And the next chapter unfolds

Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has resigned in the face of gridlock.

NY Times article here.

Ting's Tea Lounge & Hotel: A wonderful place to stay in Kathmandu

For anyone traveling to Kathmandu I recommend staying in Ting's Tea Lounge.  This place is outrageously serene with good food, very nice rooms, and cozy hang out spots.  A++.

Ting's guest rooms.

Furthering Mutual Understanding and Measuring The Price of Empire: Senator Fulbright's Message

As my Fulbright grant comes to an end I find it appropriate to reflect on Senator J. William Fulbright's philosophy and goals.  The mission of the Arkansas Senator's eponymous program is to "further mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other nations" so as to "bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs, and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship."

Senator Fulbright.

His lofty goals were grounded in robust support for mutilateralism and the UN, his pushback against McCarthyism, and more infamously his support of racial segregation.  One of his more famous speeches is titled, 'The Price of Empire' (also the title of a book he later published) and was delivered to the American Bar Association in Hawaii in the summer of 1967 set to the backdrop of race riots in American cities.  Some excerpts from his speech are below.  The connections he draws between values and government budget decisions seem particularly relevant today.

         Priorities are reflected in the things we spend money on. Far from being a dry accounting of bookkeepers, a nation’s budget is full of moral implications; it tells what a society cares about and what it does not care about; it tells what its values are. 

         Here are a few statistics on America’s values: Since 1946 we have spent over $1,578 billion through our regular national budget. Of this amount over $904 billion, or 57.29 percent of the total, have gone for military power. By contrast, less than $96 billion, or 6.08 percent, were spent on “social functions” including education, health, labor and welfare programs, housing and community development. The Administration’s budget for fiscal year 1968 calls for almost $76 billion to be spent on the military and only $15 billion for “social functions.”

         I would not say that we have shown ourselves to value weapons five or ten times as much as we value domestic social needs, as the figures suggest; certainly much of our military spending has been necessitated by genuine requirements of national security. I think, however, that we have embraced the necessity with excessive ethusiasm, that the Congress has been all too willing to provide unlimited sums for the military and not really very reluctant at all to offset these costs to a very small degree by cutting away funds for the poverty program and urban renewal, for rent supplements for the poor and even for a program to help protect slum children from being bitten by rats. Twenty million dollars a year to eliminate rats—about one one- hundredth of the monthly cost of the war in Vietnam— would not eliminate slum riots but, as Tom Wicker has written, “It would only suggest that somebody cared.” The discrepancy of attitudes tells at least as much about our national values as the discrepancy of dollars.  

And in conclusion Fulbright says,

         Some years ago Archibald MacLeish characterized the American people as follows: “Races didn’t bother the Americans. They were something a lot better than any race. They were a People. They were the first self-constituted, self-declared, self-created People in the history of the world. And their manners were their own business. And so were their politics. And so, but ten times so, were their souls.” Now the possession of their souls is being challenged by the false and dangerous dream of an imperial destiny. It may be that the challenge will succeed, that America will succumb to becoming a traditional empire and will reign for a time over what must surely be a moral if not a physical wasteland, and then, like the great empires of the past, will decline or fall. Or it may be that the effort to create so grotesque an anachronism will go up in flames of nuclear holocaust. 

         But if I had to bet my money on what is going to happen, I would bet on this younger generation—this generation who reject the inhumanity of war in a poor and distant land, who reject the poverty and sham in their own country, this generation who are telling their elders what their elders ought to have known, that the price of empire is America’s soul and that price is too high. 

It Takes More than Energy: Renewable Energy Development

16 hour per day blackouts are common during the winter months in Nepal because of power shortages.  Rivers run lower during the winter directly resulting in dramatic drops in hydropower output.  Nepal has 40,000 MW of economically feasible hydropower potential but, according to IPPAN (Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal), only 600 MW of hydropower has been developed (less than 2% of the total potential).  The Three Gorges Dam in China has a capacity 30 times greater than this amount.  

A small hydro project (source).

Image source.

As the political situation has settled since the end of the conflict in the mid 2000's, economic stability has been creeping in resulting in renewed interest in developing hydropower resources.  Projects are moving along but there has been resistance, particularly from people who live near the new projects.  Buildings at the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project were torched recently and the government is mulling sending in the army to guard the project.  


People speak of the innumerable benefits of renewable energy across the globe but when it comes to implementing new projects there are always significant hurdles.  There are NIMBY issues (think about how long it took to get the Cape Cod wind farm off the water), compensation negotiations, and environmental risks to name a few.   I came across an interesting blog post by an Ian Axford Fellow, Ian Boisvert, based in New Zealand who is 'investigating ways to reduce undue legal barriers to siting New Zealand's marine renewable energy generators (wind, wave, and tidal).'  He had an interesting post about  the realities of building a tidal turbine project in New Zealand.  An excerpt from his post says, 

'A global pattern of protest is emerging against renewable energy. Whether they are onshore wind developments in the UK, solar projects in California, or tidal turbines in New Zealand, activists are trying to stop the projects. Certainly, environmentalists opposing solar projects must understand that renewable electricity offsets negative externalities caused by fossil fuel electricity. Then why the angst? Some responsibility must fall to project developers whose first job should be to manage perceptions of their project.'

Perceptions matter and as the global economy recovers and many stalled projects come back online it is crucial for developers to look at their projects holistically.

Nepal's Political Mess as Seen by The Economist

Nepal's political mess got big coverage by The Economist this week.  The caretaker government (the Constituent Assembly, CA) granted itself its third term extension last week yet it seems no closer to promulgating a permanent constitution.  It appears that the CA met for a total of 95 minutes over the past year.  I hesitate to say people on the street are agitating but it seems some are at least considering lighting a fire under the politicians.

The takeaway: progress is elusive but things could be worse.  Things could also be better.

'The Parliament at work' from The Economist.

Nepal's changing state: Altitude sickness: Nepalis grow impatient, as their leaders fiddle (June 2, 2011)
"A GAGGLE of protesters in Kathmandu, Nepal’s fume-filled capital, want a Himalayan summer to follow the Arab spring. Organised via Facebook, young and dapper professionals meet outside the Magic Beans coffee house to clap, call for a constitution and condemn the wretched performance of their country’s leaders. “Our politics is a kind of a disease,” one of them grumbles."

Aid and corruption in Nepal: Low road through the Himalayas (May 21, 2011)
"THE old Padam Road, on the way from the regional centre of Birgunj, was resurfaced only last year, but you would not know it to look. Rutted and worn away in parts it seems like it has not been maintained in decades. An old man by the roadside, who laboured to build it from scratch during his youth, offered a few choice oaths to describe the resurfacing contractor, who was paid for this mess with funds earmarked for local development."

UN Mission in Nepal: So long, good luck (January 14, 2011)
"FOUR years after it was established to support the country's peace process, the United Nations mission in Nepal, UNMIN, is packing up and shipping out this weekend. From January 15th, it leaves Nepal's deadlocked peace process dangling in a chill breeze."

It's not every day you meet a living goddess (and her mother)

After completing a wonderful English language training at a school in Patan (southern Kathmandu) some other teachers and I were offered the chance to meet the Kumari.  Kumari is followed by many people in the Valley is believed to be a living goddess.  There are, in fact, 3 Kumaris.  Each Kathmandu, Baktapur, and Patan has there own Kumari.  The Kumari is chosen from among a few families at a young age and is sequestered in her home (see picture below) except on a few very special occasions each year.  Her diety-ness is maintained until her first menstruation when a new Kumari is found.  On this particular day, we met the former Kumari, the former Kumari's mother, the current Kumari, and the current Kumari's mother (and her former roommate).  

The role of the Kumari and society's expectations of her have changed significantly in the past few generations of goddesses.  The former Kumari is shy but speaks fluent English and is currently employed at her former school as an accountant.  The current Kumari gets private lessons from visiting teachers based on the same curriculum as her more earthy peers.  Much has been written about the subject and I recommend From Goddess to Immortal written by a former Kathmandu Kumari, Rashmila Shakya. 

Giving a donation in exchange for puja (red rice paste on the forehead).

Kumari's have to do their homework too; the Kumari's computer.

In case you aren't in the know.

The Kumari's compound.

From the Chicken Coop to the Granery: My New Bedroom

After having vicious allergies to my last room (the former chicken coop) I upgraded to a new room (the current grain storage facility).  You'd be surprised how comfortable a pile of rice can be.

Trapped in the Terai

Having some time on our hands, a few friends and I took a trip to the southwest corner of the country and made our way slowly to Bardia National Park where we wandered through the wilderness looking for and then escaping from large wild animals.  Much of the terrain looked like the land does in the two following images.  

The view from the top of a lookout tower.

We posted up at this spot for a few hours and scanned for birds and other wildlife.  I took a nap.

Bardia National Park (NP) is located northwest of Nepalganj (image source).

Nepal is made up of three very different geographic regions: 1) Terai, 2) Hill, and 3) Mountain.   Kathmandu is located in the hilly region.  In the south bordering India is the Terai region (see the map).  Being further south and about 4000 feet lower in elevation than Kathmandu, the cities in the Terai are dry, dusty, and unpleasantly warm.  This area is culturally influenced by India and shares the same climate as the massive Indian Plains.  In addition, the land is flat so large-scale rice paddy farming that is prohibited by the hills and mountains further north is possible here. 

The three main geographic regions or belts of Nepal: Terai, Hills, and Mountains (image source)

A satellite image highlighting Nepal's diverse geography (image source).

Another way to look at the elevation change across Nepal (from south to north) (image source).

Our fantastic guide.

A wild elephant.

The Tharu people are the dominant ethnicity around Bardia and in much of the Terai.  They have an interesting mix of Nepali and Indian blood and and are said to be direct descendants of Lord Buddha.  Life looks a bit different for people in the Terai with mud walled homes and lots of forestry products.

A row of Tharu houses.

People bike everywhere on Indian made bikes.

Whole days are committed to cutting through these trees in order to make door and window frames.

Some more woodworking.

On our second day in Bardia we found out there was a bandha (or strike) and we would be unable to leave.   People who participate in the strikes are known to drink heavily and there are numerous stories of vehicles being torched for breaking the rules of the strike.  After getting confirmation from a few other sources we found out that indeed there would be a bandha of unknown length.  These strikes can last a day or can be extended up to two weeks.  This particular bandha was organized and implemented by political parties in the region wanting more autonomy from the federal government.  Bardia was nice but we didn't want to spend two weeks there.  Our options were to wait it out (for however long or short the strike would last) or to ride bicycles the few hundred kilometers to the nearest operating bus stop.  We went so far as to visit some bike shops but lucked out with the strike only lasting two days.

A very old birth control billboard along the road near Bardia.

Weed grows wild in the fields.  Travelers are advised to wash boots before heading back to the airports.

We spent a great afternoon during the bandha (the stirke) at the local swimming hole.

Don't Insist on English!

Check out this new TED talk by Patricia Ryan who has spent the last 40 years teaching English in the Arabian Gulf.  More on Patricia Ryan.

"At TEDxDubai, longtime English teacher Patricia Ryan asks a provocative question: Is the world's focus on English preventing the spread of great ideas in other languages? (For instance: what if Einstein had to pass the TOEFL?) It's a passionate defense of translating and sharing ideas."

The Nepali Brick Industry

Kathmandu was a stronghold of the national government during the civil war of the late 90's and early 2000's.  Because the Valley was significantly safer than outlying areas many people moved for security reasons.  The population of the Kathmandu Valley has, according to some estimates, doubled in the past 20 years (from 2 to 4 million).  A consequence of this population growth is an ongoing boom in residential construction.  Many of the buildings in urban and semi-urban Nepal are built predominantly of brick.  Much of the Valley's bricks come from Lalitpur district, which lies just south of Kathmandu proper, and happens to be where I live with my family. 

The fields surrounding my village are strewn with brick factory smoke stacks such as this one.  

Bricks are made by mixing water with the top couple meters of soil and clay from fields.

A close up of the bricks in a stack as they dry.  Notice the swastika imprinted on the bricks.  In Hindu culture, the swastika is an auspicious symbol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika).

After bricks are formed they are piled up to dry.

People carry amazingly heavy loads of bricks on their backs.

Stacking bricks in a truck for transport.

Bricks are moved to construction sites.

A view of Kathmandu proper over a pile of drying bricks.  The brick structure on the left is a temporary home constructed by migrant workers.

Another Fulbright grantee, Taylor Weidman, has some outstanding shots (click here) from a nearby brick kiln.

Tribhuvan University: The Gem of Nepali Higher Education

Tribhuvan University (TU), established in 1959, is the oldest university in Nepal.  Including its many affiliates TU has a student body of about 300,000 students.  The University has an impressive offering of different courses and programs.  I visited the main campus in Kathmandu to check out the campus life. 

Students sitting on top of some academic building.  The combination of roaming students, scorched ground, and trash piles reminded me of a fraternity house on a spring afternoon.

The volleyball match between the Library Science and Education departments was well attended.

Students watch the match.

Nyaya Health Country Director Position Available

An interesting job posting in public health in Nepal.
Job Posting

About Nyaya: Nyaya Health operates a hospital and mobile medical care services in Achham, a large district in Nepal. Achham is one of the poorest regions in South Asia, and shoulders some of the world’s highest mortality rates, particularly among women. Following a decade-long civil conflict, the health infrastructure of the region has been ravaged. Nyaya provides essential primary care to the region, as requested and directed by community members. We work in partnership with local government officials as part of an initiative to rebuild the public sector health system. We construct healthcare infrastructure, train local health workers, and provide direct medical services. Our organization employs an all-Nepali staff with supervision and training from volunteer public health experts. We maintain an “open source” approach involving complete transparency in our expenditures, operations protocols, and clinical outcomes, which are detailed on this website.

About the position: The Country Director (CD) plays a critical role in the administration of the organization through the oversight of Nyaya’s work in Nepal. The CD will work full-time in Achham and coordinate closely with Nyaya team members in Kathmandu and outside of Nepal, helping to manage and respond to daily operational needs of the organization. This position will include elements of team management, strategic planning, program management and research coordination, as well as support for critical development, networking and fundraising activities. The role requires a commitment to social justice work and an excitement to work in a dynamic and challenging personal and professional environment.

Job Posting

Keeping Girls in School

The Asia Society is hosting an event in Washington, DC to discuss the topic of "Keeping Girls in School." From the Asia Society Website:

"The issue of gender-based educational rights remains a challenge for many Asian countries, particularly in rural areas. There are many reasons why girls have no access to basic education or drop out from schools. These include economic considerations, gender bias, safety, lack of adequate school facilities within their neighborhoods, and absence of female role models in schools.  Girls' education is vital to a country's development because it promotes investment in human resources and is capable of raising living standards and encouraging social stability if managed well." 

This topic is germane to Nepal's educational system.  At my school, which is semi-rural, about 70% of the students are girls.  In Nepal there is a huge private school industry where the private schools' main difference from public schools is the use of English as the sole medium for teaching.   A good English background is a top educational objective for many families. So, if families have enough money to afford private school they will choose to send a boy leaving the girls to go to the public schools.  Granted there are lots of boys and girls who do not attend school at all, this sexual bias creates an interesting dynamic in the classroom and school.

Hello Again! and some photos from my village

My next door neighbor working on some bikes.

My homestay pops stretching it out in front of our house.

Massacre at the Palace!

No, not again, but here's a great history about the Nepali Royalty.

Click HERE

Nepal Elects a Prime Minister and Continues to have Political Gridlock

From the NY Times, "Nepal's bitterly divided legislature elected a new prime minister on Thursday, ending a stalemate that had paralyzed the country for months as competing political parties fought to control the government in this strategically located Himalayan nation. The new prime minister, Jhalanath Khanal, immediately called upon Nepal’s rival political parties to support his administration and work together in finishing a new constitution expected to restructure the national government."

See the full article here.

And a follow up article by the Times: HERE

"“We Nepalis, we grew up with political movements,” he explained over a cup of coffee. He had came of age amid student politics, was even jailed in 1990 for his activism. “Despite all our movements, we still haven’t been able to have the kind of change our hearts are set on,” he said. “I think that’s why we feel so happy when we see change taking place elsewhere.”
The May deadline set for finishing our new constitution is less than 100 days away, but the document remains in rough draft. The will to complete it — among the democratic political parties and the Maoists, as well as in India — appears to be wholly lacking."

A Ride Through Shivapuri Park: An Urban Forest

With a free day and a lot of energy I rode my bicycle north out of Kathmandu and made my way uphill to Shivapuri Park.  After grinding slowly up the side of Kathmandu Valley through varying urban neighborhoods the road suddenly ended at a gate guarded by frisky army soldiers.  Behind me was all of Kathmandu and in front a lush and green forest plopped right at the edge of the city.  Shivapuri is a ~20 square km forest preserve within a stone's throw of Kathmandu.  After drinking some tea and de-sweatifying myself I made friends with a hard rocking Nepali guy and we embarked on a fun, if mildly unsafe, ride through the forest.

'Morrison' (his adopted name coming from Jim Morrison) putting on his game face.

The Megadeath poster is on the other wall.

A Buddhist monastery in the middle of the forest complete with a hazy view  of Kathmandu.

Monks' slippers left at the door. We arrived just in time to hear midday chanting.

A row of prayer flags outside the monastery.