Here we go!

Arrived, ate, slept, and slept, and slept. That's the first time I have not slept a wink overnight to Kathmandu but also the fastest I have ever got through Kathmandu airport from visa control to baggage collect to car park. 20 minutes ..... yes Andy, 20 minutes.
Two hours later it was just like someone had flicked a switch at 6pm and I didn't wake up till 5 am.
We have created a fast start schedule with visits to four of our schools scheduled for the first three days. Our purpose is to conduct a thorough fact find on the school's situation to help us plan future strategies. Today we have visited two schools in Patan, both just off the royal (Durbar) square. Patan is an ancient city, one of the three cities of the Kathmandu valley and the home of the original kings of the Malla dynasty. Mostly renowned for it's teracotta architecture and brass statues.
Our first visit was to Sramik school where Rajendra is our sponsored teacher. The building is community owned, very dark and with virtually no facilities. The pupils are NOT from the "local" community who send their children out of the area to better schools. So the pupils are the classic low caste children from migrant or domestic workers mostly. They have been trying for 10 years to get access to land so as to create a purpose built school! We will certainly try to help with our own influence if we can. The teachers are dedicated but struggling. NONE of them have any teacher training in the sense we would understand it, maybe we can help here too.
Our second visit was to Bal Bigyan school where Bashu is our sponsored teacher. Chalk and cheese when compared with Sramik. They have a purpose built school funded by the local community but surprisingly they also send their own children elsewhere. Well educated teachers, a switched on head teacher are both features of this school. Since we began supporting them their roll has increased by 65 children and each year they hold an Open Day to advertise the fact that they are supported by a UK charity who provide ........
The sponsored teacher Bashu has taken up the challenge of creating a UK Studies programme to add to the curriculum so Janice you can expect some emails seeking information.

That's enough for today. Tomorrow we visit the Bal Kalyan school in the Balaju district where Krishna is our sponsored teacher. Then in the afternoon we have a meeting with Mrs Laxmi Shrestha who was the previous Under Secretary of State for Education. The current Education Secretary we will meet with in about a week's time after the Tihar festival.
It's Carlsberg O'clock, enough!