Far, but Close - Our Nepali Family

Today it is raining. That's not rare for this part of the world, but it is less common during this time of year; summer is when The Land of Many Waters actually dries out a little. Nevertheless, I am happy for today's rain. I transplanted some lettuce starts* a couple of days ago, and the rain is helping them adjust to their new homes. When you plant or transplant, damp soil for a few days afterward is a must. It helps the roots get established and makes a big difference in the success of that plant for the rest of its life. Starts need a good start, you might say.

*Starts are what you call plants before you feed them to the slugs - I mean, put them in the garden.

On this drippy day, I reread a letter I received recently, from a friend who lives in the faraway beautiful land of Nepal.

Nepal, can we just?

 I mean, look at the...

And what about all the... 

Nepal is one of my favorite places to daydream about visiting. I want to know as much about it as possible. If you feel the same way, get happy, because I am about to drop some relevant current information, and make an exciting announcement.

See, it's raining there now too. Only that is to be expected during this time of year. Now is when Nepal is experiencing their monsoon season, which means they are getting eighty percent of their annual rainfall over the period of a few months. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Plant something, Nepal!

Turns out they already thought of that, thousands of years ago. To the Nepali people living in agricultural areas, this time of year also means it's time to get out there and transplant some rice seedlings.

Not only do rice starts need their soil to be kept wet after being moved, but full-on standing water is its favorite place to be. These rice beds, which are all tiny flood plains unto themselves, are called paddies.

But, in case you're about to feel sorry for Nepalis, spending their summer break planting rice in a monsoon, don't. Because they are having a blast. This is when people have fun together, working together, singing, splashing each other with the muddy water, and enjoying rice pudding. It's a weeks-long holiday, called  Ropai Jatra.

Let me back up a little. Here's Nepal on the map.

 I don't know about you, but I have always been interested in yonder lands. Sometimes I have had the opportunity to travel to them, but most of the time, I have to learn about them by reading, looking at photos, and talking to people who visited them, or live in them, if possible. The only way I have come to know anything about Nepal has been through my correspondence with a man named Dhruba, and his wife, Manita.

Let me back up a little more, to ten years ago, in the windswept little coastal town of Lincoln city. Geza was working for Oregon Coast Community College, manning their math lab for long shifts in the evening. One night, a lady came to him, asking for help with her math homework. That was his job, so he got right to it. Eventually, they were conversing about how the woman had just returned from a visit to Nepal. She was working with young man there, helping him establish a school, where orphans would receive an education. The man, named Dhruba, was an orphan, all grown up, and wanting to do something to benefit kids like him. He believed in giving a good start to the tough but tender little sprouts in his village. Reading, writing, sweaters, soup, someone to take them out for rice pudding: all help a little one get a good beginning in life. The woman helped him and the school they created was given her last name: Yardley Nepal Himalayas School.

When Geza expressed his long-held interest in Nepal, she said, "You should get in touch with Dhruba!"  They exchanged email information, and life went on.

That's where it all started. We began a little family-to-young-man email pen pal correspondence with Dhruba Dhamala. At first, he told us about his area, cultural events, and his thoughts on life, and I shared in kind. Years went by. We lost touch for periods of time, but would always reconnect and catch up. He met and married a woman named Manita, and they had a daughter and recently a son. Manita runs her own micro-lending organization. a unique service to women in her area, who cannot apply for loans from men in their own name.

We grew much closer, sending photos, and mail. The Dhamala family has come to be part of our family. We encourage each other, and each of us does more in our own lives because of this friendship we share. We know about each other, we have similar goals in this life, and the more we learn about each other, the richer we become.

This is why I am honored to announce that we are beginning a new partnership with Dhruba's Yardley Nepal Himalayas School. Sister schools! A sister school partnership is when two schools, usually  far from each other geographically, agree to become almost like family to each other. They stay in touch, share cultural information, and resources. We're going to form such a relationship, ignoring for the moment that we aren't quite a real school. They are gracious enough to overlook that little technicality, and we thank them for their patience as we grow and find our way.

I haven't spoken much about it, but in my mind is a seed of hope that our crazy little operation here, known as Backyard University, might actually some day move to a larger piece of land, so that it could become an educational resource, accessible to anyone who wants to visit. For that journey, I decided I wanted partners. I asked Dhruba to be in a sister school partnership with us, and he accepted. From here, wherever we go, they are going with us. We'll be in touch via phone, and email. We'll share information about our respective areas, which will become the foundation of lessons learned here. When we post anything related to this facet of our lives, it will be under the heading: Yardley Nepal Himalayas School. And, as always, Facebook is a good place to see the little things that happen, day-to-day.

This alliance energizes me! Rest assured, I still have no idea what I'm doing here, but I have a feeling it's going to be grand for all involved.

I mean, how could you not feel good about an endeavor, when this crew has your back?