12th Jan - early start and off to our community

So after 4 hrs sleep i was up at 6am - shower, packed my case then up on the roof at 7.30am for breakfast - we had rice pudding - delicious!
At 8.30am we all met in the reception to get the bus to the supermarket - i bought some chocolate and toiletries - (i am doing really well not to buy so much over here!).
We set off to Siritar to drop off the 1st group - on the way we passed the Kathmandu 'slums' - this was real eye opener - peoples houses made from plastic sheets and a dirty river as the only supply of water - our project supervisor has suggested we visited the slums at some time during our stay (maybe when our Nepali has improved). I'm a little apprehensive but i guess if I'm going to see what that side of Nepal is all about i should see it first hand.
We dropped the first group in Siritar - it was sad to say goodbye, even though we've only known each other a few days some of us have gotten pretty close. It was quite funny as the Lamatar group we all checking out Siritar, a bit like when you go on a package holiday and you check out the other people hotels on the drop off from the airport and your hoping your hotel will be nicer!!
Then it was our turn and man did we get the sweeter side of the deal. Lamatar is breath taking - right in the valley - surrounded by forest covered hills, green rice fields and orange mud houses. We also have an amazing view of Kathmandu City and the Himalayas in the distance.
I met my family for the first time, Mero Amaa (mother) is called Tara, Mero Bhuha (Father) is Laxmi and my sister is called Praba - i can't remember my brothers name!
The house is traditional Nepalese Mud House, the tolilet is a small hut outside with a squat toilet. The house is very very basic and the family explained that they do not have much money - they don't often eat meat and their main food for every meal is boiled rice and Dal Bhat (which is basically flavored water which you pour onto your rice). We have cat - he doesn't have a name so i decided to call him Basil. He's not very friendly at all and tries to rip my hand off if i try to touch him!! He just comes home around 7pm each night to have rice and milk - apparently he won't eat anything else! We also have 2 cows.
I am not allowed to go to the toilet alone in the night as there are wild cats that live in the forest right next to our house and they have been know to consume human beings!! Not sure how true this is but not planning to test the theory!
Have been told i have mice in my room aswell....need to find my ear plugs.
The family cook on a wood fuelled clay stove which is built into the wall. When i sat down to tea tonight (we sit on the floor) i could hardly see the rest of my family - not only because there was no power but the smoke was so thick from the stove! We had rice, curried cabbage and curried spinach. After tea Amma milked the Cow and we had hot milk fresh from the udder - pretty wicked!
My Father seems to be a holy person in the community as people came to visit him and he was doing some kind of chanting and rubbing their skin?? I didn't feel comfortable to ask what he was doing - maybe when i know the family a little better I'll ask.
When the brother arrived home from work he started to explain about the outside toilet and also seemed to feel a little uneasy about the fact i was staying with them. He was really welcoming and told me that this was my house now but he was talking about how they were 200 yrs behind the UK and the way they lived was backward - i felt quite sad and didn't really know what to say or how to react so i just thanked him for having me and reassured him that i was here to experience the 'real' Nepal........., we have been told 'DON'T COMAPRE - ADAPT' - i have to admit though that i was pretty worried about everything and when i went to bed i had a little cry.
Woke around 2am and I was desperate for a wee and really didn't want to have to go outside at risk of being eaten by a giant cat on my 1st night, i lay awake for about an hr and 1/2, then the mouse decided to visit and thought it would be a nice welcoming to poo on my head from the roof above my bed.....nice! At this point i realised that things weren't going to change and i would just have to crack on and deal with it - it wasn't actually as bad as I'd thought it would be going to a squat loo outside - a bit like camping really!!