Trekking, or, The Last Month in Pictures

Hello, all!

I'm back from 24 days of trekking, and it exceeded every possible expectation I could have had!  Man, what an immense experience.  The only variables of the the trekking equation are weather, health, and you.  Any feelings and behaviors that happen in such a situation are, therefore, only due to...you.  It was a great opportunity to get to know myself even better, and it was such a privilege to have the chance to do so.

I can't talk about trekking without thanking my uncle, Richard, for taking me and showing me a part of Nepal - and a part of his life - that I would never have seen otherwise.

Part I:  Khotang/Miles Levin Nepal Foundation

Part II:  To Namche Bazaar!

Part III:  The Kumbu...coming soon!

Back in Kathmandu!

Ahoy!

I'm back in Kathmandu after an incredible 24 days of trekking.  I'll update with LOTS of pictures really soon!

Operation: Khotang!

Namaste!

I've gotten way busier here of late, so there hasn't been as much free time for blogging.  My activities have included, but are not limited to:

• Teaching English and computers at CAP Nepal
• Fundraising at CAP Nepal
• Celebrated Holi, the  festival of colors
• Attending Momo Mania, a food event with over a dozen kinds of Nepali dumplings
• Participating in the International Women's Day All-Women Scooty Rally

Most of the activities actually center around the arrival of my Mama (maternal uncle in Nepali), Richard.  In the past couple of years, Richard has started the Miles Levin Nepal Foundation for Health and Education, an NGO that focuses on the Khotang district.  I've gotten to tag along with Richard and his NGO partner, Namgyal, to meetings all over town.  It's been quite an education in itself, and I'm excited to see the planning come to fruition once we get to Khotang tomorrow!  

Gayle and Richard at the Courtyard Hotel, Kathmandu

We'll spend two weeks working in the field, and the total trek time is 24 days.  Considering I've never been FOR REAL for real camping, my optimistic disposition could be short-lived.  I've got all of this nervous energy, now that the trek begins in just 13 hours.  

Can't wait to talk to everyone once I get back - wish me luck!

Saying "Yes," or, Heading to the Terai!

One great piece of advice that I received before leaving was from my friend, Maggie.  She told me to say yes to things as much as possible - accept people's offers, take that side trip, etc.  So when my boss, Hera, of 4 hours invited me to visit her maternal village in the Terai tomorrow, I tried "yes" on for size (after getting permission from Volunteer Nepal, of course.)

So tomorrow at 6:30am, I will leave for the southern forests of Nepal.  The Terai is vast and beautiful, and it is home to more Nepalis than any other region.  I will be out of Internet contact through Monday, though maybe earlier if I come back before Hera.

Day one of volunteering was wonderful and worthy of note, as well.  I will be teaching computer lessons and English to the young residents of CAP Nepal.  They were very excited during their first computer lesson today, and that makes me excited to teach them.  They speak very little English, so I think they were pretty confused at my apologetic face as I explained to them that most word processors are called Microsoft Word - not openoffice.org.  Language, culture, age - and now the shareware barrier?  Ah, well.  English and computer skills will hopefully aid them in having a healthy vocational future.

I will also assist in school educational programs about son preference, merely by telling Nepali teens what it is like growing up as a girl in the United States.  Though the Western world is far from having true gender equality, there is no legacy of son preference like there is in Asia.  In Nepali culture, son preference is mostly rooted in the Hindu tradition that only a son can perform the funeral rites for his parent.  Even though it is known that women are not biologically responsible for the gender of their children, it is the mother that takes the brunt of the abuse if she does not bear a son.  CAP Nepal aims to educate and counsel about son preference, and shelter those that are enter lives of exploitation due to it.

Shivapuri Peak, or, The Hemoglobin Punisher

All last week, my volunteer coordinator, Christina, had been asking around to see if anyone wanted to join her for a hike up Shivapuri - the second highest hill surrounding the Kathmandu Valley.  I tend to be down for whatever - possibly to a fault, on occasion - and responded with an enthusiastic 'yes!'

Ah, those were such happy, blessedly ignorant times...

Look at those smiles...they don't even know what's coming.  L to R:  me, Kaela, Tam, Hari

I'll spare you a florid narrative of how hard this hike was by just saying that it was DAMN HARD.  The change in altitude was especially punishing.  I kept going through the Rolodex of places I'd spent an extended period of time in my life and realizing they were all terribly, terribly flat and close to sea level.   Damn you, Southeastern Michigan!  Damn you, New York City!  Our hike leader, Hari, even went so far as to tell me that I needed to keep walking because the area we were in was infested with tigers.  That's how bad I was at this hike.  I tried hard to focus on the beauty all around me, but all I could think about was how much I needed to breathe through my nose and keep inching forward.

At a Shiva temple near the top, known for its Tiger's head shaped water tap

I had to keep reminding myself that today, as far as ascending tall peaks go, I am a baby.  Next week I'll be a little better at it, but why would I be any good at it my first time out?  I subdued my perfectionistic tendencies somewhat for the rest of the climb, and made it to the top with the rest of my group.

Gayle and Tam climbing to a lookout 

It was physical strain of the hike felt refreshing in a way that I like, whereas dealing with the (relatively minor) change in altitude was beyond humbling.  The greatest feeling will be to climb again and feel how much my body has adapted to its new environment.  Yesterday I was an altitude baby, but there is always Day One of everything.  I find that these first days get harder and harder as I get older, and I'm trying to embrace them as the opportunities for learning that they are.  I so look forward to all of the physical and personal growth that I have yet to experience in Nepal.

The rewards of all the effort?  Simply breathtaking.

Happy Shivaratri!

Today is Lord Shiva's birthday, or Shivaratri!

I didn't make it down to the Shiva temple or parade today, but I got to watch my first puja at one of the girls' homes tonight.  I'll update more soon from about my prospective volunteer placement and new experiences in Dhapasi!  

Mero nahm Gayle ho, or, Kathmandu adventures

In Peace Corps training, they advise you not to blog when you're not having a good time.  Using that advice, I neglected to update yesterday's first emotional maelstrom - though some of you caught it via email, gchat, or facebook messages.  Big ups to all my friends and family who are supporting the shit out of me over here, and specifically to Abe (always), Maggie, Daniel, Jared, and Justine in the past 48 hours.

I'm feeling settled in more and more, and more acclimated to my surroundings.  Buddha and Geeta have made everything easy and comfortable.  Notably, I was actually extremely comforted after reading the orientation schedule for my volunteer organization, Volunteer Nepal.  The structure, the semblance of purpose - THIS is what I'm doing in Nepal!  I am here for four months to accomplish goals x, y, and z and will see results!

The internal pressure to make everything purposeful and organized is totally a main reason I decided to come to Nepal; I wanted to eliminate those urges.  From my rudimentary understanding of life in Nepal, things aren't so organized.  More often than not, you get there when you get there.  After feeling all of these neurotic instincts bubble up, I realize that I don't know what I'm going to get out of this time here and that that's okay.  Just being here is the thing.  Just being is the thing.  I'm actively pursuing becoming comfortable in a structureless situation...which might be a total Catch-22.  Let's find out!

Tonight I'm going to a party at Buddha's uncle's house!  It feels nice to have something to do in the evenings - not because of the whole structure bit, but I feel like a total dork who doesn't know what's going on or have anything to do.  I reorganized my pack and cleaned my room and did some washing today.  For anyone that knows me well, this means I really, really need to get out.

I haven't been taking many pictures yet because I don't want to be rude, but I'd recommend image searching Thamel or Maharajgunj if you want to see where I've been hanging out.

Namaste!  

Namaste!

After a series of flights that totaled 19 hours, I have arrived in Kathmandu!

I was picked up at the airport on behalf of my uncle's friends, Buddha and Geeta, with whom I am staying for a few days.  It is not to go unnoticed that the driver had my name on a placard, and that made me feel very fancy indeed.

I had coffee with Buddha and Geeta's daughter, Rose, in Brooklyn the day before I left the States.  She was able to give me a realistic description of Kathmandu from the perspective of someone who spent her whole life there.  Lonely Planet is extremely informative, but can't quite speak for Nepali attitudes and way of life the way Rose could.  I was therefore prepared for the pollution and the load shedding (scheduled rolling electrical blackouts throughout the day, for hours, pretty much every day) and the noise.  I didn't expect to see cows in the streets - cows! - and huge roosters, and I really couldn't have imagined the density of people that I saw even outside of the city center.  Gas for heat and cooking fuel are also sparse, so Nepalis are really resourceful.  I'm currently enjoying the heat of a Nalgene of hot water under the covers, and because the water has been boiled, it is now potable.

I met Geeta at their house and she showed me around.  I took a really cold shower, because I couldn't tell that the electricity was out because it was still daylight.  Buddha and Geeta are warm and funny and wicked smart - I can see why they get along with Richard so well.  I got to hear a little bit about politics and connection to Nepal from Geeta and spiritual life and facts about Kathmandu and the way things work from Buddha.  I can't wait to continue all of these conversations.  They have generously offered their house as home base for me when I'm in or around Kathmandu, and I really do feel very much at home.  They're just fantastic!  Two hours after meeting them, I'm already invited to their son's wedding in June.  (Rishi, in the unlikely event that you read this blog post before you hear about that from your folks:  congratulations!  And thank you!)  That's just how inviting B & G are.

I'm most excited to explore Kathmandu tomorrow!  I'm going to walk from the clinic where my hosts work to Thamel, a tourist district and a good starting point.  Much of the city is walkable, which is great news for a lady of little bike/motorcycle confidence like me.

Namaste!

Brief Reflection

¡Hola, amigos!

Right now we're in Madrid for our second full day, getting ready to check out the Reina Sofia and the Parque del Retiro.

I did want to take a moment and just talk about traveling in general, and all the wonderful things that have come to me from doing so.  Getting to open up a dialogue about the world with people from all over the world has been a truly rich learning experience.  Americans are inclined to have a relatively small pool of opinions, especially considering the the news to which we have easiest access is weighted so heavily toward America.

In a lengthy discussion of the spread of conservatism in many global sectors due to the financial crisis, Marco and I got to talking to our German and French friends about standards of liberalism and conservatism in the States versus Europe.  A young Frenchman stated, without intent of hyperbole, "Your liberals are basically our conservatives, you know."  That was really eye-opening.  In much of Western Europe, generous healthcare and social programs are the norm, not something you have to fight congress for and add whack abortion riders to accomplish.  Extremely liberal Europeans align themselves with Communism - still a terribly dirty word in America.  It's hilarious to think that politicians to the left of center in the States are glibly accused of trying to institute Communist policy.

The news sources available here all have a global scope, something that is totally absent in American news programming.  It's a systemic problem, and it follows that many Americans are ill-informed about what's going on in the world.  I remember realizing this early in college and reading only the BBC for a while, but then realizing that they had unflattering portrayals of Israel I stopped tuning in altogether.  (Pro-Israel perspectives were more important to me at the time, and I wasn't really savvy enough to realize, hey, Gayle - just tune into a variety of news sources.  So I went back to CNN and the New York Times.)  It's very addictive, though, this knowing so much more about the world!  And empowering, too.  Granted, while not working, it's much easier to devote more of one's time to the news, but I will surely make that time when I come back and (fingers crossed!) return to employment.

Spain is wonderful, laid-back, sunny...a perfect place to be before I head out to Nepal - a place where challenges and rewards will be equally huge.  Traveling with Marco is a blast - neither of us is in a rush to see everything, so we're just enjoying as we go.

Also....I'll probably break down and post pics on facebook soon.

Made it to Istanbul!

After a glitchy arrival, Marco and I are at the end of our first day in Istanbul.  We visted the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and plan on doing Topkapi and the Grand Bazaar tomorrow.

We have an amazing hostel with a great crew of folks from all over - some students who are guests at universities in Istanbul through the Erasmus exchange program, Europeans and Americans on vacations, and even two German guys who are stopping through on a road trip to Mongolia.

The hostel (hilariously called Bada Bing Hostel) has a lively common room, a book swap replete with travel guides (thought about swapping the 80's Lonely Planet for the new one they have here - hahah!), and a kitchen and laundry.  Some folks are even throwing a party tomorrow night!  Needless to say, we're definitely staying a day longer than we had originally planned.  If you're ever in Istanbul and want to stay at a warm and wonderful place that sleeps dorm-style, Bada Bing is the best.  It's within walking distance from both Beyoglu (big nightlife district) and the old city.

I'll do a big picture post at the end of our stay here - everything is incredible!  Also, for the record, Turkish delight has ruined me on all other food for the rest of my life forever.  Forever!

STILL IN LATVIA

Our flight to Istanbul has been delayed substantially.  Never ones to miss an opportunity for absurdity, Marco and I have prepared this documentary short about RIX:

Shalom, Israel! Sveiki, Latvia/Merhaba, Istanbul!

Post-Birthright Israel was outstanding!  I'm really sad to have to say goodbye to all of our friends in Israel, new and old.

For the first two days, we stayed in Haifa with Omri's family.  His family was so great and hospitable, not to mention Omri's mother is an amazing cook.  I slept well for the first time in weeks, and we did a lot of chill stuff.  We went to the mall, connected to all of our Sachlav friends on facebook, and ended up taking that day trip to Akko.

We were slated to see the Shwedels in Jerusalem after Haifa, but we got stuck on a train for an hour!  It would have been too late to make the two hour bus ride to Jerusalem (where the Shwedels were), so we changed plans around and booked it down to Tel Aviv to stay in the apartment that Sachlav-ers Toby, Shlomo, Will, and Michael Jordan rented.  We got there just in time for gorgeous dinner made by Shlomo, Shirli and Tal.  Dan and Rebecca also joined us for this lovely family dinner.

Then we went out to a nearby bar with live music.  Because our friends refused to accept money from Marco and me to stay in the apartment, we showed them our appreciation by icing them.  Mightily drunk, we walked in the sands of the Mediterranean to our next destination:  Lima Lima, a gay club with amazing music for dancing.  To my mystery Israeli dance partner who could lift me up and swing me around:  I hope we meet again someday.

That brings us up to this morning, where we headed to Jerusalem to meet up with Danny, Kenny, and Tete Shwedel for lunch.  We went to Danny's home to meet his wife Miriam and his two gorgeous boys, Avraham Zvi and Akiva.  We only got to spend a little less than an hour with Danny's nuclear family, but you could just feel the love and warmth that they feel for one another.  Mazel tov, Danny and Miriam!

Now, Marco and I are at Ben Gurion Airport waiting to board our flight to ISTANBUL!  We have a six hour layover in Riga, Latvia, so we might try to head to the center of the city for breakfast.  I hope it works, but I definitely won't risk missing my connecting flight just to have spent the morning in Latvia.  I'm certainly crazy tempted to do so because the story would be hilarious, but this blog post kind of spoils it.

SHALOM!

Post-Birthright

Marco and I are currently staying in Haifa with our friend Omri.  The uninterrupted sleep was unreal, although I'm still unable to shake this cold that everyone on the trip got.

Omri's gonna show us around Haifa today, and we might go to Akko, a city at the north of the Haifa Bay which seems to have an interesting history.  From there, we are going to stop back in Jerusalem to meet up with Danny Shwedel and his family, where will get to meet Miriam and their two boys!  We'll also get back to Tel Aviv to soak up some more nightlife with friends from Birthright.  We're going to a gay club, which should be a total blast.

Here are some pictures from Haifa from the beginning of our trip - can't wait to see more today!

Part I: Birthright

Birthright has been both a terrific and challenging experience - probably way too much for one blog post.

Big picture highlights:
-  free trip
-  outstanding hearts and minds to share with
-  finding out that I still know how to make friends
-  getting to chill and travel with Marco
-  meeting wonderful and passionate Israeli friends
-  seeing the physical beauty of the landscape of Israel
- learning more about current and historical conflicts that have shaped the region
-  respectful debates
-  fun party opportunities
-  not a religious trip

Big picture lowlights:
-  not getting to learn enough about the Israeli government/the conflict between religious and secular populations
-  the Birthright agenda (i.e. "have Jewish babies")
-  guided processing, rather than having time to reflect alone or  in small groups
-  some questions being ignored or selectively answered
-  implicit messages equating Judaism and/or spirituality with Zionism

I'll throw some pictures up on picasa post-haste - can't wait to talk and write more about my experience in Israel with all of you.

T minus 9 days

The dates aren't official, but the rough itinerary is:

- Israel
- Petra
- Istanbul
- Paris (if there's time!)
- trekking in Nepal
- volunteering in Kathmandu
- Leh/trekking in northern India

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.