The Past Two Weeks

It has been two weeks since I returned from Palpa and last posted. So much has happened, I don’t know where to begin… I will try to start with a timeline, but don’t be surprised if my thoughts start to interject, and the timeline gets disjointed.

We returned to Kathmandu on a Sunday, and had school the next day. School has been incredibly busy, and all of the writing and homework take up a lot of time (hence the infrequent blog posts!). But, I really enjoy the schoolwork; I have learned a lot and have been challenged through it all. I can feel myself growing and developing opinions based on significant thought and observations. One of the assignments that we had last week was to go out anywhere in Kathmandu and start gaining contacts and networking. Specifically, we had to find someone, anyone, who worked on something related to our ISP and/or interests, and interview them. It was a challenge considering we only had a few days and time frames are not conducive to getting things done if Nepali time plays any role. BUT, I did it.

Side note: New ear piercings, ouch!

On my walk to the organization that I wanted to have a dialogue with, (Advocacy Forum, who provides legal aid to individual’s who are marginalized in society and who are victims of human rights abuse during the detention period of an arrest… this was especially relevant during the People’s War/Maoist insurgency but remains pertinent today as well) I met a really remarkable man. Marina and I must have seemed lost on our walk (which we were, but I am surprised we conveyed it) because this man pulled over and ventured to help us; in perfect English he asked where we were trying to go. The back of his car was adorned with two bummer stickers, one from Harvard University and the other from Cornell University. I did my best to explain where we were trying to go, but truthfully I wasn’t even sure. The man even attempted calling the organization to see if he could speak to someone who would give directions, but no to avail of course (phones never quite work here). Anyways, apparently he moved to Nepal a week prior, after living and studying in the US for 10 years! His wife claims the Harvard sticker, and he the Cornell. He explained that he has basically been following his wife around for the last few years (A-TYPICAL in Nepal!!), and that’s why he is back… because his wife got a job with the World Bank that brought them both back here. He was so kind and helpful, and said that he and his wife would have us over for dinner soon. In the United States I would have been extremely creeped out by this, but it is just Nepali culture to treat strangers like they’re a part of your kith and kin.

The interview itself was really successful too, we basically barged into this random office and ended up being able to sit down with someone for over an hour to ask questions and learn about Advocacy Forum’s interworkings. As unlikely as it is for things to go as planned here, I have yet to experience anything that truly just didn’t work out.

Finding kindness in my heart

Since I arrived in Nepal, I have been exploring Buddhist thought and tradition. During my first few weeks, I kept hearing snippets about Mahayana Buddhism that would incite tremendous curiosity in me. I did my best to research more on my own, but it occurred to me that I should reach out to Maria (the Wooster alum I talked about before, who is studying Buddhism at a Tibetan monastery in Bouddha)! I texted her on Sunday night and it just so happened that a new course was starting at the monastery on Mahayana Buddhism!! It was meant to be. I found my way on public transportation to Bouddha at 4:30pm the next day to start the course with her. Since then, I have been going regularly… every Monday and Wednesday for about any hour each time. The first few sessions were learning about the Dharma (religion) and the latter few have been practicing the Samatha mediation that we learned… for an entire hour… mind you, not an easy task. But I could not be more thrilled that this community exists. Much of what the Monk expresses (who by the way is incredible and hilarious and the translator does a wonderful job conveying his enthusiasm and hilarity) are thoughts that I have always had, but to be able to hear them come from another mouth and to be amongst a community who is as eager as myself to engage, is pretty damn remarkable.

The monk started by claiming that all spirituality is equally relevant and that even though he follows Buddhist teachings, he would not ever want to undermine any one else’s spirituality by claiming that his is greater. He also expressed the importance of engaging in virtue in order to give to others. It is thus unimportant to become a monk, shave your head, and wear red robes in order to find enlightenment, and in fact, someone in the room may reach enlightenment before he does. But, he expressed that for personal reasons (that may not apply to anyone else) he has made the choice to renounce and become a monk. All of the physical practices carry no weight if you can’t practice what you preach so to speak.

All of his teachings were about gaining power through one’s own mind; realizing selflessness will come from within one’s self. The monk also claimed that by giving oneself to others, others being all of Earth’s sentient beings, (the main tenant of this Dharma), you will personally benefit as well.

Carrying with you a kinder mindset, and seeing the world with kindness will make you happier. Much of the world has a kind mindset according to the Monk, and one does not need to follow Buddhist dharma to achieve this (so relieving! I love how he never preached or forced a specific view or a prescribed path for reaching enlightenment, but rather claimed that the world can be kind on its own… well, at least that was my interpretation as he took the time to describe the beauty of humanity outside of Buddhist tradition).

The lesson that I may connect most closely with is that it will help you to listen and accumulate dharma teachings—to learn! One of the first things that touched me about Mahayana Buddhism, before I began going to this class, was that Mahayana literally means vehicle. It teaches that when you learn you should be learning for the betterment of others… learning and acquiring knowledge in order to become a vehicle of that knowledge! The candles that you may see at monasteries are a symbol of this eternal light and eternal knowledge. A candle will eventually burn out, but if it lights three other candles before that happens, its flame can then become eternal, the knowledge can be passed on, the light can sustain.

By learning and giving rise to enlightenment, however, you are not benefiting the Monk’s dharma, or extending his or her life, or bringing him or her wealth, you are gaining a kind heart and mindset to benefit all beings, you are allowing blessings to enter into your mind and realizing the intrinsic value of all phenomenon.

Maria was embodying the practice of selflessness and giving of oneself by transcribing all of the translator’s words into Spanish (so from TibetanàEnglishàSpanish) for Roberto, a Spanish-speaking man who has been in Bouddha for a month now. It was such a beautiful way to witness the monk’s words in tangible action.

The mediation itself has been really wonderful, but definitely a struggle to accomplish, which is normal I guess. The aim is to set the mind on the breadth and give rise to the kindness in your heart. Imagine sitting still for an entire hour focusing solely on your breadth going in and out, combating any incoming thoughts that might take away from your concentration remaining solely on your breadth—Tough, but getting easier every time.

Long story short, I definitely think it was meant to be that I texted Maria the night before this class started and I couldn’t be happier that I found an outlet to learn more and actually practice.

Cleansing

Swimming in the waterfall pool

Over that weekend, I went with a few friends to Sundarijal (Beautiful water) in hopes of finding a waterfall. Beforehand, we all went out to breakfast and I got a tomato and avocado omelet (the start of a great day) and then all hopped on a bus, which took about an hour, in order to get out of the valley and to the base of this hike. We got on the bus at the first stop, and got off at the last… costing 25 rupees!! (100 ruppes to the dollar.) It was absolutely beautiful and so much fun. We hiked up a bunch of stairs and ended up going off the beaten trail, following the water to a larger basin. Rebecca and I even got to go swimming! I felt so cleansed by going under water and it was definitely worth the leaches. The water was amazing. The air was clean and pure. I was with wonderful people. I was certainly enjoying the moment, I found peace.

Bouddha in the rain

Pancake and AVOCADO AND TOMATO omelette (before Sundarijal), felt like home... but still didn't compare to my mom's cooking.






















The next day I went back to Bouddha (no surprise there) and sat at a café working on language and sipping coffee with a couple of friends. Mollie and I talked about how nice it would be if it rained and sure enough a few moments later it was POURING. It was amazing, the Stuppah was bleeding white and water was flowing through the streets. A few people remained, praying to the Stuppah, but the majority fled. Everything was quiet and pure. The city was washed clean and all of the dust and particles that usually get trapped in my chest were pressed into the ground by the beating water. It was entrancing to watch.

Keeping busy

The last week has been really busy, as I mentioned. We had a language exam Monday, an 8-10 page paper on development Wednesday and a final rough draft of our ISP proposals due Friday. The good news is my language is getting SO MUCH BETTER. I still struggle, but I am able to be conversational now and it is helping with everything. I am able to bond more with my family and other Nepalis and I have been able to understand the order of Nepali culture so much better now that I can communicate. The development paper helped me tremendously with wrapping my mind around my ISP and the final draft of the ISP helped me set my roving thoughts. At this point, (but I wouldn’t be surprised if my topic changes again) I am going to be investigating how the civil code that institutionalized Nepal’s caste system has contributed to modern-day social structures and social laws that continue to marginalize entire communities, and how marriage is a reflection of those laws remaining pertinent in society, despite casteism being outlawed. In 2009, the government issued a new cash incentive policy for anyone who marries a Dalit (the lowest caste). Inter-caste marriage used to be illegal, and now the government is issuing an incentive of 100,000NPR for it to occur. I want to look at how this policy may be legitimizing the caste system by re-labeling its citizens Dalit and non-Dalit, how it is empowering or re-enslaving certain population…etc. etc. etc.

I am really excited to research this and I plan on taking my research home with me and working with it for my Independent Studies at Wooster.

Festival-time

Today, we celebrated Dashim. It is Nepal’s biggest festival and it goes on for many days, but today was the main day for tikka. So, today the eldest person in the family gives tikka to all of their juniors. Throughout the week, however, there have been an unusually large amount of goats and chickens along the road… all waiting to be sacrificed. As the week has gone on there have also been more pools of blood, wads of hair, severed heads, carcasses being shaved, etc. (I’ll spare the details.)

For families who are mourning the loss of a loved one, they should not celebrate any of the festivals for a whole year. Two of my friends (Rebecca and Mollie) have families who are mourning, so the two of them spent the day celebrating with my family. It has been so much fun. We played cards and ate delicious food (per usual), received tikka from my haguraamaa and spent time with family. Since it is a holiday I did not have school, and my siblings have been out of the last week or so… the last two nights in a row we have stayed up until 12:30/1:00am playing cards. I taught them BS (only we called it jutto which means liar, dirty, impure… in Nepali) and it was so much fun. I haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time, maybe since before I even came. It felt like being at home playing Baulderdash, poker, and Would You Rather with my family until 4am and definitely made me a little nostalgic, but nonetheless was a lot of fun.

The whole gang!

Well, I leave for Annapurna on Tuesday and I will be trekking for 2 weeks, no phone, no Internet, no communication. I would say more about it, but I am trying to do minimal research so that it is all a surprise… and all that I have learned so far will become obsolete as soon as I step off the plane, so I will wait to present the description until I return. It should be absolutely amazing to be lost in the Himalayas for two weeks though, and I am very excited. Oh, and I will also have the opportunity to stay with a family in Thakali for just under a week in the middle of the trek!







 More photos from the hike: