The last day of work!

Today was the last day of construction work.. what a relief!
I've actually really enjoyed the work, it's been a right challenge at times! Feels good to have achieved so much and I'm now looking forward to spending these last 6 days work-free! Yippee!

The first floor is getting done!!! Chuffed!

The majority of the volunteers have gone to Thamel again to enjoy the city for the last time, but I've chosen to spend it here in my village with my famly. Can't believe I have to leave it all!!!! I've been spending a lot of time on my rooftop recently.. I've taken to bringing my guitar up there and writing or singing songs and looking at the beautiful mountains that surround us. I love it!!!!

I often go up in the mornings and chill out before the day begins - I generally go up at around 7.30 and feel the heat set in!
The photos just don't do it justice!

It's been a strange week. Simply in the fact that I've witnessed SO much animal sacrifice. This was one of the things that was putting me off coming to Nepal with Platform2 but when I read in to it, I didn't get the impression that it happened quite so often!
To be fair though, there has only been one animal sacrifice - at the Nepali New Year - up until now... and all I saw of that was the goat. Alive.

In my last blog I mentioned the sacrifice I witnessed on Monday..
Well, since then there has been one a day, then four yesterday and today hundreds were brought to their fate. I experienced them parading the bodies of the animals around with their head on a platter along with other offerings (both goats and ducks) as well as seeing them splash the blood from their severed necks up the walls of the temples.


If I was to read this I wouldn't have thought that I could handle it.But being here, I just have to. I can't bring myself to condone it, or even accept it... but I can keep my opinions to myself and get on with it. On the second day I got emotional about it because it was the second time I'd seen it and was then told that it would be happening up until we leave. I cried in to my wheelbarrow for a while then got on with the day quietly, with the odd conversation of 'just why???'. It was proper hard cos it just doesn't seem right to me. I know that the meat is eaten and everything from the animal is used... but I just don't like the reason behind it. I don't like the fact that it is done for religion and done to please a god. A god who desires blood.
I was speaking to Khyam about it and he said that in the Terai region, where he's from, there's a festival every year where his family would sacrifice at least 4 goats. He then went on to say that he doesn't condone this and they now spill the blood of coconuts instead. As more of a symbol.
I hope this is a sign of change over here.
.........I hope this isn't me being ignorant!

Anyway, that's all for now as I'm gonna head towards the noodle bar. Hopefully haven't been bitten to smitherines by the bloody mozzies in here - AGAIN!

See you all soon!

Zara