Sunday afternoon and I’m writing this only having less than a week left here in Ghana. This past week I’ve really been debating with myself whether or not I should stay a few more weeks here, at least till my VISA expires 3 weeks after my departure date… A big part of me really likes it here, and it already feels like a sort of home. On top of that, I’m not too excited to go back to Sweden at the moment. But a part of me also feels ready to go home, mainly to be able to see friends and family. This last week I’ve just felt really lonely. Also I really really cannot wait to get back to Sweden and all the Swedish food! I’m honestly writing a list on my phone of things I’m gonna eat when I come back, no joke.
The main reason why I feel ready to go home is because I have now scheduled another 3 interviews this coming week, and I feel like the material I have now is what I wanted from the beginning, and good enough. One of these interviews is with the chief of child protection at UNICEF! I couldn’t believe it when I got the answer from him, I cried haha. They were always on top of my list of organizations I wanted to interview. Everyone kept telling me they were a looong shot and it would be quite impossible to get an interview there. Well, if you really really want something fight for it and it will work out one way or the other.
Now I’m heading to the Accra Mall, to sit down at the coffee shop and drink plenty of my favorite coconut icepresso and study! That place has really been a comfy place where I have spent many days studying, drinking coffee, meeting new people, and, buying my new phone, I will miss it!
Namaste, It is my second to last week in Nepal and I am trying to squeeze in as much as possible before heading back home. In my last blog post I forgot to mention that I attended the ANZAC Day memorial service organised by the Australian Ambassador at his residency @ the Australian Embassy on April 25. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”. It was an interesting event to take part of in Nepal.
Me and staff from the Australian Embassy and Australia Awards Nepal at the ANZAC Day memorial
This week I have done some interviews as well as been touristing around a bit. On Saturday I attended the Le Sherpa farmers market which is where a lot of the expats go every Saturday morning. It is a nice place to grab a coffee and sit down on the lawn and chat to people. On Sunday I attended the Yellow House farmers market in Patan which was also really good. I ended up buying two shirts that are designed and made in Nepal.
Le Sherpa Farmers Market in Lazimpat
I got to meet the next batch of Australia Awards Nepal Short Course on Inclusive Education in Practice Awardees heading off to Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane. It was lovely to meet the scholars at their Pre-Departure Briefing held in Kathmandu just two days before they were off to Australia. My project in Nepal is in interviewing alumni from this course (2016 and 2018 participants), hence very interesting to attend this event and learn more about the scholars selected for 2019.
Pre-Departure Briefing for 2019 Australia Awards Nepal short course in inclusive education in practice
I had an interview with Australia Awards Nepal alumni Mr Ganesh Kc and Ms Jamuna Subedi from Independent Living Centre for Persons with Disabilities, Kathmandu (CIL-Kathmandu). It was such an inspiring meeting! CIL-Kathmandu promote and protect the rights of people with disabilities through advocacy, peer support, and awareness raising of the concept of ‘Independent Living’ in Nepal. www.cil.org.np
“The right to participate in every aspect of life” “The only special need that I have is to be loved and accepted just the way I am”
Me and staff from CIL-Kathmandu
I also had a great meeting with Mr Lakpa Sherpa, Principal at the Laboratory School (Lab School), and how he works with advocating for inclusive education. The Lab school is the first public boarding school in Nepal (established 1956) and is a successful integrated school where visually impaired and sighted students share the same classroom. www.laboratoryschoolnepal.com
Me and Mr Lakpa Sherpa from the Lab School
And I also had an interview with Mr KP Adhikari and team at the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal (NDFN). I learned so much about inclusive education and the development and challenges within deaf education. NDFN is the national umbrella organisation of the deaf community in Nepal working for policy intervention on such as deaf rights, sign language, telecommunication facilities, awareness raising and training. www.deafnepal.org.np “I can talk with my hands. Can you?”
Me and KP Adhikari and two interpreters at the NDFN
Namaste (hello in Nepali)! This week being back in Kathmandu has been very busy. I have had a couple of interviews as well as attended several events organised by the Australian Embassy in Nepal (my host organisation). It was also the Nepali new year. According to the national Nepalese calendar Bikram Sambat it is now 2076.
Each year the Australia Awards Nepal program organise a return home and reintegration workshop for all the alumni that have recently returned from their studies in Australia. I got to meet Rajuna, which I helped to mobilise to Australia 3 years ago when I worked in Adelaide, Australia on the AA program. So good to see her again!
AASWA Return home and reintegration workshop, Rajuna and meAASWA Return home and reintegration workshop
I got invited to attend the Australia Awards Nepal inspirational talk program with famous Dr Sanduk Ruit. Dr Ruit is an Australia Global Alumni and today an eminent eye-surgeon and restored the sight of more than 120,000 people across Nepal and beyond. He work to help the poorest of the poor. He has received several international Awards and it was an honor to be there and listen to him.
Australia Awards Nepal hosting an inspiration talk program with Dr Sanduk RuitAudience at the Australia Awards Nepal talk program with Dr Sanduk Ruit
Then I also completed two interviews this week. The first one with the AutismCare Nepal Society and I got to interview two alumni, Sijan and Dr Sunita that both have attended the short course in inclusive education. I got to see their school, a school for children with autism that at this stage are unable to go to a mainstream school.
Photo: Sijan, me and Dr Sunita, AutismCare Nepal Society
My second interview was with Sagar, he worked for the National Federation of Disabled, Nepal (NFDN) for many years before he earlier this year resigned to work with his project Sangai Hami (Together We) – People with and without disabilities together! Sagar is a great inspiration!
Can´t believe I have already been to Nepal for two weeks! So much is happening all the time and I have already fallen in love with the people, the food, the culture and the nature. This week I have attended several event through the Australian Government in Nepal, my host organisation for my field studies in Nepal.
It was so good to participate at a program hosted to raise an awareness and support on the World Down Syndrome Day by the Down Syndrome Association of Nepal with a theme ” Leave no one behind in Education” at Basantapur Durbarsquare. So happy to see the little children with Down Syndrome perform. The drama conducted by the young students gave a very inspiring story and a very positive message to the audience, and lighting of candles at the end to show solidarity was heart touching. Below are some glimpses of the event.
Me and people from Down Syndrome Association of Nepal and the Australian Embassy in NepalLight Ceremony at the World Down Syndrome Day
Below are some photos from the International Women’s Day interaction program organised by the Association of Nepalese Alumni from Australia (ANAA) and Australia Awards Leadership Network with a theme “More Powerful Together” which truly justified the theme. The interaction program was very interesting with a good flow of Q & A session.
International Women’s Day Celebration by the Australia Awards alumniInternational Womens Day Celebration, me and Sanjana from the Australian Embassy in Nepal
Had an inspiring meeting (interview) with the National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN). Ms Pratima Gurung, President of NIDWAN, is supported by the UN in her work and research on rights of indigenous women with disabilities!
Pratima Gurung, President of NIDWANMe and the National Indigenous Disabled Women Association Nepal (NIDWAN).
I also had the opportunity to experience the Nepali ‘Holi’ celebration. That was lot of fun. Got to meet some Swedish MFS students from Lund University that are in Kathmandu for another week.
Happy Holi from Nepal
That is all for this week. Now I am about to head off on a big hike to Mardi Himal so will be out of internet for a week or up to 10 days, see you then!
