Jai Nepal!

This past week I feel like I turned some very significant corner and have fallen deeply in love (as everyone who has been here predicted) with this place - despite the constant frustrations.

Friendships are deepening and new ones are emerging. I am beginning to have an actual social life here. Carly is finally over her flu bug and tonight we are grabbing some Thai food. The guys at both of our cyber cafes recognize us and some know us by name. I have been meeting people for tea and have people I speak with everyday on my walk through Thamel on my way home from work. There are a handful of people here that I email regularly.

I have also learned to pace myself on Nepali time so that all of the issues I previously reported on don't take such a toll on me. At work, we have all settled into some sort of groove together and even have some shared insider jokes.

I'm not in such a hurry to go home now and will definitely be back.
Who wants to come with me?

P.S. Carly and I went to the American Club yesterday for the 4th celebration on the 5th. This Club is like a swanky country club in American but with lots of armed guards. They have a pool, tennis courts and workout room. The people who work for the Embassy (both American and Nepali) are members here and we don't think other Nepalis can be members...so we felt a little weird about that. It's nice but if I wanted to hang out with Americans all the time I would've stayed home.