frustrated.

When I try to explain to my friends what life in like in Nepal it is pretty much impossible. Coming from somewhere like Australia we have no idea what the real world is like and how the majority of people live. We love to complain about how hard we have things, how work is tough, we don't get paid enough. The truth is most of us just haven't seen enough of the world to realise how good things are at home.

I try to explain that in Nepal around 30% of people live on less than a US$1 a day though stats like this don't mean shit to people who have never tried to survive on or under the poverty line. I always get the response that "things are cheaper there". Yes this is true, but rent for three rooms with no running water, communal bathroom shared with 5 other families and very sporadic electricity is around NR7000 (US$100) a month. Basic wage doesn't even cover the rent, forget about wanting to eat or educate your children or going on holiday or health care.

I get on my friends nerves because i am always banging on about poverty and immigration laws and work rights. I know nobody else cares about these things. I know it is boring and depressing and i am driving you all crazy but FUCK get some perspective. Not being able to afford the latest iphone is not a crisis situation!

I don't know how to explain it in a way that is effective. I watched this doco this morning, as usual it made me cry. I guess most people would say it's about a girl who chose the wrong job. To me it is a reminder that so many of my Nepali friends are applying for this kind of work, it might not be long before someone comes back in a box. I am feeling so frustrated at the moment.

Nepali Slaves in the middle East - Guardian

Occupy Wall Street

 Photo by Getty Images. Sourced from Daily Mail UK

 Photo by Getty Images. Sourced from Daily Mail UK

Photo by Michael Nagle - Getyy Images. Sourced from the Atlantic.

It has been going on for a few weeks now, protests which started in Manhattan have spread to Boston, Chicago and LA. In Manhattan protesters have set up a makeshift camp in a park and are threatening to stay all winter. Hundreds have been arrested in the demonstrations and police have been criticized for their use of violence and capsicum spray.

There is some confusion what the protests are actually calling for. A range of issues are being highlighted, such as: an end to corporate greed, unemployment, the war and bank bail outs.

For more pictures and the full story see:

• Occupy Wall Street 
• The Atlantic
• Daily Mail
• Digital Journal
• news.com.au

Power to the people. I love a good protest, even if it seems some what disorganized, leaderless and lacking in any real objectives. I've always want to take to the streets, shouting slogans, waving placards. I've just never had anything to really believe in or an angry mob to back me up. 

And sadly i was born in a country where it seems the only thing we care enough about to gather in the streets about is beating up foreigners (if you don't know about the Cronulla riots don't worry it was just a very low point in Australia's history which brings much embarrassment to sane and respectable Australians).

In Nepal people take to the streets so often it has actually lost all meaning. Every time there is an enforced strike people shut up shop but half the time we don't know why people are protesting or what for... who cares right, its a day off work! The only people involved are fanatical fringes. It isn't fashionable to care about politics anymore, and why would it be politicians, strikes, government workers, the constitution - its all so ineffectual why waste your time.

There must be a way to get people involved again. It happened in Egypt, in the Middle East and now people are trying it in America. Maybe it is time for the rest of us to take another look at people power and have a think about what we would be willing to take to the streets for?