Hodgepodge #1

Q: When in life do you not know where you'll be living for the next 3 weeks Cara?
A: Well right now, I know I'll be in Nepal but Pokhara? Chitwan? Kathmandu? I don't know

Q: Do you have any worries?
A: Well not about my homestay. I am worried I have weird charges on my credit card from California.

Q: Are you happy in Nepal?
A: Yes, I'm so glad I'm here.

Yesterday was day 1 in Nepal. I walked around shopping with some of the girls after breakfast. I don't want to buy anything yet, but it's so hard.... let me explain:
See after lunch i went back out and on haggler in particular was not going to back down. He was playing this small you-ca-lay-lee looking instrument. I can not describe how much he followed me. I had less than 300 rupees (~$4USD) he was trying to get me to buy his instrument, starting at 900 rupees, following behind me my entire walk back.
At one point he seemed so dejected the group of us thought he had given up. Then a little voice calls "Ma'am Ma'am". I'm certain it's not him, but I still don't turn around... it doesn't matter. He catches up and as he does I get out my <300 rupees again to show him. At which point a small older lady walking in the opposite direction sticks out her hand for me to give her my money. I just walk on, with the haggler beside me past the lady. Then I feel her hit me with the stick she was carrying on the back of my leg. I turn around and she does the same as we both keep walking, however her walk is accompanied with an angry grumpy face.
This slight diversion had no effect on my haggler, as I now lag behind my 3 friends who are almost to turn out from the alley. He says, "Fine"... and says he'll take what i have. So as I exit the alley and round the corner the 3 ahead glance back at which point I lower my head and raise my new instrument.

After dinner, dal baht (the traditional Nepali dish of rice with dal- lentil souplike, and some veggies or potatoes) a crew of us went out for drinks. It was really nice. We all had a story of why we are here and we passed them around a bit. The people here are good to be in company with. We're all kind of like minded in some sense. Our stories of not being sure of anything and worried families back home were a dime a dozen. They're just cool people, and while we all have some basic like mindedness, we're so diverse too. In ages, nationalities, interests (except traveling and helping out).

We enjoyed our Gorkha* beers at the restaurant as we prepared to embark on our experiences. We then only hoped we could rejoin with beers around our table at Tantra at the end and share all our new Nepali stories...

*Gorkhas are known in Nepali culture for their strength and bravery, specifically against a British invasion in the early 1800's where they were heavily outnumbered but not defeated.