The students of my fourth-level class
Betrawati 2000

I took these photos at the end of class on my last day at Uttargaya Secondary English Boarding School.

I taught English in second-, fourth-, and fifth-level (grade) classes. The fourth-levelers could be a rambunctious bunch. The classroom had two rows of shared bench-desks with a thin aisle separating them. I recall that often one side of the class would get especially noisy and I'd spend a few moments calming them down, only to have the other side rise up and become boisterous while my attention was turned.

They certainly kept me on my toes, and it was a pleasure to work with them.

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The following text is from a postcard I wrote that mentions Bibek, one of my fourth-levelers
(he's in the top photo, on the right in the front row, holding up a peace sign).

“Last night after dinner I walked up and down our “street” for a nice after-dinner stroll. Passing by one of our neighbors I was called by Shabnam so I went over and shook her hand. Then some of her family came out and wanted to see me dance — not for it’s technical merits believe you me. I said that I’d need some music so they all started singing this beautiful Nepali dancing song.

I love that even kids in my school nursery class know this song and that you never hear a Nepali person say “No, I’ve got a horrible voice...” and that singing is so much a part of the culture — kids don’t laugh at other kids singing — it’s just like a different way of speaking.

A man from their family who is unable to speak came out and danced with me, then an elderly neighbor did some Indian dancing, Bibek (one of my fourth-levelers) sang and danced, and finally Shabnam did some dancing as well.”
—Tuesday, October 24th 2000

The next two photos show more students, at the end of the school-day, on the road below the school. My bahini Barsha can be seen on the left.