Part 5: We’ve adapted to our new surroundings.

The kids have sure learned to adapt to living without the “conveniences” and “comforts” of home. In fact, they can often be found helping out with the cooking and Ella even did our laundry – Nepali style. There are no washers or driers, only water, a bowl, soap and a clothes line. Roshni, her good friend, showed her the ropes and together they did a fantastic job. Ella, Grace and Luke have all become experts at making our morning eggs on the propane burner, something I still haven’t mastered (I didn’t know you had to actually light the burner!) and can even make french fries from scratch. Grace taught Roshni how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which she was hesitant to taste.

One of my favourite times of day at school is the lunch break. I love to see all of the kids laughing and playing together on the school yard. Their schoolyard is nothing like one you would find in Canada. It consists of dirt, grass, rocks, an old swing set, without swings, a small climber and a metal slide, complete with rust. There are no balls, mini sticks, or toys to play with, but that sure does not interfere with the kids’ ability to have fun! They play many of the same games of home: a game similar to Duck, Duck, Goose, soccer (football), tag and tug-of-war. Even with the “unsafe” (according to Canadian standards) school yard, there are minimal injuries, in fact I have only seen 1 minor scrape. Also, despite the lack of things to amuse them, there is rarely a problem between kids. I am embarrassed to say that at school, at home, the teacher on duty is kept significantly busier dealing with issues on the yard.

Grace on the school staircase.