(UJJWALA MAHARJAN)
If I were in a class back home, I would have a heavy textbook or a rough notebook in front of me. You would rarely see the teacher in shorts or jeans (jeans maybe sometimes, but shorts? Never!). And Facebooking in class would be severely condemned.[break]
Right now I have an iPad 2 in front of me in this American classroom. My instructor Chris Krug is in his casual jeans with his baseball cap on, and Mark Nehrenz, our other instructor, is in shorts. A very casual and comforting summer class is what we’re having right now. That doesn’t mean we’re any less serious about our classes, though. In fact, I bet we’ll learn more in the three weeks of classes here than we will in an entire year.
And we have our coffee on our desks. We’re chewing on mints and we’re not given any contemptuous look if our phones start ringing in the middle of the class. (Of course we “off” them right away, though.)
And the coolest part about the class is we’re using Facebook.
Why is it the coolest part? Because like my cute roomie and friend Harika Vankadara writes in her tumblr post: “A new beginning, google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogging are considered “evils, easy-ways-out or distractions and condemned by a majority in India.”
It’s the same in Nepal, too, and I’m guessing in many formal educational institutes worldwide.
We’re not using it to randomly surf or facebook stalk people but learning how to use this as a collaborative tool to gather information together with my other 19 SUSI friends who’re learning with me. And boy, we get a lot done when we work collectively and “connected”ly.
Whereas some institutes back home (though very few in number) have picked up multimedia teaching techniques, like integrating videos, documentaries and Powerpoint presentations in their classes. But, I don’t believe the use of Facebook or any social media has been used as a collaborative learning tool.
But there are some things I did not like about working this way. At many points during the class when we were posting our source of information and having our questions posted and following others’ posts, I would rather have preferred to actually voice out and discuss with each other face to face than on Facebook. Moreover, with so many people posting together, the platform gets too crowded and hard to follow sometimes.
However, I bet it’ll be a great way to interact and keep what we had going today, like helping each other with where to find useful information later on when we’re back home and get together in a virtual room.
I, however, liked that social networking sites used mostly for fun and time-pass by young students were being used with better purposes, where communication actually empowers and helps rather than becomes just another addictive distraction.
On twitter: @UjjwalaMaharjan
The sights and sounds of Kathmandu
(ASMITA MANANDHAR)
A morning stroll is a healthy lifestyle, or it is what people generally say. So, one fine morning, I slipped into my old pair of sneakers and set out to explore the dawn of the city. Just after a few steps, a huge pile of rubbish blocked my way. As I was carefully finding my way out of the garbage dumped all over the street, the same old stench from the mighty Tukucha caught me just then.
But I didn’t give up. I walked further and to the shortcut road through Prasuti Griha, connecting Thapathali and Babar Mahal. The heaps of garbage were never out of my sight, rather they were piled up at every turn, as if building some kind of a trail. As I got closer to the opening towards the Babar Mahal, the whizzing and honking of vehicles could be heard. The walk on the street was not at all a wise decision, the dirt and smoke from the vehicles was a big blow to my resolution on discovering the city on foot every morning.
Of course, we did not want such a place to live in. But yet, all of us are pouring in here, to the centre. I remember one of my friends saying that the best thing about Kathmandu is you can fulfill your desires if you wish to. And thus, everyone is running to random destinations, chasing desires, wishes, dreams and everything in between.
But surprisingly and disappointingly, Kathmandu never dared to occupy space in our “in betweens.” And therefore, the dirt and smoke belongs to Kathmandu, the garbage that comes from our kitchen belongs to Kathmandu, the sewage from our toilets, they all belong to Kathmandu. We never owned anything.
And more painfully, despite its inhabitant’s hatred, Kathmandu always gave them the feeling of belongingness. It is still the best place where you can fulfill your desires, if you wish to.
But of course, we did not want such a place to live in. However, did we ever care if Kathmandu wants to be such a place? I wonder if Kathmandu itself takes a morning stroll over the city, will it consent it to be a healthy lifestyle.
And by the time I was heading home from my walk, the streets were already filled with people, starting their day afresh, and ready to litter Kathmandu for yet another day. I know the heaps of garbage will grow bigger and the noises will be louder with each passing day. But I shall not give up. I will keep on walking, hoping that Kathmandu will never give up on us.
On twitter: @framesandlaces
Care much about politics?
(NISTHA RAYAMAJHI)
Last week, the country was quite in frenzy as everyone was waiting for the big day. Will it be or won’t it be was the question that was making rounds from the streets to the houses and offices. To my surprise, even my eight-year-old cousin popped the question, “When will the Constitution be out?” I was pretty much sure that she must have picked it up from a conversation her elders were having. But what did not surprise me were our politicians once again failing to deliver the new Constitution within the deadline.
I guess the way we have been brought up or due to our varied interests or ignorance, many of my friends are least interested in politics. Even I am hardly eager to know what is going around in the political business. It may be because we are so frustrated with the political instability of the country that we think it is out of our league to know or even understand what politics is all about.
But whatever the case, I have come to realize that it is always better to know what is going on in the political scenario of the country. Whenever I have been outside of the country, what everyone asks is how the political state of the country is.. I am always keen to answer that question and they are always so full of ears. I guess the political chaos that has been going on since forever is what makes them so curious.
Recently my friends were having this huge discussion on whether we should or should not follow what is going on. When most of them are least bothered to know what is happening around, one of my friends trying to enlighten us said that we all have the right to know what is going on in the country as the state itself is run by our tax money and so we do need to know where all our tax money is going. I could not agree more to what she said. We live in a place where people always have qualms about the shortage of electricity, fuel, water as all the basic facilities are hardly delivered.
On the very day when the Constitution was supposed to be drafted, my Twitter account was full of news updates and with people’s comments on how disgruntled they were with what was happening. But I thought that it was nothing new. Whatever the case, however, I would be more than glad to hear something positive may happen rather sooner than later.
On twitter: @Nisthaz
So I’m possessive? Well, whatever!
(CILLA KHATRY)
Someone I’ve recently had the misfortune of knowing commented that I look like someone who writes her name on everything she owns. I tossed the comment aside with a rude remark which is characteristic of me at the time it was thrown my way. But then, when I reached home, it got me thinking.
They say single children are a bit possessive about their belongings. Maybe that’s because they’ve never had to share anything. But that doesn’t make us bad and uncompromising. Or does it? At least, I didn’t think so up until that point.
That night when I reached home, I started leafing through my stuffs, particularly the books that were stocked on my bookshelf. I noticed that I had penned my name and date on the first page of most of the books, and that too on some of the recent ones I had purchased. For a moment, I was dumbfounded and silently cursed this supposed friend of mine who had compelled me to question myself.
As I started looking around my room, I realized I was attached to almost every piece of knickknack and furniture that surrounded me. I was hugely fond of the red beanbag that sat smack in the middle of my room. I had been using it as a dumping site, tossing clothes, bags, papers and other irrelevant things. I didn’t even remember the last time I had used it. Yet I refused to give it away or even drag it over to the living room so that Mom could use it.
The realization that I was extremely possessive and materialistic dawned on me, and it was not a happy one. And then I started making excuses in my head. I wasn’t hurting anyone by my behavior nor would giving away the things I owned make me a better person. So what if I was a tad little possessive, at least I wasn´t greedy or lusting after things others owned, like some people I knew who wanted to have everything they liked even if it belonged to somebody else.
My possessive nature also makes me fiercely protective about the ones I love, especially my parents and close friends. If anyone says as much as a negative word about these people, I’m ready to smash their skulls in with whatever is at hand.
Instantly I felt better, then pride took over, and it wasn’t long before I was feeling ultra special and on top of the world. Shallow, you might say. Yes, I agree. But I shall stay the way I am because I don’t give a damn!
On twitter: @cillakhatry
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