Moving On

October 13, 2008
Went to the beach this weekend with friends. I drove...which I wasn't really all that happy about, but now I can say that I drove on the road I thought I would never drive on. Yea!!!!! It was lovely. I had a great time. We got up early on Sunday morning and went snorkeling. We decided to hire a guide to take us through the reefs. It was my first time snorkeling and there were boats and I was a bit afraid, so our guide took me by the hand. I just swam along side of him and he pointed out fish. The tsunami ruined a lot of the reef, but slowly it is coming back. At one point we were swimming with a school of fish. It was cool.

October 27, 2008
Well, hmmm life stinks sometimes. So after I last wrote I took a trip to the District Secretary office. We got the letter that said she would not be renewing my visa. That sucked. The next day we had a school milk program in Meegahapalessa. It was great. It was at a small Montessori. There were only 15 students. They sang me some songs and gave a necklace. We gave milk and books. I cried b/c they gave this nice speech and the kids sang songs. I realized just how much I love the people of this country. That weekend I planned some hang out time with friends b/c I felt the beginning of the end coming. Wednesday the 22nd we went in to the DS office to appeal. It didn’t work. The woman is unreasonable. Power induced fear and hatred have clouded her judgment. I think she believes she is doing good. In the words of Jimmie Hendrix “only when the power of love overcomes the love of power will we ever see peace.” I sit on a fence between hating her and feeling sorry for her. One who cannot give love and compassion cuts themselves off from receiving love and compassion. That’s got to be tough. Anyway, at the end of our meeting I told her she was unreasonable, but thanked her for allowing me to work here for 2 years. Then I went out to the van and cried/hyperventilated until I almost passed out. One good thing that is coming from this is that I am learning to feel/express my emotions. I think that it makes it easier to get over them then. Anyway, I am exhausted b/c the time I have until I leave is ABSOLUTLY filled with people and goodbyes and packing and passing on work. I think I will arrive in Bangladesh and sleep for a day.

Ok funny story. I got an sms from a guy saying he was 35 and had heard about my visa issues and that he would like to help. I was a bit curious when he said he was 35. Well anyway. It was a guy that knows one of my friends. I had never met him. Anyway, he proposed we should get married. Then was like trying to like sell himself to me. "I own 16perchases of land in Colombo, I work for a Christian medical NGO and am a born again Christian and would like to try a partnership from out (meaning abroad)" here's the cake topper. He asked if he could ask my age and I told him 25. And he was like "i am 35 but don't worry I am of a small build.” It is really sort of funny.

Hmmm Friday I took my office bowling. None of them had ever gone before. It was GREAT. They really enjoyed it. I will miss office people and well everyone. I know God has a plan; even if I cannot see it and for the time being think it sucks.

Ok I will post this now even though there is probably more I could write. Please keep me in your prayers. Feel free to comment and tell me your ideas on what I should choose to do.
Peace,
jodi

October 10, 2008
I should be working. However, I am not. I feel sort of in limbo. My visa expires the 31st of this month and we have heard nothing of the recommendation letter the District Secretary is supposed to give us. We also know that she doesn’t like foreigners and she is constantly worried that we are Christians aimed at converting all her constituents. She hasn’t liked me from the start. We are going on Wednesday (15th) to see what the hold-up is. Until then I am stuck in this, should I pack up and say goodbye or just keep on keeping on. It is frustrating to say the least. And now one of my friends is angry with me for who knows why. Grrrrr moody people. That is why today I am less than productive.

On a happier note, I finished the book I was reading. I am going to see Mamma Mia tonight hopefully, and this weekend I am going to the beach for a duel Chenoa and Chris birthday bash. Weeeeeeee. Last week I had lunch at PodiManikae’s house. It is nice now that I can go to peoples’ houses and converse (albeit sometimes at great effort) with them. Ok I will once again try and work.
Peace Jodi

Nepal...Y'all

Aug. 24
Ok since the visit in July I have been in and out. Not in Madampe too much. We have been working really hard on all my visa renewal stuff. Weeeeeee!!!! lots of reports and statistical analysis. During that week I did get to go to a cricket match that I thought I would get to participate in. But apparently “women can stand by the side and cheer.” Even some of my male friends thought it unfair AND it wasn’t the first year for this event or the first year women have been denied the right to play. I left and will no longer be attending events hosted by this particular CHRISTIAN organization. Yes, I did say Christian. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr aaarrrrggg.

On a more exciting note, I coordinated games for vacation Bible school. It was good times and I got to know a lot of people and kids. The songs were good. It was a great time. Most of my games involved water balloons. It rocked. Ok now I am done updating you.

I really am rubbish at keeping this thing up to date. I do try. How many of you all have a journal that you update? How often do YOU update it? I am doing more than the annual Christmas card thing. Anyway, I just spent some time reading a few of my earlier posts. Ha, life is funny. Hmmm since August 24th I have…
Farmers went to a day-long training at a government center and to see the National Livestock Development Board dairy farm.
We had the cornerstone placing ceremonies for the community building in our 5th dairy village Bibiladiniya.
Weighed calves for feed program in Gorakgasagara
Had 2nd annual Colombo Cow Party (big success)
Had loan and insurance training in Bibiladiniya.
Went to Nepal for 2 weeks.
Visited farmers after my vacation
small clinic in Meegahapelesa

Ok Nepal…
I went for a MCC Bangladesh/Sri Lanka retreat and then took an extra week to go trekking in the mountains. The way the flight schedules work out I arrived a day before all the MCCBang peoples. I have never traveled alone when I wasn’t meeting people once I got to a place. I was a bit nervous. But alas I did ok and all was well. I went looking around this touristy trekker area the day I got there. I needed to get some things for the trek for myself and Lena one of the people that also went on the trek. The next day I bought all the stuff and met the MCCBang people at the airport. It was great to see them. From there, they had arranged a van to take us to where we would stay, an hour out of Kathmandu. Well, like half way there we encountered a road block. There was apparently an accident and for some reason people were angry and blocked the road. In Nepal a common form of outrage is seen in road blockages. No one could pass and they said that they were burning people tires and throwing rocks if they passed. However, passing on foot was ok. So, we got out and walked a kilometer to the other side of the road block. On the way we passed 2 large streams of blood (a gallon each maybe) a shoe and partial contents of a bag. It was a bit yucky, definitely people died in the accident. Once on the other side we took a Jeep to our hostel. We were 9 adults, one driver, 4 children and all the baggage all packed in…well 2 adults and some bags rode on top of…the Jeep. I had purchased some walking sticks for the trek and they were on top and apparently in a rather precarious position, leaving Larry- also atop the roof- feel violated. Anyway, September 9-13 was spent relaxing mostly. We played games, went on small hikes and explored the village. Very peaceful. I was however a bit afraid when we went on this 6 hour hike that turned out to be a bit longer and we had to take a bus back. Also, as we were leaving we thought that we had actually gone to the wrong place and were very dumbfounded at our hiking 6 hours and not even seeing what we had hiked to see. But in the end it was in fact the right place. This incident did not give me much hope for our 5 day trek.

After that, Robin, Lena and I left for Pokhara where we would start our trek. On the 14th we got all the permits you need to trek where we would be. It is a conservation area, so you have to have a trekking permit and the also have a system where you sign into a city so they can follow your trek and look for you if you disappear. That took quite a long time and by the time we started the trek it was like 12 noon and we stopped for lunch at 1. The hiking that day was good. Up hill but gradual with ups and a few downs, nothing steep. Day 2 however was a KILLER. Oh my goodness, like 9 hours of stairs strait up. It was a doozey!!!! Only promises of Choco-pies at stops kept me going. I am sure that day was even more beautiful than what we had seen the day before, I was just too tired to notice. However when we got to the town we were staying in for the night, THE VIEW WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. It was so worth it. We had a triple room with three walls of windows and a view of the mountains from each side. It was magic. I woke up a few times during the night that evening, because my thighs were paining so much. In the morning we hiked up to 3210m (from 2874m) at 430am to see the sunrise and a 360 degree view of the mountains. However…it was a bit cloudy and the view was better from our hotel room the night before…but we did it…ok!

Well, it is now October 3rd and I am determined to get this posted tonight. As you can see it began on Aug 24th…now where was I? Ah yes…
After sunrise we were talking with a British and an Australian chap. They were going to do our Nay Pul- Goropani- Tatopani- Beni route, but some one told them the last 2 days are dull with no views. So they were going from where we were (Goropani) to Chule then Chamrong, Jihu Danna and then back. This would add a day to our 4 day trek but is supposed to be beautiful. I was a bit weary because we would go up more then down a lot then up some more…and some more then down a whole lot. In the end I thought, “when am I going to do this again?” so that is how we added a day to our trek. So, day 3 we climbed up 1hr to see the sunrise then down 45min back for breakfast. Then up 1hr 30min then down 2.5 hours then lunched…down another hour then up an hour then down an hour. I think this was my favorite day as most of the time we trekked through the forest and we accompanied by a beautiful stream and many waterfalls.
Day 4: we went down 2hours and then up 20min. After that it was supposed to be flat to the place where we were going to have lunch…haaa. It was about as flat as my behind. It was flat at one point…unfortunately it was flat VERTICALLY!!! That was only like 10 feet though. There were also many new landslides since it was the end of monsoon season. This made for some “uncomfortable” paths. They would have been ok I think had we not had our packs. At one point I was almost bellying up to the mountain and grappling for any hold I could find. Eventually after 2 hours of this “flat” (i.e. up up up) land we got to our lunch destination. Today was a leech day and when we took off our shoes for a bit at lunch, I was the leech winner. Three baseball diameter size blood stains on my socks from leech bites. After lunch was a 2 hour trek down to where we stayed the night. We rested for an hour when we got there and then trekked 30min down to the hot springs. Oh man this was nice. Although, getting there the path was FULL of leeches. The hot springs had been destroyed in a recent flood- they sit on the banks of a mighty mountain river- and had only just been repaired. So, we had the pool all to ourselves!!! It was magic and got us ready for our last and final day of trekking. So, the last day was pretty much down the whole way. Not bad down like the other days…gently rolling down. Yeah!!! This was also a leech day. We all got it good this day. When we stopped for tea at 1030 I had like 6 bites, 3 of which were at the same spot. One leech biting through my sock and the other 2 in the same place under my sock. We also had to walk through many water falls on this day so my shoes got soaked. However I set them out at lunch and they mostly dried. That day I was the fast one because my body was dirty, my clothes were smelly, and there were leeches on my hands, belly, back and feet. I was itchy and smelling from the sweaty dirty cloths and I just wanted to be done! ALAS we were done!!!!!! We took the bus back to Pokhara and cleaned up. I had left a pair of clean clothes at the hotel. Mmmm it was nice! We had planned on going to get steak that evening, but we were just too tired and would not have been able to enjoy them properly. We got ice cream instead.
Then next day we went shopping and mulled around. In the evening we went out for steak. It is the same steak house that Rachel Nigel and I had been to a little over a year earlier. It was great. I got the Rum and Cheese steak. Mmmmm. After that we went dancing!! However, the new Maoist government is shutting all establishments down at 10pm. There apparently has been an influx of adult night places and they are trying to make some laws against this and until they do things shut down at 10pm. On a side note, we encountered one such establishment. We were looking for a place to dance…the sign said dancing…we went in…and there in fact was a girl dancing. (don’t worry she was fully clothed, but it was still weird.) The scary waitresses with REALLY dark/trashy make-up pleaded for us to stay…but as three women… we were less than inclined to stay. The next day we went back to Katmandu and the next day I was off back home.
And so ends the tail of my trip to Nepal.

What has happened since I got back.
Highlights:
· Navin got 2 puppies, so I have been over at his place a lot playing with them.
· Went on trip to Rathnapura with Gorakgasagara…they now know for sure that I am absolutely nuts. I think they like it though. Sometimes I am serious…at trainings and stuff.
· I washed my car today.
· I hope to finish Children of Húrin this weekend.