Goodbye to my Nepali family

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching, living with a host family
WRITTEN BY: Olivia Pursey

It was with a heavy heart that the group left Kalamasi village last Wednesday afternoon. After two months of living with our lovely host families and enjoying their wonderful hospitality, generosity and love, saying goodbye was incredibly difficult. They are wonderful families with very kind hearts and we’ve been very lucky to of been so warmly welcomed into their homes. Whether it was sitting around the fire having dinner, playing games with the little ones, sipping tea or helping out in the field, it has been such a wonderful experience to be part of their family and share in their lives, albeit only for a short time.

On our last day at school we were all presented with certificates of appreciation and a very energetic farewell from the kids. We will certainly miss the kid’s wild enthusiasm, boundless energy and infectious smiles.

Some of last week’s highlights include another Nepali wedding and cooking some western delicacies to say thank you to our families. The wedding this time was outside of our village, in the outskirts of Kathmandu. We thought we’d try our hand at some Nepali traditional dress - full sari get up for the girls and topis (hats) for the boys. The locals appreciated our efforts but needless to say, in the 30 plus degree heat and a 90 minute bus ride journey, the saris came off fairly quickly! It was a huge party with hundreds of guests (the village practically vacated for the day), music and good food. Speaking of which, we ducked out for an hour to have a bit of a wander around the area and stumbled across a little Nepali bakery where we enjoyed the best donuts of our lives. Still trying to find the recipe so we can recreate the magic!

After some excellently prepared potato curry, dhal bhat, didu, rotti and tea by our families, we thought it was time for a parting thank you gift of pasta. The girls, who were not used to cooking for 11 people over an open fire, struggled with their tomato sauce pasta dish but the ambitious boys pulled off a menu of balsamic vinegar and cheese pasta? and caramel popcorn!

So we said our goodbyes and our next stop was Pokhara, a lovely lakeside town eight hours bus ride from Kathmandu, along the infamous and now well-travelled highway. We arrived at our quaint little hotel, greeted by yet more characteristic Nepali hospitality, ready for a week of relaxation and exploring. Bike hire was a great way to get around the fairly compact and flat city and if you followed the lakefront, it wasn’t long until you got out of the main tourist district and into the surrounding villages. The lake is bordered by rolling green hills and rice paddies, making for lovely views. Boating was another of the lakes attractions. We hired one for a few hours, paddled out to the centre, and enjoyed an evening swim amongst the lily pads. After built up, noisy Kathmandu, it was very nice to lounge around in the open green spaces while inhaling the fresh mountain air. Good food and excellent company were the icing on the cake.

We’re back in Kathmandu now awaiting our transfer to the orphanage, the last stop before our independent travel begins. Very much looking forward to what should be another very humbling and rewarding experience.