Wrapping up Pre Service Training!

I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer. Everyone passed the language exam and I scored one level above the requirement, which I was very surprised and very happy! We had our swearing in ceremony November 25^th at Sunkoshi Adventure Retreat and Nepal group 200 has 24 new volunteers (three people have gone back to America since the initial 27, for various reasons). The Ambassador was there and a man from Peace Corps Nepal 14 was the guest of honor speaker (we are group 200). Also one member from each of our families was able to come which was fun for them and us. My dad was the person who came from my family; I really have enjoyed both my mom and dad here (I can only hope I have the same relationship with my next family). It was very peaceful to be in the middle of nowhere and have some time to actually relax without pressures of classes and language tests.  The unfortunate part is that we had this big ceremony and now we are back at our training village for another week because our counter part conference isn’t until December 3^rd so we just have this week of in between time. It feels like we are just in limbo. Lets just rip off the Band-Aid already and send us off to being on our own! I may regret this statement the week at permanent all alone haha.

Tihar Festival. Family and Friends

The end of the beginning is near!

the end of the beginning is near!

We are finally coming to the end of PST. Last week we got to go to Kathmandu for 3 nights to see the Peace Corps office, doing the amazing race (using public transportation to find important places), and basically to give us a break from language and training at village. It was a lot of fun to get out, eat what we wanted (no rice) and have some free time to ourselves. Also it was great to not be stared at constantly because we stayed near the touristy area of Kathmandu so we were definitely not the only white people around.

Arriving back at village we started another festival here; Tihar which is 5 days long. It was also great because Veranon (the girl my family hosted last year) came back with us to visit for two nights. It was great having someone who spoke English and knew the family really well. She filled me in on everyone and could translate some words I didn’t know. She also filled me in on what it is like at permanent site, good spots to visit in Nepal, and what to do during our crazy amount of free time.

Tihar’s major day was bhai tika (brothers are worshiped). So all the sisters buy gifts such as snacks, fruits, candies, baked goods, and nuts to give them. So all the men are on one side of the room, then there is lighting incense and wicks in a flower circle thing on the floor. Then the sisters come and tika their brothers and give them the gifts/flower necklace thing. They then receive hard-boiled eggs, roasted garlic, and whole fried fish. Then the men tika their sisters and give them money. Afterwards everyone eats. It was a long ceremony but very fun, lots of food, flowers, gifts and money. It was such a long day I was in bed at 7:30pm, I discovered if I am tired at all I understand almost no Nepali language, it was good for me to get some sleep at that point.