Gone Tribal!

Careful for what you wish for......
I am now in my placement. I am living with the Bastola family. They now insist that I am their family. My mother is now Ama Sitar, father Buwa Homnath, brother Bimal and the beautiful Shova. They farm their land. Rice, corn and millet. I'm missing all the creature comforts. All those I love to the "n'thpower". I eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All cooked (or not cooked) one way or another. I even helped to plant millet yesterday! Next to the house, and when I say house, the floors are dirt and electricity is to a minimum (and yes I shower - if you can call it that - under a running tap!). Next to the house are a family of yaks and the 2 goats graze on the rice feilds. The Bastolas cover one side of a valley. Their houses clustered communally. I've met countless aunts, uncles, grandmothers, etc etc etc. What has happened to my life! I have been thrown to the wolves! I am trying to stay in the here and now and not think too much of all these changes and the minimalism.

I am self conscious of being white with blonde hair. They don't think their black hair and dark skin is beautiful. I'm self consciouse of being from America. They're country lives in unrest and poverty. Countless times have I been asked how to go to America. I feel blessed to have a good life. I feel more and more blessed by what I have and those I love. I'm dicovering more and more what counts!

Namaste.