Cloud

So, the first day or two I was here it was cloudy. However, the past 3 or 4 days I think we have actually been in a cloud. Upendra washed some clothes a few days ago and it appears to me that they are probably wetter now than when he pulled them from the water. It's also been cold. I've been sleeping fully clothed including a hat in my sleeping bag. This morning the sun finally popped through after raining all of last night. Now it is warming up a bit and hopefully my clothes will dry so I can change. If it gets really warm I'll brave the cold outdoor shower again. I couldn't muster up the courage yesterday to strip for a cold shower only to dive into my sleeping bag in hopes of avoiding hypothermia.

I apologize if I repeat myself on here. What I've written here, written in my journal, and thought I should write all become a bit blurred. I've decided that a blog is the perfect venue for a narciscist. You can talk and talk without ever listening. It also protects the illusion that what you have to say must be important and that someone actually cares since it is posted on the internet for the world to read. I'm getting pretty good at one-sided conversations anyway since I can communicate but not truly converse with most people here.

Dr. R speaks English fairly well and I think we are becoming friends. He understands a bit better than he expresses. As I may have said before he studied medicine in China for 7 years but is Nepali. Yesterday after clinic he took me to the public health office and introduced me to the Public Health Officer and the staff for The Britian Nepal Medical Trust who also work on improving public health. The people there also speak English fairly well and explained that speaking is harder for them because they don't get any practice. However, all of their studies the written portions are in English but they speak in Nepali so they can read and write quite fluently. Anyway, more about them and their health projects later. They are doing some really excellent things though and having all come from bigger areas and 2 of the 3 being young single guys it's quite a sacrifice to be here in Khandbari without a disco or anything else to do.

After I chatted with the guys at the public health office for awhile I found Dr. R again and he had me stick around until evening rounds. We went to his house and had some tea. Then we had samosa an Indian dish that is some sort of friend breading around potatoes and vegetables and served with a curry. It was very good and nice of him to have me over and try something not daal bhat as I think he knows the same thing for every meal is a change for me. Well, hopefully the mildly improved weather will continue and it will warm up a bit here. I'm off to clinic at Helping Hands. I'm alternating days between the Helping Hands clinic and the District Hospital Clinic. I've seen lots of great pathology which I'm sure I'll write about later as well.