I had planned on writing a post or two on trekking in Nepal. It would seem, though, that I've been suffering from a case of writer's block. I can't seem to find a way to do the topic justice. Instead, my photos--and the associated commentary--will have to suffice. Needless to say, these were wonderful experiences, and I highly recommend a trip to Nepal for anyone who is interested. I put photos from Nepal, Switzerland and Morocco up on my Picasa site.
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| Nepal 2010 |
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| France and Switzerland 2010 |
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| Morocco 2010 |
Also, I put together a panoramic composite image of the Himalaya near Mt Everest, and put it up on Photosynth.
There is one other topic in addition to my treks in Nepal that I had wanted write about: volunteering and development work. Of course, a big part of this trip was spent visiting a friend who is volunteering in Nepal for a couple years. Over the past few months--before, during and after my trip--it has been interesting for me to gain little insights here and there into various aspects of her work. And it's hard work, both for her, as a volunteer and a foreigner, and for the Nepalis that she is working with trying to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Makwanpur District. It's heartwrenching, frankly. Clearly, there is an emotional aspect to this topic of volunteering or development work, for me, at least, but I think too for Tiffany and her Nepali coworkers. But it is not and cannot only be about having a bleeding heart. There is funding and grants and paperwork and reports and conferences and trainings and on and on and on. It's serious work.
I wish I had something profound to say about volunteering and development work. Talking with Tiffany and her Nepali coworkers, and getting a glimpse of the work that they are doing certainly made the whole thing much more real for me. I suppose for now, I'll just leave it at that.
I will end this blog with a quote I heard the other day that I appreciated. From time to time, I listen to the radio show Speaking of Faith. There was a show a month ago or so on the art of peace, in which John Paul Lederach, a Professor of International Peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame, talked about peacebuilding work he has done in Nepal and elsewhere. Towards the end of the interview, he quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes as saying, "I would not give a fig for simplicity on this side of complexity, but I would give my life for simplicity on the other side of complexity." That's what I'm talking about. That's what I'm striving for.
3 comments:
So good to talk with you, Brian. So good to read this post and all your posts. My heart brightly beams for you and for all the outer and inner places your journey has taken you. With so much love and gratitude... Mom
Brian -
Seems like maybe it's hard to have a sense of real closure with something that you are still processing. I'm super happy that your experience in Nepal (and Switzerland and Morocco) are still living inside you. Helps me feel like a part of my story here is also living in Portland.
Here is my favorite quote that - in my mind - sums up being a development worker...
"If you have come to help me, you’re wasting your time. But if you’ve come because you believe your liberation is bound to mine, then let us work together." Lila Watson - American Indigenous Elder.
Thanks for the quote, Tiff. So true, eh? And of course a part of your story lives on here in Portland. And not only through me--there are so many people here whose lives you've touched... ;-)
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