Namaste! (Found out that it means "I honor the divine within you"... isn't that beautiful?)
SO, my first full day in Nepal has officially come to an end! I have to say though, it doesn't feel like it has just been one day; more like three or four. So many things have been happening that it feels like too much for just one and a half days. Today I am just writing about my journey there, an update about the VIN induction days will be coming soon!
The Airport
Mom and my brothers escorted me through the airport all the way to check in. I was looking like a turtle with my massive trekking backpack, and endlessly stylish with my money belt (which dad wouldn't let me leave the house without). If only I had had a camera around my neck then I would have been the ultimate embodiment of a tourist. The goodbye was semi-dramatic but I really had to try hard not to cry when hugging mom for the last time. Then I was ready to be all alone in the world, to start my great independent adventure. I turn around to go stand in line and bump right into one of my classmates... so my moment of independence would have to wait a little longer. We chatted and I felt less and less nervous, plus it was a distraction from feeling sad about the goodbyes, so I guess it was a good thing. Got through the check-in and immediately didn't know what to do. I hovered around for a bit and then found a security guard and asked him for guidance; I swear that right turn was not there when I walked past it! Baggage stuff was out of the way and I arrived at terminal one. I had some food and then made my way over to the gate ready for the two hour wait (everything before had gone much quicker than expected so the 3 hour head start I'd given myself might have been a bit of over kill...).
The Flight
SO, my first full day in Nepal has officially come to an end! I have to say though, it doesn't feel like it has just been one day; more like three or four. So many things have been happening that it feels like too much for just one and a half days. Today I am just writing about my journey there, an update about the VIN induction days will be coming soon!
The Airport
Mom and my brothers escorted me through the airport all the way to check in. I was looking like a turtle with my massive trekking backpack, and endlessly stylish with my money belt (which dad wouldn't let me leave the house without). If only I had had a camera around my neck then I would have been the ultimate embodiment of a tourist. The goodbye was semi-dramatic but I really had to try hard not to cry when hugging mom for the last time. Then I was ready to be all alone in the world, to start my great independent adventure. I turn around to go stand in line and bump right into one of my classmates... so my moment of independence would have to wait a little longer. We chatted and I felt less and less nervous, plus it was a distraction from feeling sad about the goodbyes, so I guess it was a good thing. Got through the check-in and immediately didn't know what to do. I hovered around for a bit and then found a security guard and asked him for guidance; I swear that right turn was not there when I walked past it! Baggage stuff was out of the way and I arrived at terminal one. I had some food and then made my way over to the gate ready for the two hour wait (everything before had gone much quicker than expected so the 3 hour head start I'd given myself might have been a bit of over kill...).
The Flight
After reading my book for two hours the gates finally opened. We all streamed in and I made conversation with some Nepali folk. For some reason I got priority because I'm a lady, so I got put into this super short line and was one of the first people on the plane. Thank you dad for that X chromosome. I sat down anxiously awaiting who would be my flying buddies. Within no time I found myself surrounded by a group of Nepali men who all seemed to be friends. There I was in the middle of all this Nepali chatter; I thought, okay, fine, so there is no cute guy sitting next to me, but this is good preparation for what's to come (in the Nepali busses...). Eventually managed to have somewhat of a conversation with them about where I was from and the weather. The flight went well, there was nearly no turbulence, so I was thanking baby Jesus (I'm a bit afraid of flying). Spent the whole flight reading and attempting to sleep. Yes, the flight was great; another thing which made me happy was that they were able to organize vegan food for me! I was feasting like a king because I was the first person to get food AND it was ratatouille which is my favorite thing.
The Arrival
The Arrival
The plane landed and we all slowly got out, the air was cold and fresh and I wanted to shed a tear of joy because I had prepared myself for monsoon season humidity and heat. Turns out "it'll be hot" meant it will be hot for people who don't live in the desert, for me this is winter weather... I got to the visa check-in, the moment I had been dreading (after tales of friends who had to wait in never ending queues) but when I got there the queue was only a few people long. And because I already had organized my visa back in Abu Dhabi (thanks mom!) I was put in front of the line. This may sound like a good thing but it actually wasn't. My game plan all along had been "follow the crowd" because I was a mixture of nervous and excited and didn't know where to go and what to do with myself. So, there I was, the first person out. I stood there completely still, probably looking like a crazy person, for a couple of seconds, and then proceeded to act like I knew exactly what I was doing. This actually worked because I somehow found my way to baggage claim.
At baggage claim my bag was also one of the first out (I don't even know how I have gotten so lucky this whole trip) and I had to get it off the belt. Maybe I shouldn't have packed half a library in there because this bag seriously weighs as much as a small child; I think I might give the books to the monastery at the end of the trip. I got through the last security checks and was one of the first people out of the airport. I was walking around arrivals but no one was there, I went outside, inside, outside, then I asked the security guard and he pointed to a room literally crammed full of people, all waiting for their family and friends. Oh god, I thought, I have to go in there with this turtle bag? I will probably end up knocking out more than 4 people on my way. Then my thoughts were interrupted by a man shouting "VIN" "VIN?"... VIN! Volunteer Initiative Nepal, the organization I'm working for! I turned around and felt so so so happy. Confession: all along I had silent worries; what if the organization doesn't really exist? What if it's all actually a scam? What if I get there and I end up being deserted at the airport? Of course these were stupid thoughts, there's a website, facebook page and I have had contact with the manager for the past 4 weeks, but of course that bit of paranoia was still present. The man who had rescued me from my worries led me to another man. The driver! A really nice man called Akkal, we went to the car. Whilst walking I thought that both men were part of the organization, but once I got to the car the man who had been shouting "VIN" turned out to be a random guy! How did I come to this conclusion? He started demanding money from me! "Now it is time" pointing to his pocket which was already filled with change. "Sorry, I don't have Nepali rupees" (truth), "give any money, give!"... Akkal came to my rescue and closed the car door.
On the way to the hotel Akkal and I had really nice conversations; about being Nepali, his rural home town, how he ended up in Kathmandu, his year in Dubai, how he learnt English and the VIN organization. Also, he was playing Nepali folk music which made me want to shed a tear (of joy). I got to the hotel, got the key, carried my monster bag up to the room and collapsed on the bed. The hotel is nicer than I expected, there's a fan in the room (halleluia), my own bathroom and wifi (I've tried not to go on the internet too much though). I went to take a shower and discovered there is only cold water, after suffering through that (and thanking god that I cut my hair short) climbing in the best and nestling myself in the blankets was the best feeling ever. I had made it! All by myself I'd done the thing I was most afraid of! I am here in Nepal! This is what I had been living towards for the past few weeks, and what had been the light at my seemingly never ending IB tunnel! I am in Nepal!
Charlotte x
At baggage claim my bag was also one of the first out (I don't even know how I have gotten so lucky this whole trip) and I had to get it off the belt. Maybe I shouldn't have packed half a library in there because this bag seriously weighs as much as a small child; I think I might give the books to the monastery at the end of the trip. I got through the last security checks and was one of the first people out of the airport. I was walking around arrivals but no one was there, I went outside, inside, outside, then I asked the security guard and he pointed to a room literally crammed full of people, all waiting for their family and friends. Oh god, I thought, I have to go in there with this turtle bag? I will probably end up knocking out more than 4 people on my way. Then my thoughts were interrupted by a man shouting "VIN" "VIN?"... VIN! Volunteer Initiative Nepal, the organization I'm working for! I turned around and felt so so so happy. Confession: all along I had silent worries; what if the organization doesn't really exist? What if it's all actually a scam? What if I get there and I end up being deserted at the airport? Of course these were stupid thoughts, there's a website, facebook page and I have had contact with the manager for the past 4 weeks, but of course that bit of paranoia was still present. The man who had rescued me from my worries led me to another man. The driver! A really nice man called Akkal, we went to the car. Whilst walking I thought that both men were part of the organization, but once I got to the car the man who had been shouting "VIN" turned out to be a random guy! How did I come to this conclusion? He started demanding money from me! "Now it is time" pointing to his pocket which was already filled with change. "Sorry, I don't have Nepali rupees" (truth), "give any money, give!"... Akkal came to my rescue and closed the car door.
On the way to the hotel Akkal and I had really nice conversations; about being Nepali, his rural home town, how he ended up in Kathmandu, his year in Dubai, how he learnt English and the VIN organization. Also, he was playing Nepali folk music which made me want to shed a tear (of joy). I got to the hotel, got the key, carried my monster bag up to the room and collapsed on the bed. The hotel is nicer than I expected, there's a fan in the room (halleluia), my own bathroom and wifi (I've tried not to go on the internet too much though). I went to take a shower and discovered there is only cold water, after suffering through that (and thanking god that I cut my hair short) climbing in the best and nestling myself in the blankets was the best feeling ever. I had made it! All by myself I'd done the thing I was most afraid of! I am here in Nepal! This is what I had been living towards for the past few weeks, and what had been the light at my seemingly never ending IB tunnel! I am in Nepal!
Charlotte x
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| The view of the rooftops from the hotel window |
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| The view from the hotel window when looking down (I guess this is where the trash goes?) |
tldr
ReplyDeleteno, just kidding, i actually did read it
You should make a book out of all the post you got at the end of your journey
+ pictures and stuff
that would be pretty cool
have fuuun
Loved reading it--someday I will share with you how TERRIFIED I was to leave home and come to Abu Dhabi. I sat on the plane the whole time wondering if I was going to be sold into slavery in some Bedu Camel Caravan...wondering if the school actually existed...so I laughed hysterically when I read your fears...been there! xxxxx
ReplyDelete