Off to APS...

Breakfast at the Yellow House today, sat in the sun eating tasty toast and jam and listening to some  fantastic live music. Could become a regular Sunday occurrence... Then finally off to meet Rashmi, Director of Nursing at Patan Hospital and co-founder of APS birth centre.  Slightly nervous but she immediately gives me a hug and we spend a lovely few hours wandering round the administrative offices in which she works and having tea and chat with various colleagues. We discuss midwifery, nursing and Nepali culture over black tea, fruit and crackers. It seems all the senior nursing staff are women as well as a good proportion of the obstetric medical staff which seems very encouraging. A lot of what I read prior to coming out discussed the low status of women in Nepali society and the preference for sons but as with most things it does not appear that clear cut.

Rashmi is a very warm character with an infectious readiness to laugh and her colleagues are all very friendly and welcoming. They tell me a little about the Patan maternity wing which takes a mixture of private and public patients which, as everyone pays for their care, just seems to relate to how much. It has an average of 35 births per day and a high CS rate. I am itching to go and take a look and learn more about the maternity care but that will be for another day.

The next day we meet in the afternoon at Patan Hospital. More tea and chat ( I have a deep appreciation of this characteristic of Nepali culture) and then off into a tiny bus to APS. Rashmi shows me round and introduces me to some of the staff. There is a reception area, pharmacy, various consultation rooms, a birthing room and postnatal/training area. The walls have many health promotion posters and Rashmi shows me the newly created leaflet and newsletter, advertising the services of APS. Key issues for the centre appear to be attracting women to utilise the services and financial sustainability. Delivery here is free and all other services are low cost so funding is an obvious problem. We plan to meet up on wednesday and make some plans. We hail another tiny bus in which I am ushered into a space that would comfortably fit a small dog and spend the journey smiling inanely at the surrounding Nepali's hoping this communicates my regret that I am sitting on their laps.

APS, Kalanki

The pharmacy with Ratna an auxiliary nurse-midwife

APS leaflet and newsletter

Thailand!

What can I say... delicious food, turqoise sea and weather which allows you to walk around in your pants all day. Loved it. 

First night at the hotel

Lonely Beach

Boat trip

Taxi ride in Koh Chang, clinging on for dear life!

Tuk Tuk ride in Bangkok

 

Thoughts from Thamil

Off to Thamil later for a wander and some dinner. Interesting but quite 'in your face' after the gentler atmosphere of Patan. We get asked for money by someone begging, making us both feel conflicted as to what the 'right' thing to do is. The general advice is not to give money to beggars but to donate to an organisation instead. There are clear reasons why giving money to children is a bad idea as what child will go to school if they can make what to them is huge sums of money from tourists. I am guessing the same arguments apply to adults. Harder though when someone is talking about their "two small babies" and you are so deeply conscious of your own relative wealth. In the event we were both so unsure of what to do we ended up buying him some food from a shop, knowing as we did so he would probably instantly sell it back to the shopkeeper - which he did. I realise that the internal conflict is mostly caused by a confusion as to what is the best thing to do.  I wish to live in a way that at least goes some way to acknowledge my own relative comfort and the needs of others but it is not always easy to know how best to do that.

School assembly

Another day of wandering and trying out my limited Nepali then off to a school assembley at The British School. So, so funny.

A line of reception age children fill the stage each taking a turn to say something entirely unintelligible and supremely cute into the microphone - something about rainbow fish and love I think. Progress was somewhat faltering as the waiting children were understandably preoccupied with waving at their parents, readjusting their clothes and twirling. One particularly committed lad spent a long time counting the fingers on his left hand and when bored with this went on the perform a series of lunges - undeterred by the fact his friend periodically gave him big hugs throughout. Honestly, I could go to a school assembly every day.

Went to Emma's after school, another teacher at the school who is currently pregnant. Discussed what to expect when going into labour and some coping strategies. No pain relief is available at the hospital apart from an epidural so said I would see if I can buy a TENs machine while in Thailand. Her husband brings us tea and food and we discuss sights to see in Nepal. The Royal palace is open to the public and Emma tells us no Nepali's believe the account that the prince killed his family. Off to Thamil tonight for dinner.

Tea, momo's and cows

Ok so earlier smugness at turning self around found to be premature. Awoke at midday ahhh! Will be setting an alarm tonight! Off for another wander, todays mission: to find a good substitute for "english tea";   (tea with UHT milk being so so disgusting I have not tried it twice)

Found a little tea shop and chatted to a very friendly girl called Rasni (Very doubtful that is how you spell it but that's what it sounded like.) I told her that her English was amazing. She was very pleased. I told her I knew three words of Nepali. She laughed a lot. I now know two more. Kasto Cha - How are you? Thik Cha - I'm fine. Bought some green tea and some Ilam tea. Tomorrow will hunt for a tea pot.

Off for a wander, got lost walking up a single straight road by missing my turn off. Twice.  Getting used to just walking in the road now like everyone else, though crossing the really busy ones by simply stepping out into traffic still feels nuts. Watched some cows amble along the same busy road. They're pretty relaxed. As its illegal to kill a cow in Nepal Ben suggested I should simply take a cow with me whenever I cross the road...he may have a point.

Met up with Anna at The British School where she teaches and went for momo's and massala tea - very nice indeed.

Vegetable momo's, so good!

First day in Kathmandu...

First morning in Patan awoke to the collective sounds of dogs, pigeons, crows and a cockerel clearly anxious not to be left out of all the fun. Clear blue sky and bright sunshine greets me as I open the front door and look out across Kathmandu Valley to the mountains beyond. Failed to work out how to the use the gas powered shower so did a saucepan and jug affair over the bath. Being unaware of the powercut schedule managed to immediately kill all power to the flat by trying to use my hairdryer  :-)

Off for a wander, passing lots of dogs (now sleeping peacefully the little buggers) bought some fruit to practice buying stuff and a bucket and jug for future hot water failures. Found my way back and felt suitably smug. Met up with Anna's very nice friends for a coffee and then went for a vegetable thali at The Summit Hotel. Back to the flat for some hot chocolate and a film. A good first day :-)

                                                               View from the flat

                                                                Nepali style slide!

                                                  Vegetable thali yum yum yum