Day 30 +

Today is the first day of the editing process:

Photo Mechanic --> Metadata and Flagging the keepers

Lightroom --> Small photo edits and converting raw->jpg

Switch --> Converting my sound files into aiff for editing with my apple

Photoshop --> Sizing photos to the dimensions of my premiere video [1920 X 1080px]

Premiere --> Putting everything together

Soundbooth --> any problems with the sound will be attempted to be fixed here

Illustrator --> Graphics

I also found a good website for royalty free music:

http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/

They have a lot of simple photoscapes and natural music (less techno type stuff). I actually found this site to be better than places where you have to pay a couple dollars for the rights such as Audio Jungle.

Also I had to do some research to be able to even access my blog in China. This won't help people very much though since people in China can't read this unless they already figured this or something similar out....BUT anyway here is how I access facebook, youtube, twitter, blogger, in China:

1. Open FireFox

2. Go to www.proxy4free.com (or any site that lists free proxies)

3. Find a proxy from the USA or any country besides China (or I guess Myanmar would probably also be a bad choice)

4. Go to Firefox -> Preferences -> Click the "Network" tab -> "Settings" -> Manually connect to proxy -> Copy and paste IP and port into the settings

5. Go to www.ip-adress.com to see if it's working... if it says you're in China still then it's not working

6. Surf Freely and repeat this phrase 10 times: "Screw You China"

*it still might not work after that... some places in China have additional crap to keep you out of facebook... you may have to go to your "Network Preferences" -> Advanced -> DNS Servers Tab and Change those servers to something else... I'm afraid I can't help you from there, I don't know much about it.... but if you follow the above steps and you CAN go to other websites besides youtube, facebook, etc... AND when you go to ip-adress it says you're in Korea (or wherever you chose) then your DNS servers must be changed.

Day 29 - Finishing

Today I packed everything to leave -- Nabraj came by in the morning and I gave him the interview and photos of Resham Thapa (to be given to him personally). I managed to get a couple shots from my taxi of the police.... as I was going to the airport. I pretty much have everything finalized, just need to edit which I'll do once I get back to Dalian.

Day 28 - Resham Thapa

I didn't have sufficient photos of Resham Thapa, only a couple I took after the interview in a pretty empty room. So I called Nabraj to call him and see if we could do another photo-shoot. It was dark by the time he had time so we went to his home instead of the University.

Besides that I just took a couple more food/stand shots to add to my increasing collection of food distribution in Nepal.

I also bought a book called, "Changing Faces of Nepal" which is about the earliest photographers in Nepal who belong to the Chitraker caste. Some of the earliest known photographs come from Dirga Man Chitraker -- the book will be used for my dissertation.

Day 27 - Editing

Today I wrote in this blog, edited photos, and contacted the UN who I believe are on holiday at this moment. For my last day I want to visit the current photographer of the UN to see about doing a show in December and see if he has any photos/footage that he'd like to exchange for our projects.

I didn't have wireless down in the Terai so I spent today getting caught up and resting from the hellish bus trip.

Day 26 - Taru - -> Kathmandu

Woke up at 5:00am and Bikash and I took a bus to _____ to where the Taru ethnic group live. There homes were decorated with many colors for the festival which made for an easy shoot. They also farm out in the fields and they were more than happy to let me document their land. For this I used backgrounds in the shade and reflected light onto them using Bikash to hold the reflector. The photos looked pretty artificial but nice none the less. After we met a Taru party member it was about 10:30am and time to go back to Biratnagar.

When we got back I took a tika from Bikash's sister -- on this day of Tihar all the men go to their sister's home and take a tika and handkerchief filled with treats. I did this, packed up my stuff at Barjeko and said goodbye to Davendra.

Again, back on the shitty bus to Kathmandu which was hell.

Day 25 - Biratnagar Maoists

Bikash and I visited an active member of the Maoist Party in Biratnagar and interviewed him. Basically from the interview, the Maoists use every mean to get their voice heard and only as a last resort do they strike. Their strikes are always published ahead of time and often get the attention of even non-Maoists resulting in them striking.

After the interview, Bikash and I went to a restaurant, ate lunch, and translated the dialogue. We then went to Bikash's house where I photographed his family, which happen to be Madheshi (one of the ethnicities I needed to photograph) prepare for the nightly festivities. His sisters lit candles and his parents visited a temple. They had me participate in everything and didn't seem to care that I had no idea what was going on most of the time.

The priest at the temple had me take a tika and didn't mind me taking photos of him and the temple. After that I returned to the hotel where a band was playing outside and people were dancing. Something that's interesting: during the festival there are always tons of guys dancing in the street... no girls. The girls do not dance. When they tried to get me to dance at the hotel I replied with, "I only dance with girls." Everything ended around 8:00am and went to bed.

Day 24 - Damak -> Biratnagar

I got up early and went back to Beldangi for the morning. I focused on photographing people in their homes. I had the usual mob of 30 people following me and a couple people to keep them back. I said my goodbyes and checked out of my hotel -- bought a ticket to Biratnagar (35 Rp) and went back to my old hotel, Hotel Barjeko.

Tonight was one of the main nights of Tihar which lasts 5 days. I barely recognized Biratnagar as everything was decorated, the sidewalks had designs, banana tree branches adorned the front of businesses and christmas lights. I said hello to my friends Davendra and Bikash who acts as my translator. After walking around with Bikash I went downtown and enjoyed the festival -- people dancing, loud music, fireworks everywhere (it was like a warzone) and drunk people.

Day 23 - Beldangi

Day 2 of the camps I left around 6:00am to get the best light and got on top of a bus that goes out there. I photographed the outside of the camp and some of the people in it for the morning. Then at around 12:00pm a UN vehicle came and took me to the other camp so I could photograph them, the vehicle, and inside the vehicle. I stayed at the other camp (Beldangi 1) for the rest of the day until night.

Day 22 - Bhutanese Refugee Camps

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanese_refugees

Basically Nepalese were encouraged to come to Bhutan in the 1930s to collect tax. They never fully integrated; never learned local languages nor had any positions in the government and were indistinguishable from the Nepalese people in Nepal. then in 1980 the government decided to kick them out and Nepal didn't want them either.

Now the UN set up camps for these citizenless people in Eastern Nepal. I had a chance to visit 3 of the camps near Damak, Nepal called Beldangi 1, 2, and 2 extended. The main purpose for my visit was to photograph the food distribution by the UN which is hampared during strikes.

After I talked to Eva _____ at the office in Damak she agreed to let me go to Beldangi but not the other ones... the day I arrived was the first day they were starting 1/2 rations because of the low funding received this year: this is mainly because the camp is becoming smaller and smaller; Bhutanese are choosing to go into Nepal illegally and work, go to western countries (organized by I.O.M), and possibly return back to Bhutan.

The camps have been around for quite some time (around 20 years?). A lot of the people have spent their entire lives in

the camp. Because the number of people at the camp are dwindling and the economic crisis, the donors are giving less and less.

For this reason I went to the camps by bicycle and not in a UN vehicle. Almost immediately I had a huge mob of people following me, curious about what I was doing. I had to keep a few people with me who spoke english well enough so that I could communicate and keep them back when I wanted to take a photo. It was an interesting process. Day 1 I got the distribution and basically just walked around the camps. I made it back by nightfall around 7:00pm.

Day 21 - Damak

So I get a call at 12:00pm from Seetashma at the UN saying that they got my papers all worked out but they're only good until the 17th. The papers allowed me to enter the Bhutanese Refugee camps as long as the director down in Damak saw no problem with it. As soon as I got the call I started packing my bags and checked out of my hotel and went to Patan (where the UN office is located) and waited for further instructions from then.

I got the call at around 3:00pm, went in, grabbed my papers, and took a taxi directly to the bus station. Luckily, there was still a bus to Itahari which is just 15 km away. Bought the ticket for around 700 RP (ripoff!...10USD) and took the 18 hour bus ride there. The bus ride was hell, as usual... my legs didn't fit in the seats and the entire bus was packed, people sleeping the aisles and everything. I made it though. Then transfered buses (bus driver helped me do this and I didn't have to pay) to Damak. I was pretty much dead tired so I settled in the first place I saw, the Damak Hotel View Restaurant and Bar. The price was 1000 RP which is ridiculous but I was only staying for 3 nights and by that time didn't really care.

The room was pretty awesome though, huge room with a king sized bed! They even had a generator for when the power goes out (I guess you really do get what you pay for). Contacted Eva who is the director down there and was told to meet her at 7:30am the next morning.

Day 20 - Interview - Buddha Muktan (sp?)

Spokesperson for the Federal Democratic National Forum - Political Party trying to gain rights and seats in the parliament. They are still not in power and their numbers aren't large but they're constantly striking to let their voice be heard. Although the organization isn't huge, the people they represent are big in numbers; that being the indigenous people of Nepal.

So far everyone in power are of higher castes (brahmans) and a lot of these groups (such as the Tamang ((see above))) that live off of the land are being harmed by newly implemented laws and regulations. They also raise issues of gender inequality.

Basically native ethnicities and minorities (christians, muslims) in Nepal are represented by this organization. For example, in the past the Madheshi people (who are also Native Nepalese but said to be ethnic Indians) had a voice in the government and gave them benefits

They don't just strike right away: first they go through the government -- right a memorandom with demands... if their demands are not met then so and so will happen such as disobedience. Then they organize a torch rally... and finally a general strike: schools, roads, factories... everything except emergency services.

-- After the interview I went to the local hospital to photograph... even the doctors at the hospitals strike leaving no one to care for the sick and injured (again not pointing the finger at the doctors or hospital workers

Day 19 - Ramechhap - returning to Kathmandu

Continuing our journey through the Tamang territory, we stopped at every house who's owners are all relatives of Nabraj. Nepalese culture means that we also had to eat a meal at every single house so we ate, and ate, and ate. I was pretty sure my stomach was going to explode by the 4th house. We kept going around the mountain and finally started making our way down into the canyon and back to the river where we had to cross again. The Tamang people grow all of their basic necessities on the steep cliffs: guava, custard apple, chili, vegetables, goats, chickens, buffalo... and once a month they make the journey down to where we left our motorcycle for things like clothes and salt. Another thing that I had a lot of was their home-made wine. They each have their own house wine and a second morning brew (different in consistency). I was a bit tipsy and it wasn't even 10:00am yet. The "morning wine" was kind of like oatmeal but watery and tasted like alcohol.

When we finally made it to the bike it was about 4:00pm and we took off for Kathmandu. By the time we got there it was dark and traffic was unbelievable. Nabraj drove like a maniac through traffic, even driving on the side of the road. I told him that I would never ride on the back of his motorcycle again.

Day 18 - Ramechap

I've been wanting to get into the mountainous areas of Nepal to document the "janjatees" or mountain people. People have lived there for hundreds of years but for whatever reason (climate change possibly) they're becoming more and more prone to drought. The UN then helps some of these unreachable places get water or distributes food. My friend Nabraj was actually born in these mountains as his family is Tamang - a caste and ethnicity that's lived in the steep slopes for centuries.

At around 10:00am we started our motorcycle journey to the river where we left our bike (this was only the beginning). After getting to the river we have to hike. We met up with some tamang relatives of Nabraj and started our journey. The women we were with make this journey about once a month to get clothes and various other items that they can't produce themselves such as salt. After crossing the river by wading through it.

It was about a 4 or 5 hour hike to the house in which we were staying: up rocky paths, winding across the slopes, over ridges... it was pretty insane. I didn't know that we would be embarking on such a hike so of course I had a bunch of useless crap: my laptop, all my camera equipment, toiletries, etc...

It was pitch dark by the time we got there and shortly after we ate a meal and went to sleep. The next day we visited everybody else. Nabraj's family seems to own the entire two faces of a mountain... and we walked ALL of it. I'll post more about the trip tommorrow.

Day 17 - Maoist Headquarters

The maoist headquarters was a long drive - traffic was ridiculous. I did get to snap a few photos of police talking to a group of people and taking someone away (from my taxi). We got to the CPN Maoist headquarters and were told to come back tomorrow. Earlier I walked to "Star Hill" which was amazing... just a 20 minute walk from almost anywhere in Kathmandu will get you to the mountains.

A few phone calls went back and forth between the UN and I and they're still going to try and work on getting the paper work filled out for me to enter the Bhutanese Refugee camps. It could take a week. I don't have a lot of time but said that's ok, if I can I can, if I can't I can't. If I can't the photos taken from previous UN trips would be made available to me.

I'm going to try to get out of Kathmandu to keep shooting my project as soon as possible -- either tomorrow or the next day. Most people I talk to tell me to come back tomorrow and nothing is getting accomplished.

Day 16 - Poems and driving around

Today I was looking for a fight.... but not me fighting... and not really a fight, a strike. Basically this is what happened: http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=25676

Tibetan protesters were pre-emptively arrested before the anniversary. I figured there would be some kind of demonstration so I went to the CDO office, police headquarters, and the main prison where the Tibetans are being held. No strikes today, but I told a few more people to look out for me and gave them my number (in those areas).

I went to a poem reading, organized by Seetashma's (from the UN) mother which was actually quite interesting. We went in there and it was really dark with just a few candles lit and a group of people gathered around listening.

That's pretty much it for today... it dawned on me today after listening to my interviews a few times that I need to get out of Kathmandu to get my shots. I need to get photos of certain ethnicities and the difficult terrain of Nepal which I'm quite happy to photograph. Oh god no, not natural landscapes!

Here's some things that Richard Regan mentioned that I'd like to try and illustrate:

*people living in the hill areas

*terai - the agricultural breadbasket

*difficult terrain

*malnutrition

*high mountains

*moving food by any means possible (aircraft, helicopter, yak, etc...)

*no compensation or to hold people accountable for their crimes

*poor nepali people

*laborer

*the country evolves (maybe stores selling the latest in technology)

*politically protest through other means

*the mid and far west

*men working day labor

*women managing the household, agriculture, fetching water

*drought

*as many pictures of the UN doing stuff

*secluded groups

*political parties

*madheshis

*ethnic groups

*tarhu, limbuans, janjatees (check spelling)

*individuals who live by a roadside

*student union

*mahendra hwy

*un negotiating... or people negotiating on the road

*nepalese are kind to foreigners

*unemployed youths

*7 plagues - weather, conflict, difficult terrain, political disturbances, global economic recession, load shedding, dependence on imports,

Day 15 - Chinese 60th Anniversary

For the Chinese 60th Anniversary of Communism the Tibetans protested in Boudhanath Stupa. I got there while they were singing a song and lighting candles.

Earlier in the day I went to the police office and tried to get an interview regarding their side of strikes. Each policeman I talked to said they didn't have the proper authority and would send me to another one. Finally I got the number to the "spokesperson" and gave him a call. He said in order to give an official interview I would have to go (somewhere) and get permission. This bureaucratic nonsense is a perfect example of the political system in Nepal that keeps you going in circles if you want to get something accomplished. My friend Nabraj had similar troubles when writing his thesis on Nepal/India water relations. Just to talk to someone about the current treaties he would go from one person only to be sent to the next. Strikes in Nepal occur so often because people know they won't be able to get compensation or their voice heard by going in through the Nepalese Bureaucracy -- it simply doesn't function correctly. I ended up not getting an interview and wasted the whole day.

As Richard Regan of the UN said, "if there was another means to voice their opinions, strikes would be reduced immensely..." (this is off the top of my head, not a direct quote).

Day 14 - Interview with Richard Ragan

Richard Ragan - UN World Food Program Director and Representative. From Mississippi, USA... he was also the first American Family allowed to live in North Korea. Lived in Beijing for a while to (both times working with the UN). The interview went great...I'm 99.9% sure that I'll use what he said to narrate part of my story. Not only did I ask him about the UN Food Program and what they do, but I asked him to give a little bit about strikes in general to use with the multimedia.

Also he's interested in my book, would like to publish it with the WFP logo in the back to show Bandhs affect. After which we would have an exhibition. I told him that I can return mid-december to work on this.

I'm also trying to get to one of the camps to which they deliver food. The only one that I would be able to get credentials would be for the Bhutanese Refugee camps near Biratnagar. I told them that I need to leave as soon as possible (leaving Nepal October 22nd). A 3 day trip in Nepal can easily turn into a 3 week trip.

Day 13 - computer day

Today I woke up early and worked on my computer... editing and sending e-mails and whatnot. I also need to prepare for the UN interview tomorrow. Nabraj and Goutom came over and I also worked on a T-shirt design for their better world nepal t-shirts. I thought it was cool but apparently gender is a touchy subject in Nepal: both of them asked, "Why isn't it a girl?" To which I replied, "I didn't have a photo of a girl that would make a good design." I like the stamp effect using from my photo... I'll probably end up using this in some way or another anyway.

At around 5:00pm I went to the hospital near my guesthouse to take some photos for the multimedia. There have also been hospital strikes in which they just close the doors to the hospital! I took a few photos but nothing too great, will go to a larger one in a couple days.

Day 12 - Boudha Plastic Homes

I skipped a day:

This day happened prior to the meeting. The day we arranged for the meeting I visited Rajeep in the "plastic homes" which are made out of wood. They call them the plastic homes because the people who live there collect plastic. Being my second, visit I was welcomed with luring gestures to bring them rice...

I ate some breakfast that Rajeep's wife made me, even though they were on the brink of starvation --> not by choice, they wouldn't let me leave until I ate and was cooked just for my arrival.

Rajeep is from India; a migrant worker and he's trying to come up with enough money to start a shoe shining/fixing business. This requires a box with all of the necessary tools. He asked if I could help him aquire a box... I said no. The linkage to my story is that during a strike, the poor are hit the hardest as they live day by day, leaving them to skip meals because of not being able to purchase their daily bread. It's a little far fetched and I felt uncomfortable that they wanted me to help them start a shoe shining business. I left as quickly as possible but after being convinced by someone outside Rajeep's home, I took a walk around the homes, here are my photos:

Day 11 - Meeting

I met an economist, Resham Thapa out in Kirtirpur. The area was amazing, super thin, super high buildings built into the side of a mountain. It was like a dream city --> insert picture here later (bad light). He agreed to meet me the next morning for an interview near Boudha where I'm staying. Fascinating guy, he's currently applying to get his PHD and has been working in the field for some time. He was previously a professor at National College - Center for Development Studies but is affiliated with Tribhuvan University (oldest University in Nepal) now.

Summary of the 1.5 hour Interview (parts that apply to me):

Thapa - Basically Nepalese economy is divided into two parts: one is a kind of round type of economy. Almost everything is done by producers and consumers... and the other is agriculture and non-monetized economy where almost nothing is recorded for the producers and consumers.

[2:54]

...the immediate effects of strikes economically are... what happens is at first, uncertainty appears in the economy... an economy is basically in two parts... one person can be a consumer or producer... if both activities are in good equilibrium condition

[4:47]

...almost all strikes are uncertain. Almost all strikes distort information and essumptions of equilibrium individually, socially and by a government level so strikes create uncertainty of my consumption or my production...or both. Consumption of the society and production of the society or both. Consumption of the nation and production of the nation or both... uncertainty starts theoretically.

[5:40]

...one specific example --> you can think about a local tea shop. That local tea shop owner is never well informed about a strike... and for how long... what is the degree and intensity of the strike?... is it going to last for one hour, two hours, three days, four days... it is most uncertain... Because of that, one tea shop owner, couldn't predict how much milk to collect... whether to call that helper or not... how much tea he can sell... it causes much uncertainty and this milk owner, milk seller's economy becomes damaged and due to that what happens... a kind of circle in the very short run.

[6:50]

this is applicable in developed nations and underdeveloped nations... but what happens in underdeveloped nations like nepal...[goes into some examples]... you can look at the same thing with the Biratnagar Jute Mills like what happened with Mr. Thapa (rickshaw driver in my multimdia)

[8:35]

he didn't know what happened about the factory therefore he went searching for the rickshaw and he claimed himself that it's not that comfortable like the Jute Mill... the Jute Mill was always comfortable like it was certain... he could allocate certain money for education, certain money for his health... almost his whole family economy was settled. But now, though he is working, though he is earning money, his activities and his consumption activities are almost uncertain so he is unhappy... that is the fatal thing in the Nepalese case.

[10:04]

...let's assume that the Jute Mills closed for uncertainties (never mind why)... it's an industry, it's not an individual's decision, it can consume whatever we consume, I consume land, labour, capitalization individually. If I consume bread, land is embodied there, labor is embodied there, organization and capital is embodied there... it consumes the basic needs of an economy... it has a positive impact on the boarding school near by, positive impact on the local tea shop, local vegetable market...

[11:30]

it has linkages with farmers who produce raw materials...etc... at first glance the bear I can see is people will be losing jobs. Not only that, it has multiple time effects.. due to Biratnagar Jute Mills only, not just a few thousand people lose their job.. due to that a few thousand times one bigger number people will be losing their jobs

[12:30]

it means there are less taxes there... it means the government performs less services and it means the government becomes weaker and weaker. In this way it means one Biratnagar Jute Mills' bandhs, closed, strike, doesn't mean only a few thousand people would be losing jobs... long term society becomes weaker, the biratnagar area will become weaker,

Day 10 - San Tol Bajar (San Tol Market)

Based on day 9 information -> About 1 quarter of Nepal's population spends more than 75% of their income on food... when Nepalese are prevented from earning a day's wage -- due to business closure, inhability to travel to work or inability to access arkets - this most often means missing a day's meal....

Today I explored the types of businesses in which Nepalese like to visit and show their buying habits... this is to show how much business is lost when a strike occurs and helps you imagine how much money is lost by weeklong or even monthlong strikes:

14 percent of traders in the Terai had to close their business because of bandhs. A day's bandh is estimated to cost the economy around NPR 630 million (which represents close to one day's GDP) in indirect loss alone.

In 2007 the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries estimated a 20 day long Terai bandh in 2007 to have caused economic losses of around NPR 28.74 billion.

Day 9 - UN World Food Program

Today I went to the World Food Program office in Patan (where I also gave out my phone number to people on the streets). I spoke with Seetashma Thapa about getting someone who works there a formal interview (recording sound). She's going to try and help me out and asked if I had any photos on the role of Women in Nepal -- someone she knows is putting together a gallery: I gave her my website to look at what I have.

Seetashma was super helpful and printed out a bunch of information on how bandhs affect their program. It seems as though I hit the jackpot to the link between strikes and their effects on the economy.

A summarization of the information:

...in addition to political parties and thier affiliates, in the past year local councils, ethnic groups, students, journalists, and even teachers have all organized bandhs, often bringing specific regions or sectors of the economy to complete stand still.... this is reeking havoc on business.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nepal recorded 755 major events in 2008 alone. In addition to these major bandhs there are also hundreds of thousands of smaller scale bandhs.

The impact caused by bandhs on daily livelihoods and food security is immediate, and it is often the poorest populations who are worst hit. About a quarter of Nepal's population spends more than 75 percent of their income on food. When this population is prevented from earning a day's wage - due to business closure, inability to travel to work or inability to access markets - this most often means missing a day's meal. When bandhs extend for several months, the situation for the poor becomes critical.

Broader Economic Impact: Nepal is ranked as the poorest country in South Asia, and ten years of civil conflict has resulted in GDP growth falling from over 6 percent in 2000 to 2.3 percent in 2007. A day's bandh has commonly been estimated to cost the economy around NPR630 million (which represents close to one day's GDP) in direct industrial loss alone.

The Indirect costs to the economy of continued social unrest are arguably even more serious. There is strong indication that the recent period of peace has been amongst the most demoralizing for business.

--Businesses perceived strike action and ongoing political instability as the two major constraints to economic growth during 2008 (above power outages and labour law). As the financial markets around the world tighten due to the global financial crisis, Nepal faces a serious challenge in maintaining, let alone increasing, investment.

The social factors which give rise to increased social instability such as poverty, food insecurity and social exlusion need to be carefully monitored and continually reduced. Justification for serious action to immediately reduce bandhs and labour strikes lies in the immense economic costs, and the livelihood impacts caused by Nepal's increasing bandh culture.

------------------------

My idea now is to get an interview from the organization as well as document them giving food to an area in need (the orange represents areas they deliver food to):

Other things to photograph->

Businesses (open and closed)

Poverty

Trucks on a busy road

Markets (open and closed)

Hospitals

Still need to get an Economist and Students [these are still the two main objectives of the trip]

Day 8 - Thapathali Slum

Day 8 -- have finally started shooting something related to my project. I'm trying to discover a link between the economy and strikes --> Photographically it's not so easy to show struggling or food shortages other than going to poorer areas. I found it interesting that (article in Day 7) there are 20,000 people in Kathmandu living in slums and there have been about 800 new squatter families within the past 2 years. I talked to one woman who blamed the sole reason for moving into a slum was because of the constant strikes -- one 16 day one in Kathmandu resulted in the closing of her shop near Bhoudha.

Not to pin point poverty with strikes... it is however indirectly related by hurting more and more businesses thus hurting the economy. There are ways in the west however that are directly related such as the UN trying to transport food to the starving and not being able to. This will be discussed in more detail after my trip to the UN office.

Today it is raining but I have a better understanding on what i'm looking for as far as shooting poverty to tell my story --> I need a sure way, independent of audio or text that will show the suffering of Nepal as a result of strikes.

Day 7

The strikes in Nepal often happen in the Southern Terai region cutting food supplies and fuel to the nation's capital. Also food from the UN that's going to the poorer western region cannot make it in time during a strike. As the strikes occur, the poor people of Nepal are paying with their hunger.

Kathmandu slum area on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cactus23/sets/72157604452702282/

Slum areas: slum areas like Lonhla, Imukhel, Khapinchen and Chyasal....

http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2003/09/05/Nation/3990

Another photo of the slum area in Kathmandu along the bagmati

http://www.nowpublic.com/environment/kathmandu-slum-and-polluted-river-bagmati

How strikes in the south cut fuel to the North:

http://newshopper.sulekha.com/news/strike-cuts-off-fuel-supply-to-nepalese-capital.htm

Goat shortage during dashain:

http://beacononline.wordpress.com/2009/09/15/nepal-nepals-capital-suffers-festival-goat-shortage/

Strikes effecting the economy, especially in the west:

http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=79709

Strikes and load shedding link:

http://www.livemint.com/2009/05/07214700/Crisis-in-Nepal-may-affect-pla.html

Everything is linked:

http://www.phillyimc.org/en/maoist-leadership-nepal-bans-strikes

Birgunj is effected by strikes (business capital) during Dashain:

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/dashain/index.php?story=115

Day 6 - Economist and Student Questions

For the economist (off the top of my head...will add as I go):

1. How do strikes effect the economy in Nepal (in general)?

2. How is the eminent food shortage linked to strikes?

3. Who strikes?

3a. Why?

4. Are strikes a part of Nepalese Culture?

5. What are the main reasons why strikes occur so frequently?

6. Have you ever participated in a strike?

7. What needs to occur in order for this issue to be solved?

8. Could you talk about how strikes played a key factor in the closing of the Biratnagar Jute Mills

Student Questions (for a student who participated or organized a strike):

1. When did you strike?

2. Why?

3. Why is it usually students who strike?

4. How do you strike [what is the process from beginning to end]?

5. Did you achieve your goals?

6. Are you planning to throw a strike in the future?

7. What could be a reason to strike in the future?

8. Do you think this hurts the economy?

9. Are strikes the only way to voice your opinion to the government?

Day 5 - Walk

Last main day of Dashain. Walked southern (not including Patna) Kathmandu, through the center and up to Swyambunath (monkey temple). Going to try to start shooting tomorrow.

I'm going to plan for the worst and hope for the best with this project... it's possible that there won't even be a strike but there are a number of issues linked with the strikes:

1. Food Shortage in the Terai region and western regions

2. The shutting down of businesses and factories

I also still need to get an economist expert which is being worked out (they're still busy from the festival). And I need to get students at the colleges since they're the ones that organize the strikes (they go back to school on Sunday).

Tomorrow I may attempt to go into one of the slums but will need to work out a translator to come with me.

Day 4 - moving

Today and tomorrow are the main days of Dashain so most restaurants and stores will be closed. I'm moving away from where I was to an area that will be easier to catch a cab if a strike occurs. I'm located right in the Boudha area now... can see the stupa from my hotel. Leaving my current hotel I witnessed an incredibly violent fight...had to hold myself back from taking photos...no no Robin, wait for something useful before you create enemies for yourself. They were just drunk teenagers, probably had too much Dashain wine. Moving to the newly found guesthouse will put me right at a major road so I can catch a cab or my friends can pick me up on their motorcycles faster.

I'm now staying at Te-Si hotel: the first two floors of the hotel have wireless and each floor has a sitting area and big balcony which makes it convenient for me. As everyone is celebrating right now I'm not going to go out and shoot but rather work on my dissertation which I am now behind.

Day 3 - Networking

I have 5 or 6 days before the end of the festival still. What I'm going to do to take advantage of the time is to get the entire city wired: I started with eastern Kathmandu (where I live) and south eastern giving my number out to willing young adults (who could speak English). I told them to phone me after the festival if --> 1) They see a strike 2)They hear of a strike somewhere within Kathmandu

I've already got a few phone calls from them to come hang out and drink wine... well at least I know they're willing to call me. I'm doing this using my map in a strategic manner, giving my number out to people who live in all the major areas: Bauddha, Old Baneshwar, New Baneshwar, Baneshwar... Next I'll do the Northern Section.

I covered a lot less ground than I thought I would: although it's not a great distance, I often stop to chat with the people who are going to help me. Everybody is extremely cheerful because of Dashain. Everybody is on holiday.

Day 2 - Boudhanath

Today I met up with Nabraj Lama and we hung out with friends and played cards (for the Dashain festival). The Dashain festival means that there will be NO STRIKES for 7 days which doesn't really matter: I've got quite a few strike photos, I am mostly in need of an economist.

Another thing to think about is how the food shortage is effecting people during these festivities. [food shortage, strikes, load shedding, all tied to the political instability]. I may try visiting the poorer areas in Kathmandu, to interview people who are in need of food.

I also moved out of the backpacker-haven Tamel. I moved near Boudhanath Stupa (pictured above) where most of my friends from the NGO Better World Nepal live. This will make getting to places and days when I have to translate much easier (I usually meet up with them everyday).

My goal for the next 7 days (during Dashain):

1. Find an Economist (arranged by Nabraj)

2. Go to the poorer areas: interviews about the food shortage and money shortage during Dashain

3. Get the city wired for the strikes -- a few people in each area to notify me of a strike in their area

Nepal Final Project - Day 1

Arrived in Kathmandu last night... when I arrived I had to sit through 12 hours of load shedding (power outage) and no water. I was starting to feel a bit sick, as some of my classmates were sick at the Pingyao Photography Festival in which I attended. Bought my power adapter:

called Nabraj (who will help me arrange various things) and chilled out during the rainy day. Tomorrow I'm hoping to move to a more strike-prone area to start getting contacts with the people who organize the protests.

I contacted these guys:

http://www.sejon.com.np/about_us.html

I'll be trying to find an economist to narrate my story because they are the experts on how these frequent "bandhs" effect the economy. One more night in Chitrapati and then off to some other location in Kathmandu.

I have to make sure and take advantage of the time that I do have power: plug my phone/computer in right away to get it charged. Luckily I have a mac now which lasts 6 X longer on battery than my PC.

Crystal Meth - Chungking Last Days

Oh yea I almost went to bed without writing about my final night... almost forgot. Here is what happened: Lucky was now out of a job, his boss wants him in jail. He's depressed. He's my friend though so we hang out and drink a couple San Miguels. I go back to my room and get another call... He says I can take some interesting photos of him and his friend. I reply, "ok."

I show up to a discrete location inside the mansions and they start their science. When I said science earlier about the heroin addicts I was just saying that. This time I MEAN it. They were like little einsteins with all these pieces of tinfoil with different functions. There was the piece that went around the straw so it didn't melt. The one that you use a card so it curls like wrapping ribbon: you use it to put in the top of the lighter so it makes a finer flame... or maybe it's some how easier to cook the meth, I'll ask next time.

Anyways I watched them do this and took a bunch of photos -- I'm afraid it didn't really fit in my story which can be viewed here:

http://www.robinfall.com

I posted a couple photos though (as you can see). After that we said our goodbyes... they didn't really act noticeably different as opposed to the heroin addicts. I woke up a couple hours later to catch a train to Shenzhen. They had no more beds (or seats for that matter) to Shenzhen. I had the option of standing for 24 hours or staying the night in Shenzhen and getting the train the next afternoon. I took the latter.

Lucky, the Indian Mafia, and the Central Intelligence District

Images (clockwise starting from upper left): lucky's apartment, lucky holding a photo of his boss, his watch shop or what's left of it, his broken drawers that held his fake rolexes

I made a friend. His name is Lucky. Lucky sells copy-watches. Lucky called Robin at midnight and told him to meet him. Robin thought this was strange. Robin left his camera and all his belongings in the room where it was safe.

So I saw him standing in the street and he was like, "don't worry man, follow me.." When we got to the end of the alley way there was a tan colored van and they told me to get in. "There is no way I'm getting in that van." I replied. They showed me identification, they were part of the CID of Hong Kong. I should say something prior to this night:

Lucky asked me to find out where another copy-watch location was. I was going around anyway trying to get photos of the places so I didn't see any harm. Ok back to the van:

So I got in. They introduced themselves (i don't remember their names) and said they wanted my help. Lucky told me that he has to help them every once and a while so they don't bust him for selling copy-watches. I looked at Lucky. I looked at the police. They took out a map of the building that I had been earlier in the week... There was no possible way I would be able to tell them with that map -- the place was like a maze. So they said, "Ok I'll go in with you and protect you in case they're there." "Are you really police?" I replied. I looked at Lucky. He was laughing. Lucky said, "Hey man help me out and I'll take time off to get you into an apartment to take photos." I had had some difficulty doing this because of all the illegal refugees living in the building.

These copy-watch sellers are like gang members. In fact they ARE gang members -- they sell illegal goods, drugs, prostitution, work with the police. If one of them saw me I could be in trouble. Although it was really late and I was pretty sure none of them would be out and about. So I said, "ok, but don't come in with me just follow behind and I'll point to the door." We walked in and everything went as planned. But after I pointed they told me to leave quickly. I couldn't get out of the building. The elevator only goes to odd floors -- so I had to take the stairs. The stairwell did not lead to an exit. After a few minutes I found the police again and they asked why I was still here. We ended up going out together.

Anyways the next day Lucky was no where to be found.

The day after that I found him. He had been arrested anyway and taken to prison. One person in the Indian Mafia (as I now call them) took the wrap for the entire group. Lucky found out that his boss had turned him into police in order to save his business. Lucky's apartment was now ransacked, everything was taken from his store but he did let me photograph inside his apartment anyway. The people inside redecorating from the police party were resistant at first but by the time I left they were laughing and even posing.

That pretty much sums up my last couple of days in the Chungking Mansions.

Heroin Addicts - Chungking Final Days

Some people that I often saw in the back alleys were the heroin addicts who happen to be Nepalese. Most of them were sons of ghourkas that were born here in Hong Kong. They would laugh when I sang the only Nepalese song I knew. One day when I was standing there waiting for my friend lucky... who didn't show... one of them came up to me and said, "hey follow me we'll take some photos."

They were really nice guys so I didn't feel threatened in any way although I was kicking myself for not having my digital... I was merely armed with my holga and my waste of plastic diana f+ (totally useless indoors without the flash). We went in to the Chungking stairwells and they started their science. All of them except one said to not get their faces in which I replied, "ok." The thing is i don't even bother looking in the viewfinder with the holga... it's not exactly accurate. When I got the film back I found that I did a pretty good job at cutting out their faces.

There was blood everywhere -- after they shoot up they all dip from a cap in the middle of the floor and clean out their syringes... just squirting it all over the place. I had to laugh because I was trying to take photos with all this blood and syringes covering the floor. After they were "tore up" things got a little strange. They started grabbing my arm and being like, "hey man I want to tell you something..." They'd say something in Nepalese and start laughing like madmen. Anyways I uploaded one of the shots.

The Chungking Mansions Rat

Oh what should I write. Haven't really progressed any the last few days. I've been putting all of my money towards film though -- shooting lomo 800iso, some fugifilm superia 1600, fujicolor natura 1600, and some fugifilm 400.

I am now officially the Chungking Mansions' Rat: going in and out of every little hallway/stairwell/opening etc... People really DO NOT want to get their photos taken. I've made a few friends...mostly from India/Bangladesh that let me photograph them and are even trying to let me photograph their apartment but are unable to come through (they usually live with many people whom they must get permission). There are a lot of illigel immigrants so it is understandable. I really can't think of many things that are legal in this place: copy watches, copy phones, hashish, prostitution, any drug you can think of, rip-off brand clothing. I can't see anything wrong with their tailor made suits for around 20USD -- seems to be legal.

There was a fight today and I had to be sneaky about the photos -- in this situation it was a great time to snap away at all the people while avoiding the police. Didn't get up close and personal with the guy who was injured...just caught the end of the action it looked like. I guess I'm being a little pessimistic about this project but may just be getting a little cabin fever.

Anyway this british guy I've been hanging out with during the day (also a vegetarian) was talking about an interesting concept. He said, "This place has it's own weather -- it's always raining, even when it's nice."

I've been thinking about that because a lot of people refer to Chungking Mansions as Chungking Island: it's self sufficient and you can literally get ANYTHING here -- you don't ever have to leave if you don't want -- there are even frickin banks! The rain he's referring to are the external air conditioners which drip on everybody that's walking down Nathan Rd. On the 3rd floor you can walk out in this central area that goes between all of the buildings and it seriously sounds like it's raining!

Chungking Mansions: the living, breathing, organism.

Chungking Game Plan

Photo Ideas:

Mobile Phone Shops, carrying boxes in and out of the building, businesses on the first and second floors, outside the building at night and during the day, hostel rooms, different nationalities interacting, hotel owners and their hotels, tourists, one family or person living in the chungking mansions (as many as possible)

Sounds: 1st floor playing Hindi music, the chatter on the first floor, people asking me if I want to buy suits, copy watches, and hashish, stairwells, business interactions, interviews

Interview Questions for a non/Hong Kong native that LIVES in the Chungking Mansions:

1. Name/Age/How long have you lived here/Where are you from

2. Why did you come here/ Why do you live in the Chungking Mansions

3. Who do you live with/ How much is rent

4. Have you had any problems living here / Do you have plans to return home

5. How many different nationalities do you do business with in a day / What can you find in the Chungking Mansions

6. How do native Hong Kongers view the Chungking Mansions / Is it a dangerous place

7. What does a typical day look like on the first floor of the Chungking Mansions / What's the craziest thing you've ever seen occur there

8. What are your plans for the future

9. Is there anything else you want to say

Interview Questions for a tourist:

1. Name/ Age/ Where are you from

2. How many times have you stayed here / How long do you intend to stay

2a. Why did you choose to stay here (again)

3. What was/is your first impression of the Chungking Mansions / How about now/later

4. Any interesting experiences / Heard any rumors or interesting facts about the place

5. What do you like about CM/ Dislikes

6. How many different nationalities have you seen here / why is that

7. Will you stay here again/ recommend to a friend

8. Would you say that the Chungking Mansions is a beacon or a hellhole

9. Are the Chungking Mansions a dangerous place

Interview Questions for a Native Hong Konger living in the Building

1. Name/ Age/ Where are you from

2. How long have you lived in the Chungking Mansions / What do you do here

3. Have you had any problems/troubles doing business here

4. How many nationalities do you do business with / why aren't there more native owned businesses here (maybe will not ask this question)

5. How do other Hong Kong people (that don't live here) think of the place / Why

6. Do you intend to stay here / Why

7. Talk about doing business with the other people in the building / any problems

8. Are the Chungking Mansions a dangerous place / What does a typical day look like for you (probably will not be able to get them to understand this question)

9. What are your plans for the future

Chungking Mansions: Facts

from Gordon Mathews' work:

90 Guesthouses

380 businesses: food stands, sellers of mobile phones, watches, electronic items, clothing

4,000 people on any given night stay in the building

100 square meters, 17 stories

10,000 people/existence day pass through the Chungking Mansions from around 124 countries

Built in 1961 - - intended for thw well-off by many accounts

1988 Danish tourist died in a fire

1993: building lost power for 10 days

Africans make for over half of those staying

Sushila Pandey, a 37 year old tourist was killed in the building by her Sri Lankan partner Attanayake Wasala Dangamuwa

1995: 1,750 people were questioned... 45 men and seven women were arrested on suspicion of offences including failing to produce proof of identity, overstaying, using forged travel documents, possessing equipment for forging documents, and possessing dangerous drugs

1996: operation sahara -- 52 men and women were arrested for violating immigration regulations

20-30 percent of all phones in sub-saharan Africa are traded/purchased in the Chungking mansions

Reasons for its in the expensive Hong Kong:

1. Relatively relaxed visa laws (of Hong Kong)

2. Chungking Mansions' rock bottom prices

3. 920 owners -- unified ownership remarkably weak: they can do as he/she pleases -- property developers have not been able to buy the building and replace it with an expensive structure

4. China's emergence as the world manufacturing center --> low-end entrepreneurs flock

People living in the mansions:

1. Traders

2. Owners/managers and their employees

3. Asylum Seekers (around 2,500)

4. Tourists

*80 sex workers (mostly Chinese and Indian -- some from Nepal, Indonesia, Mongolia, Kenya)

*40 Heroin addicts and petty drug dealers

Chungking Mansions Day 1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2009/07/000000_global_perspective_chungking_mansions.shtml

Chungking Mansions:

I started shooting with a holga but am carrying my digital camera as well. Today walked on every floor from one of the stairwells (block C). In the back there are people that sleep in the ally (on sofas and cardboard). The back has a lot of people selling hash or whatever else you want.

At this point I'm just walking, thinking and deciding to how to go about this project. I want to keep it simple and just find an interesting person that is a good representation of the people that live here. Nothing extreme for the main part of the story but I do want to photograph and record some of the extremities: drug dealers, prostitutes, etc...

The people on the first floor are incredibly helpful... just hanging out there I'm approached and talked to. Today I talked with someone from Pakistan and a Nepalese drug dealer who was born in Hong Kong (his dad was a British soldier.

Stuck in Biratnagar

My computer is beyond repair.. they returned it to me today. There is a transportation strike that started today which means I may be stranded here.

I went to buy a plane ticket and found out that foreigners have to pay 4 times the amount as native Nepalese. I guess I'll have to wait it out a couple more days before I buy the ridiculous plane tickets...I'm going to have to purchase a computer when I get to Hong Kong as well.

Bikash and I spent the day translating..nearing the end now. As of now I should be finishing editing my multimedia which is just going to have to wait until I get a computer. For now...I'll just sit and take some more photos.

I found out that the Solar Eclipse will be tomorrow from 5:45 - 7:45 (for 3 minutes). It's a full solar eclipse in Biratnagar and the last one for 77 years. It's the longest one in like 130 years or something along those lines. I did have a job working in a planetarium at one point in my life...and I still have my solar eclipse glasses that I've been saving for this day... god I'm cool.

I read that I can take photos of the eclipse when it's full so I guess I'll give that a shot... really A SHOT is all I'll get since it's going to be really dark, it's going to have to be a long exposure. I also can't let it go over the 3 minute mark... don't really want my computer and my camera breaking.

update - Biratnagar

I followed around a rickshaw driver who used to work at the Jute Mill. I pretty much have everything I need but my computer is still in the shop...not functioning. Looks like I'll be in this ridiculous heat another day. I realized how out of sleep I really am today. Because of mosquitoes and the temperature I haven't been sleeping very well at night so I took a nap in the afternoon. The load shedding turned my fan off and I awoke in a sauna. The sun was down by then so it was pitch dark and it took me a while remember where I was... I guess I was fast asleep and having some intense dreams.

So anyway as I wait for my computer I'll finish up anything else I need to do and just take a day to buy some knock-off t-shirts/sunglasses etc...

The main interviews for my project will be: one of the paid staff who's worked there for 20 years, a laborer who is now forced to drive a rickshaw, the former chairman, and possibly squeeze in a quote from Girijia Prasad Koirala at the end. I think I have all the shots I need but can't say for sure since I can't work on the video until I get a working computer!

I also discovered this morning that there's a photo of me in The Kathmandu Post (July 20th) in the background with all the other journalists in the city (including the BBC).

It'll be good to get to Kathmandu where I can use faster Internet and much cooler temperatures. I just pray my computer will get fixed so I can do some actual work.

PDF map about bandhs

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/luFullMap/D465E17D91760222C12572570038F68D/$File/ocha_SEC_npl061219.pdf?OpenElement

Day 13ish

Alright the story has taken a mind of its own based on the protests. The riots happen suddenly and without warning so there was no way I could have anticipated. Yesterday I was in the right place at the right time though. After running with them and watching them destroy any business window that didn't comply to closing...someone finally grabbed my camera from me and tore off the flash. I got a police report and mailed the claim to my insurance company today. Do you think they cover riot damage?

As of now as the story goes: The Biratnagar Jute Mills is the largest mill (well was..) and is where the first strike in Nepal took place. Because of strikes across the country, load shedding, and political instability the mill went under for good this year. Bad management and corruption meant that the workers haven't gotten paid in over a year...their answer? STRIKE! It's really the only thing they can do. Finally after one year of weekly strikes they were compensated but the factory remains closed. What did it mean to strike in Nepal during the beginning of the democracy at the Biratnagar Jute Mills. What does it mean now? What are strikes doing to the economy? Is this the only way that the government will listen to them? For now, the Nepalese will continue to strike.

Rickshaw Driver

Interview today: a rickshaw driver that used to work at the Biratnagar Jute mills. After it closed he had to get a job driving a rickshaw to provide for his family. Working the rickshaw he makes about 150 Rs/day = 2 usd. He lives with around 12 family members...most of them women.

Today the factory members will get some of their salary that the comany owes them. If they are not paid in full then something will happen most likely.

As of now my story is finally starting to take form:

1. Strikes: Nepal has only had minimal amount of days without strikes causing many problems but also as a reaction to the government instability. It's causing the economy to go down and
2. Biratnagar : main industrial area of Nepal but many of them are closing down including the first and largest Biratnagar Jute Mills.
3. A rickshaw driver who is personally effected by the closing.
4. Many people are starving and jobless because of the strikes which is a reaction of the political instability and corruption.
5. An interview with someone who participated in the FIRST strike in Nepal which was for the first factory in Nepal...the Biratnagar Jute Mills!
6. What needs to happen in order to change the situation.

--This outline is bound to change but for now this is what I'm working with.

Raghupati jute mills

New fixer: Bridges. Took me to a totally different mill that's connected with the Biratnagar Jute Mills. This one is called Raghupati jute mills and is located directly on the border of India and Nepal. Met a man who used to work there but is now going through difficult times..having a hard time sustaining himself. Tomorrow I'll wake up at around 4:00am and stay with him for a day...until he goes to sleep.

We tried to enter the mills today to see the working conditions. They asked for a bribe..2,000 rupees. We said no.

During this time I plan to document how he is living. Interview him about the jute mills and his opinions of the political situation in Nepal. This will tie into how the government's instability is indirectly hurting some of the people of nepal.