I am a bit overwhelmed at where to start writing, and am trying to attack this thing they call writers block. i am also trying to decide whether to rewind and make my way to the present, or start from now and work my way back. i guess to be here now would be the best choice. seeing hows it 330 in the morning and i have to wake up to make breakfast for the house before our 3 hour Nepali lesson, being here now rather than being myself in the morning when i have to wake sounds like a good choice.
I have been lucky enough to learn many sides of Nepali culture over the last few weeks. i have been blown away on many occasions by the ability of people to pick and chose different English words/expressions to make quiet beautiful comments. Nepalis, I have found, are very insightful people, and are very interested to know both about other cultures and how people view their own. I had a talk with one person who said that "It must be hard for me to live in a house with people from Israel if I am from America, because we act differently, and since there are so many different ethnic groups and castes in Nepal, all with their own cultures, he feels like he has to learn new customs even when he travels outside his village, so he can imagine it must be hard to live in another culture in a different country".
Today i braved the Thamel (main tourist area) for a little bit (very overwhelming) and went into a store called Namaste Fair Trade, asking what about it makes the store fair trade. The woman looked like she was about to launch into a whole explanation of what FT would mean, but instead started telling me that it means that they have set prices for things so that the customers are treated fairly, and how much they care for the customers. Then I went to the "Ecologically Made Sweater Store" and asked how their sweaters are made differently than all the others and what dies they use that are better for the environment, and they told me that everything is made high quality in their factories and the colors dont run as much. I told both places I was looking more for a different angle on the concepts and wished them a good day, although the second place did say I could come and see their factory, although he didnt seem to get why I was asking. The woman I spoke to at the first store did somewhat grasp what I was asking, and brought up how the fair trade logo is used in many places as more of an advertising method and doesnt mean anything, which i wouldve thought as well, but i was glad she brought it up. Now, I am going to have a big week ahead of me trying to see if i can get in touch with any of the real places...
