Last night we all went to Mann's group home for dinner and to hang out with the kids. We had daal baat, watermelon and tomato and cucumber salad with "imported" balsamic vinegar. The kids entertained us with music and dancing (Nepali, Indian and imported dance music from the US...not to mention the always present Brian Adams). The girls danced for us and it was beautiful as always. They were trying to get us to show them a Canadian cultural dance, to which we had no idea where to start, so I got out my ipod again (and was informed that it would cost 50 million rupees to buy in Nepal) and put on the ol' Bohemian Rhapsody. Me, Steph and Isha rocked out with air guitars and looked ridiculous, but the kids ate it up. Amanda has the whole thing on video, so I'll post it to youtube once I get home.
Mann was very impressed with our confidence in front of people, and he wants us to try to teach his kids how to be confident, especially the girls. After dinner it was very dark and there were no streetlights for the walk home. Mann, Gocool and a couple of the teenage boys walked us home because "they have muscles". Steph pointed out that we have muscles too, but we really weren't going to complain. We got home around 10:00pm and as is appropriate, we invited everyone in for tea. Gocool turned on the TV news and we found out that with only 2 hours left until the constitution deadline, the 600 person parliament were just sitting down for the first time today, to write up a 6 month extension.
Mann is very politically minded and quite rightfully annoyed. He says that because of his social status (ie not Brahman caste and not rich) he can't get into politics even though he would love too. He hopes that with Facebook and TV becoming more widespread in Nepal as well as education for the youths, a few years from now the children will be able to peacefully (or not) change the current system.
Nepal has so many resources and communities that need infrastructure that if managed properly, it wouldn't be unreasonable to dream of no longer being ranked 3rd world. They have enough untapped hydro to power all of Asia. It is the government corruption and waste that makes the Nepali people impoverished.
At bedtime there was a firefly in my bedroom. One little brilliant glowing spark that zipped and whorled around the ceiling for 5 minutes before leaving out the window.
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