Kylie Doon is a guest writer this month. Kylie is an educator from Australia who volunteered on our earthbag build in Nuwakot in March- April 2023.
I’m assuming he woke up with the sun, everyone around here seems to. His washing is hanging on the fence and he’s already making sure the cook is happy, the coffee is available and everyone has enough eggs, omelette, pancakes, bananas and jam.
He switches between English and Nepali without hesitation like it’s one language. He smiles and laughs until everyone is relaxed and happy. He plays a joke on you if he’s not sure, just to check how you’re going.
He talks as he drives like a rally driver meditating through a race.
There’s materials to organise, people to talk to, places to be. If he’s not sitting on top of the truck cabin riding his chariot up the mountain, he’s picking people up in his indestructible car, doing the shopping, making people laugh and negotiating with government officials.
Today, he has done most of these things and it’s not yet 10am. Stopping for breakfast also means taking a video call from NZ. Another list of things to go through and it’s not long until we arrive at the area school for teacher training.
His team of trainers work with him to set up the classroom for the day. We are expecting about 22 teachers. Yesterday was science, today is about behaviour management, and tomorrow is maths.
It’s not unusual for Durga to disappear. There’s always someone else to talk to, others to engage and include. Teachers from seven communities start to arrive and are encouraged to just play. The training is practical, hands on and fun.
We break for lunch for 20 minutes (it’s now 2pm). Lunch is more rice and potatoes, and I’ve scored yoghurt this time.
The trainers continue, they’ve done this before, travelling around different regions for different teachers. They’re a passionate team, that is easy to see.
Durga’s on the phone again. Then he’s talking with the school principal. Even while eating his lunch, he can’t help but command the room. Everyone across the lunch tables looking and listening to what he has to say. He is seriously funny, or funnily serious, I’m not sure which. It is so refreshing to hear someone speak free of politics and religion.
Early childhood education is for the good of the child, the family, the community, and just needs to happen. You can tell he really believes this. His actions truly speak louder than any words.
Now we’re learning more cutting to create a poster about our five senses. The class is fun. Lots of banter and willingness to participate.
The teachers jest with each other using the new ways they’ve learnt to give recognition and positive reinforcement. Strong masculine Nepali men are cutting and gluing craft on the floor under his supervision.
Deudi, Nuwakot
Class finishes, more driving, dropping people home. We are back in Deudi by 7pm. He checks on the build crew, the cook, the weather. Tomorrow Durga, the project manager is due back on site of the new school build after rain delays.
He’ll be back on top of his mountain chariot. He’ll antagonise the builder intentionally until you just can’t be stressed or mad at him for the missing tools, the wet earth, the broken tamper. He’ll banter with each person, in Nepali or English, with the same respect and humour, and somehow the job gets done. It’s chaos, it’s hard work, it’s unpredictable, it looks impossible, but after a day with Durga he’ll have you wanting to do it all over again!
For more information visit www.firststepshimalaya.org