Trekking in from Jiri

Trekkers and climbers who walk in from–or out of–Jiri:  Bupsa Primary School is 20 minutes off of the beaten path. Like all others "off the beaten path" they do not recieve funding from the Hillary Trust or some official organization; thus they are in desperate need of text books, paper, pencils, crayons, library books, art supplies, science supplies such as microscopes, math necessities such as rulers and compass and the list goes on. At the request of my guide, I brought tablets downloaded with math, science, reading, history and English curriculum used in the private schools in Kathmandu plus all the school supplies I could carry.  The students and teachers were so appreciative and porters and guides found me on the trail or in tea houses  during the next couple of weeks, drapped Khatas around my neck, and thanked me for bringing supplies to their children's school. Some children walk over an hour each way to get to this school and the teachers in this remote area are incredibly hard working and innovative–doing so much with so little–this was truely the most humbling experience of my life and I don't want it to end.  If each trekker walking in from Jiri drops off a few school supplies, this project will be ongoing.  The school is 20 minuets off the trail, but if you don't have time to walk down to the school, you can leave the school supplies at Everest Lodge which is right on the trail and they will get the supplies to the school.  A small contribution will go a long way towards education in this region.  Be a part of something special!  For more information about what you can donate, please contact me:                                                            rosiesrowboat@gmail.com  

 Set among the trees, Bupsa Primary School has 120 students grades 1-8.

 The teachers were estatic at recieving the tablets to use in their classrooms.

The children were excited about the new colorful books and school supplies.

 Your donations will spalsh smile on these faces,

 and brighten up these classrooms.

Trekking with infrastructure

No one above Lukla has seen wheels except those of the small planes delivering trekkers and climbers or the helicopters rescuing trekkers and climbers. The solokhumbu infrastructure is all about bridges which cut hours off of time spent going up one mountain side and down another. This first bridge just opened this year and cuts an hour off of Namche Hill for climbers and fast trekkers, and two hours off the hill for people like me. It crosses the Dhud Khosi and the Bhode Khosi in an experience like no other. Sharing the bridges with the Yak trains pushes the "faint of heart." Nonetheless, the bridges energize my spirit and make my day.

Here Tina and I cross one of three bridges for the day.

Clothed in prayer flags these spans seem almost safe.

This bridge fell victim to the monsoon and added time

to our day.

Ama Dablam: My Favoriet Mountain

Ama Dablam is my favorite mountain; Ama means mother and dablam means jewel.  The sherpa people believe that the mother goddess lives in this  mountain.  You can see her face, and the jewel or pendent hanging around her neck. Her arms reach out to welcome and protect all those who come in peace, love and harmony.  I knew this was the place, so I released the ashes of our beloved Maria, and I strung prayer flags for all  of those appreciated in our daily lives, treasured in our hearts and alive in our memories.

Trekking with friends

The trail is filled with trekkers, porters, guides, climbers, sherpas, children and locals-all who say, "Namaste" meaning we worship the god in you. The energy, questions, doubts, confusion, languages, uncertainties all  pile up on the side of the trails while smiles, greetings and hardships bind us together and send us in the direction of sharing and unity. The experience is too rare. . . 

Trekking with thunder, lightening and snow

The last several days, we've had it all: sunshine, snow, lightening and thunder. Yesterday, the last couple of hours, we struggled  up the mountainside, harassed by the thunder, haunted by the altitude, chased by the snow,  and  pushed by the temperatures. We fell into the lodge with the Germans and Aussis, snagged some rooms,  tried to warm up, ordered Dahl Batt, gathered by the yak dung fire and zap-the lights went out. Headlamps came on and international chatter filled the lodge. Everyone had stories to share over a quick dinner before passing out in sleeping bags. It was a beautiful, cold night.

This is a picture of a wonderful bridge that fell as a result of  the raging Dhude Khosi during this years  monsoon season, resulting in an extra hour of travel time on the way up to Loboche.

Trekking with one foot in the classroom and the other on the mountain

Cameras spin the mountains, in the lens, without finding the depth of the valleys or the magnitude of the peaks, yet blended with memories and imagination, perhaps we can remember the raw beauty that stands as a reminder to cherish the world and the people who are guest within.

Trekking to Bupsa Primary School

In my perfect world, education for all children reaches across continents and resonates as a reality regardless of socio/economic differences. On each visit to the remote regions of Nepal, my mind zinged into overdrive as I stopped at schools with nothing but blackboards and chalk, a couple of books and a teacher. My feeble attempts to brighten their world with a day here and a day there of teaching English through song and hand motions played like a lost melody, and the drum of reality beat inside my head until I found a way to soften the sound and formulated a plan for sustainability in one small school.

 For the first time, Bupsa Primary School reaches across technology and shares a tiny portion of my perfect world.