Diary of an Emerging Superhero: Chapter 1: And so it begins...

My first week in Nepal was primarily concerned with getting settled into the city, learning my way around, finding the places to buy groceries, eat food, and avoid suspicious characters, and meeting the other staff of the Joy Foundation. But it wasn't all running errands and setting up the office. Rachel and I had a little bit of fun too.

DAY ONE: 3rd September

We’re finally here! The last 36 hours has definitely been an adventure and a lesson in the miscommunications that can come from email correspondence.

We arrived in Kathmandu yesterday afternoon at about midday. Going through immigrations was easy enough. It was important that we said we were in the country to trek and travel, not to study or to volunteer. This was key advice that we received from Deb and the other NAFA members in the preparation for our trip. While it’s common for people to come to Nepal and volunteer, apparently it’s illegal. And since we’re coming in on holiday visa’s, not work or student visa’s, we couldn’t write down our real purpose.

We finally got through immigration etc. and headed out of the building to find Petra. It turns out it wasn’t too difficult. We found her quickly and then we were on our way. She welcomed us with the white scarves. It was good to finally meet her in person and put a face to the name and emails. Petra grabbed a taxi and we managed to squeeze the three of us, plus our luggage, and the two big bags of jumpers into the tiny taxi.

The ride to Thamel was just as I remembered. The noises, smells, and sights of Nepal have remained the same.

We arrived at the Holy Lodge and this was when our troubles began. It turns out the manager wasn’t there and the rest of the staff didn’t have the bookings noted anywhere. And they weren’t prepared to give us the price we had already negotiated. So after checking out the rooms and talking it over we decided to spend one night there, then move somewhere else.

We got changed and headed out to find a new place to stay. Petra suggested the Tasi Dhargey so we went to check it out. The place was clean, convenient, and the rooms were nice. More than that, the manager was ok with US$10 per night (working out to about AUD$890 for the whole 3 months).

Once we had our accommodation sorted we headed off to check out the Joy Office to meet the other staff. The office wasn’t what I was expecting. It was massive compared to what I had thought. And very organized and neat. It’s also the POS for some bath products and health items, the proceeds of which go to projects that Joy runs.

We met those staff that were in (Ramita and Pradiep) before heading over to Pumpernickel’s for coffee. It was just like I remembered.

We spent a little time talking about Petra’s expectations for our placement, and some discussion about theory and culture that we should expect to bump into on placement.

Petra seems like someone with very similar values and ideas about community development work and social work in general. She has a lot of different experiences in practice and I’m looking forward to learning a lot from her.

After coffee we headed back to the Joy office to meet Chandra. He was very friendly and most helpful. We talked about his role in the organization and how he helps out. He helped us get phones and sim cards sorted, then walked us back to the hotel.

After a quick dinner at the Organic Café we headed back to the hotel for an early night.


DAY TWO: 4th September

Today has been pretty awesome. We settled into our new accommodation (I love the room and the location), and grabbed necessities (toilet paper, water, etc.). We’ve also discovered the “Border’s” of Nepal. It’s called Pilgrims and they have so many interesting books! I’ve already picked up a few on Nepali culture that should be really helpful in the work that we’ll do.

One of the books that we picked up today was a small Rs72 book on the Tamang people. Looking at the lists of kids at VSN and Seabird who are involved in the workshops and program evaluations, it is hopefully going to be really helpful. We shall see.

I think the rest of today will just be about chilling and resting. And getting started on assignments. It’s going to be really important to manage my time well so that I can fulfill all of the required tasks for prac as well as getting the assessments for 4100 done.

P.S. I DON’T WANT TO BUY ANY HASH OR TIGER BALM!


DAY THREE: 5th September

Well, here it is. Already it’s our third day in Nepal. Last night we decided to spoil ourselves and went to the Roadhouse Café for pizza. SO GOOD! And since we shared it worked out to Rs275 each, which is about $4.17 each. And that’s an expensive night out. I’m starting to realize how organized I was in preparing for the trip. I budgeted for $10 for each meal so $30 a day. It’s going to be a lot cheaper than that.

We had an early night, both of us appreciating the time to ourselves. I definitely think that our addressing the need for honesty and space has set us up for this trip.

As for today, we went to Swayambhunath. It’s a collection of stupas/monasteries/pagodas about an hour’s walk outside of Thamel. And it took us 2. We got a little lost but it worked out in the end. We actually passed the Benchen Monastery which had a list of 10 things to help the environment. I think those are going to really help with my personal reflections, particularly the one about developing an understanding if environmental issues and how they affect you and your community. In Brisbane I tend to drive everywhere, though it would be pretty easy for me to walk to places like Garden City or work.

When we reached the top of the walk, it was incredible. Like Mt Coot-tha in Brisbane, you can see the whole city. It actually made me think about the research that we did for the database and the statistics of how many head per square mile. When you see so many buildings packed into such a small geographical space, it’s understandable that Nepal’s proportion is so high.

When we returned from Swayambhunath I took my laptop from the office and set up the internet at the hotel. Then I called Dad to wish him a happy Father’s Day. It was really good to hear his voice. And Mum’s. And it made me realize how lucky I am to have such supportive parents. I wouldn’t be able to get through this prac, or even this degree, without their help.

So tonight and tomorrow are going to be chilling out and getting a start on my manifesto. I need to embrace my inner Marx. Maybe I should listen to some listen to some German folk music.


DAY FOUR: 6th September

So I’m supposed to be doing uni work today but I’m finding it incredibly difficult. There’s a construction site outside my window and of course there are the regular noises of Thamel. I guess I just have to suck it up and stop complaining. It could definitely be worse.

It’s been a very strange day today. I’ve felt a little spaced and I’m finding it hard to stay focused on uni work. I know that I need to get my learning units done but I’m getting distracted and now that I have my laptop back, I have TV shows to distract me. I need to use this experience to not only learn more about being a social worker, but also to improve my self-control and discipline.

Today we had lunch at Northfield and were given discount vouchers for the massage parlour. So we thought about it and decided it would be a good start for our Nepal placement if we were relaxed. It was a really great decision and I definitely think that I’ll be able to go into our first day of Nepal placement on the right foot. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life.


DAY FIVE: 7th September

I feel like I’m repeating myself when I say that today was very interesting. It was the first day of “work,” a chance to set up our office, and a chance to meet Indira for the first time.

To say that I was intimidated would be a gross understatement. At first, she was very aloof. I suppose she was just sizing us up and deciding whether we are here to spy on her for NAFA or whether we are here to really learn more about social work in Nepal. I think once she realized that our goal is to learn and to add to the community, she seemed to respect that.

We talked a little about the things we had planned for PA Nepal, and asked when the best time would be to visit the kids. It looks like this work, and the program evals with Surendra, will clog up our Saturdays. But it should be fine, provided we set aside another day for uni work and self-care.

Then we spoke about organizing a trip to Palpa where PA Nepal has about 10 boys. By the sound of it they’re living in a more community village-style home rather than the city homes. So we’re probably/hopefully going there for 3 days to take a look.

We said goodbye to Indira before taking a look around the Naya Bazar home. In comparison to New Youth, it’s very neat and clean. And there’s no gross urine smell. Indira definitely runs a tight ship.

Then it was time to head back. We organized a few things before sitting with Ramita to go through the workshops and to talk about the interview schedules. She seemed to think that both would be fine in terms of their cultural appropriateness. This was really our biggest concern, that everything we’d put together would likely be received badly or might be unintentionally offensive.


DAY SIX: 8th September

Today we’re heading out to Sankhu to the PA Nepal home. It’s likely to be about 1 ½-2 hours by bus. We’re planning to spend a little time observing the kids, checking out the home, and figuring out when the best time would be to do the life story process. I’m definitely looking forward to getting out and seeing this home.

I think I have a new favourite place in the world! The PA Nepal home can be described in one word: immaculate. Considering the other homes I’ve seen, this one is clean, tidy, odourless, and in such a picturesque place. It would be great to spend some of Dasain there if we get the chance.

The house manager, Sagar, was very shy and quiet at first. And we really didn’t know what to say so it was a little awkward at first. He called on two of the “middle” girls to give us a tour of the grounds. K and S were great. They were friendly and talkative and I wouldn’t mind spending more time getting to know them a little better.

After our tour we met the house-mother, Sukumaya. She’ll be one of our alternate gatekeepers at Sankhu when Sagar isn’t there. Then it was time to head home.


DAY SEVEN: 9th September

It wasn’t really a massive day today. We spent most of it organizing for our meeting with Surendra tomorrow. And making sure that we have copies of everything we want to talk about. We sat with Petra and discussed some of the issues with running program evaluations (ethical dilemmas, confidentiality, anonymity, etc.) and brought Ramita in to talk a little more about culturally appropriate questions. I will write more tomorrow.


THINGS I’VE LEARNT IN MY FIRST WEEK:

1. Learning to work within this very different culture is going to take a lot of work, reflection, and making mistakes. But it will hopefully help me to develop skills that I will use in the future.
2. Time management is going to be so important.
3. Taking time for self-care is going be essential to stop my head from exploding.
4. Be flexible: you never know if you’ll be going out, staying in, or nothing at all. In community development work there is no such thing as just another day at the office.
5. Relationships with gatekeepers are essential: be sure to maintain these.
6. Be prepared for any situation. Contingency plans for presentations, workshops, group work, and just plain fun are needed. And alternatives need to be considered.
7. Be grateful for the resources and people you have to help. None of this work will be possible without Petra, Ramita, and Pradiep.
8. Don’t make assumptions based on first impressions. People will surprise you. (e.g. Sagar)
9. Be completely honest. The cliché “Honesty is the best policy” is cliché for a reason. It makes sense. In Nepal, people want the truth so don’t sugar-coat to avoid uncomfortable situations. In the end, people will appreciate your honesty.

Diary of an Emerging Superhero

I've been urged by one of my most esteemed lecturers from school to publish my reflections from my final social work field placement in Nepal. The thought of having these published is a little frightening so I've decided to post them on here. The next series of posts is just that, my reflections from placement. While there is a fair amount of disclosure about social work practices, I wrote these reflections as more of a personal journal rather than a professional reflection. As such I don't always speak in technical terms, and tend to write the way I speak. I don't know if anyone will read these at all, but at least it's out there.

Rant about faith

It is currently 2 minutes past midnight and I can't sleep. So what is better in such a moment than writing a blog? And better yet, a blog about religion and faith. Personally, I consider these two as separate concepts: religion being the literal or metaphorical place for the worship of higher beings; faith being the actual belief in such beings.

I've been thinking a lot about faith. A conversation with a friend has made me think about this topic even more. What makes people believe in God? What makes people have faith in someone that they can't see... someone whose existence they can't necessarily prove?

I've been raised in a Christian home so my automatic answer to this question has been that there is no such thing as faith which requires evidence. Faith meant belief in something without the need for proof. At least that has always been my understanding.

But time has given me pause to reflect on this. Do I actually have faith? Has everything that's happened in my life, events and circumstances that I've attributed to God... do they really have anything to do with a Higher Being or are they simply coincidence?

In all honesty, I've struggled with these thoughts. Though the conversation happened just this morning, these contemplations have been taking place in my mind for awhile now. Said-conversation was merely a catalyst to my coming to a conclusion.

And that conclusion is yes. I do believe in God. I believe that He created the universe, that He created me, that what is written in the Bible is true, and that God does have a plan for me. What that plan is... I have no idea. Am I scared? Absolutely petrified. Am I wary of what other people may think? For sure. Am I going to let that change the way that I see the world, or the way in which I interact with it? No way!

In my opinion, everyone has the right to have faith in something. We can argue until we're blue in the face about which faith is the right one. But what it all comes down to is whether or not we have the courage to stand up and say that, regardless of evidence or proof, we have faith in something beyond that which we can see. We reserve the right to explore the different faiths, the different religions, the different gods, and decide for ourselves which one we choose to believe in.

The God that I believe in, and that I place my faith in, gave us free will. The ability to choose for ourselves what we want for our lives. And that free will extends to religion and faith. We can't force others to choose the faith that we choose, any more than they can do the same to us.

Ok. That's all. Just wanted to rant and write down my thoughts. What you choose to do with them is completely up to you.

What does their future hold?

The women of her family are in the line. Great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sisters, aunts. A desire for flesh pays for her meals. A desire to take something that does not belong to them pays for her clothing. A thin, translucent curtain is all that separates her from witnessing her sister’s work. Night after night she escapes to the roof, escapes from the sounds and the sights. The stillness of the sky runs into the calamity of the street below and as she flies a kite, she wishes she could climb the string to escape her life. What does her future hold? Work in the line is the short answer. Who can help her when customers offer a simple solution to the rumblings in her tummy? Who can come to her rescue when those around her give her no other options? Where has the innocence gone? The innocence once experienced by children, now a faded memory in the pages of history. What about her story? What does her future hold?

The women of his family are in the line. Great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sisters, aunts. A desire for flesh pays for his meals. A desire to take something that does not belong to them pays for his clothing. As the men drink and smoke, he waits. As the men violate his mother, he waits. As the men strip at the womb that he once called home, he waits. His father sits outside, smoking hash, not as concerned with the welfare of his family, instead worrying whether his wife will make enough to support his addiction. He escapes to the roof and stares at the stars, wondering if there is a better life. Wondering where his life will lead. After they are finished, the men leave without paying. It is his job to chase them and make sure that his family can buy food. If he fails, he is beaten, his mother is beaten, their stomachs are empty. What does his future hold?

An angry thought from a confused (future) social worker

I've just finished reading the case-notes for the murder due to neglect of Victoria Climbie (Anna Kouao) and couldn't help but be reminded of a book I read a few years ago called "The Boy Behind the Door."

A true story about a young boy (David Bisson) who is neglected, abused and imprisoned by his mother and numerous partners, it couldn't help but raise questions in me.

With reference to the absolute cruelty inflicted on these young children, how could a mother or guardian or any human being claim to love them yet so willingly display actions of hatred toward them? How could someone who claimed to love them treat them worse than we treat our pets? How can people inflict such pain on other human beings? It is beyond me how we have allowed our society to get to this point that children who don't know any better can have their innocence tarnished by someone who should be trying with all their might to prevent such a thing occurring.

From a [future] social worker's perspective, how can a professional who has had the necessary training, and who you would assume has enough common sense, allow such a travesty to continue? And how can the law protect the people that are inflicting these situations all over the world right now? Where is the line that a social worker must find in order to not do "too little too late" or "too much too soon?" And is it really the social workers' fault or a combination of a lack of knowledge of our legal mandates, faults of medical professionals, police and other authorities, and faults within the social welfare system itself?

Wherever the fault lies, all over the world there are children living in circumstances not unlike those of the two examples. Something needs to happen...and soon!