Last week I got invited for a Necha Teacher Development Meeting. All the teachers of a Necha were present and they together with the students they preformed speeches and dances with traditional folk music. While being there and seeing that almost none critical subject involved with education or development were involved I got motivated to talk about some subjects. I asked if I could give a speech and there could be a translator for me. They didnt mind so I started writing a speech and chose one subject to highlight. Of course it should be a respectful speech to the hole community and the education program they were developing. But during my stay in Necha in April and now in Januari I realized that the plastic garbage increased very quickly. As I spoke about this subject I realized that most of the people didn't understood the importance or the effect that after years this plastic could waste their water quality. Most people are thinking it is just about the environmental look that tourist don't like plastic in the nature. But they don't understand if plastic as small parts gets into their water system it can make a lot of people and also their animals sick. I challenged myself because I am quit a shy person. But there was something in me that was forcing me to do this. My believe and also the fact that I now realized that if people wouldn't understand or disapprove I wouldn't care about it. I just wanted to share my thoughts no matter what. While talking sentence for sentence, being translated by the chairmen of the Himalayan Foundation.
I changed the speech a little bit but this is my draft for it:
"Namaste
Excuse me for not being able to speak in you languish.
Thank you very much for being here with all of you. It is great to see so many people have been working on these displays for the the education of so many people.
As a westerner of course I have some differences with all of you. I am glad that the world is different. That is also why I visit for example Necha.
During the days a stayed in Necha I have been learning a lot about organic food, farming, and how to make a beautiful house with everything that nature and the land provides. I feel very privileged that so many habitants from Necha have been sharing al this with me.
Because of this I want to give and share back. or me there is 1 though that I would like to share with you.
I found that this beautiful village has got more and more plastics in the environment, compared to my last visit. I want to explain to you what happens with this plastic. After years it will evaporate, diminish into microscopic parts. These parts will stay in the ground and finally water will pick these parts up. The water we drink in this village is not filtered. It is very hard to filter these parts from the water. For that reason I would like to ask you to please be careful with putting these plastics in the environment. ease teach the children about this. Let's collect the plastics at every house and later at a central place. We all are responsible of keeping this earth as good and clean as possible.
Thank you for your time and again for visiting this beautiful village Necha!
Danjebat! "
Luckily people were very respectful afterwards and told me they liked it. I could feel that some of them couldn't deal with the critics of it but still they very polite. Some told me it is good I shared it with them and they would do as much as they can to make changes for the future. I got about 15 prayer scarfs as a gift and they thanked me way to many times. I hope only a little percentage of it will stick to their minds and I realize that things are different here and change also just takes time.