It has already been nearly a month since I wrote Arriving In Nepal and my time has already gone so quickly. I arrived in Nepal on this day four weeks ago. Today I am filled with memories of my emotions and experiences in traveling here – I was so excited to see M again as well as being so nervous and apprehensive. Now, that I am living in Nepal everything is feeling very normal and every day.
The weeks fly by in Nepal as there is only one day in the weekend – a Saturday. There is no Sunday to relax or dread going back to work, instead, Sunday is the start of the week so Nepalis really do not have time to waste. Also, I have found that the days speed past in Nepal. I am pretty sure they have their own time dimension – two Nepalese seconds to even English second.
Nepali calendar
One huge difference is the length of the day. Nepalis like to start their day early. Most people wake up at around 5; some even prefer to rise slightly earlier. This being said they are still able to sleep quite late in the evening and night. I still have no idea how this is possible whilst maintaining the energy to tackle the heat outside.
Once they are awake they start doing chores around the house for example: making tea, cooking rice, dal and vegetables for breakfast, cleaning, ironing and so on. In the morning people will drift in and out of the kitchen eating at separate times before rushing off to a busy day at work.
I, on the other hand, attempt to make tea if I can get to the kitchen before my MiL, but sadly that is as much as I am allowed to do in the kitchen. Even then my tea is too strong and English for a Nepali palate. I continue my day pottering around the house mostly studying and then M’s sister returns from University at lunch time. I have my Nepali class with my teacher and then by this time my MiL returns, then M and my FiL much later.
My excuse for not being able to make good Nepali tea
So far this is how it has been the past weeks in Nepal. I am never bored with the few hours of alone time I get and actually find contentment in having the house to myself (well, with his grandparents upstairs). The day just goes so quickly though. I have already been in Nepal for nearly a month and it is scary how fast my time here is going. I have not managed to do many of the tourist things I had originally planned to and feel sad that my time is moving on without me.
How did you settle in your partner’s country? Also, how did you find the balance between living your new life as a local but being a tourist and seeing the country as well? Please comment below – I would love to hear your experiences.
