college days

Way back in July 2011...

big bucks

Bank of Kathmandu -

hopefully no affiliation with Iceland...

After a gruelling couple of weeks working our way through the Nepali bureaucracy (not so transparent to the bideshi*),  we had finally opened a bank account, enrolled into college and secured the visas!!!   Hooray to staying in Nepal for another 6 months!!!

the picture of happiness...

The prospect of adding another dimension to our life here in Nepal was also vaguely exciting.  Going to 'university' and learning Nepali (should come in handy...).

back to school

My first experience at 'university' was not exactly like the movies...or maybe it was:  'Dangerous Minds' (minus the gang fighting) came to mind as we first walked on campus.  Walking passed the 'cool kids' loitering between classes in the sunlight, up the steps, passed the shabby classrooms, our anticipation grew...

Finally we met our guru for the next few months, Mukendra-ji.  He had shorn his entire head save a little tuff bam, smack at the back^ and wore a huge smile and medium-sized 'bhat-gut' (a gut produced after the consumption of a LOT of rice). 

During our first lesson, Bishwa Bhasa Campus ('kyampas') seemed promising.  Mukendra-ji sounded like he knew his stuff and could turn out to be a good guru.

However, the next two weeks re-learning Devanagari script were, in a word: painful, and as a consequence several class-mates were never to be seen again.  

Upon seeing my 'chha' character, with a slightly raised pitch Mukundra-ji habitually gasped, 'no monkey tail!', and proceeded to copy out for me yet again the dreaded, 'chha', with it's truncated tail...In retrospect though I really enjoyed seeing him enact the different pronounciations of the 't's'...forgetting we could not actually see where his tongue was inside of his mouth he would stick his tongue out to different lengths attempting to illustrate - good times!  

devanagari

'yo ke ho?
yo bottle ho!'...

We had several Japanese class-mates to whom Mukundra-ji used to hammer the different pronounciation of 'la' and 'ra'...One memorable occasion, our quirky class-mate Yamamoto-son got his own back correcting Mukundra-ji on his pronouncation of the name of his city in Japan.  He grew more and more boisterous each time he repeated 'Shi-ju-koa' back to Mukundra-ji, who interestingly, never got it right...

Yamamoto-son, was, as it appears 'old friends' with Mukundra-ji, having re-sat the same 1st semester for the passed two years. They habitually re-enacted the same skit when Yamamoto-son attended.  

Mukundra-ji:  'Yamamoto-son, what did you eat this morning?  Cigarettes?  How many packets?' 

Yamamotoson: 'hi!' (riffling through his backpack he brings out 5 packets of cigarettes)

Yamamoto-son

Mukundra-ji: '1, 2, 3, 4, 5!  packets!' 

(bursts out high-pitched cackle, then turning to the class) 'You see, Yamamotoson loves cigarettes! 

(turning back to Yamamotoson)  And, to drink?  Did you drink roxi** this morning?  How much did you drink?  

Yamamotoson: 'hi!  lots'

Mukundra-ji:  (cackles again and completes his object lesson on smoking and drinking)

I could go on for hours with Mukundra-ji related anecdotes but that's best done person, with the right intonation and accompanying gestures.  In a word, our time with Mukundra-ji was 'ramailo' ('enjoyable', or as he would say, 'it used to** be interesting'), and I left class in happy spirits, though perhaps not any further advanced Nepali-wise.  

In October Nepal's most important Hindu festivals, Dashain and Teehar are celebrated, and so we together with the rest of the country had one months vacation from college.  

When we returned, Mukundra-ji had skipped the country and we were merged with another class.  This time our guru was Sushmita-ji.  

Our new class had a really nice camaraderie to it and felt much more interactive.  Several of the students were involved with NGOs and Human Rights organisations, while others were pursuing their personal 'odysseys' including traversing 'the Great Himalaya Trail'.  

'tumba' - stolen

After our last official 'class' a couple of us went to nearby Katipath bus park and had our taste-buds introduced to the best buff-chili I have had to date in Nepal.   Along with the buff-chili I had my first 'tumba' (traditional beverage of fermented millet.  It is infused in boiled water for a few minutes and then sipped through a special straw). 

Over buff-chili and tumba our class-mates asked how we could speak Nepali.  We told them that we were Bible students ourselves, but also go from house-to house teaching those interested, so in order to be effective, we have to learn the language.  They were all very surprised, and Robyn, a middle-aged itinerant Pole, immediately guessed that we were JWs.  He then asked if I had any magazines on me, and took the issues on Natural Disasters and The Bible...

The motley crew consisted of a Swede, a Slovakian, a Nepali (just along for the chili buff and tumba I believe), a Japanese-man (what's the politically correct term these days?), and the aforementioned Pole.   They had all met JWs previously.  Some at school, others having evidently been street witnessed to, but, save Robyn, had never openly discussed our beliefs before.  

They all seemed to have a spiritual interest, and though I declined their invitation to accompany them on their pilgrimage to a nearby Buddhist retreat, they all promised to read the magazines and give me their opinions.  Unfortunately, admid the chaos of the following week I did not get another opportunity to hear their feedback, but I pray at least that the next time they meet a JW they will feel open to another discussion.  

EXAMINATION WEEK

Classes post-Dashain and Teehar mostly consisted of preparation for our final exams.  We were to be examined on:  grammar (insert head-ache here), reading, writing, aural dictation, comprehension and speaking.  It is amazing what a little rote learning can do to the brain.  Although, I think we may have been subjected to some Nepali propaganda in the process.  They (whoever 'they' are) would have you believe that every town in Nepal (including Naya Baneshwor^^) is 'shanti', 'ramailo' and 'saphaa' (peaceful, interesting/enjoyable and...clean - hmmm).  I do, however, have to thank Bishwa Bhasa Kyampas for some new phrases to use out in the territory.  (NB I've inserted 'paradise' in place of 'Naya Baneshwor')  

Our first exam on grammar was interesting.  Mid-exam a random guy came in and inspected my paper and examination admit card, and then smiled. Noting an error on my paper, he gave me the correct answer and then commended me on my Nepali!

The rest of the exams were non-events.  For my reading exam, I was in all seriousness asked to read one sentence?!  

Our guru-ji, for our final exam (speaking) was a 'no-show' - ke garne???...My suggestion:  'Give us all 100% and let us go home'.  The remaining teachers on campus finally reached a solution and 2 hours later we were in the first 'line' I have witnessed in Nepal, waiting to be examined.  All that fuss only to be asked:  'What is your name?  Where are you from?  Where do you live?  How long have you lived in Nepal? Do you like Nepali food? (important question?!)  Name the Nepali pronouns...'.  Two minutes later and we were done.  

We had a celebratory chow-mein at the London Eye (our post-class haunt for the previous 6 months), and thus ended our Nepali college experience.

last exam elation

EPILOGUE

One serious perk to college was the 'student card'.  On our recent sojourn to the EU we were stoked to find these little suckers (even my torn examination admit card/paper sufficed) were our key to endless 'student discounts' in museums and even Top Shop - woohoo!

Museo Thyssen Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain - (saved 5 euros!)

* 'bideshi' - Nepali for foreigner

^ 'roxi' - Nepali for alcohol

** 'used to be' - 2011s most frustrating mis-translation of the habitual present tense. 

Eg. If there is always a traffic jam in Kathmandu then why say, 'there used to be a traffic jam in Kathmandu'?!  It gives people false hope that come 4 pm they will get anywhere on time!

^^ 'Naya Baneshwor' - New Baneshwor -> Times Square of KTM, often invoking the antoymns of the above-mentioned adjectives