Perched on the rooftops of Samakhosi

My second week in Nepal is coming to an end, and I already feel my heart growing attached to this noisy, bustling, and muddy city. Kathmandu is absolute chaos: buses and trucks tumbling down the street, taxi drivers honking, street vendors shouting, and stray dogs barking on every corner. Yet despite all the noise that inevitably reaches my room as I try to fall asleep, I am falling so head over heels in love with this place.

My homestay family are quite possibly the sweetest people in existence. My baa and aamaa (father and mother) own a little shop right next to our house, and they sell the most delicious black tea I have ever tasted. My nineteen-year-old sister is quickly becoming my best friend here, and let me tell you how cool she is. She is currently applying to study abroad in the United States, but while she is waiting, she is a volunteer at the Red Cross, and a local orphanage that houses over 200 kids. We are actually heading over there this Saturday to help out at a carnival the orphanage is holding for all of the kids, and I can’t wait to go!! My sixteen-year-old sister is insanely wonderful, too. She recently bought a beautiful blue guitar, and I’ve been giving her (and my entire family, basically) lessons every night after our usual dinner of dhaal baat (lentils and rice). And of course, my little brother Abtar, who is seven years old, is the happiest child I have ever met, and I LOVE him to pieces. He loves playing with balloons, and we usually spend our afternoons drawing pictures, blowing bubbles, and dancing around to Indian Idol. He is missing his two front teeth and is always smiling speaks really quietly in English. I think his presence has helped abate any loneliness I have started feel while being here. I feel so lucky to be living with this family. Also, when I wake up in the morning and step outside, the city stretches out as far as the eye can see, and the blue Himalayas are always present.

My friend Briana, who is also on the Nepal program, lives right down the street from me as well. Our parents are best friends (its so adorable… our baas are always hanging out in my dad’s shop together), so we meet up at 6 in the morning and walk to school together. It’s the most beautiful walk. It takes about an hour, and we amble through small roads and past little shops, and the way is so peaceful compared to the main streets of Kathmandu. My Nepali teachers are incredibly smart and seriously adorable (one man who works at the program house is smaller than I am, and he calls me “Neeeecoley”), and we have already had so many inspiring lecturers come visit that have really encouraged me to make the best out of my time here. Overall, I am so happy to be here even though my heart is still at home as well. I am hoping to make the most out my time here, but I will be so overjoyed to return home in December to the cold and good friends and my little apartment in Friendly Hills….

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