THE NEPALI KETI'S HAVE ARRIVED!
These Nepali women are a pleasure to spend time with. I started out a tad frightened, and now - day 2, have snuck out of the lesson to pour my excitement onto the page. I - once again, feel perfectly comfortable. The only barrier being my stomach and it's cravings for salad and fruit!!!
Day one was at first a shock to try and understand where we must start from. I felt a communication barrier, and exhausted by the end of it. Labeling it as work, not life.... which I wasn't impressed with. In redemption, today they have surprised me with little accordian books they've made, and open critisism of their work. Fabulous! Mind you the most important thing was that I felt a relationship growing today. I'm not separate from them, I am with them.
Today we simply played.. I tried to gauge where each lady wanted to be creatively and who was simply more passionate about boiling the potatoes for lunch. We played with colour, sewing, cutting, folding and drank tea!
It feels great. Just day two, and who have something to work with... some communication skills growing and feel confident about an income!
OUR life is bliss! Take a deep breath!
It's Nangi again - and it's cold. But this time, I don't mind. The cold is something that bothers us when there's no substitute for warmth. I feel cold, when I feel like nothing is happening around me. This can happen anywhere! My point- Nangi is a bustling place of development. There is Muthi working in the community gardens to replant jungles in the region. There are sewing groups by the mothers, there are museums going up, there are yaks nearby to harvest and milk, even maybe make cheese... and ofcourse there is Loktha - the wonder paper which - to my delight, is beautiful to paint on as well as being sustainable, and durable!
My progress here has been solo at this stage, as the women have some serious farming to get on with. Next week, or tomorrow, who knows... there will be some eager women to join me in my painting experiments, printing and just being creative with what fabulous opportunities we have here. It is an absolute pleasure to get my creative mind going, in the foothills of the Annapurna range with good hot tea on tap.
My sewing experience is put to trial here... If anyone has used a peddle sewing machine, it is actually harder than you expect. The rhythm is everything! This is something, as well as straight cutting (all paper is cut by hand- so if anyone comes across a gillertine in Nepal- I pay a good price!!!!!) that the women in Nangi put me to shame on.
Nearby, I am also lucky enough to have a Nettle weaving village. Just typing this makes me excited. A NETTLE WEAVING VILLAGE>>>> supported by UNDP- income generation is what they do!
http://www.undp.org.np/
I can trust them, and clearly from my expedition today with wise Muthi,
I could see they are doing humble things with no obligation to commit to anything or anyone. What I want to do- is encourage what more we could do here. There are opportunities to employ more than 8 women I know! This product is beautiful.... natural, unique and multifaceted. Soon you'll be writing in natural books, wearing your nettle garment in some finely embroidered slippers.... all made with love!
I like this place a lot. think I could make it a home... Not a stop over place to learn and move on having "experienced"... I think rather- it is a place to continue coming back to. I would rather be somewhat blended or even unnoticed, than be a "volunteer" to play, and excite people for a few weeks. That stuff annoys me a tad... maybe because I know it's not sustainable - that excitement unfortunately, few people hold forever. Sounds negative, but I don't mean it that way. I just want something more long lasting.... NOT like this cold....
