Thursday, April 14, 2011

Message from DHC New Life Center advisor - Rose Falconer


Hi Friends,
Here's an email below from Rose Falconer (New Zealand native volunteering in Nepal). She was previously the Chief Advisor for DRC and now is Advisor to DHC New Life Center (Amrit's new organization). Nepal continues to experience many hours of load shedding - lots of hours without electricity.  It sure affects the ability for our friends in Nepal to communicate with the outside world, among all the other things they have to put up with during these times.  Just so you know, Thamel is the Kathmandu tourist district where many visitors stay and Pilgrim's books is one of the best booksellers in Thamel. Lastly, for those of you who are curious about the exchange rate $1 = approx 70 rupees. Enjoy!
 


Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:33:05 +1200 
From: Rose Falconer <rosefal@paradise.net.nz> 



Hi Jackie... this keyboard as problems..but i think you will get the 
gists of my message! Could you please send on the message to Rob and 
your people, corrected if you have time! If anything does not make sense 
let me know, I might get a better computer next time!! 



..full on is an understatement here...added to that only 8 hours of 
power per day and often that is in the middle of the night!! Nepali 
Nepali!!! so it is a real challenge sending emails. we were in the 
kitchen just now and the power came on so dashed down the road t the 
internet...hope I will ge this finished before it goes out again. 



We have had two visits to the School principal.. It is end of year holidays here, and Nepali new year on Thursday, then the new school year 
starts on Sunday. The Principal is being very supportive of Amrit, and 
the kids..they got their results on Sunday and all got over 80% with 
Mahesh topping his class! great after such a short time at the school. 
there are over 1000 students so the princial's interest in the individual 
kids is excellent.
So we had a wee celebration (yogurt, fanta and chippies)and Mahesh got 
500 Rupees and a kata ceremony..he was happily embarrassed. 



2nd day we were visited by the carpenter man to get bookshelf and 
cupboard for storing games and school stuff..did the usual drawing on a 
bit of wood for dimensions etc, and the bookcase was delivered on Sunday 
night. 



Yesterday we took the kids to Thamel to Pilgrims bookshop. Sue's 
daughter had sent money for them to choose books for a library for the
house. They had a ball and it was also a good learning experience for 
the Nepali shop assistants...they visibly relaxed as time went by and they 
saw the kids delight and enthusiasm, and Sue and I are well know in tha 
shop.... we came home with 51 books and two gifts from the manager! So 
last night the pace was so quiet as they were all reading...they chose a 
good mix of Nepali and English books. After that we took them to BKs by 
Eco hotel for hot chips and more of the inevitable fanta. 



There was another shopping trip to get sports gear, another Aussie 
donation, and it was great to see the community discussions and list 
making. then a group of boys led by Surendra went shoppng and were so 
proud of themselves that they came home with change.
Both Surendra and Manoj are spending some of their holiday time with 
the kids and us. 



Today we are taking Rebika, Mahesh, Ajaya to health checkup and then 
Bharat,and Shanti to the orthopaedic hospital for fittings.  Tomorrow is meetings with medical people and whatever else crops up, then 
Friday we go on a day outing to the Chinese border to some hot springs and 
the Nepali's can cross over to China and shop duty free, but not Sue and 
I..we have set aside 500 rupees each of donated money for the kids, and 
more for Amrit and Madan Kumari and Madan Kumar
(husband and wife who live on site..she is a wonderful cook and they both 
get on so well with the kids. So Amrit gets to go home to his place in 
the evenings. Works well.




Sue and I had two nights in Thamel at the weekend and had DB with 
Subash's family one night and Amrit's family the next..all three of his 
sisters are here now and his mother also was visiting so it was great to 
see them all. but too much food...as usual. We are both well known in 
Thamel now, and the five or so shopkeepers we regularly trade with greets us like long lost family and the inevitable chia! 

Have also checked out a New Care House to move to in one month as the 
present one is close to the school but with no outdoor area. The Principal has offered a free shool bus to pick up the kids, so that 
makes a shift OK. It is a bigger house with big grounds and good access 
for crutches and wheelchair.

So, to all of you wo are helping us with this , thanks so much.
We are enjoying ourselves ad this happy bunch of teenagers. Have fun deciphering this..I started correcting but that was hopeless! 



Best Regard, Rose

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