Today I was introduced to the staff by the Principal, Jaya, who I had a short meeting with the other day on my own right after my arrival here to the UDTC-campus. Jaya helped and explained why I am here and what my intentions are. I also explained a bit about my self and what I will work with while I’m here.

  After that I met one of the trainers here and he helped me with a Nepali phone number, so it would be easier to contact me and easier for me to contact other as well. Then as I was passing by the office some of the people who work here passed with a car as they were going out to visit some offices in the city, so they asked if I wanted to join them, so I just jumped in the car. We went to Mahendra Pul, which is the shopping centre for the Nepali people here in the city. It was a nice experience to go around with some Nepali people and not just alone as a “tourist”.

  All of a sudden I was sitting in an office down town with one of the trainers here at UDTC and some people he knew and they started talking about my upcoming work. I was a bit unprepared but I explained my ideas and the man at the office started writing down different places around Pokhara I could visit for my research where people are working in different ways with tourists and development. I’m just happy for the help, but I wished I was a bit better prepared for the meeting. Anyway, I got a list with some places and it was an interesting talk. I’m just happy for all the help I can get. I still have to coordinate it with my contact here at UDTC, and he arrives on next Sunday, so on Monday or Tuesday next week I plan to start working more directly with my research. Until then I’m just taking some notes and thinking around the entire project, so I better know what I have to do.

  During the the day we got short of water and hopefully they will fix it later. The power cuts I can handle, but the water is a bit more important. But I think I have to get used to the idea of having both water and power cuts from now on.

  I was approached by some teenagers yesterday, who’s families is staying here at the hostel. We started talking and it was a nice way to get a better understanding of Nepal. They also tried to help me with Nepali language skills, which isn’t the best at all. We also met today and talked a bit about everything. They invited me to come to there place in Kathmandu when I go back there after I’m finished here in Pokhara, so they could show me how another side of Kathmandu. Hopefully I’ll have some days before I take the flight back to Sweden that I can spend in Kathmandu.