Everyday Life
At the SBCH, nobody is ever sitting still for long. If the children aren't studying, then they are playing outside, preparing a meal, or heading off to school. A general daily routine has been established, but there is always room for flexibility. It may seem exhausting to those in a western country, as everything from dishes to laundry is done manually. The children and staff do not view it this way, and accept it as a part of their day to day existence.
The upside to completing everything by hand is that it leaves a lot of time for everyone to interact socially. In western countries, people are so productive that they often forget to interact with each other. It is easy to just throw laundry into a machine and walk away, leaving it to clean itself. Here, every task is an opportunity for social interaction, and a chance to catch up on life in general. In that respect, Nepalis are much more aware of each other than we are at home.
The upside to completing everything by hand is that it leaves a lot of time for everyone to interact socially. In western countries, people are so productive that they often forget to interact with each other. It is easy to just throw laundry into a machine and walk away, leaving it to clean itself. Here, every task is an opportunity for social interaction, and a chance to catch up on life in general. In that respect, Nepalis are much more aware of each other than we are at home.
Cooking
Nepali life generally begins early in the day, and the orphanage is no exception. The first task is usually to get some hot tea on the stove, and begin boiling rice for breakfast. There are two areas where the staff and children cook regularly: one being outside over an open fire, and the other inside on a small camp stove. Meals are generally the same every day, being the traditional dal baht (composed of boiled rice, lentil soup, and curried vegetables), and are served after the children do their morning revision.
Often, you will find the children working alongside the staff members to prepare a meal, especially in the evening after school. The cooking facilities are undoubtedly meagre, but the meals that are produced from them are always hot and delicious. The children really like to be involved in the clean up afterwards as well, and from start to finish, the meal time is like a well oiled machine. Everyone does their share. It is pretty impressive how all of the children take on so much responsibility without so much as a complaint.
Often, you will find the children working alongside the staff members to prepare a meal, especially in the evening after school. The cooking facilities are undoubtedly meagre, but the meals that are produced from them are always hot and delicious. The children really like to be involved in the clean up afterwards as well, and from start to finish, the meal time is like a well oiled machine. Everyone does their share. It is pretty impressive how all of the children take on so much responsibility without so much as a complaint.
Dishes
Like meals, everyone does their own dishes afterwards. Although the staff do polish off the cooking utensils themselves, the children take care of their own plates, bowls, and cutlery. All dishes are done outdoors using a large black water drum with a small spout. This is a little more rustic than we are used to at home with our fancy stainless steel faucets and sinks. A large metal bowl is set on the ground as a sink, and needless to say, everything is done by hand. It may take some time, but when everyone works together, the dishes are shining in no time.
Laundry
Laundry is always a bit of a performance as the children love to play in the water more than they like to actually wash their clothes. There is a long cement platform attatched to the side of the house where laundry is done. It can be a bit of an unpleasant experience hand washing clothes in cold water while the weather is less than cheerful, but that doesn't stop anyone from doing what needs to be done. The children do all of their own laundry, and it has become a nice time to catch up socially on Saturday mornings. Generally, two big buckets of water are filled up, one for washing, and one for rinsing. The participants then scrub their clothes with such intensity, it is surprising that even a grain of dirt should remain.
Gardening
The orphanage's garden is home to quite a variety of fruits and vegetables. Though it only occupies one portion of the yard space, it is a great way for the kids to learn the basics of self sufficiency. The children really enjoy weeding and caring for the garden, and it is not unusual to see a couple of them out there working away. It is also quite shocking that the fruits and vegetables that grow there have been able to flourish so well. They are often beaten by rogue soccer balls, trampled by the feet of humans, and they rarely recieve water. Regardless of their compromised conditions, these seem to be very sturdy little plants that bear edible treasures year round. Hopefully our luck will continue.
