Tech training
I sat in with Mark’s tech training class this morning. It was a little bit like being back in school at waterloo, though now I know more, and I’m not the one with a blank look on my face. There was Bikesh, Binod, and Asish. They seemed to be getting the hang of good web design and how to use different resources to accomplish a task. They’re eager to learn, but sometimes look lost… and when Mark told them about the big project they have coming up, and all that needs to be accomplished, they looked rather worried. It doesn’t seem like much work to me, but then again I’ve been coding for years. I have to remember what it was like in my first few co-op jobs learning the ropes and getting my feet wet in “real world” projects.
I spent the afternoon with Ganga looking at shelving options for the grocery store.
Buying things here in Nepal is very different. Things that are commonly available in Canada are often special order, or custom built. Shelving for example is often custom built so there is always a process of asking for prices and trying to figure out who’s marking things up more than others, or just starting with a high price to give you a “discount” later on. And you can’t just go to one place to get stuff… you have to check out 8 different stores that sell slightly different variations on items. It makes me appreciate the simplicity of places like home depot that sells standard sized goods at fixed and posted prices.
Oh, and I got to ride a local bus… 13 rupees will get you a seat (if you’re lucky) on a crowded bus… if you’re not lucky, you’ll end up standing… I don’t think i’m terribly tall, but I would not be able to stand up straight in the bus. I thought I might stand out, but apparently I blend in quite well with the locals… except for the fact that I’m twice the size of most people.
Along the way, I got to talk with Ganga who told me of all the corruption in the government, even thought they are newly elected. He couldn’t explain the random voting cards I saw back at the UN in NY though (check my fb pics for those). The UN is still around though, and one of the things I’ve noticed more is the presence of UN vehicles roaming the streets. They’re usually the biggest shiniest toyota trucks on the road.
I’m starting to feel more comfortable here and am getting to know the guys here a bit better. Could I be here longer term? I’m not sure… I’ll know better at the end of a few weeks. Part of me wishes I could be here longer. There’s some pretty cool opportunities to head out to some remote villages later on, but I’ll be gone by then. The grocery/ministry/tech center is stuff is also starting to take shape, but knowing the schedules Nepalis work on, it could be a month or two before all the trade guys are done building out the facilities. Something that should only take a few weeks. There’s so much promise and potential here, I want to be part of it, though at the same time, but I’m not sure what time frame that fits in.
Mark and I have had some pretty productive conversations about life and also business. There’ll be a pretty cool new website/service coming in the next few months… Something that makes sense and I’m actually quite excited about. That’s all I can say for now.
KTM Day 1
My first day in KTM started out at 5:45am …. the call of nature can be oh so loud…
The city is surprisingly quiet in the morning… though we are staying a little farther away from the city center. At about 6am the morning prayer bell sounds and the city slowly eases into life. Myself, I crawled back into bed to try to get a bit more rest, but that wasn’t as successful since my room has windows on 3 sides and is blindingly bright in the morning. That said, I’m so thankful to be staying where I am.
I met some of the locals Mark is working with here: Bishwas, Ganga, Dinesh, and Joshua. We went over to “The Blue Building” to talk through layout, design, and materials for building out the tech offices, as well as the ministry center. It’s very different dealing with contractors in Nepal, where there aren’t as many standards, trades people may or may not show up for unknown reasons, and their “modern” designs look like they’re trying to emulate wood paneling.
I had a chance to wander around in the afternoon while Mark was in Nepali class. It turns out I was in a fairly nice area of town where there were dozens of private schools, a few embassies, and lots of nicer gated compounds. Of course the surrounding neighbourhoods are quite poor in comparison. I’ve noticed that even small improvements from one neighbourhood to another seems quite significant. Maybe because so much of the city is desolate… and tiring.
Being here is tiring. So many things wear on me; From the dust and dirt, the pollution, the ridiculous traffic, and the constant noise, it is mentally and physically hard just being here. I’m in a permanent guarded state, and haven’t felt comfortable enough to relax except for when I’m back here at Mark & Laurel’s place.
Still, there have been some great conversations with Mark about what is going on here with him, as well as some really practical conversations around business and technology. The guys I met earlier this morning seem like good guys, and I’m looking forward to getting to know them a bit better. I know this is where I’m supposed to be right now and am excited to see how God unravels his plans … here and in my life.
Kathmandu
After a day of puttering around Bangkok relaxing and eating, I hopped on a plane this afternoon bound for Kathmandu (after more eating and a thai massage in the morning). A short flight later I’m in Kathmandu. It’s a little surreal being back here. The city actually had cleanish air (at least around the airport), and blue skies.
The first thing that happens after getting off the plane, is that you get scammed… no word of a lie… only 5 minutes after I’d arrived, I got short changed by the currency exchange place in the airport… my fault for not counting bills a little bit more carefully, but it was only 100 nrs which is like a buck and a quarter.
The next thing that happens is the mass of people who try to sell you stuff… taxi rides, accommodations, bogus “permits”, and other stuff. I waded through that and spotted Mark, who stands a foot and a half taller than everyone else. He was pretty easy to spot.
Now we get to the tricky part. Mark had come to pick me up with his motorcycle. A 200cc deal, which apparently is powerful around these parts. I had my backpack loaded up, and the two of us make for a good amount of weight. Traffic is just as crazy as I remember, and 2 westerners on a bike don’t do much for confidence, but Mark has been here a while and has mastered the art of assertion, awareness, and flow… or as he put it, “a constant game of chicken”... there are no road rules, only suggestions… I wish I had a helmet cam…. (dave, buy one yet?)... I’ll try to capture some footage of the madness at some point…
But I’m here now at Mark and Laurel’s place. Laurel has gone back to the mid east. The place is pretty nice, and will be a great place of rest and retreat for the weeks coming up. I feel inadequate for what is coming up, but will feel a bit better as I adjust to the culture. There’s so much need here. Everywhere you look, there are broken people. I don’t even know where to start.
Even among other travelers I’ve met along the way, there’s a spiritual emptiness. Some of them have come to Nepal to find themselves, or to find something more significant in life… others are simply spiritually empty and happy with that.
Tomorrow I’ll meet some of the people Mark has been working with and I think that will help me start in a direction… or focus a little. To be honest, I feel a little lost, and a little scared to step outside these walls… what will I see? what will I think? what will I do?
Kathmandu 1
We got into Kathmandu yesterday and spent a little time getting acclimatized to the area. Nepal feels like we just stepped back in time about 30 years. Everything is dusty and there isn’t much that is new here. Still though, there is a feeling here that is hard to explain. Sometimes I’m excited to be here, and I stare around in disbelief. Other times I’m scared outright… by cab drivers and by the darkness that weighs heavy on this city.
After we got in yesterday and dropped off our stuff, we spent some time at the church planning the next 2 weeks and hanging out with some of the kids there.
A couple of the youth at the church were playing guitar & drums, worshipping so we joined them for a bit. It’s amazing how worship bonds people instantly.
As I listened to Noel explain his and the youth’s visions and dreams, I couldn’t believe how closely it mirrored varsity youth kid’s visions and dreams. There’s about 35 of them here, who have a great passion to see their friends come to Christ. Right now, they are trying to put together a youth room with internet access and some couches… a place for them to hang out, and call their own. They also want to email with english people to practice their typing and english skills. There are definitely a few ways to connect Nepal youth with Varsity youth. I spent a good deal of time last night dreaming of ways to do this… there’s something about the work being done here that resonates in my heart…. it’s good for the soul.
Today was more about seeing the city. We checked a few temples… there’s a heaviness in parts of the city. I found myself inviting God into places and situations more and more. He hear’s and is faithful. I’m not sure I have a grasp on God’s heart for this city… to be honest, I’m pretty overwhelmed by the things I’ve seen. It’s hard to not harden your heart in order to cope with the poverty that is everywhere.
God give me your heart for this city and country!