Hello number three Grinnell people,
Recently, I have become terribly fascinated in the ways the students communicate. As I have mentioned before, Nepali kids are almost all multi-lingual. And unlike American children who take "foreign language classes" in high school and can barely stumble through conversations in that language, these kids aren't studying these languages (only English). Newari, Gurung, or one of the other sixty-some ethnic langauges in Nepal could be the medium of talk in a student's home ations than we use them.
A Nepali English (also known as Nenglish or Nepangreji) Dictionary
boring adj. describes an activity or job that the person does not enjoy doing: if we don't play a game in class, I feel so boring. 2 being frustrated with a particular situation: Sir, is our talking in class making you bored?
bf/gf noun abbreviated versions of boyfriend and girlfriend.
champ noun someone who performs well in a particular activity: he is the tea drinking champ. (he drinks a lot of tea.)
dangerous adj. 1 anything that shocks: what a dangerous joke! 2 cooking food that includes many tastes and spices: wow, cooking a dangerous special with masala, peppers, and even cream.
develop verb to improve one's self as well as one's country. Adapted from the excessive obsession with infrastructure/economic development in Nepal and the common held belief that development will solve all of the country's problems.
fresh adj. to appear very alive and ready.
hero/heroine noun person who lives life as though s/he were a movie star. Could stem from a particular attitude of coolness, trendy style of dress.
maths noun a short version of mathematics, equivalent of American English's math: I have so much maths homework. Chetan-sir teaches us maths.
mind verb to take offense or conversely to not take offense depending on the use of the following Nepali word garne (to do)or nagarne (not to do): please mind nagarne me asking so many questions.
Miss/Sir noun referring to anyone employed in any sort of educational field. Used outside and inside of school setting.
na flavoring word added at the end of a sentence to emphasize a point: Will you please be quiet na. That's so boring na.
office noun 1 one's profession: what is your father's office? 2 the place of work, no matter the occupation or location of employment: My office is the construction site.
over adj. acting clever and wise to the irritation of others: He acts so over when he raises his hand for every question.
program verb any sort of event, your schedule: what is your program for the holiday?
read verb to study a subject, at a school: I read in class 5. I read at LMV school. I am reading computer science. A direct translation of the Nepali verb paDnu, which denotes to read a book and study a subject.
shit exclamation a less severe version of the American English slang, closer in meaning to common exclamations such as damn it or oh no. Presumably adopted from observing American television and music.
sit verb exchanged for stay, a place of residence: I have been sitting in Kathmandu for two years. A direct translation of the Nepali verb basnu, which denotes both the physical act of sitting as well as where one lives.
smart adj. an energetic person, someone who does not tire easily: what a smart person. She is always doing something.
talent(s) noun ability to perform well in many different fields :He's gets good marks in school, very good at cricket, a boy of many talents.
tension noun to have many mental concerns and/or distractions on your mind: I've gotta take tests, collect homework and organize the one-act play inside two days. What tension!
wawa exclamation equivalent of bravo to reward someone for a good statement, joke, performance, etcâ¦
This term I've become more interested in the greater project going on here. The massive conversion of English as the "academic language" of the world is quite evident in Kathmandu Valley. If you can afford it, you will send your kids to an English-medium private school. This trend is so pronounced that even the French School here advertises "openings in the English-medium section." I have to laugh at that. The benefits of learning an "international language" are quite obvious - doing business with foreigners/world community, using computer/internet. But I wonder what are the other drawbacks of schooling in a language that is foreign to all students - outside of school they do not speak it unless they watch cable television. Therefore, how well can a student really learn English or learn in English? Can s/he connect school to "life"? Who is privileged to learn English? (Those who can afford private school).
One natural consequence of such language domination is a transformation of language. The English that Nepali kids learn in Kathmandu is not the same as what kids learn at Grinnell Elementary School. Grinnell graduate Joe Green ('99), current Peace Corps volunteer in Phidim, northeastern Nepal, was told to teach environmental studies instead of English when he volunteered at a private school in his area. The headmaster justified the decision because Joe would not know how to teach "SLC-English" (the test that every 10th grader takes in the Kingdom to move on to 11 class) in order to prepare students for their final exams after class ten which require a very specific kind of English.
If Nepali boarding school English comes out different than proper American school English, so what? I'm sure that products of both will be able to communicate. A problem then only occurs for youths of high-hopes who dream of studying in the US and hence, must pass the TOEFL and SAT/GRE, and learn American correct English. Yet there is something also extremely interesting about cultures adopting languages and customs from other places. Because no matter how much they appear to be "duplicating" influences from elsewhere, the already strongly established culture here influences the outcome of any learning. As a teacher of English, I am most aware of the transformations of language. As I recently told some friends, English medium schools in Kathmandu are linguistic laboratories. Although extremely talented in English, they still make comments and phrases that one would not hear in the United States.
I take a guilty pleasure in hearing my students speak Nepali. It is my assertion that when they speak in Nepali, they speak with more confidence and more attitude than when speaking in English. Few students, more so in eight class, have found their voice in English. By which I mean, when they speak English, they speak loudly, proudly and can use humor and sarcasm. I feel I am getting closer to their individual personalities when this voice comes out. But how many English learners never find this voice? I have noticed so many students at LMV (and much more outside) in ten class even, stumbling through school with no chance to speak English outside, and consequently, never attain easiness and fluency in English. I am reminded of what Salman Rushdie said about Bombayites: they know and speak five languages, but are fluent in none. The result: creations of new languages - Hinglish, Nenglish, eg - kya time hai? sorry man, sarnus a little na.
The interesting incorporation of multiple influences is not limited just to language. I will give an example of a recent debate I had with my 8 class students. February 14th has been growing in popularity as Valentine's Day especially since multi-party democracy came to Nepal in 1990. It is so popular in Kathmandu that flower sellers have to order bouquets from India to meet the demand. So I asked them why is this foreign festival gaining in popularity, and is that a good or bad thing? In one camp we had the cultural fatalists saying "we kids are forgetting our culture and traditions." They alluded to kids going goo-goo for a Valentine but completely forgetting about the festival proceeding simultaneously, Sanstani, when families gather every evening to read from the Sanstani epic (right up there with the other Hindu classics Ramayan and Mahabharat) for a period of one month.
Others seemed to be fine with the invasion of a Western holiday, but still hold reservations about not knowing the history or origin of the festival. I did my best to remember why exactly we do practice VD and how it has mutated into its current form. I went on to suppose that VD's rise in popularity is a consequence of market strategies - if some shop can profit from it, the holiday will grow. As one student pointed out, Nepal has very recently opened its markets to outside business (1980) and particularly since multi-party democracy (1991) has commercialism made a strong impact. So indeed some Hallmark wallahs are making bank off of it.
Some students suggested that society needs to carefully manage the incorporation of outside influences so that the change is slower and more gradual. One example of this is the campaign by Hindu nationalists in India (the same idiots who destroyed the Babri Mosque in 1992 and are currently attempting to build a Hindu temple there since it is the alleged birthplace of the mythical Ram. Their communal fire-branding led to violence that claimed over 500 lives this month and 2,000 in '92) have been trying to re-name the day for the South Asian sub-continent to prem diwas the "festival of love." This seems a little forced and not likely to catch on. I am reminded of French linguists creating substitute words for globalized English.
My last word on the debate was my belief that the celebration of VD here is not a replication of Western traditions. Although it was hard for me to pinpoint what exactly Nepali teenagers do for this holiday, it was my sense that it is different than what I did in high school (wait a minute, I didn't do anything for VD in high school?). By the way, Sanstani is still practiced with great force. My informal poll of class eight found nearly 50% participation in reading the classic every night at home. So why can't both traditions survive?
A similar parallel can be made in the extremely popular film industry in South Asia. Some Nepalis, tired of seeing the same substance-less song and dance films, make a common argument that Kallywood (Nepali films) copy Bollywood (Hindi) which copy Hollywood. Yes, it is true that Nepalis adore Hindi films (and increasingly India's other favorite export: cricket) and so expect a similar product from their own national cinema. Hindi and Nepali films have the same structure: six songs, three dances, several fight scenes. This formula aside, differences are as various as cultures are in the sub-continent. Just as you will never see the "arranged marriage dilemma" story plot in a Hollywood film, Nepali films also have numerous nuances from the madal drum based soundtrack to the Himalayan scenic backdrop.
Molly and I have been privileged with several first hand accounts of emerging Nepali pop culture and how it mixes influences of Western origin. First it was Nepal's first "hip-hop show" headlined by Rapperz Union. For three hours on a nice Saturday afternoon we were transplanted from Kathmandu Nepal to the Bronx - boys wearing FuBu, over-large football jerseys, marijuana joints being passed around, girls with braids and baggy jeans - and then I knew MTV had made an impact on Nepal. Yet despite the foreign appearance of the show, uncountable aspects reminded us that we were in Nepal: a Buddhist monk dancing in robes and all, "Namaste" greetings being given, people drinking milk tea. The second experience was second row seats to the filming of "Augan" the Nepali equivalent of Star Search, but with only dancing. Being the few conspicuous outsiders, we were interviewed on the show and asked up on stage to dance during the credits. The dances in this program, although all of songs in Nepali language, ranged in genre from classical Indian dance to Western pop. Lastly, we attended a private viewing of Darpan Chaaya, the Nepali mega-hit film of two years ago. Again white privilege helped us out, we found ourselves admitted without tickets and sitting just one row in front of the film's leading actress and director. These special experiences make me feel a bit more understanding of what its like to be a kid in this capital, and ultimately, feel a little bit closer to all of my students.
When thinking about the rapid rate of change in Nepal, look at the age of new media. With the exception of newspapers, media - TVs, radio, internet - is brand new in the country. While television and internet have been around for over a decade, just recently have they become affordable to most Nepalis (or rather Kathmanduites). Cable television started five years ago. Before it, the waves were owned by Nepali television, which was mostly watched for the news, the Hindi film on Saturday afternoons, and Pakistani tele-serial on Wednesday evenings. Hence, unlike me, most of my students have just started watching MTV and also get multiple choices Indian or Asian. The Internet was very expensive just three years ago when I was a student I could not afford to ever check email (about 10 Rs per minute or 7 minutes per dollar). Now however, the going rate has dropped to half a rupee per minute and it is quite common for middle class families (and of higher status) to have PCs with Internet connection. Finally, FM radio is also no more than half a decade old.
Considering the novelty of media, especially foreign, major changes in Nepal, in the type of student that attend LMV school, is just beginning to take form.
Finally, I will end with some personal notes. Time is moving too fast. I'm very surprised that I only have two more months in Nepal. It seems that time accelerates as the year progresses. The main difference between now and November is that the weather is warmer though not blazing hot and humid like the March I remember in 1999. My favorite activity continues to be watching dance class during my free periods. I go sit on the table-tennis tables, grade some papers, and watch the junior kids learn all kinds of Nepali dance (classical, folk, modern) and display the biggest smiles possible. I try and remember the moves and then go practice in private.
I have joined a football club across the street from the school: Buddhi Bikas Mandal, for 105 rupees per month, I get daily football matches from 5-7pm on grassy fields and netted goals.
I will end this month's report with some darling excerpts from Class 6's poem:
"When I see the moon, I feel so happy
And I call my puppy."
Nikee Maharjan
Um, Mana? do we need some counseling?:
"Friendship is a life
Kill your friend with a knife."
Mana Shrestha
my personal favorite:
"Speak softly - the echoes might disturb
my resting thoughts."
Shristika Tandukar
"Some have one ship, some have two ships,
but I have friendship."
Merina Subba
see what happens when you teach a language outside of its original context, and stress the need to rhyme:
"Andy-sir looks hot
I know how to make pot."
Upama Khadka
oh, gosh, how sweet Nirmal:
"I think I'm very lucky, very lucky
To have a lovely, beautiful, wonderful mother."
Nirmal Rana Magar
"For my art of studying is rare,
I'll have to increase it every year."
Subhadra Thapa Magar
