A peaceful end to a harmonious beginning

We have been on quite a journey. The week was filled with lots of different smells, people ,food and living conditions. While all these can pose a challenge for two pedicure lovin' San Franciscans, we kept our focus on the mission.  Our last leg of the training program was watching teachers demonstrate Speak To Children's program with their students in the classroom.

Our cab driver played Bollywood Hindi music as we slowly weaved through a huge traffic jam into the suburbs of Kathmandu with Motor cyclists inches away-so close we could touch them!

Throughout the day, we were greeted by welcoming teachers and smiling children, all in schools that were in horrible conditions. The teachers demonstrated the program by integrating some of the words into their curriculum, and others had the children sing songs about appreciation, choices and sharing. Each teacher had prepared a specific Speak To Children lesson, which was impressive and exciting for us to watch. They got it! Listening to the children proudly recite the six words and happily sing rhymes filled us with joy. The children were the reason we traveled so far,and were able to actually see that they had learned the curriculum from the teachers who had not historically treated them with kindness.

The small classrooms were filled with harmony, peace and children's joyful voices singing about appreciation, sharing, choices, celebrating differences, and a conscience. Our mission was accomplished. As we walked away towards our hotel, Melanie could hear the children's voices and commented on the wonderment in their eyes, while Giulietta recalled how touched she was when one of the teachers hugged her. We all felt the program was a success. We did it!

The next few hours were spent unwinding in Katmandu. We saw some more sites and had some yummy food together with a colleague from ICRI. With each hour that passed we experienced a little more peace. And as we talked about the day while sitting in a restaurant that felt like an old temple, overlooking Patan Dubar Square, it started to rain. Melanie felt the rain was an omen. After a week of embracing differences, the rain made everything new again. The wood carved windows were propped open and as we looked outside, all was well for the two non Trekkers who came so far to create outrageous goodness.

View from the restaurant.

Golden Buddhist Temple. 

We know that the days and months ahead will be key to maintain the consistency for the program being taught. Thankfully, we have the master teachers in place to support the process. We are on to a new chapter.

"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." - T.S. Eliot

 Next stop Singapore! Hot showers here we come. Namaste.