Thanks to all that read my blog over the past month! I hope that any of you who checked in here from time to time enjoyed the narrative...today was uneventful, tidying up things, packing, and getting ready for 24 hours in India.
This is my last post - and not a moment too soon. When I was talking with my wiiiiiiife last night, she says, "so, how's it goin?", and my response was, "huh? Don't you read my blog!" So maybe I do love my blog more than my wife...so what?! My blog loves me too, and this is a sad parting moment for us *sniffles, chokes back tear*
Will send pictures to all once I can upload them.
I have successfully gone 23 days in Nepal and didn't have the runs once - the genuine crowning achievement of this trip. Namaste!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Nepali casinos and the missing Jackson
Namaste all! Today is one of my last days here in Nepal (its Nepali Mothers day...happy Nepali Mothers Day, ma!) an it feels pretty good actually...have seen all the sights, seen the crazy hospital and am ready to come back to civlization.
One thing I didn't get to exerience was a Nepali casino - there are just a few, and this Aussie guy from the hospital whom I became mates with (yes, mates) was keen on going (yeah, thats right, keen...he's aussie). And apparently they had poker, so I was gonna take 'em for everything they were worth (good attitude in a poverty stricken 4th world country, right?)
Turns out their "poker" is a version called caribbean stud, not texas hold 'em (the popular type in the states). I've played this kind before but didn't remember the rules quite right...I lost half my gambling money on the first hand and left that evil table for the rest of the evening. The dealer actually laughed at me 'cause I didn't play right (he didn't explain the important fact that you can buy new cards for your hand...grrrr).
So my mate is really keen on roullette - seems like a silly game to me, really. Its like, we could put some numbers on something and randomly select them and see who has those numbers - oh wait, we call that bingo and the state lottery. Thats about as much fun as roulette seems to me. Although its totally random where the balls rolls...he's like, "here, use this piece of paper, write down the numbers that come up as we go along....then don't bet on those numbers later because its less likely they'll come up again anytime soon." I say to the 26 year old who has a masters degree in medical informatics (of all things), "the odds are the same for any number on any spin...its completely random and inependent...it doesn't matter which number you pick...I don't think I'm going to write down any record of whats been coming up" He told me I was wrong - I ordered him a double rum and coke in an attempt to end the conversation right then and there...and it worked.
Nepali casino's are weird...its all you can eat food, drink and cigarettes, but for free. There were some seriously hammered hindu folk in there...one sad sight was of a wasted bengali with his 6 year old son sitting next to him on the blackjack table - it was 11pm on a Friday night, poor kid. Made me and the Aussie rather angry...but we watched a nepali hip hop show, ate some strange buffet food (prolly not the best idea). I took all my money at the end of the night ($5 at this point) and put it on my birthday number 29 - would've paid out $5 times 35 if it landed on it...ball landed on 28, lol! The crowd collectively groaned at the near hit...was a good time though...
Then some unpleasantness today...came back from some sightseeing with my sherpa master (today is the weekend - one day only, saturday). Came home and needed something from wallet - noticed $20 (USD) was missing. Looked all over for it; no way my family could steal from me, its just impossible. But couldnt find it - could have either been the maid or some riff-raff that snuck in while I was away overnight (but I always lock my door!). The only person with access to it is the live-in maid. So what to do - just forget about the $20, or bring it up with master sherpa and see what he thinks, potentially ruining our lovely relationship days before I leave. I choose the latter, being the bad choice-maker that I am...
So its just me and him eating lunch at the table. I butter him up by giving him this huge wad of nepali cash, which was my rent payment over this time. He seems happy - and then I bring up the $20. I explain I know none of his family members would have taken it, and maybe he had some insight into who might've - maybe some neighboring teens that broke in while I was trekking or something.
He stops eating (and this guy looooves to eat). Puts down fork...looks out window. Turns and says of all the people who have stayed with him, he has never heard of anything like this...uh...crap...maybe should've gone with former in penultimate paragraph. He looks angry but mostly distraught. Is he made at me? I apologize profusely and tell him I didn't even wanna bring it up...but it was bothering me so I decided to. I ruined his lunch - he either thinks I'm dishonest or that his maid is a theif. Good job dum-dum...unfortunately there's no class in med school entitled, "Introduction to basic and polite human relations". If there were, it might have a lecture suggesting you don't accuse your host family of stealing in middle of lunch to a starving sherpa who just spent 3 hours taking you out sight-seeing to the temple where he spends every morning praying. Ughh....I truly am a foreigner in this country.
I excused myself from the table, apologized, and came here to the internet cafe...I think its cool, but we'll see how things are when I get back.
Its been 21 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
One thing I didn't get to exerience was a Nepali casino - there are just a few, and this Aussie guy from the hospital whom I became mates with (yes, mates) was keen on going (yeah, thats right, keen...he's aussie). And apparently they had poker, so I was gonna take 'em for everything they were worth (good attitude in a poverty stricken 4th world country, right?)
Turns out their "poker" is a version called caribbean stud, not texas hold 'em (the popular type in the states). I've played this kind before but didn't remember the rules quite right...I lost half my gambling money on the first hand and left that evil table for the rest of the evening. The dealer actually laughed at me 'cause I didn't play right (he didn't explain the important fact that you can buy new cards for your hand...grrrr).
So my mate is really keen on roullette - seems like a silly game to me, really. Its like, we could put some numbers on something and randomly select them and see who has those numbers - oh wait, we call that bingo and the state lottery. Thats about as much fun as roulette seems to me. Although its totally random where the balls rolls...he's like, "here, use this piece of paper, write down the numbers that come up as we go along....then don't bet on those numbers later because its less likely they'll come up again anytime soon." I say to the 26 year old who has a masters degree in medical informatics (of all things), "the odds are the same for any number on any spin...its completely random and inependent...it doesn't matter which number you pick...I don't think I'm going to write down any record of whats been coming up" He told me I was wrong - I ordered him a double rum and coke in an attempt to end the conversation right then and there...and it worked.
Nepali casino's are weird...its all you can eat food, drink and cigarettes, but for free. There were some seriously hammered hindu folk in there...one sad sight was of a wasted bengali with his 6 year old son sitting next to him on the blackjack table - it was 11pm on a Friday night, poor kid. Made me and the Aussie rather angry...but we watched a nepali hip hop show, ate some strange buffet food (prolly not the best idea). I took all my money at the end of the night ($5 at this point) and put it on my birthday number 29 - would've paid out $5 times 35 if it landed on it...ball landed on 28, lol! The crowd collectively groaned at the near hit...was a good time though...
Then some unpleasantness today...came back from some sightseeing with my sherpa master (today is the weekend - one day only, saturday). Came home and needed something from wallet - noticed $20 (USD) was missing. Looked all over for it; no way my family could steal from me, its just impossible. But couldnt find it - could have either been the maid or some riff-raff that snuck in while I was away overnight (but I always lock my door!). The only person with access to it is the live-in maid. So what to do - just forget about the $20, or bring it up with master sherpa and see what he thinks, potentially ruining our lovely relationship days before I leave. I choose the latter, being the bad choice-maker that I am...
So its just me and him eating lunch at the table. I butter him up by giving him this huge wad of nepali cash, which was my rent payment over this time. He seems happy - and then I bring up the $20. I explain I know none of his family members would have taken it, and maybe he had some insight into who might've - maybe some neighboring teens that broke in while I was trekking or something.
He stops eating (and this guy looooves to eat). Puts down fork...looks out window. Turns and says of all the people who have stayed with him, he has never heard of anything like this...uh...crap...maybe should've gone with former in penultimate paragraph. He looks angry but mostly distraught. Is he made at me? I apologize profusely and tell him I didn't even wanna bring it up...but it was bothering me so I decided to. I ruined his lunch - he either thinks I'm dishonest or that his maid is a theif. Good job dum-dum...unfortunately there's no class in med school entitled, "Introduction to basic and polite human relations". If there were, it might have a lecture suggesting you don't accuse your host family of stealing in middle of lunch to a starving sherpa who just spent 3 hours taking you out sight-seeing to the temple where he spends every morning praying. Ughh....I truly am a foreigner in this country.
I excused myself from the table, apologized, and came here to the internet cafe...I think its cool, but we'll see how things are when I get back.
Its been 21 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
say it ain't so...
So Nepal is sandwiched between india and china (and depending whether you have a good conscious or not, tibet at well). They have a wealth of culture and religion...in fact, most people's days (the hindus and buddhists) are spent in some sort of religious fashion - visiting a temple, getting blessed, bathing in a holy river, etc. This is how I pictured it and to my delight...this is how it is!
But like any other 4th world country, I guess there must be a not so secret underbelly - people scrambling and doing anything to crawl out of poverty. My brother told me before coming here that, "India is the cruelest place I've ever been.", and Nepal seems that in many ways...
Last night me and buddhist family member (his name is Tashi, I should have written that eons ago), and another 4th year med student who stayed with us for a couple of days en route to his homeland, India (he's going into a medicine/psychiatry double residency) decided to go out in a district called Thamel around 9pm. This is the main tourist area, and has most the city's nightlife...I've spent many an afternoon shopping here, and figured we'd get a drink and chill.
Taxi driver drops us off and the place has a eerie mystique at night - no streetlights, you can only see your feet from the bars/stripclub lights that are open at this hour. The occasional internet cafe is still doing business, but for the most part, its a bunch of riff-raff...street skanks, if you will. The kind of place we all wanted to be in our early 20's. Nepali and indian locals are just standing on the thin sidewalks as cabs and motorcycles whiz by..I see them harass the occasional tourist in some fashion...
We walk not a few paces and a group of 3 boys not more than 14 years old crowd me (only me) and get close enough to whisper, "hassaj, hassaj?" Hmm...must be the rampant hash dealers that the area is known for...my instinct is to say no, and I just keep walking. This is how the conversation went with my companions:
Med student: "what he say?"
Me: "I dunno, hassaj I think...prolly selling hash"
Med student: "well I kinda wanna get some, lets go back..."
Me (don't fret ma and pa, I'm a good boy): "Nah, this is the last place I'd wanna get arrested"
Tashi: "what are you two talking about?"
Me: "oh those kids were offering us hash...hassaj, yes?"
Tashi: *laughs out loud*
Me: "Huh?"
Tashi: "doesn't mean hash...it means massage"
I think for a second, and look around...I realize the locals standing around are mostly prostitutes, mostly little boys and girls. I want to ask Tashi if the boys meant you know, a nice Swedish massage or something...but stopped myself from sounding naive. As I was worrying my 19 straight days of no-runs ending on the spot from crapping myself in disgust, a beautiful girl wearing a sari (traditional indian garb) in her teens walks by us quickly and slyly whispers, "s*ck, f*ck, very good follow me..."
The night went on like this, and we eventually found a nice rooftop bar (Canan, Nev and Sohto, you would be proud!) and had a drink. I mean, you can read about this stuff in the Economist, or watch a filtered "Dateline" episode on young kids forced (either by family members or their own poverty) into prostitution...but until a pre-pubescent boy offers you a special massage, it kinda hits you hard. I feel so unbelievably horrified for these kids who probably don't have many other options, and completely repulsed at the same time.
Its been 19 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
But like any other 4th world country, I guess there must be a not so secret underbelly - people scrambling and doing anything to crawl out of poverty. My brother told me before coming here that, "India is the cruelest place I've ever been.", and Nepal seems that in many ways...
Last night me and buddhist family member (his name is Tashi, I should have written that eons ago), and another 4th year med student who stayed with us for a couple of days en route to his homeland, India (he's going into a medicine/psychiatry double residency) decided to go out in a district called Thamel around 9pm. This is the main tourist area, and has most the city's nightlife...I've spent many an afternoon shopping here, and figured we'd get a drink and chill.
Taxi driver drops us off and the place has a eerie mystique at night - no streetlights, you can only see your feet from the bars/stripclub lights that are open at this hour. The occasional internet cafe is still doing business, but for the most part, its a bunch of riff-raff...street skanks, if you will. The kind of place we all wanted to be in our early 20's. Nepali and indian locals are just standing on the thin sidewalks as cabs and motorcycles whiz by..I see them harass the occasional tourist in some fashion...
We walk not a few paces and a group of 3 boys not more than 14 years old crowd me (only me) and get close enough to whisper, "hassaj, hassaj?" Hmm...must be the rampant hash dealers that the area is known for...my instinct is to say no, and I just keep walking. This is how the conversation went with my companions:
Med student: "what he say?"
Me: "I dunno, hassaj I think...prolly selling hash"
Med student: "well I kinda wanna get some, lets go back..."
Me (don't fret ma and pa, I'm a good boy): "Nah, this is the last place I'd wanna get arrested"
Tashi: "what are you two talking about?"
Me: "oh those kids were offering us hash...hassaj, yes?"
Tashi: *laughs out loud*
Me: "Huh?"
Tashi: "doesn't mean hash...it means massage"
I think for a second, and look around...I realize the locals standing around are mostly prostitutes, mostly little boys and girls. I want to ask Tashi if the boys meant you know, a nice Swedish massage or something...but stopped myself from sounding naive. As I was worrying my 19 straight days of no-runs ending on the spot from crapping myself in disgust, a beautiful girl wearing a sari (traditional indian garb) in her teens walks by us quickly and slyly whispers, "s*ck, f*ck, very good follow me..."
The night went on like this, and we eventually found a nice rooftop bar (Canan, Nev and Sohto, you would be proud!) and had a drink. I mean, you can read about this stuff in the Economist, or watch a filtered "Dateline" episode on young kids forced (either by family members or their own poverty) into prostitution...but until a pre-pubescent boy offers you a special massage, it kinda hits you hard. I feel so unbelievably horrified for these kids who probably don't have many other options, and completely repulsed at the same time.
Its been 19 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
today...better!
Namaste all! Today was such a huge contrast from yesterday...got lots of sleep and found some mosquitoe spray to keep the little buggers off me all night...couldn't believe it! Didn't wake up once...and slept for 11 hours.
Best of all I think the hospital was sensing my frustrations with not having a computer to work on the research they insisted I do while here...so they set up an old clunker from 1996 for me in the research lab, with internet and all! I literally sat down and churned data for 5 hours straight without getting up...my nerd starvation has been satisfied...for now *laughs in geeky fashion*
And to top it off, I learned I can recharge my mp3 player using the usb ports in the computer...its now fully charged and I'm listening to some slammin' tunes for the first time in 3 weeks...if you haven't heard The Bug's "London Zoo" or Clark's "Turning Dragon" albums, illegally download them...post-haste!
Gonna get back to work...nothing else interesting except that some guy who owns a nearby restaurant nearby followed me for 3 blocks insisting I try the "standard yum-yum dish". I was dying to know what it was, but didn't want to encourage his persistence...
In other solemn news my wife's urban planning office laid off 10% of their workers today...luckily she wasn't one of them, but the economic pinch seems to be closing in from all directions. If you or someone you know is in this kind of trouble, have them move to Nepal...lunch costs about 20 cents (but if you're not brown, prepare to pay 20-30 times that) lolz!
Its been 18 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs (although I'm having a bit of a scare right now - is it gas or something more sinister? Hmmm....)
Mete
Best of all I think the hospital was sensing my frustrations with not having a computer to work on the research they insisted I do while here...so they set up an old clunker from 1996 for me in the research lab, with internet and all! I literally sat down and churned data for 5 hours straight without getting up...my nerd starvation has been satisfied...for now *laughs in geeky fashion*
And to top it off, I learned I can recharge my mp3 player using the usb ports in the computer...its now fully charged and I'm listening to some slammin' tunes for the first time in 3 weeks...if you haven't heard The Bug's "London Zoo" or Clark's "Turning Dragon" albums, illegally download them...post-haste!
Gonna get back to work...nothing else interesting except that some guy who owns a nearby restaurant nearby followed me for 3 blocks insisting I try the "standard yum-yum dish". I was dying to know what it was, but didn't want to encourage his persistence...
In other solemn news my wife's urban planning office laid off 10% of their workers today...luckily she wasn't one of them, but the economic pinch seems to be closing in from all directions. If you or someone you know is in this kind of trouble, have them move to Nepal...lunch costs about 20 cents (but if you're not brown, prepare to pay 20-30 times that) lolz!
Its been 18 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs (although I'm having a bit of a scare right now - is it gas or something more sinister? Hmmm....)
Mete
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Frustrations mounting...
OK, so this blog is officially going to be my venue for a good vent...the last thing one wants to come across is a complain-ey traveler to the fourth world. I mean, I expected everything to be a hassle...maybe I'm a bit hangry right now (i.e. hunger + anger), or maybe I haven't visited enough Buddhist temples. But I'm kind of fuming...
So I've spent the last 2 days trying to get 2 simple tasks done: paying Air India for my flight change, and faxing 5 pages to a program which just had an ophthalmology spot open up for 2010. Sounds pretty simple, yes? Even in the fourth world, such a thing should not take 2 days, no sir...
For someone who is used to accomplishing these in about 3 minutes in the states, here is how its been going.
Starting yesterday, I left work early because none of the computers in the entire hospital are working due to who knows what...I cannot work on the paper, and nobody seems to care that I'm just sitting around. I decide to get other stuff done...I spend several hours on the phone getting re-routed to various Air India offices around the world trying to pay for my flight change. After these 2 hours I am finally told I must pay in person, in Kathmandu. The phone service people where I made the call charge me 4 times the rate, because I'm white...whatever, its been happening the entire time. My host family drives me to the air india office...they do not have power and I must come back tomorrow. Meanwhile, I spend one hour walking to an internet cafe with power, and work on my materials for the ophthy vacancy...pwoer goes out, lose everything. Comes right back a minute later and I work for another 2 hours and get it done, saved on flash drive and print the stuff for faxing.
Now today...host family drives me to Air India office. Over the phone they told me it would cost $125 to change the ticket...I get there and now its $225. I ask, I beg, I PLEAD why are you nearly doubling the price for no apparent reason? You are a major airline, you should not be doing this...even USAir, the airline that charges for WATER would not blindly do this. She cannot give me a good reason, pretends her english is bad. But I want that ticket. So I agree...but they only accept cash. ATM is 10 minute walk down a sketchy road...I go but ATM is not working. Find another one 20 minutes down the road, also not working. Finally find a functional one, get my cash and go pay Air India. Task #1 is done - total of about 6 hours.
Next, I need to fax 5 pages to the US...host family son is nice enough to drive me around town until we find someplace with working electricity. We find one in 15 minutes...go in and I tell the lady this fax is very time-sensitive, very important...this residency program is going to get hundreds of applications and I need mine to be there quick. A fax machine from 1985 slowly gobbles up each page. She says I owe her 200 rupees...seems steep, but I give it to her. I notice there is no transmission report. I ask, "can I have a transmission report, these pages are very important and I need confirmation", with which she replies, "yes, ok." She opens the fax thing and pulls out a piece of paper saying, "ALERT! Transmission error - send again".
I show it to her and she says, "no, its OK, they all say that." I argue, getting frustrated...my buddha companion, bless his passive heart, is not getting involved, noticing the escalation. I tell her, "this is very important, and I already paid you for a fax which didn't go through - either re-send it or give my money back." And she says it'll be another 200 rupees to resend...I'm contemplating things, looking around when I notice a sign saying that faxing one page to the US costs 2 rupees - this should have cost me 10 rupees total...my whiteness bought me a 2,000% inflation rate. I inquire about the sign and she mutters some nonsense...
I demand my money back and she will not budge...I call her a liar and a cheat and point my finger finrmly at her as I say it, hoping the universal language of a good finger-point and a deep and angry sounding voice would resonate...but I don't think she understood. I tried to storm out of the front door but I'm constantly forgetting the pull and push of doors going in and out is reversed in this country - and I smack my face into the dirty plexiglass in front of many perplexed brown people. Now I just finished walking for an hour, clutching my un-transmitted fax papers, and found an internet cafe to blog this...
My next step is to find a functional fax machine and negotiage a price before sending. Today was just a bad day...who knows, maybe I can work on my paper, or not be cheated by some merchant when the sun rises tomorrow. But the noise, dirt, stress and inconviniences we take for granted are all getting to me at this moment, and Kathmandu has got me rather peaved at the moment...I miss the mountains and waterfalls of middle earth, even though the trek was grueling. In the end, the best part of all this is to realize how lucky and priviledged we are, because 97% of the world does not get to enjoy the things we and other developed nations have. Namaste indeed!
It has been 17 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
So I've spent the last 2 days trying to get 2 simple tasks done: paying Air India for my flight change, and faxing 5 pages to a program which just had an ophthalmology spot open up for 2010. Sounds pretty simple, yes? Even in the fourth world, such a thing should not take 2 days, no sir...
For someone who is used to accomplishing these in about 3 minutes in the states, here is how its been going.
Starting yesterday, I left work early because none of the computers in the entire hospital are working due to who knows what...I cannot work on the paper, and nobody seems to care that I'm just sitting around. I decide to get other stuff done...I spend several hours on the phone getting re-routed to various Air India offices around the world trying to pay for my flight change. After these 2 hours I am finally told I must pay in person, in Kathmandu. The phone service people where I made the call charge me 4 times the rate, because I'm white...whatever, its been happening the entire time. My host family drives me to the air india office...they do not have power and I must come back tomorrow. Meanwhile, I spend one hour walking to an internet cafe with power, and work on my materials for the ophthy vacancy...pwoer goes out, lose everything. Comes right back a minute later and I work for another 2 hours and get it done, saved on flash drive and print the stuff for faxing.
Now today...host family drives me to Air India office. Over the phone they told me it would cost $125 to change the ticket...I get there and now its $225. I ask, I beg, I PLEAD why are you nearly doubling the price for no apparent reason? You are a major airline, you should not be doing this...even USAir, the airline that charges for WATER would not blindly do this. She cannot give me a good reason, pretends her english is bad. But I want that ticket. So I agree...but they only accept cash. ATM is 10 minute walk down a sketchy road...I go but ATM is not working. Find another one 20 minutes down the road, also not working. Finally find a functional one, get my cash and go pay Air India. Task #1 is done - total of about 6 hours.
Next, I need to fax 5 pages to the US...host family son is nice enough to drive me around town until we find someplace with working electricity. We find one in 15 minutes...go in and I tell the lady this fax is very time-sensitive, very important...this residency program is going to get hundreds of applications and I need mine to be there quick. A fax machine from 1985 slowly gobbles up each page. She says I owe her 200 rupees...seems steep, but I give it to her. I notice there is no transmission report. I ask, "can I have a transmission report, these pages are very important and I need confirmation", with which she replies, "yes, ok." She opens the fax thing and pulls out a piece of paper saying, "ALERT! Transmission error - send again".
I show it to her and she says, "no, its OK, they all say that." I argue, getting frustrated...my buddha companion, bless his passive heart, is not getting involved, noticing the escalation. I tell her, "this is very important, and I already paid you for a fax which didn't go through - either re-send it or give my money back." And she says it'll be another 200 rupees to resend...I'm contemplating things, looking around when I notice a sign saying that faxing one page to the US costs 2 rupees - this should have cost me 10 rupees total...my whiteness bought me a 2,000% inflation rate. I inquire about the sign and she mutters some nonsense...
I demand my money back and she will not budge...I call her a liar and a cheat and point my finger finrmly at her as I say it, hoping the universal language of a good finger-point and a deep and angry sounding voice would resonate...but I don't think she understood. I tried to storm out of the front door but I'm constantly forgetting the pull and push of doors going in and out is reversed in this country - and I smack my face into the dirty plexiglass in front of many perplexed brown people. Now I just finished walking for an hour, clutching my un-transmitted fax papers, and found an internet cafe to blog this...
My next step is to find a functional fax machine and negotiage a price before sending. Today was just a bad day...who knows, maybe I can work on my paper, or not be cheated by some merchant when the sun rises tomorrow. But the noise, dirt, stress and inconviniences we take for granted are all getting to me at this moment, and Kathmandu has got me rather peaved at the moment...I miss the mountains and waterfalls of middle earth, even though the trek was grueling. In the end, the best part of all this is to realize how lucky and priviledged we are, because 97% of the world does not get to enjoy the things we and other developed nations have. Namaste indeed!
It has been 17 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Goats and electricity...
Namaste!
Thank goodness I've finally found the time and electricity to add to my beloved blog. Thank you to my beloved wiiiiife for updating the situation...for 4 days prior to my Himalayan trek, Kathmandu was without power...and then during the trek, there were obviously no internet cafe's (often combined with a lack of power as well)...so no blog entries for a while - I was going into withdrawal!
About the trek...just finished it last night, which was day 6. Went with the family sherpa (Tashi , who is the sweetest little Buddha ever) and a guy from Vermont who now lives in Bangkok. For those of you who knew Eric Burns in college, this guy is his long lost twin - super tall, kinda fun to be around, kinda jockey and pretty self-absorbed. But we got all got along great despite some minor conflicts.
I wasn't sure what to expect of the trekking - I figured we would just walk for half the day and chill with some locals at night, eating interesting Nepali food with villagers. But in Nepal its best to expect the unexpected...when I thought "walk" in reality it was "climb and descend at 60 degrees with a 30kg backpack", "half the day" was actually "8-10 hours", and "interesting food" meant the Nepali rendition of eggs benedict, boiled potatos and mound upon mound of white rice...this reality check was a definite positive except for the food (the climbing was rewarding but grueling). They figure because its a lot of westerners trekking, the lodges will make westerner food, but man...I've lost a ton of weight burning 3000 calories a day and not eating much :(
In the grueling, back-breaking and thigh busting labor you find yourself in the company of all the beautiful things this earth has to offer - mountain peaks, waterfalls, dense tropical forest, fields of flowers, and roaming animals of all types including white monkeys and mountain goats...it truely was like middle earth and I'm most satisfied for naming my blog as such. The peak height of our trek was at 12,000 feet on top of Poon Hill (yes, that actually is its name).
It was a wonderful experience but my body could not take any more...so I suggested we head back to our city of arrival, Pokhara, a day early and spend a night before flying back to Kathmandu. The sherpa and Vermontian agreed, and we quickly descended yesterday back here. Today, the super outdoors-ey Vermont guy insisted on hiking to a nearby lake for like, 7 hours...I refused and decided stayed here in Pokhara. And thats where I am at the moment, happy as an enlightened Buddha with my internet and nepali tea in hand, awaiting my afternoon Thai deep tissue massage (which is $8/hour!)
All this description is useles, I know, without any photos...but I have no USB cable and will have to wait until I return to the US to upload them. I was able to snag a hysterical video of a heard of goats and can't wait to share it with you all...but it will have to wait.
I will write more tomorrow, in Kathmandu. I have one more week at the hospital, then off to Delhi to visit the Taj Mahal. After speaking with some local Hindus here about the lack of things to do in Delhi, other than get swindled, harassed and not se the sun due to pollution, I've decided to cut my stay there from 5 to 2 days, allowing just enough time to see the Taj, and more time to be with wife, family and friends back home.
From N.E.P.A.L. (as they say here, "Never Enough Peace And Love").
It has been 14 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs,
Mete
Thank goodness I've finally found the time and electricity to add to my beloved blog. Thank you to my beloved wiiiiife for updating the situation...for 4 days prior to my Himalayan trek, Kathmandu was without power...and then during the trek, there were obviously no internet cafe's (often combined with a lack of power as well)...so no blog entries for a while - I was going into withdrawal!
About the trek...just finished it last night, which was day 6. Went with the family sherpa (Tashi , who is the sweetest little Buddha ever) and a guy from Vermont who now lives in Bangkok. For those of you who knew Eric Burns in college, this guy is his long lost twin - super tall, kinda fun to be around, kinda jockey and pretty self-absorbed. But we got all got along great despite some minor conflicts.
I wasn't sure what to expect of the trekking - I figured we would just walk for half the day and chill with some locals at night, eating interesting Nepali food with villagers. But in Nepal its best to expect the unexpected...when I thought "walk" in reality it was "climb and descend at 60 degrees with a 30kg backpack", "half the day" was actually "8-10 hours", and "interesting food" meant the Nepali rendition of eggs benedict, boiled potatos and mound upon mound of white rice...this reality check was a definite positive except for the food (the climbing was rewarding but grueling). They figure because its a lot of westerners trekking, the lodges will make westerner food, but man...I've lost a ton of weight burning 3000 calories a day and not eating much :(
In the grueling, back-breaking and thigh busting labor you find yourself in the company of all the beautiful things this earth has to offer - mountain peaks, waterfalls, dense tropical forest, fields of flowers, and roaming animals of all types including white monkeys and mountain goats...it truely was like middle earth and I'm most satisfied for naming my blog as such. The peak height of our trek was at 12,000 feet on top of Poon Hill (yes, that actually is its name).
It was a wonderful experience but my body could not take any more...so I suggested we head back to our city of arrival, Pokhara, a day early and spend a night before flying back to Kathmandu. The sherpa and Vermontian agreed, and we quickly descended yesterday back here. Today, the super outdoors-ey Vermont guy insisted on hiking to a nearby lake for like, 7 hours...I refused and decided stayed here in Pokhara. And thats where I am at the moment, happy as an enlightened Buddha with my internet and nepali tea in hand, awaiting my afternoon Thai deep tissue massage (which is $8/hour!)
All this description is useles, I know, without any photos...but I have no USB cable and will have to wait until I return to the US to upload them. I was able to snag a hysterical video of a heard of goats and can't wait to share it with you all...but it will have to wait.
I will write more tomorrow, in Kathmandu. I have one more week at the hospital, then off to Delhi to visit the Taj Mahal. After speaking with some local Hindus here about the lack of things to do in Delhi, other than get swindled, harassed and not se the sun due to pollution, I've decided to cut my stay there from 5 to 2 days, allowing just enough time to see the Taj, and more time to be with wife, family and friends back home.
From N.E.P.A.L. (as they say here, "Never Enough Peace And Love").
It has been 14 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs,
Mete
Saturday, April 11, 2009
message from Mete
hello everyone,
this is Canan.... Mete just called, everything is going well... they haven't had any power for the past 3 days, so he has been able to blog = (
he just wanted me to let you all know that he has been doing well, and he is leaving for his hiking trip in 12 hours, so i guess we won't be seeing any posts for an other week.
he said he had a good week, because of power outage, surgeries were cancelled, so he was able to do some sightseeing and discover the city.
namaste
-wiiife
this is Canan.... Mete just called, everything is going well... they haven't had any power for the past 3 days, so he has been able to blog = (
he just wanted me to let you all know that he has been doing well, and he is leaving for his hiking trip in 12 hours, so i guess we won't be seeing any posts for an other week.
he said he had a good week, because of power outage, surgeries were cancelled, so he was able to do some sightseeing and discover the city.
namaste
-wiiife
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Confessions of a crooked cab driver
Oh man, I practically ran to the internet cafe to document this atrocity...before I get to it, not much to report on except I picked up a bit of a cold. The black mucous I'm producing producing from the pollution is not helping I suspect - I've taken the lead of some natives here and am wearing a surgical mask as I move about outside. Anyways, rested up yesterday, worked on the paper, got good nights sleep...
Leaving work today I jump in a cap outside the hospital. Pre-arranging a fare is a good idea - or else you may be taken for a ride to who knows where. My cabbie didn't speak any english, didn't understand the pre-arrangment concept, and so I just said "meter", he nodded and we were off.
I'm gazing outside, watching the people, cows and monkeys, when I notice the beeping of the cab meter is rather rapid...beep (fare goes up, 2 seconds later) beep (fare goes up, 2 seconds later)...I look at the cabbie. Look at his hands...and he's making the fare go up over and over by flicking the wind-shield wiper switch towards him. I wonder if this is his first time, as it was pretty f*in obvious.
So I say something and point to his hand...as I reach to pull up on the lever to let him know he's been had, he immediately pushes some button next to him and its disengaged. He goes, "no, see!" He's pulling up on the lever and the fare stays the same...I'm like, "no, you disengaged the mechanism!" I'm not sure who is the bigger jerk...him for cheating or me for screaming
"disengaged" and "mechanism" to someone who doesn't speak english.
Anyways, I figure, no big whoop, probably was like 50 cents extra and I'm almost at my destination. Then I couldn't believe my ears...I hear the same rapid beeping and he's doing it again! I'm like, dude, are you serious? I mean really...I just called you out. This time I'm quicker, reach and grab the lever and pull it...and the fare relaibly goes up. Ha!
Flustered, the cabbie mutters some apologies and turns off the meter all together, which was at 250 rupees (should've been about half that in reality). When we get to my spot, I say "one-fifty" which I figure is more than fair. He says, "no, two-fifty!" I give him the 150 and leave...
Two useful tips for any Nepali cab drivers who happen to be reading this and partake in such crookery. One - if you'de like to increase your chance of success, try turning off the beeping sound. And two - don't do it again once you're caught! Sheesh...
In other news I've moved my plan to go trekking up a week and will ;eave this Sunday for the mountains with the son of my host family (an expert sherpa!), and 2 other americans, for 7 days. Its going to be sweet escaping the thick, black syrupy air of Kathmandu.
Its been 5 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs (although I had lunch a couple hours ago and don't feel too good...we'll see).
Leaving work today I jump in a cap outside the hospital. Pre-arranging a fare is a good idea - or else you may be taken for a ride to who knows where. My cabbie didn't speak any english, didn't understand the pre-arrangment concept, and so I just said "meter", he nodded and we were off.
I'm gazing outside, watching the people, cows and monkeys, when I notice the beeping of the cab meter is rather rapid...beep (fare goes up, 2 seconds later) beep (fare goes up, 2 seconds later)...I look at the cabbie. Look at his hands...and he's making the fare go up over and over by flicking the wind-shield wiper switch towards him. I wonder if this is his first time, as it was pretty f*in obvious.
So I say something and point to his hand...as I reach to pull up on the lever to let him know he's been had, he immediately pushes some button next to him and its disengaged. He goes, "no, see!" He's pulling up on the lever and the fare stays the same...I'm like, "no, you disengaged the mechanism!" I'm not sure who is the bigger jerk...him for cheating or me for screaming
"disengaged" and "mechanism" to someone who doesn't speak english.
Anyways, I figure, no big whoop, probably was like 50 cents extra and I'm almost at my destination. Then I couldn't believe my ears...I hear the same rapid beeping and he's doing it again! I'm like, dude, are you serious? I mean really...I just called you out. This time I'm quicker, reach and grab the lever and pull it...and the fare relaibly goes up. Ha!
Flustered, the cabbie mutters some apologies and turns off the meter all together, which was at 250 rupees (should've been about half that in reality). When we get to my spot, I say "one-fifty" which I figure is more than fair. He says, "no, two-fifty!" I give him the 150 and leave...
Two useful tips for any Nepali cab drivers who happen to be reading this and partake in such crookery. One - if you'de like to increase your chance of success, try turning off the beeping sound. And two - don't do it again once you're caught! Sheesh...
In other news I've moved my plan to go trekking up a week and will ;eave this Sunday for the mountains with the son of my host family (an expert sherpa!), and 2 other americans, for 7 days. Its going to be sweet escaping the thick, black syrupy air of Kathmandu.
Its been 5 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs (although I had lunch a couple hours ago and don't feel too good...we'll see).
Monday, April 6, 2009
My encounter...with an American Med student!
So work today was a very short ...I'm getting involved with this research project with one of the residents here. None of the computers were working in the library, so I decided to go into town and do my business at an internet cafe...
On my way out, I see a pale kid with red-hair and a short white coat...another US med student! Also a 4th year, we struck up a conversation about our experience here so far, agreeing the hospital is crazy but how it makes for a good learning experience...then, things went in an inevitable and undesirable direction...
student: "so, you're interested in ophthy too, I figure?"
me: "sure am! (please don't ask about match results)"
student: "me too...I ended up matching at my home school...you?"
me: (sigh) um, well...I didn't match this year....you know...it happens."
student: "oh, sorry to hear that...what are your plans?"
me: "I matched at an EM program...but am definitely gonna reapply next year?"
student: "oh...so how does that work? you just leave your EM program?"
me: "uh, I guess so...not really sure...haven't really figured out how its gonna work..."
student: *silence*
me: *shrugs stupidly*
Awkward turtles all over the place (for me at least)! For those reading this who are in medicine can empathize...nothing sucks more than telling someone who did match you didn't. Sigh...I was even forgetting about the whole thing what with all the 4th world madness around here. Is it possible to finish 5 years of medical school and still feel like you're at square one? Hmmmm....I think I need to climb the nearest mountain for some enlightenment...
Anyways, gonna work on this paper for this guy (its a descriptive study about the bone breaking procedure mentioned in the previous post!), have a tea and chill...
It has been 4 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
On my way out, I see a pale kid with red-hair and a short white coat...another US med student! Also a 4th year, we struck up a conversation about our experience here so far, agreeing the hospital is crazy but how it makes for a good learning experience...then, things went in an inevitable and undesirable direction...
student: "so, you're interested in ophthy too, I figure?"
me: "sure am! (please don't ask about match results)"
student: "me too...I ended up matching at my home school...you?"
me: (sigh) um, well...I didn't match this year....you know...it happens."
student: "oh, sorry to hear that...what are your plans?"
me: "I matched at an EM program...but am definitely gonna reapply next year?"
student: "oh...so how does that work? you just leave your EM program?"
me: "uh, I guess so...not really sure...haven't really figured out how its gonna work..."
student: *silence*
me: *shrugs stupidly*
Awkward turtles all over the place (for me at least)! For those reading this who are in medicine can empathize...nothing sucks more than telling someone who did match you didn't. Sigh...I was even forgetting about the whole thing what with all the 4th world madness around here. Is it possible to finish 5 years of medical school and still feel like you're at square one? Hmmmm....I think I need to climb the nearest mountain for some enlightenment...
Anyways, gonna work on this paper for this guy (its a descriptive study about the bone breaking procedure mentioned in the previous post!), have a tea and chill...
It has been 4 days since I've been in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
First day in the OR
So today I was scheduled to be in the operating room (or as they call it, the operating "theatre" - sounds more ominous indeed). Really I expected a day full of routine cataract surgeries...which is what I got, but in what seems to be a classic Nepali fashion.I walk in the theatre with my clean scrubs on, and a lady starts yelling at me to put on the standard scrubs they have - she hands them to me and there are old blood stains all over the top. This may not seem strange but these are eye surgeries - very little blood involved, and certainly not the squirting kind!
I try and convince her that my scrubs are actually freshly washed and clean! No dice...so I change and start towards the theatre...and she starts yelling at me again. This time I need to take my shoes of and wear a pair of SUPER nasty slippers that the patients were wearing in the waiting room. I figure its OK, I've got socks on to protect me...But no socks are allowed either! I must do it barefoot...
Now many of you know my brother Cem has an irrational fear of oral herpes...he is terrified of it. He might even ask you if you've ever had any type of oral lesion in the past before he would share a glass with you. I have a similar (albeight less paralyzing) fear of foot fungus - they're stubborn and unsightly. So while some of you may think putting on sandals that hundreds of barefoot people walking in trash and feces all day is no big deal...I beg to differ. I also begged this woman to let me keep my socks on but she would not budge.
The "theatre" was equally amusing. It was mostly cataract surgeries but with a few twists. One, each doctor did about 30-35 eyes in the span of 6 hours. In the US, most doc's I've seen do at the most 8-10 a day. This place is a cataract factory, which is a good thing. The doc doesn't speak with the patient, they just get up on the table, surgery is done very fast, and the next patient is getting on the table simultaneously with the last getting off. It was scary at first, there were some very unsterile techniques employed, but it seems like they have it down to a science. The best part was when a particularly grateful patient got on the table, then stood on her knees and started to a say a buddhist prayer for the doctor before starting - problem is she bowed down and placed her hands and hair on the sterile operating instruments...surgeon was flaterred but not happy.
Lastly, I got to see my first nasolacrimal duct obstruction surgery. I only mention this because it was easily the most brutal surgery I've seen in the generally tame realm of ophthalmology. An incision was made between the eye and nose bridge, and the area where one of the inner facial bones (ethmoid bone) was exposed. Just press hard against this area on your face, that is the bone...and behind this is your nasal cavity. This bone needs to be purposely broken for the surgery, so using the equivalent of a "bone hole puncher", the doc makes all these little holes until its big enough to continue - it was pretty nasty, breaking someone's face like that. The one thing that gets to me in medicine is the sound of bone breaking *shudders*.
Interestingly, this bone is particularly think in Turks, thus the procedure is a tough one to do in those of Anatolyan decent...we are hard-headed figuratively and now it seems literally as well.
In the spirit of Keith Olberman's "Countdown" show (or as we affectionately call him, Keffies) , where he declares at the end "it has been X many days since the Bush administration has delared mission accomplished in Iraq...", I shall end my blog posts with -
It has been 3 days since I have arrived in Nepal and haven't had the runs.
Till next time.
Welcome and first day
So where to begin...hmmm...many of you have already read this in an email...but if you haven't, welcome to my blog and read on! Please feel free to post!
I arrived in India and stayed at this great radisson hotel overnight - got my bearings together, had a nice meal and slept a lot. The next day I arrived in Nepal, and the son of my host family picked me up in a car where I was literally eating my kneecaps it was that small - I think it was a hugo or something :) I mentally prepared myself that Kathmandu was going to be third worldish, especially after seeing a few poor Indian peeps on my way from the Delhi airport to my hotel the night before...but jeez...this place is on another level it seems.
On the short 10 minute ride to the house, I saw adults pooping on the side of the highway, 2 stray dogs bulldozed by cars, and trash till the eye can see. I'm sure there are dirtier places out there...much dirtier...but based on my limited experience, this is more like the fourth world :) Everyone spits and defecates in public, burning trash everywhere....and just a few hours ago a monkey tried to steal my Diesel bag! As if he knew he could sell it to ignorant tourists like myself for a nice price, lol...so the place is completely filthy, but its part of the charm if that makes sense!
Another interesting part is the mix of hindus, buddhists, muslims and christians...everyone has their own places of worship and it seems there are constant rituals going on of various types. But everyone gets along and the people are extremely friendy. I got lost earlier today and the father of my host family picked me up in a scooter after getting directions from a stranger I handed my cell phone to...so everyone is super nice.
Last night was the Nepali Sherpa New Year, and my host family (being sherpas) threw a big bash in the mountains. I tried my first yak milk dumpling, they forced me to dance a very strange folk dance, gave me some sort of honorary shawl, and welcomed me to Nepal...everyone is incredibly nice and friendly.
The hospital is equally as crazy...today was an outpatient ophthalmology clinic...I looked out in the waiting room and there were probably 200 patients waiting. They pay $.80 for a check-up and if they need cataract surgery the grand total is $10 per eye. The facilities are abysmmal, and when I went to the cafeteria for lunch time, I had to refuse everything and make myself look like a jerk because (judging from the plates and food) I would have gotten dysentary, hepatitis, and possibly the plague from one bite. Better rude than poopy.
So thats it so far - the place is certainly facinating and will make for good stories. I wish I were closer to the city so I could sightsee the more famous temples and such right after work - but apparently its not the safest for tourists to wander into taxis by themselve. After 2 weeks in the hospital, Im gonna go into a hotel in the city, and do a trekking expedition with a group before going to Delhi for a week. Hugs and kisses to all!
I arrived in India and stayed at this great radisson hotel overnight - got my bearings together, had a nice meal and slept a lot. The next day I arrived in Nepal, and the son of my host family picked me up in a car where I was literally eating my kneecaps it was that small - I think it was a hugo or something :) I mentally prepared myself that Kathmandu was going to be third worldish, especially after seeing a few poor Indian peeps on my way from the Delhi airport to my hotel the night before...but jeez...this place is on another level it seems.
On the short 10 minute ride to the house, I saw adults pooping on the side of the highway, 2 stray dogs bulldozed by cars, and trash till the eye can see. I'm sure there are dirtier places out there...much dirtier...but based on my limited experience, this is more like the fourth world :) Everyone spits and defecates in public, burning trash everywhere....and just a few hours ago a monkey tried to steal my Diesel bag! As if he knew he could sell it to ignorant tourists like myself for a nice price, lol...so the place is completely filthy, but its part of the charm if that makes sense!
Another interesting part is the mix of hindus, buddhists, muslims and christians...everyone has their own places of worship and it seems there are constant rituals going on of various types. But everyone gets along and the people are extremely friendy. I got lost earlier today and the father of my host family picked me up in a scooter after getting directions from a stranger I handed my cell phone to...so everyone is super nice.
Last night was the Nepali Sherpa New Year, and my host family (being sherpas) threw a big bash in the mountains. I tried my first yak milk dumpling, they forced me to dance a very strange folk dance, gave me some sort of honorary shawl, and welcomed me to Nepal...everyone is incredibly nice and friendly.
The hospital is equally as crazy...today was an outpatient ophthalmology clinic...I looked out in the waiting room and there were probably 200 patients waiting. They pay $.80 for a check-up and if they need cataract surgery the grand total is $10 per eye. The facilities are abysmmal, and when I went to the cafeteria for lunch time, I had to refuse everything and make myself look like a jerk because (judging from the plates and food) I would have gotten dysentary, hepatitis, and possibly the plague from one bite. Better rude than poopy.
So thats it so far - the place is certainly facinating and will make for good stories. I wish I were closer to the city so I could sightsee the more famous temples and such right after work - but apparently its not the safest for tourists to wander into taxis by themselve. After 2 weeks in the hospital, Im gonna go into a hotel in the city, and do a trekking expedition with a group before going to Delhi for a week. Hugs and kisses to all!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)