Day 80

Life is hard here. I don't want to complain - ideally never again, never about anything - but it is hard. We have to do an hour of handwashing every night, shower the filthy children before the power cuts begin, manage dinner, make boiled water bottles for the next day - and in the morning make a big breakfast before dividing hair into bunches and pigtails, tied in immaculate ribbons (and that is just Rufus), check teeth and nails and school bags that require a million different books on different days of the week. Then we have a 15 minute journey to get the girls to school before a commute in congested traffic of anything up to an hour. 6 days a week! No washing machine, dishwasher, oven, microwave, kettle, hairdryer, DVD player or bath. Irregular hot water. Add on the difficulty of trying to shop where everything is strange, preparing meals, cleaning a house. It is hard. And I do all these things at home plus work much longer hours - but it is just harder here. A tough life for Nepali people. But then again I am weepy and irrational due to the medication for my chest infection.

But there are good things. The weather is generally beautiful. Things are cheap. There are great restaurants. People are tolerant, supportive, helpful and friendly. Healthcare is excellent. School is pretty good. We have some pals. But I am homesick, and I miss my friends and my family. Thank you to everyone who sends me gossipy emails, it helps!

We have been doing some counselling at the school and have discovered life is also hard for many school pupils. Some of them are domestic workers and have to do hours of housework before or after school. They live away from home, some with their employers and some in the school hostel. It is hard to conduct sessions with children where there is a language barrier and so many cultural implications I don't know where to begin. It sure is a test of my professional skills. I'm concentrating on teenagers and Rufus is working with much younger kids - and has the added strain of managing his sessions with an interpreter. But they are amazing children, friendly and polite and strong.

Since Lungy is not yet recovered, we are heading off to a nice hotel outside Kathmandu, in the valley, where apparently the climate is softer and the pollution is absent. A nice swimming pool for the girls where they can get some exercise. Some family time. And we get a big discount as we are now classed as locals! It is fun being a 'local', I even managed an argument with a taxi driver last night who tried to overcharge me thinking I was a tourist. "I live here!" I cried. "Now take me home for 50p".

PS. Happy Birthday to my friend Lisa for tomorrow!!