Namaste, Nepal!

No amount of words or collage of photos could do justice to the things Nepal has allowed us to experience over the last 2 weeks. As with our other destinations, we went in without expectations (or so we thought). Nonetheless, our (lack of) expectations were blasted to pieces.

It all started when we found out that the school in which we were going to teach had closed, and not yet reopened. Surprise #1. The new school will be opening in a district far from Kathmandu, but for now, no students. No teachers. Surprise #2.

A day after our arrival in Nepal, the 4 of us (we happily acquired Tristan on our way from India to Kathmandu) hopped into an expedition vehicle, completely oblivious to the adventure ahead. Our 6-hour journey turned into a 15-hour haul, after we spent 3 hours stuck in the mud, another 3 awaiting a vehicle fit for the treacherous roads ahead, and many more hours winding up said roads at less than 10 km/hr (a crawl, for those of you who aren't familiar with kilometers). When we finally arrived, the sun was long gone. We knew we had gained elevation and had left civilization far behind, but the rest would remain a mystery until the sun shed more light on our situation the next morning. We were warmly welcomed with flower necklaces to the bamboo structure we would call home for the next 2 weeks. We got ready for bed with headlamps on, since electricity was non-existent (Surprise #3).

As it turns out, we are in a village called Nalpang, which is tucked in the terraced mountainsides just in front of the snow-covered Annapurna range. Instead of serving as relief teachers, we are the school's first teachers with a class that has more than tripled in number since Day 1. The fact that our classroom is the great outdoors, and that we have students aged toddler to pre-teen, makes classroom management trying at times (to say the least). They are hungry to learn, though, and are more beautiful than words can describe, so that makes up for a lot.

When we're not teaching, we are tasting Nepali dishes made by our lovely hostess, the headmaster's wife; she has seemingly signed on to the mission to fatten the Americans. We have also explored some of the surrounding villages, which has allowed us to experience the incredibly generous and hospitable culture of Nepal. Since arriving, the house did get light, so we spend our evenings playing cards, reading, or listening to the drumming and singing of our jubilant housemates. We have learned the Nepali way of washing clothes, doing dishes, and scrubbing feet, thanks to our new, resourceful friends. And we have enjoyed the thunderstorms--more so when they're not leaking through our straw roof onto our beds, but that's another story.

It's crazy that we will soon be on to Country #5. We think it's safe to say our experiences here will be unmatched in the next 4 months of our adventure. And so we say farewell to Kit (and Nepal) and hello to Africa! "Boom," says Tristan.

Once upon a time we saw a beautiful Nepali boy with a basket on his back, carried by a strap on his forehead. A moment later he was kneeling before us revealing its contents: this little guy. Can you believe that?!

Our dear students, sitting in their half constructed bamboo classroom, singing about the joy in their hearts.

The incredible view we had the pleasure of waking up to for two weeks.

Three of the cutest and coolest siblings we got to spend our time with.