What about work?

Oh yes work- what brought us here in the first place! We've lived, worked and travelled in southeast Asia for a number of years but this is our first experience with South Asia and everyday is a rich and at times overwhelming learning experience.

Nepal is a fascinating, complex and often heartbreaking place to be a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor. In addition to gender based discrimination there are complicated social dynamics based on caste and ethnicity the extent of which varies from region to region, districit to district, village to village and household to household. For the past few months I've been trying to learn as much as I can and figure out how I can effectively support mainstreaming a GESI perspective into CECI's programs. Luckily, I'm not starting from scratch and CECI has already successfully implemented several GESI strategies and approaches. My task is to continue to support and scale up this process with a focus on our work with partners in the dairy, forestry and local governance sectors.

The gender/caste/ethnicity dynamics are further complicated by the political situation here which is a bit of a mess under a caretaker government still struggling with drafting a constitution and reaching any kind of consensus. Also, Nepal is dealing with the scars of its ten year conflict (1996-2006) and has not even reached 'post-conflict' status yet but is still considered 'in transition'. The crumbling beauty of Kathmandu and the picturesque rural villages can't hide the reality of Nepal's poverty which is all too evident in the faces of hungry children who are working instead of going to school, severely challenged infrastructure, stories of deaths from preventable diseases and the shantytowns along garbage filled rivers...

So the challenges are many but so are the encouraging signs that this country has a potentially brighter future. The recent UN Human Development Report highlights Nepal as one of the fastest 'movers' due to its progress in health and education. Nepal is also a leader in community forestry- an innovative concept which promotes environmental sustainability, bio-diversity, social justice and economic development through community managed natural resources. During my relatively short time here I've heard tragic stories of violence against women, caste discrimination, and war and I've witnessed scenes of blatant inequality, poverty and injustice. However, I've also been impressed and touched by the many dedicated, thoughtful and intelligent women and men I've met who are committed to an equitable, healthy and safe new Nepal. So onwards and upwards (literally- everything is uphill here!)...

Tales from KTM and...

Sea of plastic: a river in KTM


Escape from the city: hiking near Pokhara

There's a lifetime worth of adjectives to describe Kathmandu (or KTM or the 'Du...). My choice of descriptive vocabulary is usually influenced by my mood and the type of day I've been having- and for the most part my days have been pretty good! Especially the days when the sun is shining, the Himalayan Peaks are visible and the traffic jams are somewhat manageable. Bjoern has dubbed KTM 'charmingly chaotic' which is a good description I think. Some days it feels more charming and others more chaotic but usually it's an interesting mix of both.

So we are starting to find our place here amid the chaos... and the charm. Kioni is at the French International School and Kaja is at the British School. They each seem happy, are adapting well and making new friends. Let's face it- it isn't easy having such 'transient' parents! Kioni tell us that she isn't learning any French but luckily her teacher tells us otherwise. Since the French School here only goes up to grade 5 Kaja has had to join the British system where she's in the first year of secondary school (ie. lockers, rotary classes and looming teenagerhood...).

Although we really are enjoying the cafes, food, architecture, markets, new friends, culture, street life and of course charm of KTM, one of the highlights of living here is definitely 'getting out of the city' and taking a break from the garbage, pollution and traffic and breathing some badly needed fresh air. Luckily this is pretty easy to do- a quick taxi, bus or bike ride beyond the Ring Road takes you to another side of Nepal...

KTM is in the beautiful Kathmandu Valley which offers tons of trekking, biking and walking opportunities. So far our family travels haven't taken us too far afield- just some one or two day treks around the valley to Shivapuri, Chisopani, Nagarkot and a few days in Pokhara (gateway to Annapurna). The scenery is breathtaking- deep valleys, terraced hillsides and friendly villages topped off with the Himalayan peaks. Kaja and I have acquired mountain bikes- another good way to explore the valley once we make our way out of KTM's traffic and smog. We're starting to discover some good routes and backroads but also find the bikes handy for absorbing the many potholes, bumps and pavement challenged sections this city has to offer!

Namaste Nepal

Click the photo to view a Picasa slide show of our first few months in Nepal.

Asia cont'd...

So for those of you who haven't heard the full story here's a quick re-cap...

We spent last year in Vietnam where I was working as a Gender Specialist with World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and their partner Tra Vinh University (TVU) through the CIDA funded Uniterra program. This was my second stint with WUSC- we were also in Hanoi for two years (2002-2004). We loved quaint, green and friendly Tra Vinh and I really enjoyed working with TVU's Gender and Community Department. However, our year was complicated by the kids having to to school in Ho Chi Minh City which meant a four hour commute each way for me every weekend. So when a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Advisor position came up with WUSC's partner CECI (Centre for International Studies and Cooperation) in Kathmandu it seemed like a good opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new region and culture, continue to promote and support gender and social inclusion programming, expand professional horizons and all live in the same place!

When my WUSC contract wrapped up in August we packed our bags and said good-bye to glorious Mekong sunsets, cafe sua da, amazing food, inspiring bike rides through the back roads of the Delta, peaceful Khmer pagodas, rivers and tributaries dotted with the daily activities of village life, waving children and lovely people and friends. The Mekong is a special place. Then there's Saigon's crazy traffic, non stop construction and vibrant street life... it's a country full of potential and ambition but also challenges, contradictions and an interesting future...

Namaste Nepal

After a five week stint in Vancouver re-connecting with family and friends and dealing with unpacking and re-packing we were on a flight (or flights!) to Kathmandu- home for the next two years.

After spending our fist ten days getting oriented and staying at the CECI passage (guest) house we moved into our own apartment in Dilli Bazar- a very central neighbourhood in the heart of the hustle and bustle of KTM.