Getting Settled In

It has been snowing most of this week. Two of our team members had planned to go out to a nearby village for an overnight visit, but the possibility of avalanches in weather like this makes it too dangerous to travel on the roads.

Monday, we went out into the town for the first time. We explored the bazaar, with all of its foods, crafts, clothes, etc. Those of us on the team, especially the women, get a lot of comments in town, because we look so different from everyone else, and it is a very macho society. As a married woman, I am expected to wear makeup when I am in public. The unmarried women on the team are not required to do so. There is only one small mirror in our house, so it makes getting ready a little difficult. When I go somewhere now and see a big mirror, I think, “oh, so that’s how I look today.”

We also went out for lunch in town earlier this week for some local food at a restaurant called “Fast Food” that specialized in pizza. Ironically, it was not fast at all and they didn’t have any pizza! JB ordered chicken, and it definitely looked like a chicken (a whole one), but mine was chopped and formed “mystery meat.” We do not eat meat here as often as we would in the States, because there is a greater chance of tummy problems. We also have to make sure to wipe any water off of our silverware and dishes, since that could also make us sick. We always have lots of bread and tea here, but vegetables and fruits are very, very limited during the winter. Luckily, our hostess is a wonderful cook, so she keeps us well fed.

JB and I have been working on a proposal paper for the solar water pumping project that we are here to help with. We are laying out a five-year plan, beginning with the research that is needed to successfully implement the project at several designated sites. We will do as much of the research as we can while we are here, but some of it will have to be done after we are gone. It is very difficult to do research, because the internet is soooooo slow. We also met with the governor earlier this week to discuss the projects, and we felt that it was a very positive, productive meeting. He was extremely welcoming and gave us a lot of good information about this region, as well as its people and their needs.

I’ve been able to meet several of the local people here, and they are all very kind and hospitable. I hope to visit them more often over the coming weeks, although I have to have a translator with me unless they speak English.

We thank you all for your continued support!
JB and Lindsay