2006.08.07: August 7, 2006: Headlines: Tibet: Airplanes: Humor: Chico Enterprise-Record: Gina Ellena writes: Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: Humor : Humor and the Peace Corps: 2006.08.07: August 7, 2006: Headlines: Tibet: Airplanes: Humor: Chico Enterprise-Record: Gina Ellena writes: Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses

By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-135-11-18.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.135.11.18) on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 10:46 am: Edit Post

Gina Ellena writes: Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses

Gina Ellena writes: Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses

"For propriety's sake, Les and Ed went to the local batti (inn), where, with the purchase of a rice and lentils meal, one could sleep on the dirt floor for free. On the second level of the small municipal building I spread a poncho and two blankets on the floor for Hasmier, and placed my sleeping bag on the cot. After a week of sleeping in my clothes on a Pohkara Volunteer's floor, I resumed the practices of donning pajamas and setting my hair."

Gina Ellena writes: Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses

Flashbacks from Here and There: Posted to Kusma

By GINA ELLENA

NEPAL, February, 1966 — Les, a Peace Corps volunteer, field supervisor Ed, and I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a DC-3 where we sat along the fuselage facing a cargo of red chilies that stung eyes and noses.

We met up with Les' cook Hasmier and walked two days west to the Kali Gandhaki River gorge (and our teaching posts) along a rocky track that ascended and descended thousands of feet. On swaying suspension bridges we crossed rivers that rose in the Himalayas to the north.

The trail turned into Kusma's sole street, lined with red and white houses and open-fronted shops. The village had neither electricity nor running water, like most of Nepal at the time.

For propriety's sake, Les and Ed went to the local batti (inn), where, with the purchase of a rice and lentils meal, one could sleep on the dirt floor for free. On the second level of the small municipal building I spread a poncho and two blankets on the floor for Hasmier, and placed my sleeping bag on the cot. After a week of sleeping in my clothes on a Pohkara Volunteer's floor, I resumed the practices of donning pajamas and setting my hair.

Hasmier was fascinated: First, because she'd never known people to have special clothes to sleep in, and then there was the sight of my bumpy head, all bristling with curlers.

Up the ladder to our quarters climbed a man with a flashlight, smiling and staring. Another head appeared on the ladder. They conversed animatedly. "Is it a man or a woman?" one asked the other.

The next day Les, Ed and Hasmier set off for Les' post six miles and four hours farther on.

I explored my new home. The water supply was a natural spring a quarter-mile north of the village where I washed my sweater and tried conversing with the women filling brass or clay water jugs. They didn't like questions. In town I practiced Nepali language with the male shopkeepers and women grinding corn between hand-turned stones. People said how much better my Nepali was than Ted's or Bob's — Peace Corps engineers whom I hadn't met who were building a bridge somewhere.

At the village school where I was assigned I met the town's elected leader. The headmaster was in Kathmandu and not expected until August. The school had window frames, but no shutters. The roof was of metal sheets held down with stones. I was shown a room where 25 middle-schoolers sat on the dirt floor and waited for the teacher. None came. I told them a little of why I had come. They asked how much salary I received ($40 a month, a huge amount.). We practiced oral English drills and the time flew.

The next day was Nepal's Independence Day. I was told to walk at the front of the parade. We huzzahed up the bazaar to the spring, and back to the municipal building where speeches were spoken and we all threw flowers, rice and red tikka powder at the photo of King Mahendra.

School games scheduled for 11 began at 1. Girls were jumping rope, and I showed them some fancy steps. Boys tried bumping one another out of a circle while hopping on one foot and holding the other behind them. Village officials played musical chairs with the girls, a drum providing music. I left at 3:30 pleading other work, which I had: Hunting bedbugs with my Flit gun.

Next morning I walked through the bazaar with a clay jug. All along the way people exclaimed, "Oh, you're going to bring water. Oh, you can't! That's too heavy." I said I had to try. And, indeed, it was too heavy. I was all wet, and everyone was highly amused, but a little pleased, I think, at the attempt.

That evening, the most astonishing thing: The lively, intelligent woman who owned the inn was sitting on her dirt floor breastfeeding her two-month-old, when the baby spit up. She called over the family dog to clean the baby up.

Despite a gulf between us concerning the germ theory, the innkeeper and I became good friends.

Gina Ellena is writing a few Flashbacks From Here and There columns while husband Nick works on a book based on the columns. Nick is a retired reporter for the Enterprise-Record.

© 2006 Chico Enterprise-Record





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Story Source: Chico Enterprise-Record

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Tibet; Airplanes; Humor

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