Harry Knees, Yes Please!

for the past 4 days the family i've been living with have been out of town. it was so nice to have the freedom to do what i wanted: sleep in, stay out late, eat tacos, drink a beer, watch a movie in the office at night.

right before they left, another intern came from germany. the day he got here, the airlines lost his luggage and he got mugged on the way home-the two little nepali boys threatened him with a knife and took all of his money. talk about a rough day! he was completely traumatized and moved out the next day because he didn't feel safe in our neighborhood. that makes 2 interns who have moved out of the house before their time was up. i'm glad that i haven't had such a rough experience. although this trip has definitely had its ups and downs, it has, above all, been bearable.

yesterday i went to visit the slums again. i felt a lot more comfortable there this time and was able to interact with the kids more. they were adorable-running up to me and asking me to take their pictures. i think they felt like little movie stars.

before i went, i was considering how the experience fit into my summer research tasks and i wondered whether or not this community faced many of the human rights abuses that plague this country. were the kids getting a proper education? did domestic violence occur? were the children forced to work the streets? what was the prevalence of HIV/AIDS? some of my questions were answered, but i feel like i need to go back to get a clearer picture. things that i learned: 1.) there are 2 western volunteers who come visit and teach the students. they conduct the school in a small shack equip with a small selection of books, none of which look like they've ever been touched. about 20 kids participate, but i'm not sure how often they come, or how many kids are not participating. 2.) domestic violence is definitely present. i witnessed a man kick his wife and hit her many times, while she was carrying a baby. a couple minutes later, he was playing happily with the child. 3.)malaria is common there during the monsoon season. not all families can afford mosquito nets, and health care is inadequate.

james and justin have decided to start a project where they're going to visit marginalized communities and take photographs of the people and the surroundings. they'd like to sell the pictures back in the united states, and give the profits back to the community. i'm continually impressed with the people that i meet while i travel...the most incredible hearts, filled with compassion and commitment. it reminds me of the kind of person i want to be.

I Heart Pokhara

This past weekend James, Justin took the bus to Pokhara, a little town about 7 hours away from Kathmandu. It was so nice to get out of the polluted city and see the countryside. The rolling emerald hills and layers of cerulean mountains were picturesque against the gray cloudy sky. There is this beautiful lake in the center of the town filled with row boats, and lily pads. I was completely enchanted. On Saturday we spent about 4 hours cruising around the lake on kayaks and getting horrific sunburns. That night, the boys were able to play music at a local Blues Club. I also purchased 2 exquisitely detailed pillow cases which I’m ecstatic about. They’ll look fab on my couch!

The only downside of the trip was the hotels that we stayed in (yes, 2...because the first was so bad)…the first night there were lipstick stains on my sheets and questionable stains on the walls. It was critical that we only spend one night there, due to my own anxiety. So, the next night we found a seemingly better guesthouse, only to discover that it was filled with bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. Ants in the bed, spiders on the walls, cockroach in the bathroom-and not a little guy. This buddy was HUGE. I screamed as it skittered across the floor during my shower. Call me a baby, but this thing easily could have thrown a shoe at me.

On the way home we crushed our bodies into the local “mini-bus” which left a little later than the tourist bus. (The tourist bus left at 6:30 in the morning!) They aren’t kidding when they say this bus is mini! It was so hot, crowded, and speedy-it felt like we’d take a dive off of the cliffs at any moment.

I already miss the freedom of not having to get home at any particular time and the ability to eat where ever I want! And, since I have my own fair share of bugs at the house, I’m already homesick for Pokhara.


Boats for rent.


View of the Peace Pagoda in the distance.




Father and son fishing while the storm rolls in.


Peace. Love. Sunburns.

uNaBLe To gEt thE WoRLd cUp sOnG oUt oF mY HeAD

Justin: "I got hit by a motorcycle today."
Kaitlyn: "I got slapped at work."
James: "An naked man chased after me."
Justin: "You win."

World Cup…”Oh oh oh oh oh……”

I have watched approximately 315 minutes of the World Cup while I’ve been in Nepal. This is 315 minutes more soccer than I’ve ever watched in my life (in fact, I was so clueless about it that I thought it was like the Super Bowl and just one championship game instead of a tournament). To be completely honest, I can’t say that I love it. It is such a frustrating game to watch! Barely any goals are scored, the players are ridiculously dramatic-throwing themselves on the ground and whining in agony, only to stand up and shake it off as soon as a yellow card is drawn, and the announcers are completely biased and a little mean. However, I think that watching it here, with people who actually care about soccer/football is just about the best way you can watch it. I was watching the Germany vs. Serbia game with a German the other day, and I honestly thought he was going to start crying at the end of the game. I think it’s also funny to be in an environment where it seems like everyone is against the U.S.A. winning. I watched 2 of the U.S. games and both times EVERYONE was cheering for the other team.

Ants in my Pants…I mean, my bread.

The other morning I was at breakfast and was about to bite into my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, looked down and saw that ants were crawling ALL OVER and INSIDE of the bread. Needless to say, I freaked out (luckily, I was eating alone), threw the bread away and didn’t end up eating anything for breakfast. Bummer.

Getting Slapped.

After a semi-dramatic...well, I guess it was pretty dramatic...facebook status update about getting slapped, I suppose I should explain myself. Here is the story: I got to work early the other day and was locked out of my office. After awhile, this dude came to unlock it for me and once he finally jiggled the lock open, he slapped me across the face and said, "Happy now?" I was so shocked, I didn't know what to say so I just looked at him and said, "Yeah, thanks!" That's right...I thanked him for slapping me. It was actually pretty hard, but I just figured it had to be culture thing, because it wasn't like he was mad at me or anything, and I remembered that my boss often grabs and squeezes my cheeks when he's talking to me, so...it had to be a infatuation with the face or something.

THEN, the next day, I was talking to my boss and at the end of our conversation, he slapped me across the face too!! (This time, it was more gentle though.) I have come the conclusion that this bizarre act must be like when you punch a friend in the arm jokingly in the USA. I've also come to the conclusion that I'm being so stupid, because here I am, doing research on Women's Rights Issues and becoming that submissive woman who just takes it. And finally, I've come to the conclusion that if it happens again, I'm going to ask them to stop touching me, slapping me, grabbing me, and squeezing me. I'm an American. I have a bubble. And no matter how much I want to immerse myself in Nepali culture, I need to preserve my bubble.

Killing Time.

Besides watching the World Cup, almost eating ants, and being slapped, there isn’t a whole lot going on here. I’m not much a clubber (no matter how enticing the "Teen Dance Club with Shower" signs are) and I’m trying desperately not to shop too much. So James, Justin and I are often stuck twiddling our thumbs and trying to think of things to do. We usually end up at OR2K sipping on fantas and eating humus. And last night I splurrged and bought five new movies (including Sex & the City 2!!!) for a mere $5...so hopefully that proves to be a source of entertainment for a little while.

But the point is, I’m ready to go on a weekend getaway. I think next week we are going to venture to Pokhara which is a town with a lake about 6 hours away from Kathmandu. I’m absolutely thrilled.

So, with that, I’m signing off…because really….not a lot is new.

Peace. Love. Boredom.

Good Ol’ Gutter Walkin’

I’ve completely been slacking on the ol’ travel blog so here’s is a little update:

Traffic: Traffic here is completely and utterly miserable. I’ve completely gotten over my phobia of sitting on the back of a motorcycle while it zigzags between cars. And I’ve completely gotten over the thrill of jamming my body into small crevices on the bus while it zooms through the city street-slamming on its breaks to pick up another sardine-but never yielding to other cars. The problem for me is not when I’m in/on a vehicle in the traffic; it’s when I’m walking on the side of the road. There are no real sidewalks here, so you just walk along the side of the road amidst the mayhem and pray to God/Buddha/Krishna and all the other Hindu Gods to get you to your final destination in one piece. Usually, this means that I’m walking in the gutters which are filled with trash, dead rats and other…things. It’s really a lovely experience. They say people come to Nepal to trek…well, I’ve experienced my fair share of trekking and I haven’t even made it to a mountain yet.

Home life: Home life is….well….I’ve had better. To sum it up in a nutshell, I would rather be anywhere than the hostel. It is actually getting a little better now that Shila (homestay mom) and I have been bonding (she hugs me and tells me she loves me every day haha), and that Mooscan (little girl) has stopped screaming at the top of her lungs every second that she gets. But still, there is absolutely NOTHING to do there, and there is a serious lack of privacy. I feel like I did when I was living in India and our cook had no sense of personal space, but this is worse because it is a whole family. Luckily, the other interns and I are bonding quite nicely so we’ve been going out on the town a lot.

Birthday: I have spent yet another birthday away from home….which was not as bad as my birthday in Africa or India, mostly because I was able to drink. So…always a good time there. The night started out at OR2K (which is my new Coffee Garden…for those of you Salt Lake folk that know my obsession) and then we (James, Justin and I) meandered to the most incredible dinner of my life. And when I say incredible, I actually mean GOD AWFUL. The service at dinner was soo bad (took at least 2 hours to get our eats) and then when I got my seemingly simple pesto pasta there were mushrooms and other forms of nastiness floating around in it. Yes, mushrooms…my favorite. Clearly they didn’t get the memo that I have a secret phobia of mushrooms. The highlight of the meal however was the little stray kitten who crawled up on the table to munch on our leftovers…even this little guy was suspicious of my mushroom delight.

Then, we had heard about this “awesome show” that was going on by some Attila something-or-another from Europe who has been living in India and was gracing Nepal with his presence. Because dinner took so long, we were only able to catch the last 1 or 2 hippie songs which basically consisted of him repeating “Ohhh yeahhhh…” over and over again. Needless to say, I was NOT impressed. It was actually more comical than anything though so I got in plenty of giggles, and was the perfect end to the night.





Work: Work is not at all what I had expected. I think I had mentioned that I was going to work for the Human Rights News and Research Center, but plans changed. (Always have to remain flexible!) I am hoping that the work that I’m doing at this new organization is more beneficial than what I would have been doing at the other, but now I’m working for a radio network. It is not “legal” in any sense of the word. However, they are in the initial phases of implementing a radio program on Peace and Democracy and they have me doing human rights research to demonstrate the “need” for the program-and THAT is what I came here to do. Also, UNICEF is looking to broadcast news stories on child rights issues throughout the country, so the other day I had to write a letter of interest to collaborate with them. Hopefully that works out. It seems like a very effective way of communicating some of the major issues going on in the country. Speaking of which:

General Child Issues: According to the UNICEF website, 50,000 children die in Nepal each year-60% as a result of malnutrition. 50% of children in Nepal are underweight. 75% of mothers are anemic. Maternal mortality rates are high because of a poor health system, limited access to emergency obstetric care and the poor status of women.

Post-Conflict Children’s Issues: In January of 2010, the first group of young people was discharged from the Maoist Army. These children now face the rehabilitation process with the opportunity to gain new skills, return to school or learn a trade. The complete discharge is scheduled to be completed by February 2010. While this is a step in the right direction, it is essential to realize the challenges that come with child soldiers who try to reintegrate into society. It is difficult for them to relate to their families and their new way of life-and that is IF their families support their return. Many child soldiers are cast aside and displaced by their own families because of their status.

Slums: One of the other interns that I’m living (James) was walking around the city the other day and was approached by this very friendly Indian man who, after speaking with him for a while, invited him to have lunch with his family. James was kind enough to invite me-with the warning that he didn’t think that this man had much money. I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how the other side of the world lives, so I agreed to go.

The fact that this man didn’t have much money was the understatement of the year. We met him at a Buddha Stupa and then walked to his home. His home was a one room shack that he shared with his wife, child, brother, sister-in-law, and their 3 kids in a shanty town. The family was incredibly and heartbreakingly hospitable and fed us traditional Indian food which they prepared by a fire in a hole in the corner of their shack. It was especially difficult to experience when he was explaining how there are many days where he can’t afford to feed his family at all. The guilt/sadness/helplessness that James and I felt was overwhelming.

At the end of lunch, the man asked James if he would buy him a shoe shining box so that he could make a living. It put James in a very awkward position. I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but James is a photojournalist. He was planning on making a story out of the whole situation (with the man’s permission of course). While we both wanted to empty our pockets for this man, James couldn’t do it because he didn’t want to remain impartial to the story. The question is: why didn’t I? I understand James’ position (although, since then I’ve spoken with him, and he’s experiencing serious guilt about the whole thing) but what about ME? Why didn’t I buy this man a shoe shining box? Why didn’t I offer to help him out?

It got to the point where I was thinking, “Where do you draw the line? How far do you go in a situation like this?” It is my job to report on the sickening poverty that Nepal is facing and other human rights abuses that are taking place. I hope that this work encourages the local government and the international community on some level to respond to the needs of the Nepali people. But in actuality, what is it that I’m actually doing? Will it make a difference at all? Should I have just given this poor man what he needed? I’m still not sure if I can come to peace with the decision I made.






Peace. Love. Soul Searching.

The Streets Were Alive….With the Sound of MUSIC

I’m in love I’m in love! I thought I knew love….but no….not until today! Friends, family, acquaintances, today, I’ve officially fallen head over heels in love with Kathmandu!

With my camera, rupees, sunglasses, & Jane Eyre in stow, I set off on a solo adventure...(channeling my inner Elizabeth Gilbert). I stopped in a couple different bakeries, sipped on Fanta (oh how I love me some orange soda), took some photos and found a yoga ashram to attend in the mornings for only Rs. 300 (about $4). I lasted about two hours on my own (well, Jane Eyre was there, and mighty entertaining, but I was basically alone) when I felt like I should go home and get some real food in me.



After lunch, James (the other intern staying at my hostel) and I trekked to Thamel…and here ladies and gentlemen is where it happened. My jaw dropped, my eyes widened, pink, purple and red hearts started bursting out of my body and I felt it:LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Thamel is a tourist Mecca, and now I know why. The crowded streets were lined with bookshops and shops selling clothing, trekking gear, jewelry, postcards and anything else you could ever desire. It was charming, colorful, engaging, friendly...better than a man! I’m going to have to limit my time spent there because I could easily drop some serious cash in a place like that.



After meandering a bit on my own while James ran some errands, we dropped into this darling little café. It was perfect. We sat on the ground on over-sized cushions and sipped ice teas, ate hummus, and people-watched. A mix of Jack Johnson and India Arie played in the background while the breeze blew through the open windows decorated in embroidered silk curtains.

We made it back to the hostel just in time…the monsoon started right as we stepped in the door. It was as though the city was not going to allow the weather to alter my enchantment.

To end the most delightful day, I discovered that James can play my favorite Ray LaMontagne songs and indulged me and the kids in a little musical entertainment. I couldn't have asked for more.

Peace. Love. Thamel.

Out on the Town

Nardev and I spent the day together touring Kathmandu on motorcycle. I was a little nervous at first, since the traffic is so hectic and I pretty much HATE the whole concept of motorcycles, but my nerves were eased when I realized how fun it was. It was the perfect way to get a taste of the city-especially on a hot day with the wind was brushing past my face.

We visited the “Monkey Temple” first. Swayambhunath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu. The monkeys roam the walkways and temples-as do stray dogs and pigeons. I spent a long time looking through the little shops, talking and bartering with the sellers, and buying souvenirs.




We also stopped and had lunch-rice and daal (or lentil soup) and I guzzled down a jug of “Aqua Pure” water…today was HOT and I’m trying to avoid dehydration. Nardev started talking to me about work. I was asking what the people were like at Human Rights News and Research Center…and he basically told me that I didn’t have to work there if I didn’t want to. ??? I was a little puzzled by this, but he went on to say that I could meet with another organization tomorrow to see if it was a better fit. This other organization is a Peace and Democracy org which apparently works within the Nepali court system and with larger organizations like…UNICEF. Um…no big deal…just my dream job. The dude in charge is looking for an intern who speaks English eloquently and who will be able to help seek funding from these larger orgs. Sign me up!! So, I have a meeting with him tomorrow at 4:00. BIG SMILE!!!

After the “Monkey Temple” we took a short ride to Buddha Park. It was much smaller in size, but is home to three enormous Buddha statues, each a different stage of his life.



Finally, we stopped by a cremation, but I wasn’t really into watching the sacred ritual, so we decided to leave. I think that watching from a distance is sufficient. I would hate to have some random tourist at my families’ cremation ceremony.

That’s all for now…

Peace. Love. Buddha.

Home Sweet Home

22 hours of air-time, and who knows how long total with layovers, and I’ve made it to my final destination-and in one piece ta boot! My flight from good ol’ Chi-town was delayed… I originally only had an hour and ten minute layover at Heathrow, which I was concerned about to begin with, (I remembered how enormous that airport is and how many hoops you have to jump through to check in/go through security/etc). When we finally landed, we were 30 minutes late. After being stuck in the security line for 15 minutes I finally spotted a TSA worker (or whatever they’re called in the UK), flagged her down, and was rushed to the front of the line. Of course, by the time I made it out of security it was too late…my gate was closed.

After a long string of internal cursing, I went to American Airlines to figure out what to do…positive that I was totally screwed. Thankfully, they re-booked me through Doha, Qatar…which actually only delayed my trip 15 minutes and took out my long layover in Delhi. (“Is that okay ma’am? It’s the Middle East-you know, like Iraq.”) Don’t ask me what the Middle East is like…I was there for approximately a blink of an eye-and at night. However, the city looked pretty all lit up, and I couldn’t help but feel a small connection to Carrie Bradshaw (as Abu Dhabi was within spittin’ distance).

Occurrences/Observations of the Flights:

1. Traveling with twin toddler boys looks like hell. But parents of said twin boys looked like a mix between Mother Theresa and warriors.

2. Sat next to the most awkward, fat, teenage little redhead on my way to London. I’m thrilled I’m past that phase...not that I ever went through a fat redhead stage...

3. I met a lady in Doha who was 44 years old, single, and from Portland, Maine. She was on her way to Nepal to adopt an 18 month little boy. I’ve never met a more deserving mum. She seemed composed and ridiculously eager. She even packed a little green baby blanket covered in frogs on her carry-on. Tender.

4. Single lady from Portland also told me to “follow my big dreams. Because those are the ones that propel you. Don’t worry about the little dreams. They’ll fall into place along the way.”

5. First impression of Nepali women: negative. I sat next to a lady who seemed to be my age on my way from Doha to Kathmandu. She never spoke a word, and glared at me the whole time. I realized she didn’t speak English and decided to take off my judgmental pants.

6. Movies watched: Leap Year (not so great), An American in Paris (love), An Affair to Remember (love), and Invictus (didn’t get to finish it though…bummer).

When I got to the Kathmandu airport, I looked around at the sea of Nepali faces holding signs with American names. My name was nowhere to be seen. (More internal cursing and fear was settling in of being conned).

“The charm of adventure sweetens that sensation, the glow of pride warm is; but then the throb of fear disturbs it; and fear with me became predominant when half an hour elapsed, and still I was alone.” –Jane Eyre

Finally, Nardev showed up…only 45 minutes late. I got into the tiny taxi and was whisked through the twisty streets of Kathmandu.

First impression of Kathmandu: positive…in fact, more like enchanted. There is a constant hustle and bustle, people wandering through the streets on foot and by bike, cars barely missing one another as they zoom through the tiny spaces in traffic, and little shops selling spices, vegetables, bangles etc.





When we made it to the hostel, it was like walking into heaven. (Finally home sweet home.) It is more run down than the pictures suggested, but it is still charming in its own right. I’ll be living here with Nardev, his wife Seelah, their two children (girl is 5-cute as a button, and boy is 12) and 3 other interns. My room is small, and has two twin size beds (which I’m assuming means that I won’t be alone for the whole summer). We all share one bathroom, we only get 1 hour of water/day, and electricity goes in and out throughout the day. Luckily, the water is hot, and I have wireless internet-that mostly works-when we have electricity...gotta count my blessings!




There is another intern here right now from Washington D.C. I just got the scoop on him…He was in the military, then worked on a tugboat on the East Coast, went to school for photography, and is now here as a journalism/photography intern. He seems quiet and reserved, but has already won the hearts of the kids with his guitar.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so exhausted in my life. I’m eager to go wander the streets, but I can barely keep my eyes open (and it’s only 6:12 as I’m writing this). Time for another nap….let’s just hope they don’t perceive me as the lazy American in Nepal.

Peace. Love. Jetlag.