Yesterday was my birthday here in Nepal and as I celebrated another year of life under my belt our neighbors across the street mourned the loss of a beloved grandmother.  I enjoyed yesterday's celebrations very much, as simple as they were, but now as I write this I can't help being more fascinated by our neighbors' proceedings.

I am not sure how long they have been outside or if they even went to sleep last night, but the number of people has grown dramatically.  At first it seemed to be only immediate family, or those who lived in the house or near by, but now it is a much larger gathering.  They are crowded around something in the yard, possibly their loved one, and have begun a communal prayer led by one individual.  Their method and tone seem quite familiar, with the crowd repeating after the leader.  At the end of the prayer the crowd all threw some sort of plant leaves into the center of the crowd.  Prior to the prayer it had been very quiet except for the intermittent blowing of a wooden, bulb shaped horn, a long, deep, and steady tone.  After the leaves were thrown the wailing began.  There were a few who were distraught but one woman was very clearly heart broken.  They lifted their grandmother up, who was wrapped in a traditional cloth, on two pieces of bamboo and carried her down the road, away from most of the crowd.  Now, all that is left is a few lingering members of the procession, a few lightly sobbing, and the fading sound of despair chasing after the somber horn.  Even a few of the aunties here are shedding tears as they go about their work.  It is a very sobering experience, especially following such a joyous occasion.  It just makes you appreciate what you have that much more.

Today is one of the kids' birthdays and after watching that experience across the street I feel the need to make this celebration meaningful.  Birthdays are not typically celebrated in Nepal, and many do not even know the actual date of their birth.  But seeing as the kids of Kopila Valley live with Americans they are at least aware that there is some sort of celebration that is accompanied by gifts and/or cake.  While this is great, I would love to impart on them the purpose of these celebrations.  It is the celebration of the continuation of all that you have.  Not the possessions but the world of opportunities at hand and the ones that you love and love you back.  The celebrations and the gifts are simply a reminder of that and accordingly, should be treated so.  This is why yesterday, though possibly the simplest birthday I've ever had, may also have been one of the most enjoyable ones I've ever had.  Seeing how much all of the kids have enjoyed having me here is truly heartwarming.

In the morning, my seventh grade class all brought me flowers they had picked for me and then spontaneously sang me a slightly different version of Happy Birthday before we began tutoring.  I don't think I've ever enjoyed my birthday that early in the morning before.  Then, throughout the day students brought me pictures they had drawn, some with very endearing notes and happy birthday wishes.  That evening I went with the guys to Zeyanas to gorge ourselves on different chicken based meals.  It was fun and when we got back the girls had wrapped up a few gifts for me, namely oreos and peanut butter and a few other goodies.  They had a very clever birthday card for me too, in which they wrote several different funny things that the locals have said, whether it was broken english or just funny word choices, but it was great to feel that sense of closeness in such a far removed part of the world.

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