Banepa: Week 2

Lara, me, and Muna

Uganda, Muna, Lara, (I am ass, I don't remember her name), me, Ras, and Sam.

The big white house I was staying.

If you can see this is a Nepali traffic sign...and on it a horn, signaling that you must honk as you go around the curve to let possible oncoming traffic know that you are there. :)

A beautiful polluted sunset....what an oxymoron.

Banepa, Banepa, Banepa....

Once I settled into things, I got into a routine. Doing laundry and taking long walks on the weekend days. The hospital during the day, reading and being entertained by the family in my building in the evening. My second week in Banepa was like week in the states, with a rountine and a plan. A time I have to get up at and people who were expecting me somewhere at a given time. I have to say it was quite nice.

Monday, I assisted physiotherapists with ponseti plaster. Nothing too exciting or out of the ordinary happened at the hospital. That night I had one of the MOST endearing moments of my trip to Banepa. Let me preface this story with some facts. The woman who cooked for me (ah-ma) her entire family lived in the building...meaning her husband, her mother-in-law, her son, her daughter-in-law, and her two grandchildren (which I didn't know the youngest was a girl until I saw her bathing outside...which is VERY common in Nepal, please don't think I have become a pedophile). So, to the story...the little girl was ALWAYS in the kitchen when I was eating (it was kind of a family past time to watch me eat....for whatever reason). This particular night, she was singing and dancing around the kitchen. It was like she was putting on a little show for me in Nepali. What was more adorable was when she would forget the lines to the song ah-ma would help her remember singing along with her. It was TOO cute!

Tuesday, was an interesting day at the hospital because I got a thorough tour of the prosthetic department. It was totally fasinating. The hospital makes all of their own AFOs, body jackets, prosthetics (the cover to the stub and the artificial limb) and braces for club foot (after treatment is complete). The man who runs the department walked us through all the steps to make an AFO...how they take the negative off the patient, to creating a positive impression, and then the melting and molding of the plastic. The other really cool thing was he was explaining it ALL in the Nepali, but because I have used AFOs before I understood alot of what he was explaining. It was really great to see how self-sufficient the hospital is, not to rely on an outside source to make all their prostheses.

Wednesday was a very laid back day. Lara and I took a long lunch and sat out in the court yard in the sun. The past three days had been TERRIBLY cloudy and cool, so to be out in the sun was such a pleasure. It was also very nice to talk to Laura and hear what brought her to Nepal, and explain to her what brought me to Nepal. Discussing with a TOTALLY objective person, the struggles that brought you to such a far away places was not only cathartic but, she had insight that no one else could have because she barely knows me. She said to me that she could see that I obviously care for people (especially those with disabilities) and I need to balance that with my education and job availability. She was very helpful.

Thursday was my last day at the hospital and Lara brought in cakes for tea time. Everyone in the physiotherapy department sat together and had cakes. Friday was to be Lara's last day. So everyone was sad to see us both go. Especially our friend Muna, the Nepali physiotherapy student who we both had gotten quite close with. It was sad to go on Thursday, but I was ready to go back to the capital, because the placement at the hospital had been alot of observing and I am ready to DO!

This sums up my time in Banepa. Stay tuned for many adventures from Kathmandu and my next placement. Until next time.