Roshani, Nisha and I seeking shelter from the storm inside the main building
All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, I am standing here outside your door, I hate to wake you up to say goodbye...
This week was all about goodbyes it seems. The 15 Udaypur kids (East school) who had been living with us for the past 2 months left yesterday, back to their own school which fortunately can continue to exist. With them, the kids took Manjil and three of our volunteers; Dainora, Rike en Becky. Which leaves at our Maya school only George, Milena, Kim, Wenmay and Neville as the volunteers, of which Milena, Kim and Wenmay will be leaving in two days as well. Que garnee.
On top of all this leaving, Dora has gone to Kathmandu for further treatment of her yellowness-which is quite serious so she will be heading home to Germany by Friday. Nina went with her as her beautiful German nurse.
On top of all this leaving, Dora has gone to Kathmandu for further treatment of her yellowness-which is quite serious so she will be heading home to Germany by Friday. Nina went with her as her beautiful German nurse.
Nina with the Udaypur girls at a poetry festival in Tanahusur
Now I am sitting at the downhouse and the neighbor shopkeeper asks me 'saati, khoi?'- where are your friends? I answer that a lot of them have left now and she invites me over for some tea at her place. While sitting on her porch together with her husband, mother and other neighbors they say ' we are your friends now'- I have the sweetest neighbors:)
Now I am sitting at the downhouse and the neighbor shopkeeper asks me 'saati, khoi?'- where are your friends? I answer that a lot of them have left now and she invites me over for some tea at her place. While sitting on her porch together with her husband, mother and other neighbors they say ' we are your friends now'- I have the sweetest neighbors:)
On 1st of May we had a spontaneous sports day with the entire school, because Niki Miss was jokingly complaining in the morning that the entire country had the day off and we didn't. So half an hour before school started we made up 15 competative games to play and the Mayalimpics were born, a new tradition for a new school.
Roshani doing an amazing jump at hurdles
Kamala being very supportive of her team-in permanent marker
Soubas Dai with his beautiful smile
It was a beautiful week of goodbyes, this week. We gave the Udaypur kids so much attention-I really feel like they were my children (they also all called me momi) and it's really strange now that they have left. We watched movies with them, fixed their clothes, lice combed their hair one last time and on Thursday night we had one big big party with banana pancakes and chocolate milk and dancing around the campfire which left them high on sugar and cocoa for the entire night until about 1 am-at least they were (hopefully) sufficiently tired to sleep in the bus.
It was a beautiful week of goodbyes, this week. We gave the Udaypur kids so much attention-I really feel like they were my children (they also all called me momi) and it's really strange now that they have left. We watched movies with them, fixed their clothes, lice combed their hair one last time and on Thursday night we had one big big party with banana pancakes and chocolate milk and dancing around the campfire which left them high on sugar and cocoa for the entire night until about 1 am-at least they were (hopefully) sufficiently tired to sleep in the bus.
Parbati with her friendship bracelet
Manjil made all of the local kids write love letters to the Udaypur kids and vice versa, which led to a lot of giggling and some true confessions of love. Some very intense ones.
Parbari wrote to Pushbin, of course-what will they do without each other-something like this:
Manjil made all of the local kids write love letters to the Udaypur kids and vice versa, which led to a lot of giggling and some true confessions of love. Some very intense ones.
Parbari wrote to Pushbin, of course-what will they do without each other-something like this:
for Pushbin
I love you Pushbin,
I have to go back to
Udaypur tomorrow
but I will come again.
Don't forget me ok?
Ok bye
(Somehow all the letters they wrote ended with ok bye, ok buy or other variations-it's the latest trend)
On the last day we all stood in a circle with the Udaypur kids, gave them some booklets with pictures that Becky had printed out for them and hugged them goodbye. I yelled 'Ok bye' after them as they walked down the hill with their bags, ready for 15 hours of puking in the bus. George, Milena and I looked at each other, being now the only 'senior' volunteers-and we realized that everything will be ok.
Now we finally have time to give attention to the Senjay kids who also arrived last week and we have been horribly neglecting because of our goodbye rituals. Also , I am taking up the plan to paint the school for the next two weeks as a surprise to Manil when he comes back-the art classes will be very practical from now on. I hope Maya is ready for this.
On the last day we all stood in a circle with the Udaypur kids, gave them some booklets with pictures that Becky had printed out for them and hugged them goodbye. I yelled 'Ok bye' after them as they walked down the hill with their bags, ready for 15 hours of puking in the bus. George, Milena and I looked at each other, being now the only 'senior' volunteers-and we realized that everything will be ok.
Now we finally have time to give attention to the Senjay kids who also arrived last week and we have been horribly neglecting because of our goodbye rituals. Also , I am taking up the plan to paint the school for the next two weeks as a surprise to Manil when he comes back-the art classes will be very practical from now on. I hope Maya is ready for this.
Elisha-one of the new kids who will now be my new children.
And also-in one month I will be leaving to the Udaypur school as well-when Dainora leaves there I will be the one taking over the art classes at that school (and French)-so no permanent goodbyes-yet. Though this one was intense enough.
Ok, bye.
And also-in one month I will be leaving to the Udaypur school as well-when Dainora leaves there I will be the one taking over the art classes at that school (and French)-so no permanent goodbyes-yet. Though this one was intense enough.
Ok, bye.