A Step In the Right Direction

I was able to obtain Pukar's necessary and very valuable Travel Document today.  It looks like a little passport and allows him to travel with me to the USA.  Now I just need the Visa.  The Travel Doc's come from Nepal, and they had stopped issuing them when the US stopped approving adoptions.  As of last week, they began to reissue them again, thank goodness.  My in country Rep made it very easy for me to bypass lines and confusion and spend very little time getting my documents.  Yay.  It took a week, but I have it in my hot little hands!!!  This is a big, damn deal!  Some things never cease to amaze me.  The photos were taken at the office today.  
This is an official Government facility...just sayin.  Namaste.

The official desk where I signed for his Travel Documents

Looking into the adjacent office.  The green hue was just there.  ??

Pukar playing with some kids at the office while we wait.

This be it, baby!!!

Another day in Kathmandu

Well another day in Kathmandu.   The weather is changing for the worse here, and the fact that days are getting shorter and colder doesn't help my mood.  But I've got one happy little kid, which helps a ton.  Yesterday it became clear that it was time for some warm clothes, so we bought slippers, hats and jackets for both of us.  It came to about $30.  Some things are amazing in Kathmandu.  If you shop around enough, learn the prices and bargain hard, you can get some pretty good deals.

I've gotten really good at taxis.  After learning my way around and prices to get there, it's incredible how much foreigners are totally ripped off when they first arrive.  Everything is at least double and in some cases triple.  I try to walk whenever possible, as awful and dangerous as it can sometimes be.  You would not believe what it's like to cross the street.  I usually stand behind a Nepalese person and do exactly what they do, and hope they are good at it.  It's kind of like following ski tracks... I guess I could end up somewhere I don't want to be (like the middle of the road with speeding insane traffic on both sides of me) but right now it's my best option.

There are rackets going on left and right to get your money.  From the guy in the street with leprosy, to the one with no legs who hobbles on his hands and stubs, from street children to mothers waving bottles and asking for milk.  They are all part of elaborate schemes much like pimps, with the money earned being turned over to some 'boss' who then in turns gives them food and 'safe' place to sleep.  The street kids have places to stay but choose to sniff glue and live in puppy piles on the streets.  Everything is desperately sad, and at the same time, that is life in Nepal.  I've learned I just have to say no.   There are better ways to help.

I started a routine a few days ago... that includes yoga every morning.  Wow, does that feel good.  We also have a  playgroup on Tuesday at the British Embassy,  and a "Parents In Nepal Dinner" every Friday.  In between we meet or go alone to places that offer some sense of peace, like 'Garden of Dreams' (the only park in all of Kathmandu as far as I know) or a 5 Star Hotel, like Crowne Plaza, where expansive grounds offer a buffer between you and the rest of Kathmandu.  We do what it takes to make it work.  Some days I don't leave my house... with blinds drawn I can almost forget where I am.  It sounds relaxing, but believe me it's not.  There is always the underlying stress of not knowing when we can go home, and the massive amount of pollution that is ever pervasive.  These are just the ways that I try to give myself and my kid someplace to go, and something to do, that isn't amidst utter and total chaos.  And I never wake up feeling great.  It's got to be the pollution.

Of course since I have found someone to help with my investigation, that pressure is off for the moment.  Now I'm just waiting.   I won't be posting about that.  It's very private and sensitive information.  I will share when I feel it's safe.

The kids are playing together right now in the apartment.  Really cute.  The electricity is off now, but our apartment complex has a large generator so we are lucky that we never go long without some power.  We also rarely don't have hot water, which is truly amazing in Nepal.   I have been told there are outages in the winter up to 18 hours.  Imagine.  Daily.  Winter.  Right now our power is out about 2-3 hours a day.  Lately it has been twice a day.  Gas shortages happen here as well, which causes drivers to spend the night in line at the gas station and of course taxi prices to rise.  Water is always a concern.  The sun goes down now about 5:30 so we are in the same boat as all of you in States with a lack of daylight.  But the kids are so cute.  Oh, did I already say that?

And it's sad to look in the mirror and notice that my yoga pants are baggy.  Sigh.  Food here sucks and or makes me sick.

That's it for a day in Kathmandu.  Now for some sweet moments. . .

Naptime

New hats!

The Assault of Walking

As we stepped outside our apartment this morning to walk to the grocery store, it wasn't 25 steps in and we were walking through open sewage.  Next was the terrifying gauntlet of crossing the street, followed by being attacked by spewing bus pollution and mad max motorcycles.  I started doing karate moves just to lighten the intensity so we could laugh a little.  It was actually pretty funny.  Some people thought I was crazy, and others I could see laughing along with us.

On a lighter note, Kat-man-poo has subsided.  yay.

And finally, from a letter I wrote to a friend recently when asked to tell them something of Pukar:

Pukar is a super bright and beautiful little 2 1/2 year old.  Our bond grows deeper with each passing day, and it's such a sweet blossoming to experience.  He's learning English, is very inquisitive, loves to laugh, and wakes up smiling.  He's  a boy-boy, meaning he loves to run, jump, climb, bike and swim.  I take him to a pool at one of the nice hotels at least once a week, and bought him a little bike which he has become a pro at.  He's sweet, not a terrible-two at all.  He kisses and hugs me and loves for me to fall asleep next to him and wake up in the same place.  He has bloomed since we left the orphanage.  His eyes are brighter, and it's easy to see that he loves to be loved and have his own mommy.  It's like he was always mine, and yet I've only been here 6 weeks.  It's crazy.  What a beautiful thing adoption can be for both a parent and a child.  I think I got really, really lucky...now I just have to get home.
 

New Petition ~ PLEASE SIGN

Here's the deal:  We pressured the DOS so much with the
last petition that they sent an email TO CONGRESS "implying" that our
adoptions are related to the child trafficking that went on during the
Maoist rebellion. And they sent tear jerky videos along too. OUR KIDS
WEREN'T EVEN BORN THEN. So, once a...gain,
I need your John Hancocks. Read the letter and sign.

This was written by my friend, Nachama, in the same situation.

The Government BS has to stop!  YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE PIPELINE FAMILIES IN NEPAL

Kat-man-poo!

Not gonna lie.  The Kathmandu stomach revenge is evil stuff.  Got hit hard last night and was up all night with violent symptoms, thinking UH OH, I'm in trouble.  No idea what set it off.  However, other than a hard, exhausting day, I seem to be recovering.  I had to hire a sitter for Pukar for a few hours today so I could sleep.  Luckily there is a Nepali woman who others have used and liked, and she was available.  I laid in bed and watched Finding Nemo and slept while she played with my kid in the same house.  Very, very nice.  He did fine with her as this is the first time I have left him with anyone.  Yay.

It's been a trying few days... Just sometimes being here is just so, so, so hard.  The environment, the stress of not knowing, the never getting a break, the not knowing if the food or water is safe, the constant sense of being in survival.  Add to that, acquiring Kat-man-poo and you've got deep, bone exhaustion.   But my kid is awesome...truly awesome.

Settling Into Being a Mom in Kathmandu

I've resigned myself to the fact that I live in Kathmandu.  Someone asked me today, "do you live in Kathmandu?", and I found myself saying 'yes' and really meaning it.  I know it's temporary, but for all practical purposes, I do in fact, live here.  Weird.

It's been a super busy past week.  Since receiving an RFE I have been diligently and thoroughly researching my best options for dealing with getting the information I need.  As of yesterday I have hired someone in Nepal who is very qualified to conduct my field investigation, and as you know, have also hired an extremely wonderful Lawyer in the States to tell me what I need, and who will put it all together. That feels really good.  A little of stress is relieved knowing that I have done the best I can.  Thanks to everyone's donations I am actually able to do this.  Wow.  How grateful I feel.  No, I don't know how long any of this is going to take.  I truly don't.

Someone asked me recently  how Pukar and I communicate?  At first, with only him speaking Nepali and me only speaking English it was difficult, somehow we managed somehow to make it work.  But as time has passed, I know way more Nepali, and he is  constantly asking me, "mommy ke ho?" (What's this/that?)... and we name things everywhere we go, repeating words and phrases over and over.  At first it was only nouns but we have started moving into a few verbs, colors, and numbers.  Kids this age are fast at learning and whip smart.  He grabs my hand to show me things, or to lead me places when I don't get it.  Hearing him talk is so cute... the little hippo that he calls "happy' and sometimes 'hippy', or hearing him say 'dinosaur' (wow, 3 syllables) or the way he loves to start taking off his clothes the moment I say 'bath' or the way he names everything, 'Pukar's car, Pukar's owee, Pukar's plane" as he points to himself.   We both use body language is we don't know the word.  Pretty cute.  We are good at making each other laugh and great and showing affection.  And wow, check this out...he just sneezed and said, "bless you".  I'm telling you....soooo cute!!!  And for the record, he just started showing interest in books, so now we can read at night which helps immensely on vocabulary.

When I first got him I thought, what on earth am I going to do with myself 24/7 with a little kid by my side.  Now I go to bed at night and can't wait for morning so I can see his little face again.  We have so much fun together, and he is happier, it seems, day by day.  His face is so much more animated and bright than when I look back at the photos of him in the orphanage, which have this almost hollow, sad look to them.  It's amazing.

Living with DeeDee and Bina is super great.  We are a good team.  Imagine living on the other side of the planet with a total stranger and her kid.  It's like some kind of international mom exchange student dorm situation...but lucky for us it works.  I love our new place...everything except the ants. We seem to have an insane amount of tiny ants that appear for no reason.  Of course the best part of all is the fabulous view!!! :-)))

I know you probably wonder what I do all day, but I'm telling you we seem to be super busy... today I had to meet my in country rep to try to get some more documents, then lunch, then needing to get a few things for the house, then home to nap, then I need to find a fax machine and photocopier, and more food, and then whew, tired... and it seems everyday there are tons of little things to do.  And everything takes FOREVER.  For instance, it took me two fax shops, four tries, 20 minutes of walking in traffic, and a lot of standing around to send two faxes.  This morning I called my bank to talk about my cashcard and it took about 3 minutes.  I ended the call with "wow, I love America".  In Nepal that would have took me half a day...and I'm not kidding.

That's the update !!!!  Miss you all...Jenni & Pukar

Images From Pokhara

Lunch at Krishnas with my little love

Sunlight across terraces

Paragliders

Himalyan Delight

Phewa Tal Lake

Lazy Lakeside

My little traveler...note Machupichare Peak in the background

Machupichare ~ Fish Tail

I love this one..with all the junk at my feet...

Glorious sunrise over the Himalayas