Once again, I think the stay in Lumsa has been the most satisfactory of all the stays in Nepal since the first year. It is true that from the third year, after the first changes, I noticed a certain evolution. But this time it was a big step. The desire and will that they have dedicated to the construction of a luxury hostel for them and probably also for us being in this remote place, has been a record having started in the month of March and being finished in the month of November where there were already the first customers.
When I arrived there were still things to be done, but with Nimputi, her husband Kasji, Mingmar’s brother, her son who was on vacation, Lamu, Pemba the teacher, Ang Dawa, and this time we had the first volunteer, Joan de Camprodon, who took a six-month sabbatical and dedicated himself to traveling through India and other parts of Asia, doing stays in NGOs. It must be said that thanks to him, we were able to install the shower screens, since no one had ever seen such a thing and therefore, we didn’t know how to make it work.
The first thing we all did was, with a broom, rags, buckets of water, and some ecological cleaning product, clean the entire hostel from top to bottom. We formed groups. Joan ran the rooms and reception, and I and the girls ran the dining room, kitchen, and pantry. For them, I think it was the first time they had cleaned something so thoroughly. I think they didn’t quite understand.
With the girls in the kitchen, we took all the labels off of glasses and plates and pots. They don’t do that. They buy glasses and use them straight away without washing them or removing the factory label. They put them back in their place without washing anything. And when I told them that everything had to be washed, I thought they would frown. But no, they simply spent the morning soaking glasses and removing labels.
Once all the kitchen utensils were clean and dry, we placed them in different places. And then, I showed Nimputi, who was in charge of serving, how to set the table for someone like us. Because they don’t set the table. We did several tests, and finally, we had breakfast together. Curiously for us, they had never eaten with cutlery. They didn’t know about it and ate it with their fingers. Many of us would criticize it, but personally, after several years of sharing many moments with them , it doesn’t bother me anymore, it’s more, it’s their system, their way of doing things, their way of living, they will decide if they want to change it.
When the cleaning and placing of dishes and pots in the cupboards was finished, we dedicated ourselves to making curtains and bedspreads and pillows for the rooms. They had not seen thread and needle either, and with their hands numb from working in the fields, it was difficult for them to hold the needle, and the most fun was when it was time to thread it. We just laughed. They closed one eye to see if they got it right. I had to tell Passang, the cook, to let it go because there was no way…. He started laughing.
Once this work was done, we went on to wash sheets, pillowcases and towels, and I taught them how to iron. I had to explain to them that they should be very careful because the iron was a very hot iron and they could burn themselves. They had never seen one before and didn’t know what it was for. We made the beds, placed the towels in the bathrooms, hung the curtains, the bedspreads and finally we put the decorative pillows at the head of the bed. How beautiful everything turned out. Even they were satisfied with the work, the learning and happy with the time spent together.
Another project completed. A more specific satisfaction. The profits will go to make others. With Ang Dawa we have invented the Lumsa bank. All the money collected from the showers, washing machines, wifi, clothing market, etc., will go to the fictitious Lumsa “bank” that will serve to self-finance whatever they need.
Lumsa’s next project will be dedicated to education. Soon we will have a conversation with Pemba, the teacher, to plan the most necessary and appropriate things for the children’s education.
