Best Bandh Ever!

Plan #1: Pack your bags, you're going to meditate!
Plan #2: Bargain a better price for your bus fare.
Plan #3: Prepare your rear end for another bumpy journey.
Plan #4: Forget all plans, because this is Nepal and you simply cannot expect anything. Ever.

Saturday morning, Lisa from Ireland and Emmi from Finland and I departed for Lumbini to become enlightened. Even though we heard there was a bandh, or strike. This time, it's due to the student elections. Strikes are very common here. Sometimes they block the road for days. One time in particular, Juan and Tariq were stuck in KTM for 11 days because the protesters don't let up until some sort of agreement is reached. Anyway, we talked to the bus driver and he said he'd drive for as far as he could. We got halfway there and were stranded amongst Km upon Km of stagnant trucks and buses with people sleeping on blankets on the ground beneath them. We didn't know when the bandh would let up, so the options were to wait it out or wait for a bus back to Narayangath. We decided to eat some daal bhat so we could think clearly about what to do. Back to Narayangath for us. We got a hotel and took the bus in the morning to nearby Devghat, perhaps the most sought after Hindu mecca in all of Nepal.

Devghat...how wonderful. I don't think we could have had a better change of plans. We met this amazing family on the bus who took us to their home for COLD soda and delicious daal bhat with buffalo meat (which is a treat when you can get it) and also took us on a walking tour of the village. We boated across the river after a very peaceful afternoon in such a serene area before returning back home. I couldn't believe we stumbled upon such generous and welcoming company!

As for the health camp last week, we saw a variety of patients from around the Rampur village. I took vitals in the pediatrics ward. There were also medical and gynecological wards as well as a medication distribution room, all free to the public.


I was back at the hospital on Sunday, now with Jessica who is an EMT from Indiana. It's a lot more fun having a buddy in the emergency room to change dressings, clean wounds, and complete admission work.

Speaking of Jessica, she wants to go paragliding in Pokhara (as she's never been) so I think I may tag along on Thursday...



Patients waiting at the health camp in Rampur.

Escape from Bharatpur

My daaiharu-older brothers-and I ventured out to Pokhara this week. It's about a 4-6 hour rollercoaster the entire way there. The roads here are so torn up, and it sure doesn't help one's rear end when you're in a 1973 mini tour bus with no shocks. Nevertheless, I think I'd make the journey again. The 3 of us agreed that it's one of the best places we've seen in Nepal so far. It's got everthing, with a very beachy feeling, as we sat right next to Phewa Tal, or Fewa Lake. It's surrounded by hills and mountains. The first morning, we woke up at 5 am to catch a taxi to Sarangkot, a small town a few Km away and is known for its striking views of the Annapurna mountain range. Lonely Planet says seeing it at sunrise is a bit of a religious experience. They may be onto something there.

We had 3 days in Pokhara, so with the rest of our time, we boated to the mountain where the World Peace Pagoda lies, and hiked a mighty walk up to see it at the peak. There's something called Devi Falls a ways away, so we hopped on a bus and decided to see what the fuss was all about. Not much. I think we were all under the impression it was going tobe something majestic, but it looked like something from Hocking Hills. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but LP really talked it up. Luckily, we were able to cross the street and go pseudo-spleunking in the Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave. It was very dark and peaceful there. They have a temple inside the cave. I love how religion here is just so darned incorporated into everything here. After that, we stumbled upon a Tibetan Refugee Camp where a tipsy local attempted to show us around. All in all, best vacation inside a vacation ever!

Tomorrow, there's a health camp in Rampur, a wee little village about a half hour tuk-tuk ride away. After that, I'll leave with a few other volunteers to spend the weekend in Lumbini, birthplace of Siddartha Gautama. Perhaps I'll become a Buddhist over the weekend ;)

Pheri bhetaula-see you again!

Not quite the Cleveland Clinic

I was able to borrow a nurse's apron from another volunteer who is now done with her health project. So, I went to Bharatpur Hospital today via rickshaw and felt pretty useless. Well, sort of. I think the first day is usually pretty tough. You're new, you don't speak the language, you look different, your uniform isn't exactly the same...I'm sure there are other differences. I did rounds with the doc who was very friendly and informative. There are about 4 medical wards, each with 8 beds, and then a few cabins, that house 2 beds each. In the male wards, there were thin mattresses on the floor where they put more patients. There is one sink per ward (and I didn't see a bar or a drop of soap anywhere!) and what seems to be a med cart that they push from ward to ward. The doc said to me, Have you seen many HIV patients? To which I replied a hearty, No. He then tells me that there are about 3 in the ward we were in. There's also tuberculosis (and they stay in the same room...once he told me that, the air in the room suddenly got real thick to me...ahhhhhh), cirrhosis, poisoning, and a fair amount of COPD. There was a man who looked to be in so much pain and he sorely needed some comforting. It's pretty amazing to me how much good friendly gestures can do, even if you can't verbally communicate with the person.

Tomorrow is a holiday, as are all Saturdays. I'll be back to work on Sunday, hopefully with more to do since I'll get there at the beginning of the shift, which is 7 am to 1 pm. Off now to celebrate Juan's birthday. A lot of the other kids have come all the way from KTM just to wish him well!

My name is Triskett, and this Is my Real Job

Went white water rafting on the Bagmati on the way to Chitwan. Very nice, a bit chilly, and the rapids weren't as large as I'd have liked. I noticed a few differences between rafting those West Virginy waters and the Bagmati...

Instead of:
fishermen
trout
herrons
wooden bridges overhead
wide trunked trees on the shores
grass & greenery

You have:
stone miners
catfish, silverfish, and sardines
cows lining the shore
rickety scaffolding on a pulley system
massive, massive boulders
landslide paths

While in Sauraha, Chitwan, we also had to climb a tree to escape a mother rhino and her baby (may have been the first time I had a need to run for my life), canoe with crocodiles, visit museums, see the Tharu people's captivating dance, get used as a napkin by a 6 month old elephant, and ride an elephant throught the jungle as well. I'll never do that again. So beastly, too much even for me.

Arrived in Bharatpur, Chitwan yesterday morning. The family is very pleasant and Tariq & Juan, the other 2 volunteers with me, have been helping me acclimate to the area quite well. I can't start working in the hospital until Sunday because I'm having a uniform made. Total came to Rs 275, or about 3 USD. Not too shabby for a tailored dress. Not sure of the placement yet, but I think I can rotate throughout the hospital. They have medical/surgical, pediatrics, OR, maternity...the regular stuff. Can't wait!!!

This internet/power situation is so terrible. The power went out on me twice just now, after I had written two, count TWO, posts for this thing. I can't stand to retype another book.

If it weren't for Team Grodek...

...and Mt. Albert, I probably would have never made it up the "hill" I almost passed out on today. They took us to Lamatar, a quaint little village about a 45 minute drive from KTM. We stayed with a very pleasant gentleman and his family. He took us on a stroll about his community, showed us the orphanage (I must mention how refreshing it is to see such happy little faces who are more than content just practicing their English with visitors), fed us daal bhat (lentil soup with rice, taken twice daily in Nepal), took us for tea and cookies, and set up a program where we got to see native Nepali dancing. It was so wonderful to escape the city for a bit. This morning our host, Sulav, woke us up at 6 am to go on a five hour hike. I know, I know, it's no Everest Base Camp, but I think we did roughly 1000 vertical meters. You must believe me when I tell you it was dang tough!

Friday, we went to another little happy town called Chobar. It lies a bit outside of the city and has the Bagmati River running through it. We had a very knowledgeable guide who knew all sorts of trivia about the area. After we gazed at the beautiful, bountiful fields, they took us for tea on a rooftop cafe. The tea here is probably one of my favorite parts of the day.

Tomorrow, we leave for Chitwan. We'll spend until Wednesday rafting, riding/bathing elephants, and spotting one-horned rhinos (I hope I'm so lucky)! That will conclude my cultural orientation, and I'll begin my project as well as move in with the host family. I really, really can't wait to get into the hospital.

Hawasta!!

Happy Holiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

Still getting along. Even with all the smog clogging my nose. Luckily, I haven't been stuck with any maladies during my first 5 days here. Quite a lot of kids here (other volunteers) have been ill. Stomach problems, tonsilitis, colds...but no malaria yet!! Yay!!

Tuesday was Holi, the Festival of Colours. It celebrates the monsoon season, which is not until the summer. Kids and adults all over throw hand made water bombs at each other. Probably the only time that activities of this calibur would not be considered assault. Although, I must mention, I was pegged pretty good square in the back twice in a row from a little twerp who was standing about 3 feet away from me. Cheap shot. This water is colored with tika (powder for the little markings on Hindus' foreheads) dye. Hot pink, mustard yellow, puke green, cerulean blue. It's really quite amazing. Chris, thanks for the Tide, which my roomies and I used to get all the smut out of our clothing the next morning.

Today we went to Swayambu (Monkey) Temple, Pashupatinath (where all those crazy doped out sadhus reside) Temple, and Boudha Temple, which is a World Heritage Site, and is speculated to be the first Buddhist temple in the area. The other kids and I had great fun.

It's a little difficult to pick up the Nepali, but I know bits and pieces. Today our teacher went with us on our sightseeing tour, so he quizzed us a bit. Tomorrow, we have language again in the AM and then we're off to Chobar after lunch!!

PS. It's a little difficult to post photos, but I will do so when I figure out how and can commit enough time in these darned internet cafes!!

Alive and Super Well

Hello gang. I made it. On my own. With no problems. Except I almost missed my flight to Delhi, but that's besides the point. I was real scared about something malfunctioning, especially with all the mayhem Danielle experienced. I had lovely seatmates for all 4 legs of the trip here, and sat by the window each time!

During my what-would-have-been-excrutiatingly-lengthy-layover-if-I-had-not-been-permitted-to-leave-the-Heathrow-airport, I figured out what to do during my brief visit to London. Thank goodness there are security personnel/police everywhere; I had to stop them multiple times to figure out my bearings. I was able to: mind the gap, walk through Buckingham palace, view 3 demonstrations, get photographed in front of Big Ben, check out the London Eye, eat fish and chips, and tour the Natural History museum (which was freeeeeee, might I add)!

Last evening I was picked up at Tribhuvan airport, along with 2 other girls from England. We made it to the hostel. There are roughly 15 volunteers there and we eat together, sleep together, take language classes together, drink tea together...hmmm what other basic functions am I missing? They are all so friendly and I'm really having a great time with everyone.

Plans for the next several weeks changed. This week I'm starting the language classes, next week I'll go to Chitwan to save the world, and the last week before my departure I'll have a whole week to bungee jump, fly to Everest, and the like. I'm super pumped.

KTM? Overwhelming initially, indeed. People are JUST EVERYWHERE. Stray dogs, smoky smoggy air, scooters galore, ridiculous traffic. That sums up a good lot of it. The internet down the street from the hostel is cheap, but frustrating because it is so slow. Right now, I'm in Thamel, which is a pretty touristy region of KTM. Internet connection is much faster, hence, this post. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to keep up, but, family, I am okay.

Tomorrow I start the classes. So, I should be FLUENT in Nepali in a few day's time ;)

Namaskaar.

T - 24 hours

I leave so soooooooooon. I've finally decided that whatever junk I've so thoughtfully tossed into my luggage should be sufficient. We're having spaetzles tonight for dinner. The Last Supper. I'm thinking that I may later regret not choosing something more elusive to Nepal. Like cow. Lots and lots of cow. I think it's okay that I won't be seeing it for awhile. I've never been much of a steak fan.

Here's my flight itinerary:

Depart: 7:55 pm Cleveland

Arrive: 8:30 pm Chicago

Depart: 9:55 pm

Arrive: 11:30 am London

Depart: 10 pm <====== yes, that's right chillun, a ten hour layover

Arrive: 11:45 am Delhi

Depart: 1:15 pm

Arrive: 3:15 pm KATHMANDU!!!!

Perhaps the most frightening thought of this entire trip is that something may go wrong with the flight/transit. Danielle had problems with her luggage and flight cancellations. I guess it wasn't the end of the world, but a remarkable inconvenience, nonetheless. Oh well, I should be fine.

How I spent my pre-vacation vacation

Over the past few months (and especially after passing that blasted NCLEX), I've tried to make the most of my time here in good ol' Grafton, OH. These are some of the things that have been occupying my last weeks here.

Ear candles??!! What a wonderful little invention!! They are even more invigorating when done in the best of company. Jen left the drone of Athens to celebrate her birthday at home and to ensure I didn't ignite my hair when it was my turn to do the candling.

This is my new home!!!!!!! Dad and I went to Pittsburgh last week to find a lease I wanted to sign. Found it. Turns out I'm going to be a mere block away from Rachael, my childhood friend who is going to the University of Pittsburgh as well beginning this summer. The irony!! I'll be moving in the weeks following my return from the east.

I've spent some of my favorite times in the past few months with my best gal Jenny. We've celebrated many birthdays recently (her sister Megan, cousin Travis) and spent several nights engrossing ourselves in late night episodes of Top Chef and various Discovery Health programs. I'm pretty sure there's not a better time I could ask for :)

I had the opportunity to visit Selena, Jay and Molly in Chicago. This megabus trip was, by far, the best bus ride ever of all the many times I've been to the windy city. We ate at The Ethiopian Diamond and hand-fed each other lovingly with injera, the pancake-like bread you see lining our platter.

Jay, a few weeks ago, was featured in a Columbus/international art show fittingly entitled Sugar Craft. It was full of delectably sugary pieces, both edible and non. He's seen on the left in his hand-sewn bear suit.

A few other noteworthy endeavors:

• becoming RN licensed in PA
• securing a position at UPMC Presbyterian on a medical stepdown unit
• FINALLY, at long last, patronizing a Grafton Township pancake breakfast with Kelsey, my craziest friend by far
• being treated like royalty at a NY spa compliments of Tita Terry...I will never again drink water without cucumbers floating in it!
• learning of the wonders of Skype
• saying goodbye to my fabulous coworkers at Welcome Nursing Home...I'd forgotten how difficult it is to say so to great groups of people

As for this pre-vacation, well, it sure wasn't spent exactly like Wallace Bleff's, but similar, maybe?