First and foremost, since the last post Denny has caught a Butterfree and I have caught a Venomoth. It’s pretty kick-ass now, level 67 – photos will come later.
Since being here, me and Denny have become footballing superstars. The first match we played was a competitive Teachers XI vs Pupils XI at Sanjiwani English School. Let me set the scene.
It was a fine summer’s day. The sun was glaring. The rain had ceased. Throughout the week, the match was billed as the Clash of the Titans. People were talking, anticipation was rising. Walking through the streets, the locals would ask ‘so you gonna’ be champs?’ We responded with a gentle smile. Calm and composed, we carried ourselves with a quiet confidence. But deep down we were nervous. Deep down we knew we were carrying the hopes of a hundred people on our weary shoulders. Deep down, we know the magnitude of the task. The crowd slowly began to build throughout the afternoon. The buzz around the stadium soon became electric. From one corner, one could hear ‘Denny! Will you have my children!?’ Kick-off approached. Me and Denny were ready. This was the moment we were waiting for. This was the moment we had dreamt of all our lives. This was it. Que the strings Wolfgang, this was our destiny.
Kick off. Me and Denny were stationed in defence. The ball moved at a frightening pace. The teachers were bombarded early on, and didn’t quite settle into any rhythm in midfield, but the defence held out – strong, steady, tackling, intercepting, and building play from the back. One observer was heard to have said ‘wow, who are those handsome foreign chaps in defence for the teachers? Not only are they ridiculously good lookin’, they are also perfectly good footballers!’ After 20 minutes, the Teachers XI settled. We pushed high up the field, in the knowledge that we had the pace to cover. The defence won the ball high up and BAM all of a sudden we were countering and BAM -GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL! 1-0. Then soon after, after another swift counter attack that started from the back, penalty. BAM GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! 2-0. Then before you know it……
…..And that’s why you should never kick a rooster. The final score was Teachers XI 3-2 Pupils XI. A glorious day for the Teachers. The following match was a school match. Me and Denny again played in defence, this time reppin’ Sanjiwani First XI vs Mount View H.S. Let me set the scene. It was a fine summer’s day….
…..And that’s why you should always carry apple juice. And so the final score was a whooping Sanjiwani 8-2 Mount View. We rock. Besides from the time I slipped in the massive mud puddle, slid about 5 metres, stood up, waved at the jeering crowd, walked two steps, fell again, slid 2 metres, stood up, waved at the now hysterical crowd completely pitted in mud, but all the while holding my head high and dignified. We were then scouted for the Nepal national team and but rejected them because we are also now surgeons, so we’re pretty busy.
Yesterday, we witnessed 3 surgeries. And not from afar either. We were inside the O.T. We saw surgery on the spine, a hernia, and last but definitely not least we saw the removal of a tumour in the intestines which had obstructed the bowels. It was not pretty, and smelt even worse. Having taken the tumour out, the surgeon asked us to take a close look at the removed area, then proceeded to dissect the area. In doing a peach seed popped out. If there is one lesson we can learn from this – don’t eat peach seeds.
Today we spent a bit longer in the O.T., and saw; laparoscopic surgery, endoscopic surgery, an open wound surgery in the neck to remove a tumour, and a removal of the uterus. Seeing blood and open wounds I can survive with, but unfortunately a uterus hanging out a lady part I couldn’t quite cope with. Having said that, me and Denny are now fully qualified surgeons. Our words of wisdom is this; laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery is the future of urology.
Other things we have seen/done lately; walked a lot, walked a thousand steps, walked some more, had dinner with the Big Dawg’s, walked to the top of hills and mountains to see the scenery, hosted the Momo World Championships (Momo is a very popular Nepali dumpling), and seen 80-100 soldiers marching to a base camp, equipped with shotguns, AK’s, assault rifles, an anti-tank rifle, and a rocket launcher - just what every civilian expects to see on a routine walk to school. Me and Denny managed to make them part for us though by informing them of our medical importance, ‘Please – we’re doctors’.
On a more serious note, we were very fortunate to visit the homes of some students in the past few days. The first home belonged to three siblings who live at the children’s home (and have one more sibling living elsewhere). They lived in one of the poorer areas of central Dhulikhel. The door was 4 foot high, and led into a ‘corridor’. We had to crouch, and this ‘corridor’ could only fit single profile walking. We walked literally two steps onto a set of stairs, then proceeded up the stairs. The downstairs, if you could call it that, consisted of the same dirt floor the led in from the street, and only that set of stairs. Upstairs, once host to a family of six, consisted of one large bed. That was all. I don’t think I need to say much more. The second home belongs to a student of the school. His parents were originally from India, but migrated to Nepal for business. When business took a turn for the worse, they migrated back to India but left the young boy to study in Nepal. We are told education in Nepal is cheaper. The young boy was 6 years old when his family moved back to India. His father visits every month to check on his progress. But from the age of 6 this young boy has been living, washing, cooking, and eating all by himself for the best part of three weeks a month. He lives in one room, with two beds, a wardrobe, and a cooker. And clearly we are not talking about en-suite; we are still talking about mud floors and makeshift roofs. Opposite his room is a warehouse that his father has left him. He collects scrap and waste to sell on. This is how he has been making money since he was small. Although his family fund him, they too struggle for money, so sometimes money does not quite make it to him. He doesn’t socialise much outside of school. His life consists of studying, working at the warehouse, sleeping and eating. He hopes to one day return to India to study science engineering. He is very diligent, and very bright. I just hope that like so many others, circumstances outside his control will not prevent him from reaching his dream. Unfortunately this is not even the most difficult story we have heard here.
On another note, Denny has recently embarked on an arduous and harrowing quest for hair spray. Through thick and thin, through wind and rain, he will not give up. If there is one thing we have learnt from this quest is that, no matter from what walk of life you come from, and no matter where life takes you, there is more to life than being ridiculously good looking.
I will write about the school and the children’s home a bit further on in the week, but for now, don’t talk to strange men, they may offer you sweets. Like yesterday, me and Denny were searching for a Pinsir on route 79 when…..
……And that’s why you will NEVER catch the dragon.
Till next time!
P.S. I have now tasted pure honey, fresh from the hive. Normal honey will no longer do. You’ve been warned.
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