First Few Days

So I have never been a huge fan of blogs, but I felt like I should do one while I am in Nepal. Hang in there and hopefully this will be somewhat interesting. I figured its more widespread and faster than email, and a bit more intellectual than Facebook. I will try to post as often as I have the internet....

For those who may not know, I am doing my photojournalism internship at the Kathmandu Post in Kathmandu, Nepal for eight weeks. The paper is printed in English and a Nepali version called Kantipur. I will be working as a staff photographer and writer for the City Post section of the paper mostly. Google the Post if you like and I will also try to post my work on here.

You must also know some background information on Nepal's government status now. After 240 years of monarchy, the country is transforming into a republic before my eyes. I still cannot believe I will be one of the lucky journalists to be covering such a crucial and exciting time in Nepali history. In fact, the day I arrived was the first official day of the republic, and the whole country was on holiday, and the next day the king was told to leave his palace. The government is still very unstable and still in the works. The Maoists, or the Communist Party believe they have control, while about 30 other parties disagree.

After over 30 hours on an airplane, including four layovers, having my luggage lost, and getting over jet lag, I love it here so far. Within my first five minutes in the cab ride from the airport to a little hotel in the tourist district of Thamel, I saw naked children being bathed on the sidewalk, cows and goats chewing their cud in the middle of the street, monkeys jumping from tree to tree, and people and garbage everywhere you look. Although Kathmandu is filthy and extremely polluted, I found the people to be some of the hardest working I have ever seen.

The first advice, and some of the best I have gotten in my entire life is: "Be simple, think simple, and things will work themselves out." Rajendra Acharya told me this. He is the director of Nepali Television (a big job) and a graduate of U of MT's School of Journalism's Master's Program. I have been staying with him and his wonderful family these first few days, and will be for about another week I think. I visited his TV station the other day and watched the news being broadcasted first in Nepali and then in English.

Time is not an issue here. It is like "river time" to me, so I can get used to it. There is barely any punctuality. You never know when the power will be shut off at night for up to 16 hours. It is practically a death wish if you want to cross a street here as well. If you have ever ridden in a Mexican cab, multiply that by 50 and then you will maybe understand how Nepali's drive. These are normal things in Nepal.

The food is obviously also quite different than what a white girl is used to. I am sticking to potatoes, or "alloo," rice and cooked veggies -- no meat (which is goat, buffalo and chicken mostly). I bought Nepali dictionary before I came, but it hasn't been nearly as useful as hearing the language first hand, and I have already learned about ten words and few phrases. Rajendra's sweet daughter, Sanskriti, gives me a quiz everyday, after learning my new "word of the day," and I do the same for her in English. It's a good system. Hopefully by the end of eight weeks I will be able to get around pretty well.

Today is my first day the Post and I am waiting for my boss to get here. I don't start work until noon, which is an adjustment. I am sitting here wondering what my first assignment will be....