Dal Bhat

As I prepare to leave the comfort of western life for 2 months, I have been researching the food I will be eating. Since I will be staying in either a monastery or a local farm for the first part of my trip, I will most likely be eating the traditional Dal Bhat twice a day. Breakfast and supper. Curry, for breakfast? Well, yes!

Dal is a dish of stewed lentils, sometimes beans or peas. It is served with Bhat, which is steamed rice (I assume basmati). In Nepal, it also comes with Tarkari, or vegetable curry, and Achar, a sweet or spicy pickle. (Oh man I love all pickles.)

So I do not have a lo of different spices, so my dal returned out good but not necessarily authentic. I did have onions, tumeric, garlic and ginger, and they combined with the lentils to create a tasty little meal. I had mine with jasmine rice, (that was what was in the cupboard), some chicken with butter chicken sauce, and naan bread. Here is a link to a picture on my twitter account.

 https://mobile.twitter.com/LacyLola/status/317395828895539201/photos

Boy I was stuffed! I am worried about portion size while I am away. It is rude not to finish everything you are offered, and it seems the only time I have gastric worries (my polite way of discussing those issues) is when I eat too large an amount at once. And too large an amount for me is not very much at all... But I will deal with it when the time comes.

I needed these next two months to work and save for going away, to ensure my vaccinations are adequate and make necessary preparations- but I find myself wishing I was leaving tomorrow! The longer I wait the more I swing from nervous and scared to thrilled and excited! I know that is par the course for any great adventure, but this is making me nuts!

I have read some blogs about people who have done similar work in Nepal, and know that there will be major culture shock when I arrive. Not just the noise and chaos of Kathmandu, but the culture and isolation when you are finally in your host home. I am preparing myself for that, and plan to throw myself into whatever tasks i have to deal with it. I just have this nagging fear of arriving and being paralyzed with fear. I have been teaching children in non-professional ways since I was a teenager at church. I run craft events and birthday parties for children at work. I have a love of science and math, I want to share my knowledge of biology with the students at Koseli. What if I am not good enough? Is enthusiasm enough?

I keep saying this is a trip to save myself. And it is. I just thought this was the way best suited to me to finding myself, learning about a philosophy important to me (Buddhism) and experiencing the culture. I don't want to just make myself feel better, I want what I do to make a difference.

More on those feelings in another post. For now, I am enjoying the Dal Bhat and trying to stay calm.

Namaste, friends

Laura

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