Soccer and a Surprise!!!

October 16, 2009
It’s a beautiful day in Lalitpur, the district in Kathmandu where we live. There’s a hint of a breeze in the cool evening air, and the golden rays of sun are edging toward the other side of the world. A perfect night for soccer... errrr, football! There’s this “field” in the sense that there’s this large oval shaped dirt patch with weeds growing around it 2 minutes from our house. I think back in the day it was a volleyball court, but, obviously someone found a better use for it! The goals on one end are these large, cement tunnel things that look like the drain pipes they put under the roads in America. I think someone forgot them years ago from their aged looks! The other end just has two large rocks, and if you’re not watching where you run, you’ll probably break your foot, or your leg, or both.

Shiva yells, “Sister! Let’s go!” So I grab my tennis shoes (I need as much advantage as I can get playing with these barefooted opponents!) and we head off to the field along with Rajkumar and Prabin. We take over the field from a bunch of bikers (I think we were nice about it?! they can ride in the street anyway), and Shiva says, “Sister, you’re on my team.” I look at him and ensure that he realizes that this will mean he’ll be on the losing team. He just laughs. So we’re off. And in as much as I think I’m bad (and I’m in no way good!), I remember more than I thought from college and manage to steal the ball from Rajkumar a fair number of times. Now to be fair to him, he’s 12 years younger than me, but still! Once I steal the ball, Shiva knows to yell “Sister!” and I’ll do my best to kick it to him. I actually had some nice backward kicks and managed to stop and reverse the ball fast enough to leave Rajkumar behind and score one goal! We actually dominated that game!

But, where there are footballs, there will be Nepali boys (don’t ask where all the girls are. I’ve never seen a girl playing soccer out there!). Slowly but surely a crowd gathers and our game turns into a much much more competitive match with guys flaunting Shiva’s quickness and skill. I saw a boy on the sideline wistfully watching, and I was about to die, so I generously asked him if he wanted in for me. His eyes lit off and he dove in. I actually had as much fun watching as I did playing, which isn’t something I can often say. I know some pretty fantastic soccer players in the US, and I’m pretty sure that a match between them and this ragamuffin Nepali team might go in favor of the Nepalis!

We walk home as the last rays of sunlight walk towards tomorrow, tired but happy. When we get home, Asha comes flying out of the house, “Sister! SISTER!” “Yes?!” “The lady at the post office called! Your package is here! Your package is here! Hurry Hurry!!!” So we spend about 5 minutes debating whether to go tonight (It’s already 5 till 6 and I have no idea how long the post office is open), but after minimal convincing that we’d be fast enough (I was really excited to get a package, let me tell you! we’ve been wondering where this package has been for the last 2 weeks!!!), I grab my bag and passport and we’re off again, this time with Asha and Laxuman but no Rajkumar.

Imagine the fastest you’ve ever walked and multiply that times ten. Now imagine a busy highway with no stoplights and very loose guidelines of traffic and pitch black surroundings and you have one intense walk. We’re darting about in between cars (all dressed in dark colors; I clearly wasn’t thinking!), and to be honest I’m really glad there’re three boys and two girls. We make the 40 minute walk in around 30 minutes and to our excitement the post office is still open. So we pile through the door, dripping with sweat and brimming with eagerness. I ask the lady behind the desk if I can pick up my package and give her my passport, and she looks at it and goes and picks up this lonely piece of paper. She walks back and has me sign this book, and then tells us that we have to go to the general post office because I have to present my passport to claim it or something like that.

We wilt like morning-glories at 3 pm, and take the paper and turn to leave. Laxuman says what we’re all thinking, “We walked that fast for a piece of paper?!” I laughed and said, “I guess so. But I’ll be able to pick up my package next Wednesday, so it’s ok! Let’s go home now.” Unimpressed with my route (the only one I know, and the one Uncle showed me), the boys lead us through this maze of very very dark uninhabited roads through who knows where to get us home. True to their word it’s faster (but only by like 5 minutes), but they failed to mention the fact that it’s the most complicated (and slightly scary) route ever! But, we made it home, and now we wait till Wednesday, when I have to figure out how to get to the general post office...