Wednesday, 8 July 2009

Pheri betaula Nepal

As expected the last few weeks did become manic and hence no blogging...

Work was busy with redrafting of documentation, still working around load shedding and Nepal once again sliding into crisis.

A particularly memorable day, when unable to use power in office or at home I was once again working on laptop in the embassy club, sitting with the manager as Prachanda the Maoist Prime-minister made his resignation speech. "So sad" my friend said quietly as he translated "when we had all had so much hope for change … but when the president just over-rules him …. they just do not want an integrated army. This will not be an easy time again for Nepal".

A week later and clearing and packing up the flat proved far less stressful than I had anticipated mainly due to the help of my replacement. Thanks go to volunteer friends who took most of the contents to furnish their own deras and to the helpful, well organised www.packersmovers.com recommended by VSO, and later to Sharon who made it so easy for us the UK end.





My last evening was with my Nepali colleagues, ending up with a typical dahl baat. Then having said goodbye to my landlord and family, I finished my time in Nepal in Hotel Manaslu, warmly welcomed by the staff and treated to a beautiful, newly renovated room with many volunteers calling in to share a drink in the sunny garden.

Pheri betaula Nepal and to all my very special Nepali friends who allowed me to be alongside them and share in their lives as they work towards their vision of the future for Nepal's children.




Love Sheila xx