functional chaos in my brain and beyond

I am living in functional chaos. After more than a month of being in Kathmandu, that is the best way I can describe this place. With no government, prime minister, traffic signals, or street signs Nepal is truly a poorly managed country, and yet this place is rich with experiences.

This past week I walked for more than 3 hours each day, exploring the city and attempting to track down possible research leads. Mostly dead-ends so far, but am starting to really understand how Kathmandu is laid out and how to navigate around without many landmarks (in my sense of the word). On one of my ambles I got a kurtaa (traditional dress) tailored, got a tour of a disabled children's rehabilitation center, interviewed a woman in the street, and bought henna. A productive wander - I think.

So yes... now my hair is reddish-orange. My bahini (younger sister) helped henna my hair. I was supposed to wash it out after 2 hours, but after an hour my aamaa made me wash it out because she said it would turn my hair too dark! She was very adamant about it. I already stood out as a bideshi (foreigner), and now it is a bit ridiculous, but I love it. I will post pictures soon.

Ok back to traffic... since taking a cab is so easy and cheap here I hadn't tried the bus system until yesterday. My first experience in a microbus was uneventful, travelling north to the Narajun National Park/Forest for a picnic hike with friends, but on the way back I have never been so crowded in my life! (That includes parties in the basement of Old Kenyon!) I was literally squatting on the floor of this bus (the size of one of the those white utility vans in the US) with 25 other peoples mostly on top of me. My friend Komal was literally sitting on my lap and there were armpits all up in my face... for 15 minutes! Afterward I felt like a newborn fawn trying to walk. Yet, despite it all I could not stop laughing! Only here... ke garne!

And to think that the day before I was hating on these buses as I was dodging between them during the Kathmandu 5K race. Yes I did run a 5K in the middle of polluted Kathmandu! It was hysterical. I got up at 4:40am to my friend Ratna calling about how she got locked into a supermarket voluntarily to get off the street and that I needed to hurry to meet her so we could take a cab to the National Stadium where the race was. However, I couldn't figure out how to unlock the front door! I struggled for 5 minutes trying 7 different keys and finally my aamaa heard me and got up and magically opened the door. On the way to meeting Ratna I passed 2 marching bands before 5am! Anyway, we (Ratna, Ranjana, Aananda and I) get to the stadium where the race is supposed to start at 6 but doesn't start until 6:48am. Typical. Anyway, I ended up running sub-30 minutes having not run in 1 1/2 months! pretty surprising, and still recovering.

Anyway, that was a bit scattered-minded, but I guess that is how I retain these crazy experiences... Hope that you all have enjoyed the first month of pictures! I will post more soon.


Namaste.
Meghan/ Muna


"Go forth with diligence because everything is about to change." - one of the many Buddhas