here we go a walking...

Sunrise over Dhaulagiri

Last week in Kathmandu.

So this is it! We are finishing up our time here as our colleagues are starting their placements in Uganda! You can follow their journey here https://ubcmidwiferyuganda2016.wordpress.com/2016/

The fatigue has set in for us. The last week has brought a new round of gastroenteritis to 2/3 of us and our lungs are struggling with the air quality again as well. Kristi and I especially were a bit sad to leave the gorgeous mountainside to return to the loud, polluted city, although it offers its own set of interesting things to do and see. :)

Poonhill with guide + porter

Central fireplace - Ghorepani

We had an excellent trek. We expected to have a lot of rain due to it being pre-monsoon season, but we were pleasantly rewarded with mostly sun for the first 2 days and only a little rain in the afternoon on our second 2 days. The rain generally comes in the late afternoon and on day 3 we were tucked into our guesthouse before the big downpour really began. The highlight of our trip was our time in the community of Ghorepani. For me, a mountain girl, being there, in the Nepali version of a snow-lodge, with central woodstove, great company, excellent food and games, surrounded by the magnificent mountains was just what this mountain girl's heart needed. We got up at 4am on our 3rd morning to hike to the top of Poon hill. The day before we met a mother daughter team that had tried to see the view from Poon hill and there had been clouds so they were unable to see the mountains. They were staying another night in hopes of a view. We were so pleased when we started our ascent in the dark to see the mountains, darker shapes on the horizon. When we reached the top we were able to watch the sunrise over the Annapurna range and see it sliver across the Dhaulagiri range. My heart was bursting with joy at how beautiful and majestic it was.

9 weeks of dal bhat and Marella still loves it!

Good morning Annapurna South

Doing a trek after my experience in Mugu and Baglung I feel was a good order of events. The effects of tourism are not benign, nor always positive. However, the children along the trekking route all looked as if they had enough food to eat, and water to drink and bathe with. Certainly sustenance is not the only thing that matters, but seeing the stark contrast between Mugu (remote with not many tourists) and Annapurna Conservation Area (many many tourists) made me realize that for this country, with tourism as their biggest industry, the money spent on trekking translates into less children starving and for that at least I am grateful. A curious thing I did notice along the way though, is that some of our serving staff were young women. One could be lulled into thinking they were just a family hotel and the children were helping out. Upon questioning it was discovered that no, most of the hotels are owned by people who live in the city, and the staff were not from the area but have moved for work. One girl who was 14 had left school and her family because they couldn't afford school for her. She was working she said to pay for school. I have my reservations from my other experiences that she will actually return to school. This is sad, but also I know that trafficking of girls for more horrifying things is quite common in Nepal and as unjust as it is, there are still worse things here that could happen to her. This doesn't stop me from hoping however, that one day all the girls get to go to school, and if they work in tourism, it is by choice and not force and they are compensated fairly for it.

Post birth happiness!

Back in Kathmandu we have spent 2 days helping MIDSON with teaching. Our role has been to use the living mannequin to demonstrate labour and birth  positions, normal delivery, management of nuchal cord, and neonatal resuscitation. We all have had our turn in the delivery pants now! We also were able to visit Thapatalli hospital and see their doctor led labour ward, nurse led birthing centre and the OR. We have 2 more observations: one is Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital birth centre and the other is Aadharbhut Prasuti Tatha Prajanan Swasthya (APS) Birth Centre.

We look forward to finishing up our time here being able to see different places women can give birth in Kathmandu. Perhaps we will have more to say after our visits, however I am mindful that I will be giving this computer to its owner soon and may not be inspired to write more when I return home as I will be busy catching up with family and friends and finishing my 3rd year research project!

Thank you to our many friends, colleagues and teachers at MIDSON and Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital. Without your work and kindness in opening your arms and your places of work to us we would have not had this incredible experience. We hope our collaboration can continue and that midwifery for Nepali women will be a reality very soon.

Thank you also to friends, family and colleagues back home, for following and supporting us. We look forward to discussions with many of you soon!

Rhododendron forest