Drama :-O

Last night, Happy House was really nice. Maya liked it (probably because it's super easy and fun to work there...). Before we left, Shanika and Chrissie, the managers of Projects Abroad, stopped by and invited us to go to dinner with them at J House, a boy's orphanage. This Saturday, all the volunteers are getting together to do an outreach program for J House and K House (K House is the girl's one connected to J House). We will be helping them paint and fix up a play ground between the two houses. So, last night, we went over to talk about what needs to be done and to have dinner.

Dinner was really delicious and all the children there were really sweet. One girl was selling raffel tickets for her school, and she talked me into buying one. It was only 30 cents US and I might win a DVD player, so I figured it was worth it. After dinner, we took a taxi to everyone's houses, paid for by Projects Abroad. Maya was the first to get out. After she left, I slipped in that Maya and I had had a major argument earlier that day. Chrissie and Shanika, being the excellent managers that they are, were totally and completely supportive. They were surprised that Maya would have said that my ways of working with the kids were wrong and that she was "more experienced." Shanika told me that she thought I'd been doing a really good job with the kids and had seen a marked improvement in their English lately. I mentioned my fears of working with Maya and Christie, neither of whom I really get along with, especially since they're such close friends all of a sudden. Shanika told me that all of us would have a talk when they brought Christie over, and she would emphasize that I'd been there for a month and had been doing well. I mentioned that if it was really horrible, I would be willing to move wherever they wanted, and she assured me that if it continued to be miserable, she would convince Maya and Christie to move instead.

Today, however, Maya and I didn't fight. We did things the way I'd been doing them for the last month and it went well. Despite that, I felt sort of like she was holding back and pretty soon (probably timed with the arrival of Christie) she would lash out at me. However, this is monumentally less scary knowing that Shanika and Chrissie would support me and help work it out.

During the day, I got a phone call from Sajani, the director of PA and Shanika and Chrissie's boss. She told me Shanika had informed me of her concerns and that we would meet and work it out. She also asked me what my host family usually gives me for breakfast (toast and cereal). She explained that Maya had been complaining because she gets Dahl Batt, standard Nepali food, for breakfast. PA tells all the host families just to serve Dahl Batt twice a day, because it's the cheapest and easiest for them. However, some host families choose to serve other things. I felt really guilty about mentioning to Maya that I got toast, and hoped Sajani wouldn't tell my host family they had to serve me Dahl Batt. (I love dahl batt, but it's nice to have a different breakfast, plus I think it's easier for my host family, since they eat their dahl batt breakfast after I've already gone to work).

In order to rectify the situation, I slipped into a conversation with Maya that I pay for the toast and cereal my family serves (which is a lie, but I think it's justified). She claimed that we were paying so much, we should get to eat whatever we want, blah blah blah. It was really obnoxious. I wish it were possible to say something I'm happy about and not have people such as Maya around who will get jealous and angry and make everyone else's lives more difficult. So that's the drama that's been going on. I'm pretty sure Maya hates me, and I'm pretty sure it will be annoying to work with her and Christie. However, Christie is only here for about 2 more weeks, and Maya may end up moving to a new place anyway, considering how she hates everything....

But in happy news, I just purchased some traditional Nepali clothes! It felt extremely extravigant, as they are one of the most expensive purchases I have bought so far as 1500 Rupees. However, I pass this shop every day on my way to work, and I've been admiring the fabric in their window for weeks. The garment will be a silk camel colored embroided top with these light, loose, richly colored floral pants. The entire thing is hand made and tailored to fit me, and it only costs me about $25. So despite the fact that I may never wear it again after I leave Nepal, the biggest festival of the year is coming up and I absolutely positively want to be dressed in my fancy new Nepali clothes. I'm pretty excited about it, actually. I'm going to premier it on Friday night at the projects abroad monthly party. It feels expensive to me because I'm used to spending so little money, but put into perspective, I've paid more for things form the US that I've worn once or even never, and this is incredibly gorgeous.

Also, I bought supplies to make shakers at MSPN tomorrow, which should be really fun. In other news, I couldn't sleep last night, and seriously considered the prospect of writing a book about my year. I think I'm actually going to try to do that. I will be relying heavily on this blog and on my diaries (the first of which I've already filled!), so if you feel like giving feedback, it's totally welcome!

For now, peace!