Several of the current Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs; we won't be considered PCVs until our swearing in on November 21) are assisting us throughout our pre-service training, for about a week at a time each. They have been an invaluable resource for questions on culture, language, work, and daily living; plus they are generally awesome people. We call them the trailblazers, as they were the first group back into Nepal after the 8 year hiatus and have had minimal guidance from earlier groups.
Tuesday evening, four of us attempted to play volleyball with a few of the youth and hostel staff, with what little Nepali we know. Laughter proved to be the primary mode of communication, and we played until we could no longer see in the dark. We asked to play again the next day, and did.
Wednesday was a big day, as we received our cluster site assignments, where we will be living for the next ten weeks of preservice training. The tension was almost unbearable as we were divided into our cluster groups (4-5 people) one by one. I'll be in the village of Mahjgaun, staying with a family of four. My host father is a farmer, and the family owns 2 water buffalo, 7 goats, and 5 chickens. I'm very excited to have a large soccer field and a lake nearby!
Later that the day, we received earthquake training. Minor earthquakes (bhukampa, or bhuichaulo) are common, but Nepal is overdue for a large earthquake, the effects of which will (not could, or would) be devastating for large cities like Kathmandu due to the unsound architecture and the likelihood of liquefaction. Fortunately, we should be much safer out in the rural villages. We also had training sessions on trainee diversity, water filter assembly (which the Peace Corps provides), and a language lesson on family.We ended the day with an hour-long session on oral hygiene. As oral health is a major concern during Peace Corps service, we were taught proper brushing and flossing techniques and their importance for overall health. Turns out I'd been doing both wrong my whole life.
Wednesday was also the birthday of two of our volunteers/trainees. In Nepal, birthdays are typically celebrated only for children, and the birthday boy/girl gives others candy rather than receiving gifts. Nevertheless, we celebrated with cake, soda, and song after the American fashion.
Thursday consisted of training on emergency protocol, a lesson on the political situation on Nepal, language instruction on Nepali food, a discussion on women's empowerment, and a few final vaccinations. Nepal has a very interesting political history and present situation, which I cannot write about here but encourage you to read about. At this point, a few of us are anxious to leave the hostel, but most seem anxious about moving in with host families with such basic language skills. We'll just have to see how it goes. At 8AM on Friday morning, we will depart for Chautara to split into our cluster sites and move in with our host families!
Learning how to talk about Nepali food in Nepali
Other notes:
Eating with hands, using the charpi (latrine), cold showers, and other facets of life here are getting easier by the day. I still have yet to sleep through the night, however, with the barking dogs, crowing roosters, honking cars, blaring music, and "laughing yoga". We're not really sure what this is, but it seems to happen every morning.
As always, feel free to post any questions, comments, or requests.
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