Resettling

After five days in Kathmandu, we awoke early Saturday morning to return to our permanent sites. Due to fear of landslides on the roads, Peace Corps flew us partway and arranged for private vehicles to bear us to our villages. Nine volunteers and I boarded a prop plane for a thirty-minute flight, traversing a distance that typically takes a Nepali bus eight hours. After stepping off the plane, we immediately broke out in sweat. The four of us going to Dang District loaded up our vehicles, wound our way through the countryside, and were back in our villages by mid-afternoon.

My house, with its mud walls and clay shingle roof, had not meet Peace Corps’ new safety specifications. Therefore, in order to stay in my village, I have to sleep in a concrete house five minutes down the road. I am continuing to eat my meals and spend most of my waking hours with my former host family, however, and they even allow me to keep all my things in my former room rent-free. Unfortunately, my new room has only one window and seems to absorb heat, but luckily the power is on and I can bask in the brisk breeze of my electric fan. The temperature has been consistently in the 80s and the humidity hasn’t dropped below 80% since I arrived in Dang. It’s been a busy past few days, but I’ve rarely been happier here. Here's what my first four days looked like:

Sunday: Rain all night, and on and off throughout the day. Made my rounds of the village to publicize my return. Confirmed plans to build at least two and as many as five plastic greenhouses, as well as establish a pomegranate orchard. Visited my old host family, and was asked what I’d brought them from America. Was harassed by a drunken man in a teashop, until the shop owners and my health worker friend literally threw him out. Prepared scions (twigs) from local mango trees for stone grafting. Gave my host family a tacky picture frame of the New York City skyline and ate a bunch of American candy with them.

Monday: Rain all night, as well as on and off throughout the day. Shared some of my “American biscuits” (graham crackers) with my family during morning tea. Weeded the asparagus, picking a few ripe spears. Slipped and slid my way to the health center, which in my absence had been furnished with Wi-Fi. Had a long discussion with a man about religion. Prepared a paddy and sowed rice in preparation for planting via system of rice intensification (SRI), a new cultivation technique I’d read about. Planted a nursery with three kinds of squash, pumpkins, bell peppers, and eggplant. Concluded the day with a game of Frisbee with the village boys, who evidently practiced while I was gone.

Tuesday: Rain all morning, cleared up by midday. Attended Nadiram Oli’s funeral. Spotted a snake in the river. After the morning meal, trudged through much mud to the boarding school with my host brother, who teaches social studies, and taught a few classes on nutrition and one on environmental health. Left early to walk an hour to visit his grandmother who had fallen ill. Returned home too tired to do much of anything besides write blog posts.

Wednesday: Rain all night, stopping around 5am. Did laundry and showered. Took long nap after the morning meal. Ordered a hundred fruit trees from the district agriculture office. Moved my bedding to my new room down the street. Spotted a snake in the road. Harvested a few more asparagus and cooked them with some potatoes. Played soccer. Ate the asparagus with the host family, which was unanimously well liked. Agreed to tutor my host brother in English for an hour a day. Walked in darkness to my new sleeping quarters, the air in which, due to the singular window and fresh paint job, was stifling. Wrote this post, praying that after I finished the power would stay on long enough for the whooshing and whirring of my fan to lull me to sleep.