The last few days have been really sad ones, since I have been counting down the last few days that I have to spend with all of the amazing people that I have met in Nepal. We spend several hours cleaning out the local stream and came across some pretty disgusting things. Garbage is everywhere, including condom wrappers. All we could do was walk up and down and collect the mounds of garbage that had collected against the brick walls of the stream, and continue to collect the new garbage that was floating towards us. It makes me realize just how lucky we are to be able to turn on a tap and feel safe enough to drink the water. Here the idea seems to be that if the water is clear, than it is clean, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Along with the garbage, we were collecting large and small rocks from the river bottom and adding them to the road that leads down to the home. Monsoon and the rainy season is only days away, and the dirt on the road continuously gets washed away with the rain. The hope was that with the rocks holding down the soil, by the end of the season their would be some sort of road still available to the people in the community. I worked on this project during the morning and while the little ones were finishing their chores. I was asked to teach them yesterday morning and help one of the older girls as she prepares to start teaching them when we leave. An older boy named Cousal was teaching them, but last minute recieved a new job in Kathmandu and left quickly leaving Ester, one of the older girls repsonsible to teach 6 of the younger kids. I can't imagine having to teach after not having an training on what to do. In Nepal there is no such thing as a curriculum or a program of studies. Teachers depend on the resources and teach to the materials that they have. These kids of small work books that go over very basic material, and that is what they work on every day. I showed Ester how to find the Alberta curriculum and how to use our guidelines back home as a way to teach these kids. I was also able to show her some good teaching websites with resources that she can use to help modle her teaching after our program back home. I am hoping to collect teaching resources amongst many other things when I get home to send her way. She watched me teach and took some notes which was a really cool feeling. I did a lesson on Canada and used modling clay that we brought to have the kids create a "Canadian Scene". They made mountains, rivers, canoes, and many snowmen. We made a flag and the Calgary tower and lots of pizza. They had a blast! We then made a Nepoli scene and the differences were amazing. I had a blast with them! They kept asking me to come back and teach them when I graduate!
Today we were able to finish 2 more water filters. One will be going to a local family in the Godawari area, and the other to the school that most of the older kids attend. Unfortunaly we will not be able to be there when they are given out, but Brother Nepal promised to take pictures and send them our way after he gets the water tested.
I am feeling really sad that after such an amazing month and after seeing the problems and issues in Nepal first hand, that now I will just go back home to my bubble of life. It's hard when you feel like no matter what you aren't doing enough. I guess all that I can do now is stay connected with these kids and the people who I have met, and bring my story home and try to make a difference from there. There is so much need here, and I wish I could help everyone. I just need to remember that being here and showing to the people of Nepal that we havn't forgotten about them and that we do care counts for a lot!
That is all for now! Thank you to everyone who has followed along with me! I hope I can share my stories in more detial with you when I get home!
xoxo Tory
PS: Mama I get home on Friday, June 3rd at 9:20pm. The flight # is 631 Continental airlines. We have 50 mins to catch our flight in Huston so fingers crossed we can sprint their fast enough to make it. If not I will call you! Love you and can't wait to see you xoxo
