Pharping

I am currently in the village of Pharping which is just south of the city of Kathmandu but still part of the Kathmandu valley. We started classes of Nepali language and have also had two lectures- one on culture shock and the other orienting us with the map of the country. Nepal is amazing. Everything here is so new and so different from my reality at home. I have never felt so different from people- which is probably due to the blonde hair and language barrier. But I have already started to wear a bindi daily and am working on my conversation skills.

This morning I awake at 6:15am to go to a puja ceremony (puja is a religious offering) at the Hindu shrine down the street. I watched as people came in and out offering sacrifices to the god, Kali, of anything from flowers to fruit to live roosters. It was my first time ever seeing a) a sacrifice and b) an animal being killed (besides fish). It was an incredible experience! The colors here are so vibrant. There are reds, pinks, yellows and greens everywhere- especially on the women. Being surrounded by such holy places and such awe- inspiring natural beauty has been such a spiritual experience for me. I talked to another girl on my program and she put it so perfectly- being here and being around all of this makes me want to pray and express gratitude to SOMETHING. It is an awesome country- it is so small and so diverse, both in ethnicity, species, habitats, and people. Speaking of which, the people are beautiful! I just am overcome with gratitude and curiosity here. Everything is so different, and I yearn to know everything's meaning and purpose.

We leave for our Kathmandu homestays on Sunday, and I am getting a bit nervous about separating from my new friends and being with people who I can't really communicate with. I know it will be a wonderful experience- I will inevitably learn so much about myself and the culture through such experiential living.

I haven't cried yet, which may not sound like a big deal, but for me, Miss Emotions, it is. I have only felt utter awe and happiness- I am so glad to be here!