Stolen heart

From Audrey to Family

If only you could see the amount of uncleanliness in the houses and places here. I walked into a scary shop one time that smelled like my room that time a mouse died. People don't really wash their hands much and if they do nobody has soap. Keep cleaning the dog poop mom sorry theo does that.. I'll clean it when I get home. And Don't worry I use hand sanitizer a whole lot. ;) 

Hey I've been here like ten days you know? :) weird. Two more of those to go. 

So with childcare we go to three different places Monday through Thursday: the street boys home, male patan (like a nursery for 3-5 year olds), and conversation club (a club to help kids be better at school and English). 

It kind of breaks my heart already that I have to leave these kids. Technically this info is kind of classified so don't like spread it all over the  us or something. But the boys at the home for street boys took my heart and it's staying here. These kids all ran away from their homes for some reason or another, really scary family situations or no finances or whatever. But they are the most happy, funny, and loving little dudes. We aren't really supposed to pick favorites but I def have mine... Abhishek is very small, like 4 or 5, and he always wants me to color with him and hold his hand. He's really good at the ABC's. Man is another boy (yeah his name is Man) and he reminds me of isaac because the other kids will be playing with a ball and he's totally content to be in a corner fixing this spinning top that's his favorite toy. He just spins it and spins it and fixes it and fixes it and he's so happy and focused. Also really funny when he talks to you. There's a boy named Khadke who's 12 and reminds me of teesh. He loves me hahaha and I love him, the little cheeky bloke (I've started using a lot of Australian and English expressions so pardon me). He loves to rough house and tell jokes and grab people's faces. I taught him how to braid my hair (they love my hair because it's blonde and long). One time I was laughing at him and he stared at me for a while, then said, "I like your smile. You always smile."

I don't think these kids get smiled at enough. 

Something important I've learned: Kids just want to be listened to no matter what situation they're in. If you give them your attention and ACTUALLY care, they will trust you. I've realized that you guys are such good parents because you never butt in if I have something to say and it's always been that way. You've never been overruling or uninterested. 

Kids can also be downright brats. They give you this sweet angel face, tricking you into liking them and the next second they are biting someone or stealing all the toys. ALL of them. Grr. How do you teach this thing called "sharing?" It's also hard because I speak like 5 words of Nepali. Oh well. They just like animal sounds anyway. :)   

I've been thinking about comfort things. I seem to have a standard comfort box with all of my comfort items in it- clothes (sweats), showers (hot), people (you and other Mormons), music (Spotify), food (soup cake chocolate), places (home), etc. I have left that box behind and I'm still trying to find all the things in it but obviously they are back in the box where I left it. If that makes sense. Anyway, I'm filling up a new box for myself here and I quite like it, I hope to be able to fill up many comfort boxes in the span of my lifetime. 

I thought I would be healthy here but actually they feed us SO MUCH and I of course eat it all. It's all carbs also. Not many fruits and veggies safe to eat... I'm trying hard to keep off the "dhal baat belly" as they call it 😂. There's lots of places to exercise properly here and stuff but I don't know my way around well. I know I'll get lost if i try and go anywhere haha. 

I'm glad hawking loogies in public is considered ill mannered at home because walking down the streets, that is a constant noise I hear every day. It makes me cringe a little. 

I tripped on a root the other day and I laughed so hard. I guess I was in one of those moods that nobody really understands completely ya feel? 

I taught all the volunteers scum and now they won't stop playing it. 

Haha Everyone's here for different time frames. People kind of come and go every two weeks or so. I still like all of them a lot! There's more people than I explained in the first. Now there's even more Australians haha. I'm constantly having all sorts of culture, language, and geography lessons. Tess is AJ's age and she's super cool. She's very inviting and considerate but also quirky. Danette and Richard are a couple who love the luxury life, are really hilarious, and eat at a place called "sweet memories" every night. Danette kicks trash at scum. They are both a little overweight and take taxis everywhere but it doesn't stop them from bungee jumping. Also danette is a lot taller than richard so bishop and sis Mann aren't alone in the world after all. :) don't tell them I said that.

They still think I'm weird for my abstinence from everything but I've actually had quite a few really good opportunities to share what I believe. I don't know if I'm teaching it very well when we talk about it.. Most people want to ask about really deep concepts and I have a hard time explaining them but I usually just end up laying out part of the plan of salvation haha. Anyway, it's cool because I've never had people around me who don't actually know what a Mormon is. Nobody here does. 

Haha I'm so happy you like January now. Although the end of January party you used to have was always fun. What board games did you buy? I am so so excited to come home and play settlers with you guys. For some reason I just like NEED to play settlers of freaking catan. I'm gonna start having dreams about it or something. 

What's happening in downton abbey? 

Haha Jo is wonderful. She's very emotionally level which is good for me. And she is so flipping uplifting and just... Real. She doesn't pretend to be anything she's not and she always always has something kind to say to people, but also has this witty sense of humor (also a little inappropriate). 

She has asked me a lot about the church. I think she just asks because she knows I'm really invested in it, but it's been so nice to have her to talk to. She told me tonight right before bed that she feels like if she takes just one thing away from this experience, she wants to take away her friendship with me. And I don't know why she'd say that because I'm rather cranky in the mornings, I don't clean up the floor very well, and I can't hear what She's saying sometimes (she talks a ton but always mumbles a little and you know me, unfocused as it is). But it occurred to me that although she may look at them as coincidences, I have seen miracles that brought us together at this time. I think I'm meant to know her for a reason. 

Tomorrow I'm waking up at 4:45 am to see some monks chant. Cheers.