7 March, Saturday. PICNIC DAY.

09.00 outside on my balcony. The temperature is rising day by day, the newspaper is saying 28-30 degrees. Making good progress with the pictures.
11.30 Collect my gurtha, to the room to change. It feels good, the kids will love it!

Kay looks fantastic in her bright blue gurtha. At 13.00 we arrive at the home, where smart dressed children are waiting for us. The food and drinks standing packed and ready to go to the park. Some kids ask me if we can go – with the pedalo’s- to the beach on the other side of the lake. At my question how much that will cost they say Rs 1.200. Although it is very tempting to say Okay, I say NO, sorry, too expensive. Their reaction? Not begging, no pleading, no please. Just their funny shaking of their heads, a big smile and Okay!
The funny shaking of their heads is moving their head, bending it with their ears towards their shoulders. So not a no, moving your chin to your shoulder, but it can easily confuse you. It sometimes gives the impression of shaking no, but the smal difference makes it an okay).
And they simply continue with what they were doing, just as happy as before, even though something they asked for was refused.

Finally everybody ready and all packed, bags, balls, in line on our way to the park.
We are not going to the part of the lakeside where we usually go to play.
Today is a special day, PICNIC day, so we walk a little further down the road, where on the parkground are some temples and goals set up to play football.

Laying out the plastic to sit on and unloading the bags for our ‘dry’ picnic. A big pile of chips, crispies, biscuits, sweet popcorn, apples, banana and toastbread with a big pot of honey, bottles of cola, sprite and fanta next to the water bottles.

With perfect teamwork we fix the honey sandwiches, hand them out together with a cup of softdrink. Every body enjoying tastefully the treat of change of food, no dal baath picnic: dry picnic.
A banana each and slowly one by one they wander of to play football, volleyball or a walk to the temples.

I Join Promrat, Sudeep and some other kids for the walk to the temples. Kay, not feeling so good today (I am afraid I have a cold coming up and I am soooo tired) stays behind together with Gangka.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva, Goddess of the Universe (so my favourite) and Sudeep again explaines me about it, the traditions, the culture. Asks me about my religion. I tell him a bit about our church, but also try to explain to him that I personally do believe, but not in a special type of religion. I believe there is something and I prefer to name it the Universe. I do not ‘worship’ one special God, whether in the form of the Sun, a Goddess, Jesus, but I explain to him that I do love the sun for the warmth and energy it gives me. I do love the moon and the stars. I tell him that when I am at home almost every night I look up to the sky and I talk to the stars. Looking at the stars I never feel lonely.
That star is you, I think of you and wish you good night. The three stars in line are me and my sisters. I look at them and they are with me. This way I can talk with any one I want to talk to at that moment and they are with me.
So close and yet so far. I also say to him that like the stars (you, my father, my mother, my sisters, my friends, the children) all of you are every evening with me, but also in daytime everyone is always with me, where ever I go, because they are in my heart. So close.

I think he understood very well and with a big smile he said: from now on I go outside every evening, pick a star for you and wish you good night. Both of us happy with this we quietly walk back to the others.
A quick Thank you and Sudeep joins the others in their games.

I sit down with Kay. We are getting closer, good friends every day more, getting to know each other better. She urges me to go to Kenya. You have to go, you will love it. My dad lives in a remote area, you sit on the floor, no electricity, no luxury, but true LIFE, nature, donkeys, don’t ask what is on your plate, just eat it, it will taste delicous and it is healthy.

I would love to go, but – where do I find the time to go. I need all my time to save money for my next trip to Nepal again, to earn the money for the daily expenses, the rent, the food, some clothes.
Who knows, one day, I will have the finances and the time to go to Kenya AND Nepal.

She tells me that she got ‘sponsored’ for her traveling this year, but then – after visiting her grandparents who live in Cyprus, she also has to go back home, to London, where her mum lives to find a job to earn money for her next travel.
When she mentions Cyprus I say to her that it is so close to Crete, I want her to come and visit me, to stay for a while with me. Of course, she can sleep in my house. She can do what she wants, we will meet at breakfast and in the evening for a nightcap, to share our daily experiences. I only will give her the time I need the bathroom to get ready for work, the rest of the time is her time and my time. Sometimes we go out for dinner and a drink together, we can meet on the beach, but for the rest she is free to go and do what she wants and I am free to go to work or to do what I want or have to do.

Both of us happy with this agreement she continues saying that she hopes to find a job somewhere at a diving centre or anything to do with nature.
Fantastic I say! Then your stay in Elounda is almost a set deal. Write an application letter, tell about yourself, your experience of diving (divemaster, instructor) and I will pass your application on to Maria and Lucky of the Blue Dolphin dive Centre in ………..Elounda!
You even will be living in a shared appartment with the rest of the staff in the same building as my appartment, I live on the first floor. We will be neighbours.
A big hug,happy with the outcome of this conversation.

Time for peeling the apples, putting biscuits, popcorn, chips on plates to have them passed around.

Around 17.00 all bellies full, we still have biscuits in closed packs, we will safe them for another day to eat them at teatime. Time to walk back to the home and for us time to walk back to H.E., with all the Thank you, hugs and kisses first from the tired, happy children.

The power is on, so time to hit the shower to wash the dirt and honey and stickey hands from the softdrinks of our body and gurtha. Meet again after a little rest – skipping the Dal Baath tonight, with our full bellies - to go to Busy Bee for a Saturday Evening out and to check out more details about the moterbike course for 1 day (learn how to ride in one day for Euro 45) and the guided tours and renting a bike (A royal Enfield!). for 10 Euro a day.
A friend of Kay is coming to join her after she has finished her volunteering period and she would love to show her friend Nepal on a moterbike.
I had that in mind before I came out, but did not find the time to do it. But I want to get more information about this offer, because I think it will be a great item to add it as an option for the group(s) I hope to bring out next year.

We had to cancel Busy Bee, Kay was feeling worse and to be honest also I had no problem what so ever to stay in my room after this beautiful sunny day in the park.

I ordered Chow Mi from the restaurant again, dinner by candlelight on my balcony – this time with a fork, a lot more easier than trying to use chop sticks.

I installed myself in bed, relaxing, reliving the day, enjoying a satisfied mind, soul and body when to my surprise the electricity came back on.

By 01.00 I finished emails and updates on the USB stick, so tomorrow I can send it. Now really being tired, happy with all the events today I was soon in dreamland for a healthy, solid sleep.

Suba Rathri.

6 March, Friday. Nasi goreng, Sanghita cooking.

08.00 alarm.
08.30 balcony, again working on the travel album.
12.00 to see Kay at H.E. to go together to Mahendra Pool to buy my Gurtha for tomorrow. Picnicday. She tells me that it is NOT a good day to go to Mahendra Pool today: a student has been run over and killed in an accident, which triggered student demonstrations and riods in Mahendra Pool.
A flash of ‘burning’ Athens is enough to skip our initial plan.
Kay asked Gomaya which shop to go to in Lake Side and she accompanied us to a fabricshop just down the road. In about 15 minutes the material was chosen with the help of Kay and Gomaya, a tailor called in from the other side of the road to take my measurements and job done: tomorrow 12.00 my gurtha will be ready to collect (for 870 rupees, tailormade!).

School finishes at 14.00 today, so after a bite in a German bakery close to H.E. we are on our way to collect the kids.
Another get-together with Thak in his office, where together we check the donation made by Gurash (Renske) in August 2008 for a sponsorship of big Mamatha with her details given of the amount and the exact date of her bankdetails.
Thak asked me if I want to send an email to Renske and her parents on his behalf with his sincere apologies for his lack of communication and his explanation together with his gratitude and confirmation of date and amount received.
Again he tells me that he is going to transfer the home’s bankaccount to the Standard Bank, so in the future this is not going to happen again, but will he be able to respond as soon as any kind of donation is made by banktransfer.

He was ‘struggling’ with all his receipts spread out on his desk, a by Sudeep created excel sheet on his computerscreen. He looked so desperate. I almost wanted to say: Okay, leave me in the office for one hour and I will have your administration done, but not to embarrase him and with the knowledge that it will not actually help him with being a one time off, I left him after giving him the money for the shoppings for tomorrows picnic, the rest of the money for Rasillas cooking course (receipt will be send), the busfee for Rasilla (receipt received) and receiving a small present from Thak.
When we were at the cooking institute I had a conversation with the director, in which we talked about green tea. (He noticed that the milkcoffee served was not really my taste).
And there is Thak with a box of Green Tea for me!
How attentive and sweet. As said before, I am really happy about the change in our relation, the opportunity to get to know one another better, the better understanding and insight in his way of running his big family.
A little bit of time left for hugs, kisses, short talks with the kids and on my way to H.E. Time for cooking!

First shopping with Asta and then a lot of fun in the kitchen with the girls. They take care of the chopping part, while I try to find Laos between the hundreds of little containers with spices. No, not there. Oh, well, then I will use something from the shelf that smells similar. A lot of spectators, looking, smelling, tasting. Finally it turned out to be a bit spicey, but okay.
Doreens last night, sitting outside in the garden by candlelight. It is a lovely warm evening.

Around 22.00 we went to the room. Doreen to have an early sleep, me to read a little bit and then also close my eyes.
Suba Rathri.

5 March, Thursday. Last day workshops. Cooking institute

08.00 alarm
09.00 last session with Sagar in which he tought me the technique of ‘rebirth’, leaving yesterday, last week, the past behind. Start a new day as a new life.
This session was his gift to me, along with a CD with meditation music.
10.00 breakfast together in the garden.
He was wearing the mala (necklace) I was supposed to receive along with my ‘initiation’, but whether or not he ‘sensed’ I was sceptic about it, he only gave me a businesscard of his Om Family House in Kathmandu and wrote a message in Nepali in my diary. If I ‘need’ this mala – he said – I could collect it there. We parted with a Thank you to each other, wishing each other joy every single minute and I left.

I sat down at the Perky Beans coffeeshop and sitting in the sun I read the daily Kathmandu Post. They ran an article that the Sun Kosi hydropower plant was suffering from technical problems (unusual noise and vibrations) so they were forced to shut this plant down for repairs for a period of 3 months. This will mean: even less hours of available electricity to be expected, not to exhaust and overheat the still working plants (like my laptop).
As good news next to this article I read an article about negotiations with India for alternative electricity supplies.

To the Internet where in 2 hours I gave you enough to read with an update up to the 26th of February. By the time I arrive home we will be synchronized with the actual date!

To H.E. where Kay was having her lunchbreak. Together we ‘fixed’ the boxes with the beads which we will take to the home on Sunday, probably a half day school due to strikes of the teachers. She said she will come tomorrow to Mahendra Pool with me to buy a Gurtha, which we will wear Saturday at the picnic and Thursday on Pizza night. The kids will be very excited about that!

On our way to school. I left a message for Maria in the office (she already left) with the invitation for the picnic on Saturday and maybe that we could have dinner together Friday evening to have a nice chat about our adventures.
The kids love her, they were thrilled when I told them that I invited Maria for the picnic and the Pizza-evening. For sure she will love the kids as much as I do.

And again on route together with Thak on my last mission: the cooking university.
And here counts the expression: saving the best piece for desert!
I was so impressed with this Institute. A big clean building in Mahendra Pool. We were welcomed by the director, a young man from Kathmandu, with perfect English explaining me the course.
A 3 months course for Rs 8000 (80 euro), with discount Rs 6800. (68 Euro).
This course includes: 2 months practical lessons: cooking, ingredient knowledge, hygiene, housekeeping training, serving the prepared food in their own restaurant, serving cocktails made in their own bar. The chef is an amazingly young ‘boy’.
The director gave me the website of the school (running soon), he will send the new brochure (at the printer at the moment) to my email address and the detailed program.
After the 2 months lessons Rasilla will be placed in one of the 5 star hotels of Pokhara for one month traineeship, working in the restaurant and bar, training with the housekeeping of the hotel and assisting in the kitchen.
I am sure she will learn so much in those 3 months and she will love it.
After finishing those 3 months with good marks she will get her certificate.

A tour in the building showing us the classroom for theory, the housekeeping room that looks exactly like a hotelroom, the clean well equipped kitchen, being introduced to the chef. The restaurant with coffee lounge and the bar, where they will learn how to prepare the cocktails and drinks. For the bartraining is a top barman from Kathmandu employed, who will teach the students everything about making cocktails (with joggling with the bottles!), the ingredients of the drinks, which glass to use, how to serve the drinks.

The director gave us a copy of the recipe handbook containing a full range of recipies (Nepali, Indian, Chinese, Internationl Cuisine, soups, desert, just to mention some of them). Taking a seat in the lounge area where coffee was served with banana pancakes with honey (my favorite), fantastic yummie brown Newari pancakes and Newari style potatoes.
Time to leave with a full belly – no dinner for me tonight, I almost explode of all the delicious samples served.

Thak and I very impressed and pleased with the choice of this excellent Institute back to the home.
The same ritual: Rita! Hugs, kisses, got to run to H.E. See you tomorrow! A last kiss from Sofia who followed me, a wink from Bimal who was trying to get my attention all the time and my promise promise that from tomorrow I will stay with them all afternoons for the rest of my stay.
A big YES and blow kisses from every where and Kay, Pramot and I were on our way.

Talking with Kay I said to her that Thak and I are getting along better each day, becoming friends, and that I will try to persuade him to keep Pramot as homework teacher. All the kids adore him, he loves the kids, has a good control over them in the study room, spends even his days off with them and I think he is capable of helping Thak with the accounting and other tasks Thak is not able to perform due to his lack of education.

A busy H.E. basecamp. A group of trekking clients had their end-of-trekking dinner and despite the buffet looked inviting, smelt fantastic, I could not eat any more.
A coffee with Doreen in the garden and at 21.00 to my room, writing down my full, eventful, beautiful, successful, filled with love day of today.

Writing down this sentence, the lights come on, but I only have one more thing to do.
To close my diary, to close the lights and to close my eyes for yet another good relaxed sleep with once again 46 arms around me.

Suba Rathri.

Thank you Universe for another beautiful perfect day!

(For sure I will include cooking lessons as an option in the sponsortrip!)

4 March, Wednesday. A nice talk with Toni (H.E.-owner) on the phone.

At 10.00 Vivasanna (breathing) technique with Sagar.
Breakfast at the Real Coffee place and to the Internet where I updated again 4 days. Sad to read that Rita2 has a tummy bug.

Back at 14.00 for Samadhi and again it feels good. It is my last day of the workshops, but then Sagar invited me for tomorrow morning for one more technique he wants to teach me, a yoga technique which he says is very powerful. “Rebirth” and it gives you a lot of energy and strength.
After learning this technique we will have breakfast together.

I will include the program of the OM Family in the trip for the people who are interested (either to do yoga, Reiki (you can become a Master), healing or one of the many other workshops.

15.00 on my balcony sitting in the sun while working on the travel photo album.

18.00 time to go to H.E., chatting with Sanu, Asta and Rohit. Dinner and after dinner coffee and back up to the room to write in my diary.

From 20.00 the power was on, so I worked on the diary until 23.00.
Still my laptop is ‘playing’ with me. I think my old lady wants to retire. Good thing I did not spend any money on a new battery, but will use that money now to buy a new laptop. I will have a look in Bahrain at the airport. I am interested in the ‘pocketsize laptop. I know it is just a ‘travel’ laptop, but with keeping the oldie as a back up and using the ‘little one’ for my diary work on theUSB stick – and only internet connection it should do the trick.
The little one fits in my handbag, at home with a battery that works a few hours I do not need to sit inside to do my work. I can use different UBS-sticks for different jobs: 1 for website, emails and 1 to work on my book.

Another decision made: not to rewrite my book, but to use my writing of this year. It will not end up in as many pages as first planned (which will make the publishing cheaper). I realised that nobody needs/wants yet another travel guide, there are plenty of them available: The Lonely Planet, The Insight Guide, just to mention two out of a long list.
I believe I will have more interested buyers if I write a different kind of book: Nepal, destination or destiny. An ‘insight’ of a 6 weeks travel to Nepal.
I will copy and paste the 3 weeks itinerary as an example how the first encounter for people who want to visit Nepal can look like. By reading my book, they will get an impression about the country, the people, the style of life, the places of interest and the options to do activities, adventure, including being a ‘volunteer’.

For more detailed information I will refer in the back of the book to other travel guides and give a list of websites.
Why to use my energy and more paper to provide information that is already available for every one?

A personal comprehensive ‘example’ how a 3 weeks tour to Nepal can look like.

Just on my way out this morning Gomaya called me on the phone. It was Toni, owner of Himalayan Encounters, who is at the moment in Nuwakot. It was great to hear him again. He is spending a lot of his time in Nuwakot lately, also confronted with a body that is telling him to stop running and working around the clock. He is in his late 50’s, time to slow down and enjoy life. In the course of our conversation he got interested to hear more about my experiences of this year visit and my plans for next year. He could not really promise to be in Kathmandu when I am there, but we finished our talk with his more enthusiastic comment then when we started, that for sure he is going to try to bend his ‘schedule’ as much as possible to be able to spend a few hours in Kathmandu to continue our conversation. I felt like we could talk for a few days to share each others opinion about living life, living in Nepal, about so many subjects. I really hope we will be able to meet. If for one reason or another it will not work out, I will use the old fashion way: to put my thoughts, reflections and ideas on paper and to sent it by mail to him, so he can read it in his own pace, sitting in his garden in nuwakot, to give it time to sink in and write me his thoughts and opinions, point of view.
Which again is a way of ‘meditation’ for the both of us.

Peri betonlah = see you tomorrow.
Love and 24 hugs

Rita Sanghita

3 March. Tuesday. Shall I give this to your or not?

08.00 You know by now: alarm – coffee H.E. – on my way to Sagar for the second day of the workshop.
We had a long talk sitting in the garden. He asked me about my life, my health, and my relationships.

Why this title today?
Because I thought about whether or not to put this on the ‘public’ website or not. It is very personal. But then again: a diary is,isn’t?
And up to here I have been sharing my thoughts, experiences, feelings with you. And don’t want to ‘close’ my thus far open, honest, true insight for you now.
After all, it IS part of my life, it IS also something which had and will have a big impact on me, while being here and being back home. It IS something that made me the Rita Sanghita who I am now and want to be.

Don’t feel sorry for me, sad or whatever, when you decide to continue to read it, because it IS not a sad story. It is just reality, the truth.
I don’t feel sorrow; have no regrets, pain, anger, doubt, jealousy, looking back.

Would I live my life different, if I could do it all over again? NO!
I treasure every single moment of my life I lived, sad or happy, wealthy or less-wealthy, healthy and less healthy. Because this life made me who I am now, what I am now: a happy Rita Sanghita with Kushi Aga.

Even if I had not made some of the mistakes I made (and some more than once), I would not be where, how I am now.
I learned from those mistakes, by not making them again, knowing I still will make mistakes, but not the same ones again!

So yes, I will also give this to you, I will continue writing the truth, continue being true to myself AND to you.
I leave it completely up to you whether you continue reading or just scroll over it. That’s the nice thing of a website or a letter, no one will/can check if you read it or not. It is entirely up to you, your choice.

My choice is to give this part also to you, realizing it can or may be used against me. But even then I feel strong enough to face ‘bad’ comments, miss-use, misunderstanding maybe expressed. Safe your breath, it will be a waist of time. I will just reply with: no comment, it was your choice. I am NOT going to try to explain.

Read it or not, learn from it or not, use it or not.
If you use it against me, it will be a boomerang; it will hit YOU one day, not me.

IT IS YOUR OWN CHOICE! Like I made mine.

Now I am able to describe my life in one word: FIGHTING.

Not in being a bad word, not in fighting like in WAR, not in fighting in ANGER.

Fighting as in trying to keep up with the other children. Being little – short legs – their fast walking was running for me. They jumped over the bushes as a short-cut; I got trapped by the wire hidden in the bushes, falling on my knees, which delayed me so I needed to run even faster, not to end up alone.

Fighting as in arguing with mum & dad. I did not mind to do things, I did mind to have to do it ‘their’ way at ‘their time’. I wanted to do it MY way. The result at the end of the day would be the same, the dishes done, the table set, and my homework done by the end of the day.
Sorry for being such a pain in the .. mum and dad, I was a rebel I know (but then again, the apple does not fall far from the tree?)

Already then I was fighting ‘The System’, the ‘everybody does it’. I already then did not wanted to be an everybody, I wanted to be ME, RITA.

Fighting in my marriage. Although it was a good marriage with only good memories left, I realized when it was over, I had lost myself. I had made myself a ‘servant’. I did it because I wanted to, but I did loose Rita in the meantime. I do remember the times that I thought “but what about ME” and said it out loud sometimes. Probably not loud enough and/or clear enough and slowly we became friends, brother and sister, not husband and wife anymore.

Fighting for ‘survival’. Fighting to keep the bar going, fighting with the landlord, fighting against the system. Getting exhausted, so I left.

Fighting for understanding, not being misunderstood. (trying to explain, also to people who did not Want to understand).

Fighting for others, if I saw they were not treated fair.

Fighting breast cancer. More my brain fighting against my body. I was not sick,
my body was just telling me it wanted/needed a rest and I (my brain)had to accept that.

Fighting to pay my bills.

Fighting my tiredness at the moment, my painful legs. But again, my body is just telling me to stop running, walk and look around you. Enjoy every minute, see the butterflies, smell the flowers. Okay do your ‘job’, but take a break, relax on time.

My life became more easy lately (except the financial part), but still 24 hours in a day seemed not enough for me.

Now my body is telling me again: STOP. Stop running, take a breath, and take/make YOU TIME!
And I do and I will keep doing that from now on.
This workshop helped me to really see it and to accept it and taught me the technique to relax my mind, my body.

I am NOT coming home dressed like a Buddha (in orange, but I AM coming home as Rita Sanghita, reborn, renewed again and I will (this time) continue this way of life.
It will mean that I will say NO sometimes, but it does not mean I will let any of my friends down.

14.00 Hara massage. This is a massage of the belly-stomach region. And yes, this was necessary. ‘Cleaning’ from inside (burping a lot.)

16.00 at C.W.A. The kids not back from school yet, so peaceful and quality time with Gangka. Chatting, joking, and giggling, until the ‘storm’ came in.
23 Full of life kids and end of peace, calmness, but also a house filled with laughter and love.

With a taxi with Kamal and Arjun to the shop with painting materials. It is gone! Closed! Passing the teachers house to ask where the shop moved to. In the taxi again, ending up in a very small shop, where the boys tried to find everything needed. We had to leave with making an order, half of the materials they need where not available. Next time when I am in Kathmandu (my next trip I mean)Kamal will send me a list of needs, so I can bring it from Kathmandu, where I can easily get everything and probably cheaper also.

Sitting in the taxi the boys surprise me again:
“Rita,maybe after 2 or 3 years we can open our own gallery in Lakeside. WITH a shop for painting materials in the same place. With selling the materials we can pay the rent.”

Don’t tell me that ‘our’ children are not creative, not only in creating art, but also in creative thinking. Kamal had a 10-score for mathematics (his favourite major), so guess who is going to do the books.
Arjun is every year voted as the most disciplined student of the school, so guess who is going to ‘organize’ the gallery. And all of these 5 boys are artists-to be, they can take care of the design of the gallery. Would be nice if we can achieve this.

Again a meeting with Thak in his office. We are getting more and more relaxed in our conversations, both of us more open and free in expressing our thoughts. Very shy he said that he never had the opportunity to go to school, that his English is very poor. But I can also confirm that he really loves every single child of his ‘family’ and that he is trying to do the best for them.

He said that his job is to check the building of the house, to keep an eye on the people making the road, without chopping of a piece of his land AND fundraising in the village.

I spotted a new badminton set in a corner and asked about it. He said that he will take them out, only after the sets they are using now are completely destroyed. Fair enough, but I also mentioned that Kay was planning to buy some. He promised to tell her that he had some in the office plus a baseball set and a leather football and that he will tell the next volunteer that if they need something they first can ask him if it is already in the house or not. Another big step made!

When I came out of the office some kids came to me for their goodnight hugs and to overload me with kisses, whispering I love you, we love you. I LOVE YOU TOO.

Sudeep walked me home, carrying the big paper sheets, which could not be cut in the painting shop (no electricity). We have to find a place in Pokhara to get them cut, so they will fit in the trunks of the boys.

Time to have a nice conversation with Sudeep in which I told him that Thak would be more than happy if Sudeep will take care of answering the emails (after his exams) and to have a look at the website of the house. A happy face, twinkling eyes.
His promise, that after finishing his exams, he also will have a look at my homepage of my website and that he is going to write the HTML for it.
"You do so much for us; I want to help you back as much as I can”.

We can learn so much from all the C.W.A.-children, from the little 3 year old Jeevan up to 17 year old Sudeep, already a man with taking a lot of responsibilities on his young shoulders. Compassion, unconditional love for each other, sharing everything, happiness, sadness, comforting each other, giving away some of their biscuits or grapes, touching a warm forehead, checking a limping leg, and so on.

The Universe is watching over me: after working one hour on my laptop at my diary, it thought I had to take a break: a spontaneous complete shutdown of my laptop. Overheated! Dead! Okay, Universe, I got your message, I will take a break.

I used the cool down period for my laptop to do the accounting. Sanu (H.E.) arranged real book keeping paper for me (Thank you my friend) so I was able to write out a good readable, specification for the Nepal fund. Ending up with the conclusion that my ‘job’ is nearly done.
Cooking lessons for Rasilla, her bus fare, picnic, pizza, money for the ordered painting materials and that was it for this time.

After half an hour I could restart my laptop again. Thank God, it is still working.
Worked one more hour and just before midnight I listened to the CD Sagar had given to me as homework for tomorrow. It was just finished when the power shut down again, all that was left to do – after another day filled with achievements, jobs done AND a lot of love was to close my eyes and have a full night sleep with 46 arms around me.

Suba Ratri
Rita Sanghita with Kushi Aga.

2 March, Monday. Workshop

(Electricity from 16.00 till midnight!
What a luxury: today we will have the power on from 16.00 till midnight. A full 8 hours!
I will take a break from 18.00 till 20.00 for my daily dinner and coffee at H.E., but for the rest of the time I want to type my diary (and download more pictures from my camera?) to ‘throw’ them on the Internet tomorrow.
But let’s see , the day is still young, so who knows what the Big Universe has planned for me!

8.30 alarm
9.00 just a coffee at H.E.
10.00 ‘treatment’.

One hour meditation-dancing-‘diagnosing’.
Sagar ‘diagnosed’ problems with breathing. Correct, I feel like ‘rattling’ and as Rita2 knows I snore like a bear. Also do I have problems with my legs. They just don’t want to carry me. NO balance at all. Can’t stand on one leg, I fall over. I want to dance, jump around, they just won’t let me, they hurt (muscle pain, weak).
Hopefully at 14.00 he can do something about it in the bodywork session.

Last night I didn’t go to sleep at 22.00. I found another candle and I used that light working on the Sponsor album. Project Chitwan is finished. I wanted to start at Project Shining Star Boarding School, but those pictures are still on my camera. Finally the last candle was finished around 23.30, Chitwan-chapter finished. Time to have a relaxing sleep.

12.00 breakfast at Perky Beans, the real coffee shop. After breakfast I have about one hour to use the Internet, then at 14.00 the bodywork session.

And again a surprise: Kim (Canada) transferred another 250 US to the Paypal Nepalfunds! In her email she said that after reading more and more of my diary, she wanted to do this. She also mentioned that it was NOT a mistake made by the bank, she actually made 2 donations of 250 US each! Can’t thank you enough Kimmy!

I am not able to transfer any money from the Paypal account (so far 1000 US) to the Nepal bank account while I am here in Nepal. The 390 Euro donated by Voula – America I took out from my private bank account. The 500 US from Kim will stay on the Paypal until I am back home. First of all because I can’t afford it to take more Nepalfunds from my private account without getting into trouble, second because it is good to know that we have a ‘back-up’ for the salary for the creative teacher in Chitwan. (Although I will continue anyway ‘harassing’ you to continue with donations, even if it is just 5 Euro a month per person!)

I am very aware of the impact of the worldwide recession and it’s huge impact on – in every bodies life, but we can’t stop our projects, not after seeing already the fantastic progress we’ve made during the last 3 weeks of my stay here.
We are just a drop in the ocean, but for sure we caused a big current with our drops. We have to keep this current going!

14.00 body work session. I will leave it completely up to you whether you ‘believe’ or not in Reiki, Chakra healing, meditation and more of ‘that stuff’.
All that matters to me is that it sure works for me.
This session was between a masage/Reiki/healing. All I can say (want to say) is that when I was walking home, I walked like a drunk. Light-headed, light-feeted!

Back to my room, where I layed down for another half hour, to get my feet back on the ground and back to work on the Dictionary again for about 1 ½ hour.

18.30 dinnertime at H.E. Everybody (staff, volunteers) sincerely asking how I felt.
Much better thank you. The usual after diner coffee and back up to my room, at 19.30. Expecting that the power was on till midnight, but at 20.00 lights out!
Okay, I’ve got the message: enough worked on the computer for today.

Again by candle light sorting out the ‘travel’ pictures, checking what was on my TO DO list, cleaning up my room. Used the second candle to start to fix the Travel album and again around midnight candle finished: Time for sleep.

Suba Rathri.

1 March, Sunday. Just another 'boring' day in the live of Sanghita.

Here we go:
08.00 alarm
08.30 breakfast
09.00 C.W.A
09.30 Line! All children in line and marching them to school.
10.00 Meeting with the Principal, mr. Naryanan Pande.

In the library, where I see the difference: they moved some cupboards, 'relocated' the science materials, refiled the books under different subjects.
I was expecting that I had to stay for a few hours, but the Principal understood that I already have a full program and that I could not do so much in just 1 or 2 hours.
Once more he explained that the school needs to do a lot of work to improve, but they do not need only money for that, but most of all volunteers who can help to organize and put the gifts in place.
I was hoping that Maria would be there, but I have not seen here since our first meeting.(and I did not write her mobile number down, duuuuuuuuuuh).
After our tea and receiving a Nepali calender from the school and a copy of the school magazine I was free to go.

Yippee some extra free time in my cramped agenda (still so many things to do in such few days left).

At 11.00 I was back at H.E. where I found Kay in the garden. We sat together in the sun, and while chatting she did her and my nails. She puts a kind of mud on the nails, we let it dry in the sun, take it off, next layer of mud. Slowly the nails become orange and after a few more layers reddish. A perfect natural nail polish (which also covers up our maybe dirty nails from the potato cleaning.)

12.00 together to the Internet, where we both worked 2 hours to update our website/blog. I am catching up real fast with the days now, even managed to download some pictures, the download time using for some private emails to write.

14.00 lunch and a well deserved coffee on a terrace of the local bakery in the sun and oho time to run again to be in time at the school gate for the little ones, who finishes at 15.00.

Looking in the guestbook of the school I saw to my pleasant surprise that Maria had been there! To the office and yes indeed she found the school and they talked for one hour. As I thought she is a very clever, educated woman and starting from tomorrow she will go the school regularly to help with the English lessons, with the library, at the office and if there is time for a more regular magazine.
Another good deed done: Providing the Shining Star Boarding School with a very useful, nice volunteer who lives in Pokhara (and another job taken from my shoulders.)

Tuesday I am going to the school again,where I can meet Maria and invite her for the children picnic planned on Saturday and the Pizza evening next Thursday. As you can imagine I feel very happy and lucky to have met Maria, she can keep us more frequently updated about the progress made in this school.

16.00 at the house. Tea with popcorn and time to go with Sudeep, Manju and Alina in a taxi, followed by Thak on the motorbike, on our way to Mahendra Pool.

We first made a detour to visit the new school Thak told me about. And again I have to say he is right. A clean, big courtyard, with a basketball field and a football field. Clean toilets for the students and a big school building that looks like a proper school. This school is a sister school of an English University and much more professional. (pictures)
On the first floor they have a proper laboratory, a real library and a big classroom for computer lessons with 22 computers!
The school fee per student is of course higher, but we can compensate this with from next year on no more basic computer courses needed for the C.W.A. children next in line.

The same counts for the school library. They will have free access to any kind of book needed. Still I am pleased with our purchase of the drawing books and materials we donated this year to the Shining Star. As the pictures will show (if I get them on one day :)), that even the smallest one of C.W.A. is using them as soon as homework is done.

Although Thak is going to replace his/our children maybe to the new school, I still would like to keep providing the Shining Star Boarding School with the so badly needed materials. The principal shows in every conversation that he knows what is needed to upgrade his school and having met the several teachers of this school I know they want to improve the teaching methods, the sources for their beloved children. (Every child that comes in in the morning and leaves in the afternoon is addressed by her/his name, a cuddle here, a stroke over the head there; they really care about 'their' children). With the inside knowledge of Maria I\we will exactly know what is needed in the future.

Back to my program of the day: on our way to the computer institute.We arrived at BITT (I will get a copy of their program from Thak, together with a copy of the receipt.)

We signed the admission for Manju and Alena for the 3 months course Basic level Information. This course includes basic technical information, working with Word, Excell and Powerpoint. They will start the course the 28th of March (after finishing their school exams). I paid the deposit for one student (Rs 2.100) and will give the other RS 2.100 to Thak, who will pay this when the girls actually start. He will send us a copy of the second payment.

And then it was again 18.00 already. Back to Lakeside, where they first dropped me of at H.E., so I was still on time for dinner, served at 18.30.
A coffee in the garden before dinner, catching up with Pashpati about the achievements of today and with making an appointment for my cooking at H.E.
Friday evening I will cook for the staff and volunteers: Indonesian Dal Bath (fried rice = Nasi Goreng) and a nice change of taste for everybody.(although I still have no problem with eating the Dal Bath every evening so far.)
An after dinner coffee with Doreen in the garden, listening to her adventures with the little ones of today and wishing her good luck with her 3 days trekking tomorrow. Time to go tired but satisfied up to my room, writing about my 'boring' day by candle-light.

I really need to program my to do list, I have only 12 days left in Pokhara, so I need to schedule around my workshop, the electricity hours, some socializing/ resting time and the things still to plan\organize.

Now it is again 22.00, my candle is almost finished, the signal to close the day and my eyes.

Suba Rathri from a happy, grateful Sanghita.

28 February, a ME day!

08.30 alarm.
A coffee on the balcony.
09.45 Reiki.
As soon as the girl layed her hand on my head I had the most beautiful, amazing dream/vision. Tears rolling over my cheeks, a lighter feeling in my chest and throat, a lighter -not so tight stomach.
A small break - sitting in the sun on the roof with still tears running and running. A grateful feeling while looking to the mighty Machapuchre (Fish Tail mountaintop), the beauty of the Fewa lake surrounded by the Annapurna Mountainrange.

11.30 Energy body work and healing session.

This session offers an open space for healing to happen, naturally simple and yet miraculous. Deep energy work help clear and harmonize the energy fields as well as the physical body. In a space of relaxation and let-go old wounds dissolve and new opportunities open. The session giver functions as a medium for the transmission of healing energy.

Weather you believe in Reiki/healing or not: it was indeed miraculous.
I felt a kind of prickling through my whole body as well as a sense of complete peace, calmness.
A vision and confirmation of the dream/vision I had with the Reiki. I don't want to write down on the site my vision. Sorry, that is something I will keep for myself, maybe later I will share it with some people.
By the time Sagar, the reiki-master, reached my feet my body felt lighter, like a puppet on a string I felt my legs 'pulled up on a wire', dangling lightly around like a Pinocchio. A gong sound was the signal that the session was ended. To me it felt like only a few minutes had passed.
Sagar took me outside and while sitting in the sun (I was feeling a little bit cold) we talked a bit. He asked me to come to his office after one hour, so we could talk a bit more and he had some suggestions for a 3-days workshop, not from a 'program', but specially 'designed' compiled for me.
I went for lunch, not having the urge, the desire to write about it at this moment.
Just having a toast, a coffee and watch the world go by.

At 12.30 I was back in the office and indeed I have booked a workshop for 3 days. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with a morning session at 10.00 when Sagar will perform more bodywork for 1 hour (he calls it Sal-Chit-Ananda. Whatever it is called, I just feel that it is the right time for me to do this workshop).
Then at 14.00 another one hour session in which he will explain and each me the technique, so I can use it whenever 'needed'.
The same for Tuesday and Wednesday. The 14.00 session on Wednesday will be an 'initiation-ceremony with music, dance and receiving a Mala, a kind of necklace to be a kind of amulet, helping-aid to 're-call' the energy.

After this meeting I went for a quick check of my emails and to my very pleasant surprise I saw that Kim, my friend living in Canada had made a donation of 250 US on my Pay pal account!!
Back to my room, to find out that the electricity was already on (instead of the scheduled 16.00). I used this opportunity to finally fill in the gap in my diary from the 12th of February until the 18th of February. I saved it on the USB so tomorrow I can just copy and paste all those days on the website.
As you will understand it will not go into detail, because I had to dig it up deep from my memory with so many happenings afterwards.
But, it will give you the big picture and enough to read at once.

The rest of my written diary is now update on the day itself and also a few days of them already on the USB stick.
So very soon you will read synchronized with the true date about my life in beautiful Nepal! (with a lot of details :).

Around 15.30 I was a bit tired of my impressions from today, so I layed down for a bit.

18.00 to H.E. for the daily chat and diner, after-diner coffee and back in my room at 19.30.
I skipped my plan of going back to the Internet to put the update on the website. After all today it was a ME day and tomorrow is another day, but I worked 1 hour on the dictionary until the power went of.

Program for tomorrow:
breakfast at H.E., being at the home at 9 to walk the kids to school and stay in the school to help the teachers with who knows what.
Lunch break ant then together with Kay putting the beads in the special boxes we bouth to take them with us to the home in the afternoon. Tomorrow girly-time in the house.

Now it is 21.30, enough written for today.
I am going to cuddle myself up in my bed, 'reviewing' my vision\dream from this morning in my mind, which most probably will give me a peaceful sleep.

Suba Rathri.
Take care, because I care with a love of love from Sanghita in a Beautiful Nepal!

27 February, Friday. Pokhara. It's a small world.

08.00 alarm, after a good 12-hours sleep!
08.30 breakfast.
09.00 quick quick to C.W.A. today the children were ready, so we were on time in school.
Back to Lake-Side.

While I was walking along Lakeside looking for a Reiki-centre a woman came up to me.
'Hello, can I ask you something? Already a few days I see you walking here. Do you live here or are you on holiday?"
"I am here on holiday as an ex-volunteer."

We introduced ourselves and were pleasantly surprised. It is a small world.
Her name is Maria and......... she is Greek! Living in Cyprus. Last year she came on holiday (trekking)to Nepal and fell in love with a Nepali(it was love at first sight'). Since then she came back 4 times and since 2 weeks she is now in Pokhara to stay, living together with her boyfriend and maybe get married soon.)

In the meantime that I am writing this Binod and Michael are sitting with me in the study room, drawing. They do surprise me: although I am not really happy how they 'learn ' English (by just copying) it is amazing to see how every child is great in copying/drawing from the drawing books WE bought. If you were not there to see actually making the drawings you would think they were doing it by putting the paper on top of the drawing following the lines). But no, they have such an eye for detail that they can actually draw it!).

Back to Maria. I told her my story and she said that she visited two orphanages in Pokhara offering her help. She had to apply on line for a placement!!!
Thinking of the headmaster of Shining Star I invited her to join me Sunday morning so I can introduce her there. I am sure the school will be very happy with her help (and it will take one 'job' of my shoulders.)
It was meant to be that we met! She is a lovely woman, wants to do something while her boyfriend is working and I know 2 places where they will welcome her with open arms.

My intuition says we will become good friends in the 2 weeks left and will stay in touch by email!
Maria on her way for her appointment, me continuing the search for a healing centre. Looking up I see we stopped in front of Om Family, home for mediation-yoga-bodywork, Reiki, Daily workshops.
I went inside and I booked a treatment for tomorrow: first 45 minutes Reiki, followed by energy work and healing. That should do the trick to 'fix' my body and energy.

Lunch, while writing diary and time to run again. Today school finishes at 13.30.

When I was still in Elounda thinking about the 3 weeks on my own in Nepal, I sometimes was a bit nervous I might feel 'lost' or 'lonely'. Silly me, I should have known better. Again (as you know me, 24 hours in a day are not enough. Being with the children, socialising- catching up with my friends at H.E., conversations with Roh of the office, meeting new people, making new friends (like Maria) AND stay in touch with you, the people at home.
So many old and new impressions, so much love, too much sometimes for my overflowing heart, so much information for my overflowing brain.
3 Weeks Pokhara on my own is again not enough for me. Hopefully I will be able (financially and time wise) next winter to go maybe 3 months in the winter season.
For example leaving Athens with 1 group for 3 weeks. Do the 'tour' with them - 1 week break. Group 2, again for 3 weeks - 1 week break. And then group 3 (beginning of February) for another 3 weeks and then the last 3 weeks again for myself and the children.

Arriving at school again the Principal came up to me. We sat down in the library, he telling all the plans he has and again saying they need help with this (NOT only financially), but also physical help. I told him about my meeting with Maria this morning and he was very excited about it. Maybe she can do the library? Maybe she can help in the office? Maybe she can do the nursery class? Maybe she can teach 'real proper' English?
I said that most probably she will join me on Sunday morning to the school, so he can meet her and they can speak together.
Everything seems to fall in the right places again: it is nice to know that I was able to 'connect' Maria with such nice people at the Shining Star, who will be very grateful for any kind of help she wants to be and can be for them.

A relatively 'quiet' afternoon in the house: the older children are at dance-classes, I am in the study room with Sjeevah, Bipana, Michael and Binod, busy with their drawings. It gives me 'extra' time to write.
So many things happening in one day!

I also want to revise my opinion about Thak. This morning he took me to his office again showing the papers of the bank account. It only shows that a certain amount in Rupees was added, but NO NAME or any kind of information where the money was coming from. No wonder that some sponsors (like Renske) never got a message that the money was received and/or a Thank You letter. He said that he was planning to change bank, where they are specifying the money (Euro, dollar, etc) and from which country the money is coming with name of sponsor with specification for which child it is mend to be.

Next thing was that he said that he does not know how to keep the website up-to-date. At the moment he has to wait until Peter from Germany comes to visit, he is updating the website, but is visiting Pokhara only once a year.
I suggested to Thak that after finishing the exams Sudeep will be more then happy to update the website. After all, that is what he has learned with our computer course! I also told Thak that I gave my old digital camera with card reader to the older boys. They can make pictures, Sudeep knows how to download them on the computer, he can update the pictures on the website and he can attach pictures to emails.
Soon we can expect more frequently mail with pictures from the children!

We programmed together for next Saturday a picnic (no boat trip Thak says, too expensive and maybe we can use that money for other things more necessary), and a pizza evening (tradition) on Thursday 12th of March. (NOT my last evening having in mind that last year a few kids were too upset about our leaving (Gurash and me) that they did not want/could eat). He suggested to go to Lake View Restaurant, which has a big garden with lake view and he knows the owner better than the owner of Mamma Mia, so maybe he can get a discount. Fine with me, Mamma Mia is a bit dark inside, while Lake View is a bright, happy place with lots of flowers and a beautiful view.

I am afraid that I will have to face a few more ceremonies to come. Everyone is writing on their calendar my last day - including the headmaster. Most probably next week I will be called in again. Please let me just do my 'work' and let me be happy on the background.

Around 17.30 Thak called to the house. His meeting with the people who are building the road to the new house was finished and he had sent a taxi to our house to bring us to the painting teacher.
In the same old Suzuki maturi 800, this time with 5 tall boys, the driver and me. Excited faces.

Arriving at the atelier of the teacher he took us upstairs to show his work and then Thak arrived (on his motorbike). All going downstairs where Thak was negotiating the price: 5 boys lessons for 3 months. He made a fantastic deal. Rs 25.000 (250 Euro) for all. Last year we paid Rs 20.000 for the two students! Thak told me that his argument was that indeed there were more students now (5), but the time frame for the teacher was the same. Two times a week 1-1 1/2 hour lesson. With mentioning the name of another teacher 'our' teacher came quickly around. Great: 5 boys having painting lessons!
I have to leave money with Thak this time, because the boys first have to finish their exams (in about 2 months). He said he didn't want to give the money already to the teacher. "He might run off in those two months, move house, disappear."
Fair enough and after our last meetings as I told you I trust and understand him more. He said he was going to send me the receipt as soon as the boys will start the lessons.

Quick back in the cramped taxi, I am late for diner time at H.E. (18.30). The taxi brought me first to the base camp, leaving with 5 boys with glowing faces and sparkling eyes.

Bimal was pinching my hand on our way back all the time, he could not believe how lucky he was that he really already this year was going to the lessons.

In the office of the teacher the boys were joking with me. One by one they came to me, shaking my hand saying "Hello, my name is Arjun, I am a C.W. Artist!". Hello, my name is Kamal, I am a C.W. Artist. And so on.
When I made the picture of them with the teacher they said in choir: "We are the C.W. Artists!"

Another thing to mention:
While I was sitting downstairs in the house Mongol (the singer) came to sit opposite me. On his knees, to be at the same level. He was holding my hands, studying my face. "Are you alright, Didi?" 'Yes, I am fine'. Putting his hands on my face, looking me straight in the eyes. Again "Are you okay?". 'Yes, sweety, I am fine'.
Mongol: "You have to take care of yourself, you have to take a rest. Of course we want you to be with us every day, but we have only 1 Sanghita and we don't want you to get sick again, we want you to be with us for many, many, many more years, so please take a rest."
Not able to speak with this big lump in my throat I nodded and mumbled I will.
"Promised?" 'Promised, promised'.
And that from a 17 year old boy to one of the so many visitors, volunteers they see in a year coming and going. A squeeze of my hands, a big big hug and of he was to dance-class, giving me the time to dry my eyes and give my overflowing heart, my blocked throat a big breath before I was going to sit with Gongka, who was cutting the vegetables for the evening Dal Bath.

Like in 2005 we sat together, chatting away, peeling potatoes for 23 hungry mouths. I could feel her examining eyes on my face. Also to her I said I was going to take a rest as soon as Kay - the volunteer - was back (tomorrow) and she seemed to be satisfied. Did ask although if I stayed for Dal Bath :). I said that next week I would love to stay one evening with them until bedtime for the children. A big smile, holding, stroking my hands and she seemed to be satisfied.

At H.E. a fun dinner. Dal Bath with Doreen, telling about her day with the little ones and which games they played. Roh joined us and when the table was cleared he grapped a newspaper making origami figures. He made a fantastic frog, if you put your finger top on its bottom it actually jumped. We started fantasizing frog races. Meanwhile Doreen had made a paper handbag. We tried to make the frog jump into the bag. Roh: a real jet, no a simple aeroplane, but a real airplane. Frog Rescue. A whistle, a butterfly, a toppi (sunhat) for the frog. A Japanese fan (for the frog), everything in mini size and ending up in the handbag.

20.00 to Internet, first to make a proper phone call with Mum and then answering some emails and updating the website.
it was 22.30 before I realized. Time to go home and have another good night sleep.