Day two in Kathmandu, i can't even describe how good a full nights sleep in a bed feels after three days in a plane. It made all the difference, and i awoke bright and early refreshed and ready to go. The morning we had some free time so we decided to hike to a large golden Buddha shrine on the edge of the mountain near where we are staying. We had our guide from the school, and a ten year old boy who's family works on the farm where we are staying lead the way. The walk took us through the surrounding village where we had the great opportunity to interact with the local people. Their homes are made of clay bricks, and cement slabs, and they look like a strong wind from the big bad wolf could knock them over, they sit along a dirt road climbing the steep side of the mountain. Most of these people have small greenhouses and every home has several goats wandering in the yard. It is a very rural feel, and these people seem perfectly happy with what they have however small it may be. Everywhere we looked there were smiles, and the whole area was busy with children walking to school in their blue shirts and ties. It was a very enjoyable walk even though it was a bit steep, then finally we made it to the shrine to find a steep and very long staircase leading up the hill to the statue, imagine the opening scene of "Ace Ventura when nature calls" it was not nearly that long but the same idea. As we began to walk back to the house suddenly it started raining, (it happens to be monsoon season right now) and before we knew it it was a downpour and we were drenched. We chose to walk through it and got the laughs of the locals as they sat on their porches completely dry watching the line of drenched Americans parading down the street. It was quite an experience, it was definalty one of those times where you can be miserable or just laugh at yourself and enjoy it, we chose the latter. It really was a fun start to the day.
After we dried off we headed out for the day to our first school, a small public school of maybe 30-40 kids. It was nothing to impressive two floors with about 3 classrooms each floor, and a roof where they had their music and dance class going on. as we entered our first rooms we started out playing with the kids and i got my but whooped at this game kind of like pool but with flicking little disks in this wooden square with pockets on each corner. You flick the shooter at the other disks trying to get them into the pockets the one with the most at the end wins. I got maybe 5 disks in the span of 4 games, the kids were pretty delighted in their conquests, but it made me some friends. The rest of the day those three boys were glued to my side, one dragging each hand, and a third hooked to my belt, arm, or anything else he could grab. They quickly dragged me through the school giving me a tour then we ended up in the yard for their recess where i became their human jungle gym. I seldom had a second where i didn't have 2-4 kids on my back, one hanging on each arm and others hopping around me wanting to be picked up next. It was exhausting to say the least but i had a blast. My three new best friends never left my side for a second and the game became seeing how many of them could get on my back before all falling off into a pile of children, after that got old it was spinning them in the air, then seeing how high i could toss them. This was probably the most fun they had ever had on a recess because the only things in the yard was two pullup bars, and a flat platform, how they had five college kids to play with as new human toys. After that the school day was over and we got some pictures with them and left with high fives, and "nameste's", it was a great time, but i left totally exhausted.
The lesson learned today is that we really choose to be happy, no matter how much it may rain or monsoon in our lives. The people in that village, and the kids at that school were perfectly happy with what they had, but they also didn't mind the novelty of a few weird Americans brightening up their days. I thought about now many people in America are depressed with their lives, and can't find happiness in anything they do. What they need to realize is what these people in Nepal have realized, and that is that happiness is a choice. It is not wanting more then you need, its loving yourself and the things you have been blessed with, however small those blessing may be, and most importantly of all just enjoying life. If you can't seem to find happiness in that go volunteer at a school and play with some kids, because they will show you how to be happy again, they certainly brightened my day. Don't let the monsoons of life get you down, you can choose to be miserable or you can choose to laugh and enjoy it; I hope you choose the latter. Life is to short to be unhappy, especially when it is so easy to achieve. At the very least go be a human jungle gym for some kids, and i guarantee you will leave with a smile.
After we dried off we headed out for the day to our first school, a small public school of maybe 30-40 kids. It was nothing to impressive two floors with about 3 classrooms each floor, and a roof where they had their music and dance class going on. as we entered our first rooms we started out playing with the kids and i got my but whooped at this game kind of like pool but with flicking little disks in this wooden square with pockets on each corner. You flick the shooter at the other disks trying to get them into the pockets the one with the most at the end wins. I got maybe 5 disks in the span of 4 games, the kids were pretty delighted in their conquests, but it made me some friends. The rest of the day those three boys were glued to my side, one dragging each hand, and a third hooked to my belt, arm, or anything else he could grab. They quickly dragged me through the school giving me a tour then we ended up in the yard for their recess where i became their human jungle gym. I seldom had a second where i didn't have 2-4 kids on my back, one hanging on each arm and others hopping around me wanting to be picked up next. It was exhausting to say the least but i had a blast. My three new best friends never left my side for a second and the game became seeing how many of them could get on my back before all falling off into a pile of children, after that got old it was spinning them in the air, then seeing how high i could toss them. This was probably the most fun they had ever had on a recess because the only things in the yard was two pullup bars, and a flat platform, how they had five college kids to play with as new human toys. After that the school day was over and we got some pictures with them and left with high fives, and "nameste's", it was a great time, but i left totally exhausted.
The lesson learned today is that we really choose to be happy, no matter how much it may rain or monsoon in our lives. The people in that village, and the kids at that school were perfectly happy with what they had, but they also didn't mind the novelty of a few weird Americans brightening up their days. I thought about now many people in America are depressed with their lives, and can't find happiness in anything they do. What they need to realize is what these people in Nepal have realized, and that is that happiness is a choice. It is not wanting more then you need, its loving yourself and the things you have been blessed with, however small those blessing may be, and most importantly of all just enjoying life. If you can't seem to find happiness in that go volunteer at a school and play with some kids, because they will show you how to be happy again, they certainly brightened my day. Don't let the monsoons of life get you down, you can choose to be miserable or you can choose to laugh and enjoy it; I hope you choose the latter. Life is to short to be unhappy, especially when it is so easy to achieve. At the very least go be a human jungle gym for some kids, and i guarantee you will leave with a smile.
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