Started my day out with an extremely cold shower, a French press coffee, and a search for a taxi. I stepped out onto the dirt road in Thamel and walked to find a cab and negotiate a fare. My blonde hair and blue eyes always seem to raise the starting price by a dollar or so but I drive a hard negotiation! Today the destination was a challenge and I wound up in a conference on the side of the road with 5 taxi drivers all passing my phone around guessing about directions to the University and vying for my business. None seemed certain so I ducked into the back seat of the closest cab, the driver appeared and we were off! With no less than 4 stops to ask directions from strangers on the way, numerous loud phone calls seeking directions and a sudden u-turn smack in the middle of crazy traffic, we arrived at ICMS.

I spent the day in a faculty meeting and clarifying the goals of my Fulbright time. The largest components with ICMS will include teaching alongside faculty at the graduate level in Counseling Psychology for both first and second semester students, designing a collaborative research project with interested faculty members, designing and implementing a large 3-6 day workshop, and developing curriculum for the new degree program. I will be participating in an international mental health conference and a Nepali Red Cross training. I’m scheduled to present at the Fulbright Commission and conduct a workshop for another University. Me thinks it’s going to be a busy 42 days! We sat in the sunshine on this cold day, sharing information, planning, drinking hot tea and eating cookie, What a wonderfully collaborative day!

On the way home I had to stop for a bit of banking. It took me a while, but I stood in the middle of the bank observing until I understood the ebb and flow of human traffic, Take a number, fill out a banking slip with much used carbon copy paper, choose a line, and try to hold your place to get a chance at the window. Success! I am wonderfully exhausted mentally and physically but a walk to the market and I’m ending the day with a beautiful pomegranate, apple salad and a chai tea. What an amazing experience!