Day 2 – Chițō, chole and chai

Day 2 in Koshi was truly, truly special. From coaching 400 kids, (more if we include the break time stragglers at Adarsh, and the countless drop ins at Balaki!), to enjoying roadside chole before our third school, and being invited for chai by Sima Ray, a young cricketer and changemaker, the best of Nepal was on offer for all to see.

After a chaotic start, involving impromptu toilet trips, delicious banana pancakes, and three citis, the CWB team arrived at Mahendra school for our first session of the day. A rubble moat around the field threatened to make things difficult, but we cracked on regardless, and delivered a great session to around 70 students (after engaging in some hyper competitive one hand one bounce!) From here, a short ride to Balaki school – a real personal highlight. On a dusty, tractor marked courtyard, we had 25 young girls enjoying a game of rapid fire, with team Mango and Pineapple duelling hard. The incredible help of our Nepali local coaches was so beneficial here, with Prasiddhi’s enthusiasm bouncing off the girls, and ensuring it was an hour well spent.

Roadside chole and pakora on the way to Adarsha was a gastronomical highlight (although I haven’t exactly been left wanting, as I’m sure the rest of the team will verify), and went down a treat to fuel us for the final two sessions. We arrived at Adarsha during lunch, so had over one hundred students participating initially, before we broke away into more rapid fire games once the bell had rung. Next, a sweltering Scorpio ride to Sima Ray’s alma mater, in a village to the west of Biratnagar came next, a world away from the bustle of the city. Here, Sima Ray was the star of the show, introducing and concluding the session, and really being the embodiment of what CWB is about, showing these students where cricket can lead you.

A drink was in order after our work, and we were fortunate enough to be invited to Sima Ray’s home for chai, and upon request, sugarcane. This came to the particular delight of one scorpio; the discussion on the way to the school had been centred around the local fruit. It was an amazing way to conclude the day, and a collective thanks to Sima Ray and her family for being so hospitable!

All in all, a success. Chaotic and tiring, but the best kind of tiring. Tarun summed it up well – the kind of tired you feel as a kid after a summer day playing sport, and if the last two days are any indication, the next two weeks will fly by chițō chițō.