish and scary. I made some Deshain cards with the children too thereby confusing a perfectly Nepali festival with English custom.

Yesterday my school took part in a valley singing festival. Many of the mothers had walked quite a distance to support their children. The sight of some will stay with me for a long time. One poor soul was shoeless and had twins strapped onto her chest and a small toddler strapped onto her back. She told me that to be the mother of twins is lucky.
Anyway much to my surprise I was asked to give out the prizes. (I was also invited to sing an English folksong to the assembly, which I would have done if I had been able to think of one..... Not a single "Hey-Nonny-Nonny" suggested itself. !!

We now have some time off timetable as the schools are closed for the holiday period. Viv's school have invited her/us to do some extra conversation classes during this time. We also have invitations to staff homes. Parbitre has decided what I most need is a red Salwaar + Kurta so she volunteers to take me to a tailor next week. This is, however, our best chance to get to some other part of the country for a few days. We are awaiting the arrival of Bhakta....tour guide and friend.... at the cottage when he gets back from Tibet this weekend. We are hoping he may be able to sort us out with a trip to Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) and/or to Chitwan Reserve for more canoeing and elephant safari etc.

With Love and a happy Deshain,
Jill xxx

Brief Update

Just a quick update to let you know we're both alright. Internet connectivity can be a bit hit and miss in Nagarkot either because the electricity is off, or the 'phone line to Kathmandu has gone haywire, or sometimes both. So we couldn't post yesterday and today there is no time because I haev to get the car back before it gets dark as I can't find the lights.

More tomorrow all being well.

Vivienne

First Day at School.

Monday 18th September.

So off we set on foot with our tiffin box and our new friend Parbitra. Parbitra is one of the teachers at my school and keen to talk in English as we walked. Viv's school was closed today so we both went to the village school. It is a truly lovely walk to work and the view from the playground is quite stunning....right down the Kathmandu Valley.

We have now observed and joined in with four lessons of English between us. The teachers are really keen for us to improve the childrens pronunciation in particular and hope to learn what they can from us as well. There is much to be done. I am looking forward to being able to go a little further with some of the lessons but for today all I did was a little talk and chalk while the children are still learning to trust me. They are really shy. The timetable is somewhat of a mystery to me as yet, but no doubt it will all become clear or not. Its all rather laidback.
Viv has two first days at school because she starts at her own school tomorrow. They are putting on extra classes before school for interested year 9's (which is actually age 15 and not YEAR 9 as we know it). It looks as if the whole year group will turn up. She has a new friend to take her to school too. One of her pupils has taken the job and it seems to be an honour.

Afternoon and we have walked uphill to the Tibet House internet cafe. Heavenly views from here too. And lemongrass tea.....
Love,
Jill x

Bhaktapur by bus

We could actually see the Himalayas from our room this morning when we got up - great jagged peaks with snow on the top. One day I'll get a proper photograph of them, but normally they're hidden by mist or cloud.

Today we got the bus to Bhaktapur which was an experience in itself and also very cheap - 20p for an hour's journey and people climbing out of the door at the back and clambering onto the roof whilst it was still moving. I guess they're used to it. We also timed the bus trip to my school, which takes about 45 minutes, so I know I have to set off by 8am at the latest if I go by bus, and probably 7am at the latest if I walk, and 8:30 if I drive (Semanta has kindly allowed us to use his car from time to time).

Bhaktapur is a lovely old town which I took many photos of last year when I was here. We're doing a bit of shopping (I've managed to find whiteboard pens) and a bit of emailing, and a bit of just wandering around looking at whatever we feel like. Then it will be back to Nagarkot Cottage to prepare for tomorrow's teaching.

So that's all for today.

Vivienne

Teachers

Well, it's Saturday here, and we've had a great time today meeting some of the teachers from the schools we will be working in, a meeting which Semanta kindly set up for us and for which he provided lunch for everyone.

It was so nice to be able to talk to the teachers and get more of an idea about what they expected from us, and what they hoped we would be able to do for the students. I think Jill is a little more happy about the school she is working in now, as she didn't have much opportunity to talk to the teachers when we were there. I think we will all get along very well. Here's a photo anyway.

Tomorrow we're off to Bhaktapur on the bus for a bit of a wander round and some mental preparation before starting work on Monday. After tomorrow either Jill or I will keep the diary updated depending on who has the most time to do so.

Take care everyone.

Vivienne

News and Photos

Yesterday we had a trip to Kathmandu to do some shopping and have a wander around. It took about 1.5 hours to drive there and the same back, and I don't think we did more than 30kms an hour all the way there. There is just so much traffic on the roads, which aren't wide enough to cope with it all, and the pollution is fairly bad too. Still, we got there and back safely and that's the main thing. We did intend to visit the British Embassy to register our presence in the country, but it closes for lunch between 12 and 2, and of course we didn't get there until after 12.

The rest of the day was shopping for work clothes and books and things like that, and lunch in Kilroy's which is a popular tourist eating place, then back to Nagarkot for dinner.

This morning we have been setting up our office and then it has taken me a couple of hours to actually get the photos loaded onto this blog - very time consuming. Anyway, there is a photo of our office at the right hand side, and the view from it on the left (all being well). Photos have also been added to an earlier posting so you can see where we are living.

This afternoon there is an art competition in Nagarkot so we are going to that. Apparently well-known artists are coming from Kathmandu and the local children are also taking part, so that should be interesting. Tomorrow we are meeting the teachers from our respective schools, so that should be interesting.

I think that's all for now. We are both fine.

Love Vivienne

Namaste to all our friends-and- relations from Jill. Look I can blog!! No hands or stabilisers.!!

We did so much visiting and talking and meeting and smiling yesterday that today simply had to be a quieter day for us to collect our thoughts, which Viv gives every appearance of having done most successfully. She has already got up to next Wednesday with her lesson planning. My schoolwork is at the moment less clear but I am glad to have had the chance to see Viv's and read through some of the texts too.

There is absolutely no possibility of my asking my school for resource help. Poverty and need are real. There were some women from a working party in Patan there on the openday yesterday. They brought clothes for distribution and a few bags of pencils and exercise books to be given as prizes and attendance encouragement....

I am impressed by the journey on foot that I get to make to work too. Its stunningly beautiful and rural. Viv has a bus journey to school and yesterday we were invited to try driving the car from the Cottage. Viv drove with confidence and the horn.I was less impressive and Sem kept pushing his foot deeper into the carpet. He flinched every time I moved out of second gear and still does so whenever he thinks of it. It was fun.!!

This morning I watched the women returning with brimming baskets of Buffalo fodder. So laden you could not see much of them. (The women not the buffalo). The women later came home with the same baskets this time laden to the brim with maize. Some of their menfolk are abroad in the gulf. This is not an easy life. Yet we have still been welcomed with smiles and offers of tea everywhere.

We do have photographs to post and also a card reader. We need to get on and do that, don't we?

More to follow,
Jill x

Schools and stuff

Jill and I visited the two schools we will be working in this morning. I have 3 classes each morning of possibly about 80 students each, which should be a challenge, and we're not sure about Jill's classes yet as the parents in the school were visiting to elect a management committee when we were there so we didn't actually get all that much chance to talk about what she would be doing.

Anyway, we will hopefully be meeting the teachers again on Saturday, so things may become a little clearer then. In the meantime, we need to get ourselves organised with work permits and sort out some ideas about teaching. I have a copy of the students book for the year 9s from the school, which compose two of the classes I'll be teaching, with the other class being the year 11s. I think I'll mainly be doing listening and speaking with them as they will definitely find my accent a challenge, and the challenge for me will be ensuring that everyone in a class of 80 gets a chance to speak.

There are so many schools just in Nagarkot which would appreciate having someone to go and teach English to their students. But they're not on the list of schools that most of the voluntary teaching organisations use (which are mainly in Kathmandu) and they can't afford to pay. So if there are any teachers out there who fancy a sabbatical and don't mind paying all your own expenses you can be assured of a very warm welcome - we have certainly been warmly welcomed everywhere we have been.

More anon - Jill is going to say something about her school rsn. We are both fine and it's sunny and relatively warm though there were thunderstorms (some of them happening at the same time in different places) and torrential rain last night - quite unnerving when you're not used to it. But then this is the tail end of the monsoon season.

Also photos to follow rsn.

Vivienne

Now in Nepal

Well, just a brief entry to say that we arrived here safely, the accommodation is great (photos above), the view from my room is stunning, we are being well looked after by Semanta, and there are monsoon showers so everything is a little wet and misty.
We are at the Tibet House Internet Cafe in Nagarkot at the moment drinking ginger tea. Both the cafe and the ginger tea are lovely. The cafe is about an hour's walk up the hill from where we're staying, but I'm sure we'll cut the time down as we get fitter ! The school I'll be teaching in is way at the bottom of the hill about 8 miles away so it will be fine walking there, but I don't think I'll manage to walk it back very often if at all. Still you never know. If I get really fit I might enter myself in one of those Peak Races next year, but somehow I think it's highly unlikely. I'll need to keep doing a lot of walking anyway, as if lunch is anything to go by we are going to be very well fed.
Well, that's all for today. We're hopefully going to visit our respective schools tomorrow, so we'll keep you posted.

Vivienne

Only 10 days to go

Well, it's 1st September and we leave on the 10th, so only 10 days to go. The last few weeks have been very busy, and I'm still nowhere near prepared for going away for 3 months. So the weekend will be a mixture of writing lists, shopping, cleaning the house and tidying the garden, with the odd bit of work in-between. And probably emailing Jill, who is far more prepared than I am and seems to have practically packed already. Fortunately I am fairly laid-back so I probably won't start panicking about packing until next Friday night, at which point I'll probably remember there was something vital I should have done which I now don't have time to do.

Anyway, we will jointly tell you more about what we'll be doing in Nagarkot (which is where we're going) when we get there and have had more chance to discuss it with the people there. All I can say at the moment is that we will be working in two schools, but doing what exactly remains to be seen.

What I did want to do in this post, however, is to say a few thanks to those who've helped me along the way so far:

• Jill - for having the idea and seeing it through
• Semanta and Bhakta - for their ideas and enthusiasm
• My family - for their love and support
• My friends - ditto - and for nudging me along
• Rob Hepworth - for invaluable coaching and support
• My friends on the TESOL course at SHU and the staff - I'd do it again with you all any day
• The MI and Decision Support Team at Ufi for taking over the reins whilst I'm away
• Ufi learndirect - for letting me take a leave of absence for 3 months
• Tricia for looking after the house
• The distribution team at Ufi learndirect - for giving me some goodies to take with me

And if I've forgotten anyone then I apologise profusely and thank you.

More soon.

Viv