random jottings…

Azarbaizani salad, North-African couscous, and wines from Italy to Argentina, not to mention little snacks and nibbles from who knows where – new year’s eve mini-party in north-east England, and we are welcoming the year I turn THIRTY. I don’t know whether I should rejoice or repent – rejoice for the life I have had so far, and the achievements that everybody keeps reminding me is better than what an average person would have achieved; or repent for not being able to accomplice what I thought I would do by the time I turned 30. I thought I had planned it all and planned it well, but of course you can’t plan your life like that, and especially not me who rarely carries out things as planned, despite spending hours on planning. Anyway, lets not look at the glass half-empty, and welcome the new year wholeheartedly – the year I get out of my “twenties” and start the “thirties” of my life. Achievements and accomplishments (or lack thereof) aside, I’m pretty pleased with my life as I mostly am, and satisfied with things, as I usually am too. I look forward to a year when I think I’ll finally get out of the university, hopefully with the degree that I wanted to get before I turned 30, and to a year when I hope to have a proper job for the first time in life – finally out of the ‘student-life’ for good!

There are good times, bad times, happy times, sad times, and everything in-between to talk of when I look back at 2008, which I’ll leave for some other time. I’m already sick of seeing all those incessant ‘looking-back’s of the year 2008 in all the TV channels, most of the websites I frequent, and on radios and every other media you could think of. So, I’ll leave my ‘looking-back’ for later.

Happy new year everyone!

Hello Darren & Family,

Thanks a lot for the updates. Since the other post’s title is rather advertisement-like, I decided to post a new entry as my reply.

I’m flattered you are still enjoying my simple recipes. That sweet rice is called kheer in Nepali by the way (sorry about the burnt milk, I feel like I’m partly to blame, for you were remembering/writing to me when it happened – but you know some people like that flavour too, that of the burnt milk, are you one of those people? )

Land Officer does sound Grand (almost like one of those Big Colonial Officers – not meant in a bad way ) – and as long as the work is fun who cares about the titles, right?

My own updates – as you can see I haven’t been updating this blog or the photoblog regularly. Facebook seems to be the place to be right now, so you can probably follow what I’m up to at any given time there – it so easy to just write a one-line “status update” there than a thought through blog post here (although its been quite a while I haven’t posted a “thought through” entry here either, so to be honest, I’ve just neglected this blog!)

I am back in the cold, grey, damp, depressing (to put mildly) England after a few wonderful months in West Africa – now trying to make good of the data I have collected over the two field seasons I had, and hopefully get my papers (and eventually the thesis) out within the next 8-9 months. I’ll soon have to start looking for a job too, and being an open-minded fella, returning to Canada could also be an option, although after almost a year in the African sun, it seems my body prefers the Tropics! Just have to wait and see where I end up…

Oh, I do follow your (well, Tisha’s I guess – are you even aware of its existence? ) blog through the feeds, but I haven’t seen it updated for quite a while. But its great to see pictures of the kids – especially Ben, as last I saw him, he hadn’t even learnt to walk I think. I have to plan a trip to Canada sometime soon I think – been thinking about it for over a year but because of my long African trips for the past couple of years, I haven’t been able to manage any other trips. Will definitely plan something after I free myself from the phd!

I think I should stop my public email/post here and get back to data entry now.

Its always a pleasure to hear from you Darren, and do keep in touch. Any chance you’ll be a permanent Land Officer or you are already looking for other more permanent jobs?

All the best,
Poudyal

दिपावलीको शुभकामना यस ब्लगका सबै पाठकहरूलाई !!

1. “You’re looking healthy” he says. I respond “its Africa”, meaning its all to do with spending half the year in nice warm climate and in a lot relaxed atmosphere. But then I’m thinking “I must have looked FAT” for him to comment that I’m looking “healthy” – quintessentially belayeti comment I would say, polite and diplomatic. I must start going for a run every morning and/or evening now. I wouldn’t want to be commented upon with statements like “you look well-fed”!

2. Oh, and I’ve finally found a place I liked and the person already living there liked me too it seems, for I’ve moved in to my new abode last night and the unpacking has begun. Was thinking of taking some pictures of my messy room to put up here but totally forgot in a rush to get to office before lunch (will try and do that tonight, if i don’t forget again that is!), to prepare for the meeting that I have in 50 minutes time, but I couldn’t help post this “update” in here as I haven’t posted anything new for ages, and I’m tired of blog-hopping, while wishing I could also blog as regularly as some of the blogs that I frequent!

3. Now I must get back and prepare for my meeting. Will try to post a bit thoughtful entries once I fully settle in to my new place – the one that is sure to provide environment to think with its home-made wine, and fresh produce from the allotments (and yea I’ve promised to get my hands dirty as well – haven’t worked on gardens for ages, it should be fun!).

4. Now a picture from Africa (couldn’t help posting one!)

Accra at night

Hey AA, I couldn’t find any other picture of you except this one – so here it goes. Should remind you of your beautiful hometown. For me it reminds of having to stay hungry. I know, I should have just ordered Daal-Bhat-Tarkari (Gundruk) for lunch rather than asking for the “fancy alien” pasta on cheese sauce!!

A couple more pictures of that area follows.
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