Day 7 - KTS, biting things and ATMs.

Woken early as usual by the temple goers. The unfortunate thing is that the temple bells sound like my alarm clock! Up and breakfasted on bread and marmite and a cup of tea. Walked to school and signed in as usual.

I was hoping to spend the day with class 5 but they were starting with Nepali so I went to class 4 instead. There I was able to help out with the maths lesson - a tortuous foray into brackets. After this was a Nepali lesson which I could not understand but I spent the time trying to learn some of the alphabet from my phrase book. the lesson was taken by a trainee teacher who is at the school for 1 month's teaching practise.

After Nepali was social studies all about people who are "lame", deaf or blind with the textbook informing the children that they had to treat such people equally. I was able to help a little with an explanation of Braille. It took the form of the children reading a playlet in turns. I'm not sure how much of the English they really understood and discussion and explanation was at the end of the lesson. 

Then science about deforestation - the textbooks in English have quite an archaic and technical vocabulary - and I explained about planting new trees. Then the English lesson which the children were very enthusiastic about. The Himalayan Times has a children's section every Thursday. One child collected 5RS from everyone and went out to buy a class set of papers. The children then cut out bits they found interesting (mainly football related!) and stuck them into much prized books. I was able to chat with them about this and it was a very enjoyable and relaxed time.

Lunch time arrived and I was due at Kiran's house for lunch at 1pm. However, today is the rice pudding festival (I kid you not!) and as I was chatting in th library a bowl of rice pudding with potato curry arrived. It sounds unlikely but was delicious. the pudding had spices and bay leaves in along with dates and fresh coconut. The curry was HOT. Nepal is no place to be on a low carb diet so I just enjoyed the meal and crossed my fingers. I then had to hurry up the stairs to Kiran's sister to explain that i had had rice pudding and could not eat any more!

The start of the afternoon was taken with loading Pivot Animator and Logo onto the computers. I then joined a very joyous music lesson where I was treated to all sorts of Nepali songs and dances
then joined class 3 in the library where I read a book to the children before they took it in turns to read to me.

At the end of the day I went to class 4 to help them with their homework(more brackets) then to sign out. I walked home slowly and had a lot of water.

I sat a read for a while then had a message on Facebook from Harihar who is a teacher trainer in Nepal. We arranged to meet tomorrow for a talk. I am looking forward to this and discussing teaching practice with him as he has had training from the UK too so can tell me what will be the most useful - I hope!

I then went to the ATM and finally persuaded it to give me some more rupees. I wasn't feeling too great so went to the Cafe Pagoda for dinner. I ended up with mixed fried rice (buffalo!) and a fresh lemon soda and spent about an hour and a half reading. The night fell and there was the sound of drums coming from the temples along with the ringing bells.

On returning to the apartment I found Camille and family about to watch Ratatouille.They asked me to join them but I decided not to and retreated upstairs where I smothered myself in anti-bite lotion and wrote the blog. I plan a restful evening, preferably with very little on as it is pushing 30 degrees even now and I am dripping with perspiration - you really wanted to know that didn't you!!!

Day 6 - KTS - Nepali lessons

Today I discovered a fact of life in Kathmandu - that whatever food you do not put in the fridge, preferably in a sealed box in the fridge, attracts ants. The little blighters managed to get into my sealed biscuits and the jar of peanut butter, also sealed. This meant I had nothing for breakfast so went out to Cafe Swotha for their "Healthy all day breakfast" which was rye bread, butter, omelette, curd and dried fruit and tea. Tasty and filled me up nicely.

I walked to school at 9am as usual and signed in. Then I went to class 3 and decided to shadow them all day to see a variety of lessons. I always check with the teacher concerned if they mind me being in the lesson as I know what it is like to be observed but everyone is friendly and happy to help.

Despite being told that most of the lessons are taught in English it turned out that lots were in Nepali. I joined in where I could, helping with marking, singing and trying to communicate with the children with the limited Nepali I have. The lessons were: social studies, music, science, English, maths then lunch. After lunch were Nepali, general knowledge (GK) and computers.

I really enjoyed all the lessons. They follow a set pattern of repetition, memorisation and copying but the children seem engaged. Music was great fun with the teacher playing the harmonium and the children singing all sorts of songs. Three had instruments to play - a tambourine, maraca and drum. They started by singing do re mi (but in Nepali!) and ended in the same way.

After music was science about pollution then English where the children were learning about plurals. At lunchtime I spent half an hour drinking tea and chatting to the teachers then remembering I was supposed to be upstairs with Kiran's family for lunch. I headed up and was treated to daal bhat (rice and lentils) with minced chicken curry, spinach and garlic and vegetable curry.Then I had fresh mango. It was delightful.

I hurried down for the first lesson after lunch which was Nepali. I understood maybe 3% of the lesson and it made me think about children in the UK who have little English who are thrown into literacy lessons. The children near me were very good at trying to help but I can't read the script and had no idea what the grammar points were. It was eye opening but what I did pick up is that the strategies used for teaching both English and Nepali are exactly the same in the books.

Nepali Lesson...

I was summoned to the library at 2pm and there I found a most welcome cup of tea! I had had a conversation with one of the teachers yesterday about the British love of tea and she had arranged it specially. I was very touched and drank it with pleasure. Then I joined with class 2 who were in the library reading. They had dual language books so I read the English and the boy I was sitting with read the Nepali. It was a poem in Nepali and I managed to read the first line in Nepali and was very proud of myself. I then started to try to talk to the children in Nepali but this was limited and they found my accent very amusing.

For the final lesson I went up to the computer room.Here the children were using one of the programs I had taken over and were practising turning on the computers and drawing. Some of the drawings were fantastic:

At the end of the school lessons(3.20) the children do their homework in school.I went to visit class 1, aged 5 and 6, who were practising their numbers in English. I was able to help a little. Then they cleared up and we sang songs to end the day.

Nepali vowels!

The walk from school to the apartment.

After signing out I walked back through the streets to the apartment where I had a most welcome litre of water. The toilets at the school are best avoided! I then headed out to explore further and to try and find a Nepali phrasebook.

The walk to Patan Dhoka (Patan Gate) was through small streets with a myriad of shrines, shops and people. I found a wonderful, tranquil square with a large Buddha statue and a stupa. It was surrounded by typical Nepalese buildings.

Patan Dhoka

At Patan Dhoka I found a wonderful book shop with a lot of English novels - tempting! I also found a Nepali phrasebook with the most unlikely sayings such as "I have left my walking stick across the river" which I'm sure will come in most useful!. I carried on down the street to the huge supermarket which gives chaos a bad name. There were piles of everything in the aisles and no-one seemed to be putting anything away. I wandered round and round eventually managing to find a sterilising wash for fruit and vegetables, replacement biscuits and crackers, yak cheese, bread and butter. I paid then headed upstairs to the second floor where there was an equally huge home ware department. I bought a storage box which I defy any ant to get into, and a Nepal mug so I can have a proper mug of tea in the morning. I also solved the milk problem and bought instant porridge oats which only need water.

I wandered back along the streets, buying bananas on the way, and to Swotha Square. There I paused for a cup of excellent tea at the kiosk and ended the day with a book before heading upstairs for a shower, blog update and yak cheese on crackers for tea. 

In other news, I think I may have found my perfect Buddha....

A story:
About 20 years ago the police phoned KTS with news that they had found an abandoned 2 year old girl in Patan Durbar Square. The teachers went to find her and found an extremely ill and malnourished child. They rushed her to hospital and paid for her medical treatment for asthma, pneumonia and several blood transfusions. despite not being expected to live she pulled through and when well enough to be discharged was taken to the KTS children's home. Here she was nurtured and thrived taking classes at the school as she grew older and eventually taking on responsibilities as assistant matron in the school. She remained at KTS through her studies until one day she approached Kiran and said she wanted to leave and try her luck in Kuwait. He warned her against this due to the trafficking of women in the sex industry there but she went anyway,.
Nothing was heard of her for 2 years until she turned up at the school having returned. It was not clear whether she had escaped the sex trade. She asked for a job and Kiran was able to offer her the post of assistant matron once again. She had married and was able to support herself in her own lodgings near to the school and accepted the job. today she is still there as assistant matron who understands what the children are going through and who is testament to the family that children and adults who join KTS are part of in the past and for all their futures.
 

Day 5 - KTS and Everest Beer

Namaste

Woken early by the bell ringers. There are a number of shrines nearby and people like to ring the bells to alert God that they are there. Also I didn't trust my alarm clock so slept fitfully until 7.30 when I got up, washed and forced down some cereal. I also made tea.

Walked down the road at 8.50 to the school. There I was met by Kiran who is the overall principal of the operation. I was summoned into his office and we talked for about an hour about the school and what he wants me to do. This proved to be teacher training except he wasn't very specific about what! I was then given an official badge and lanyard and started my own page in the volunteers' book for signing in and out. I was then taken to the primary school and introduced to the head teacher of the school. This is also Kiran's sister (the whole operation is a family affair. Kiran's father started the school and both sons and grandsons and daughters are involved in running it). We talked for a while in the lovely library which, as it is carpeted, necessitated shoes off. It was interesting to hear about the development of the school and the different grades. The children are all from very poor families in the local area but there is a stigma attached to sending your child to the school and people who do attend are rather looked down upon. However, they provide free education to those who could not otherwise afford it including materials.

I spent the morning shadowing the English teacher and helping int he lessons. Initially the children were shy but I used all my few Nepali phrases on them and they began to thaw. Compared to the Kenyan children who were very reserved these children are open and interested and are used to volunteers. By the end of the afternoon I was already being called "teacher Jane". 

The methodology is so very very different from the UK that I am not sure where to start with formulating any training. It is all based on recitation, memorisation and copying. It must work. All the Nepalese I have met who have come through the system are English speakers, can read and write Nepali and are numerate and many have further degrees. However, there is no culture of questioning or giving personal opinions or teaching/learning transferable skills. Much of the practice in UK schools is totally alien to those brought up in this system, so much so that strategies that I use daily will be very strange to the teachers- and learners - here.

English (class 4)

Scial studies in English/Nepali

Science in the library.

I had lunch at Kiran's house with his sister Sheila who was lovely and we chatted about the UK and about her campaign work for improving education in Nepal. I then met her Dad who founded the school and showed her my Devanagari learning program on my phone (it's the script used to write Hindi and Nepali).Then i returned to the school for an afternoon in the computer suite...right up my street!

I brought over two programs donated by two companies in the UK - 2Simple Infant Video Toolkit and Crick Clicker 6. I managed to install the 2Simple software and demonstrated how to use it. While I was loading the other software the teacher I was with had a go and loved it so much so that the net class who came in were using it to control the icons on the screen. From what I can gather the curriculum is very much book led; there is no national curriculum so what is taught is dictated by the schemes that they have and this differs from school to school. ICT (Computing) is 60% theory and 30% practical (I know that doesn't add up to 100% but it's thirds!) and they still have to teach about 5.25" floppy discs! Clicker failed to install as it needs an Internet connection and the suite has no Internet.

Devanagari/English keyboard

The computer suite

After the final class I went to the Kindergarten for the final 40 minutes. This was wonderful! I had to use every bit of Nepali that I know to make myself understood but the children responded well and mobbed me to look at their work! I took many photos and was treated to songs at the end. 

The Kindergarten taking it in turns to say "Namaste.Mero naam...ho" (Hello, my name is...).

Foundation stage (Kindergarten)

This will not be the last photo of cute Nepalese children!

Once the children had done their homework and gone home we all went to the office to sign out. I then walked back to Swotha square and treated myself to a cup of silver tips tea brewed by the lovely Bikash. It took a while to process everything (and read the Kathmandu Post). I then returned to the apartment to sort out emails and to contact Harihar who is a teacher trainer in Nepal and whose advice I really need.

I went out for dinner as i don't feel confident enough to cook and had a leisurely Nepali Vegetarian set meal overlooking Durbar square in the twilight accompanied by a bottle of Everest Beer. It was relaxing and very atmospheric. Then home to write the blog and have a much needed shower.

Now off to bed and back to school tomorrow. Night!

Day 3- KTM: Around Patan

(...in which Jane braves the shops, sees over 1000 Buddhas and has bad news about her case).

 Woke at 2am and 3am by bells, chanting, singing and general rowdiness. Apparently this is the preamble to a big festival coming up soon and they like to walk the route to check it is clear. Why this has to be done in the middle of the night I do not know.

Woke at 8am, dressed, abluted then headed out to the Cafe Pagoda for breakfast (French Toast and tea). I then walked from Durbar Square to Namaste Supermarket. This was about a mile through some very interesting back streets....I shall let the pictures tell the story:

Wayside temple (one of thousands). Spot the rats!

One for Mum - reflection of Patan in the (low) water tank.

Green grocer stall. There were lots along the alley.

Butcher. This is the reason I've gone veggie for a month!!

This is the alley I walked down.

Once at the Namaste Supermarket I wandered around and got rather overwhelmed by the choice. I ended up buying some crackers, peanut butter, rice, lentils, chickpeas, spice mix and some Oatibix. I also bought some highly processed (but hopefully safe!) milk. Once loaded up I walked round the corner to buy a charger for my mobile phone as this was needed to take calls from the airport and for contact with home. Then I walked back along the alleyways, more leisurely and just taking it all in.

Once back at Swotha Square I went to the Swotha Kiosk and ordered a pot of tea. It was relaxed in coming but was utterly delicious. I sat there for about 45 minutes just watching life go by. This was my view:

Apparently this is one of the shrines the noisy ones visited last night.

Back in the apartment I had the unwelcome news that my suitcase was still in Muscat and would not be arriving today due to bad weather in Oman. However, Camile, who runs Cosy Nepal, had taken the phone call and said Oman Air would be giving me $80 in recompense. I resolved to buy a clean t-shirt as soon as possible!

After lunch of crackers and peanut butter I took photos of the apartment before heading out to meet up with Sailish and Anastasia for a guided tour of Patan (apartment photos later). We headed out towards the Kumbeshwar Temple after which the school is named. 

Kumbeshwar temple

Newari Carving - it is exquisite.

Ganesh. It's festival time for Ganesh apparently, hence the red.

Snakes round the water tank. They are considered auspicious for water provision.

Then we went to the school's shop where we eventually managed to communicate that I would not be there at 9am the following day as I had to get my suitcase (and I didn't want to meet the principal in clothes I had had on since Friday!). Then followed a most wonderful mystery tour. We were taken through streets, alleys and courtyards that I would never have found or dared to go down alone. Sailish was a mine of information and was able to explain lots of things to us about Patan and its quirky festivals. In common with all of Nepal there were temples and shrines and stupas on every corner, each seemingly more intricate than the last.

We eventually came to a covered walkway with shops selling the most fantastic Buddhas made of gold (and costing $40000). We walked through then paid 100rs to go into the temple complex. It is called the Mahabuddha and is a temple made of terracotta tiles, each carved with the image of the Buddha. There are over 1000 of them. Pictures below:

5 big Buddhas and lots of little ones!

Prayer wheels

Butter lamps

More buddhas, big and small.

The Mahabuddha which is hemmed in by houses so we had to go into a house, climb up the pitch black staircase - lined, incidentally with pictures of the Buddha's life - and up to the roof terrace.. This was a legitimate trespass! There was a sign inviting us in.

We carried on round the streets into a monastery and more temples and saw a rather strange advert on the way:

Stupa

Monkey 1 in the Monastery.

What a claim!

Jack fruit

Durbar Square

Strange, unwashed lady with temple.

Anastasia and I decided we needed some refreshment so went to the Cafe Pagoda to have an iced tea and bottle of water and to watch the local life while nattering. Then we spent about an hour wandering the streets looking in the shops and finally finding a t-shirt for me to buy to change into.
On returning to the apartment (photos soon, I promise!)  showered and sort of changed then sat and read. at 6pm I headed out to the Swotha Cafe for dinner. Cafe is probably the wrong description as it was an upmarket place and very relaxing. I had the Nepali Thali of rice, veg curry, paneer curry, chutney, pickle and spinach. This was followed with thick local curd. 

I went to bed happy and hoped not to be woken up again....

APARTMENT PHOTOS: