"The film is freely inspired in the book "A Teacher in Kathmandu" by Victoria Subirana." "Some of the fictional events do not correspond with the book." "NEPAL, EARLY 90'S" "Faster, faster, faster." "Ok, now you." "Good, choose someone." "C'mon, C'mon, C'mon." "Faster!" " Kushila you are the last one." " Sun Koshi river," "Lothar Khola river," "Dudh Koshi river," "Arun river, Bagmati river," "Narayani Koshi, Seti," "Sharada Kola." "Good, Kushila." "One, one." "Two, two." "Three, three." "Four, four." "Five, five." "Hey!" "That's enough!" "Stop it!" "You know, the school is a disaster." "I don't know what to do." "So, two months of teaching..." "But what have you learned?" "That what I do here has a meaning." "In Spain there are hundreds of teachers that can do my job, but not here..." "You know, there are many things I'd like to try with the children." "There is so much to do here." "So, try it." "But, I'm just one teacher." "Try!" "Look, this will help you think." "Take one bead between your fingers, think a negative thought, define it," "pass it on, and let it go." "Then go to the next bead." "A positive thought or a wish, you keep it... and breathe." "Positive, you breathe in." "Negative, you breathe out." "Out again?" "Come on inside." "Good morning." "We are organizing a choir to give thanks to the Virgin, in the month of May." "We will practice everyday in the schoolyard." "Great!" "Out you go now." "In order." "Go with Mother Testor." "Where do you think you're going?" "Have you done your homework?" "What happened again last Friday?" "I was at the hairdresser's, helping Pepi." "Look, tell your mother if she wants you to work, better not come here." "Plenty girls would love to have a scholarship like you and wouldn't waste it!" "Come on..." "Sit down." "Do the sums from the beginning." "I want to sing too!" "Good girls sing, obedient girls, Eulalia." "The girls who deserve it." "...with flowers to the Virgin Mary, our mother." "With flowers to the Virgin Mary, our mother." "Mr. Pemba" "I like to start a new classroom for 20 to 25 kids." "Between 5 and 8 years and I'll use Montessori materials." "You know what I mean?" "Good, yeah." "But it's a little bit expensive, and needs to be imported." "Well, then give me the raw materials, I can make everything myself." "I'm sorry, we don't have the budget." "Well, then find it, Mr Pemba." " How about 35 kids in one classroom?" " It is not possible," " because, you know I..." " You know, Miss Laia, it is pity that so few kids benefit from your expertise." "OK, agreed, but things will be done my way in this classroom." "No punishments, no interferences of any kind." "OK." "Please..." "Please!" "Are you crazy?" "No please!" "Get the mothers out, please." "Stop, stop it." "No, no, no please!" " Sharmila." " Yes?" "This girl is full of lice." "Call the barber." "What?" "Just call Sharmila, please!" "Is this what you do in your country when children have lice?" "No..." "Then why you do it here?" "Laia," "The children born on Mondays can't have their hair cut or be washed on Mondays." "The mothers believe that this will bring bad luck or misfortune to their kids." "So, I promised them that we would make an offering, to calm the Gods." "We?" "Both of us Laia, or they won't come back." "OK." "Later, we'll go to Boudhanath to pray for the kids." "Why don't we do it here?" "Because the kids are budist." "This is Shiva Temple." "I come here everyday since I got married four years ago;" "To pray for a son." "But the Gods haven't heard me yet." "Will you wait for me sometime?" "Yes." "Because the foreigners are not allowed here." "Ok?" "Ok, yeah." "No, my little girl." "I want you to leave, do you understand me?" "How many times I've told you not to open the door?" "Are you stupid?" "They're after money we don't have!" "Idiot, finish your homework." "You still here?" "I want you out, beat it!" "Don't want to see you anymore!" "You're a bloody disgrace!" "I'm ashamed!" "We all have a house and it's a place where we go after school, when we're tired..." "It's a place where we feel comfortable." "It doesn't matter how it is." "It is our house." "The words, they also have a house." "The "House of Words"." "You know there are many words that are lost, that don't know where to go and they are waiting for you to find them, to love them, and take them, take them home." "Who has a word that wants to bring here, to the "House of Words"." "Kushila." "Planets." "Great word, Kushila!" "What is it?" "Earth is a planet." " And where do the planets live?" " Planets live in the sky." "They have houses like us and they tell us about our destiny." "Our destiny?" "Ok." "I like it, I like it." "This is you?" " This is me?" " Yeah, this is me." "I am teaching." "You want to be a teacher?" "Yes, I want to be teacher." "Very good work, Kushila." "I think you should take it home and start a new one, OK?" "Home?" "No, no." "No?" "This is for you." " For me?" " Yeah!" " This is for you." " To keep it?" "Yeah." "Thank you." "I am sorry Laia, I cannot stay here." "I'm sorry." "Is this the time to get home?" "Go on, serve out the food!" "So, all those children they don't go to any school, local or public or anything?" "Some of those children are outcasts, Laia." "They are not entitled to anything." "Everyone is entitled to an education, Sharmila." "It is easy for you Laia." "You can go to the sucumbasi because you don't know what it means." "But for my family, to interact with them is like a sin, an embarrassment, or a shame." "Is that true for you?" "Look, in theory we are equal." "No castes for years, but in the real world, each has its own place and destiny." "What!" "?" "It's been practising for hundreds of years, Laia!" "So the poor stay poor forever?" "Who says so, Sharmila?" "Where's it written?" "Use I changed my destiny, and those children, with help, can change theirs!" "It's not that easy!" "You don't understand!" "How can you teach if you think like this?" "What is teaching to you?" "Because for me, it's to help them to be free!" "To chose to be themselves." "What are you going to teach them?" "To obey superiors, and follow stupid traditions that tie them down and don't let them grow?" "No." "No, Laia." "I'm going to teach them to take care of each other, to respect their elders." "My community places each and every person in their own place, it's true." "But it also takes care of its members." "Like for example, my mother, she is a widow." "She doesn't have any children to take care of her, but she never goes without a greeting, and never goes without a plate of food and a glass of water;" "Nor a person to listen to her." "And these all are my traditions, and I respect them." "There is a custom among my people that when the menstrual cycle begins for the first time," "girls spend almost 12 days inside a dark room and after this they can come out" "to see the first rays of the sun purifying themselves." "I was 10, and didn't understand why I had to be apart." "Why couldn't I see my father and play with my brother?" "I thought I'd done something wrong." "I used to feel ashamed." "And at that time I wanted only one thing:" "Not to be a woman." "To escape that darkness..." "Those children are in the dark because of the cast they belong to." "Laia, I didn't mean that they don't have right to learn." "It's not only about them learning to read and write." "They need something much more deeper." "They have denied us your working visa, Laia." "What?" "All the chaos, the Ministry has been closed by the strike." "You didn't present the contract!" "Your visa expired." "Without a work permit you are completely illegal." "You have to leave Nepal within 15 days, otherwise you will be deported, Laia." "What?" "I am so sorry." " I'm extremely sorry." " You are sorry?" "That I'm going to be deported like a criminal?" "Fuck!" "I don't believe it!" "I mean, we can talk with a lawyer." "A lawyer will take months..." "But there is a simple solution." "If you really want to stay in Nepal, and have the money... but he's asking a fortune." "Who?" "The officer!" "Inside." "You know what you are?" "You are a cockroach!" "I am here teaching kids." "You understand that?" "Fucking teaching children," "What do you want?" "Cash?" " Why are you doing this?" " You want business?" "You want my money?" "Do your fucking job!" "Leave us in peace... you bastard!" "MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS" "Office is closed." " Is closed?" " Yes." "Why?" "The strike." "Because the strike." " Strike?" " Yes." "Fuck!" "Married?" "How am I going to get married?" "Why not?" "With whom?" "So, we'll find somebody." "Have you gone crazy, Rigga?" "See, if the door is closed and we can't get out through the wall, open a window!" "Who said that?" "The Buddha?" "No, I heard it in a song." "Look, get married, get your papers and get a divorce if you want." "No way, come on." "I can't, Rigga." "I can't do this, I don' want to." "Why not?" "Because I don't want to get married," "And less with someone I don't love and I don't even know!" "But that's how everybody does it." "Like this?" "Yeah!" "The parents look for the right person and that's it." "My God!" "OK, maybe it works for them." "Now imagine I get married like this, out of convenience." "What happens if he doesn't understands that this is a marriage of convenience and he doesn't want to get divorced?" "What if he expects me to act like the women here?" "No, no way, Rigga." "I can't." "I don't want to!" "Instead of complaining about what you don't want, why don't you concentrate on what you do want?" "Like a good honest man who can." "Come on, join us for a bit." "I can't, Dani, I have a test tomorrow." "Look, Laia," "I'm fed up with your fucking." "You are happy in the factory." "Good, I'm not." "Let me try and do what." " Who says I'm?" " Please!" "Please, I beg you." "Please." "You have to do it." "Please, I beg you." "Look, girl, I help married who already have children and can't cope with another, but you are young, just." "No." "Please." "You don't understand." "You don't understand." "I have two more years" "I have to teach, I want." "If I have this baby now, everything closes in on." "Shuts down." "Please!" "Please!" "Please!" "Okay." "Listen carefully." "Just tell everyone how happy you are." "Okay." "It'll just look like a normal miscarriage." "Wait a minute." "Laia?" "Tsering?" "Where are you from?" "From Mustang." "Mustang." "In the mountains." "I work with tourists." "Tsering, why do you want to marry me?" " You know lama?" " Yeah, yeah." "He told me you were a good person and that it's good for me to get married." "And what the lama says is enough?" "Yes, yes." "He told me you needed help and I want to help you." "But you don't know me at all." "Why do you want to help me?" "As a child, I had to help my family in the fields." "You know those kids you teach?" "They are from the mountains, like me." "Everything I know is from working in the hotels for foreigners." "I want those kids to have something better than I." "Okay." "But what do you expect from me?" "I mean, what do expect from this marriage?" " I don't expect anything with you." " Come on." "Everybody, everybody always expects something." "I hope you are not looking for a woman in bed, or a European visa, because..." "No, no, no." "Neither you nor your visa." "I'm happy as I am." "Look, Tsering," "I haven't come to Nepal looking for a husband." "I want you to understand this is a marriage of convenience, so as soon as we have the papers, we get divorced and I won't bother you anymore." "You understand?" "And what if you like me?" "Or I like you?" "Look, the only thing I want is to stay here and work and fix my papers, and I just have 3 days left to do it, ok?" "So, if you want to help me, I will be so grateful." "But if you don't want to, I understand." "Think about it, please." "OK." "Thank you." "Bye." "What's it like with him?" "How's it going?" "Not going at all, Sharmila." "But you're living together, Laia." "Yeah, yeah." "Just in case they do an inspection, Sharmila." "My wedding present." "Kamasutra?" "Don't be silly!" "Why?" "Laia, you should know what type of woman you are and what type of man he is..." "Shut up!" "How is your vagina?" "What?" "I mean, how is your vagina?" "Still in the same place, thank you!" "Oh, wait!" "Sharmila!" "Very nice!" "Thank you." "Laia," "I want to ask you something." "My sister is getting married in the village." "Really?" "It's very important for me and my family." "I know that our marriage is like this..." "But... if I go alone, they will ask me questions." "Would you like to go?" "I owe you the favor." "We are gonna collect all the things, all the things that you see on the floor..." "We are gonna collect them classify them, and analyze them." "Share the bag, please, share the bags." "Kushila hasn't come today either." "It has been more than a week already." "I think so." "Sister, we are looking for Kushila Tamang's family." "The father died and they couldn't pay anymore." "They went to Sinamangal, to the sucumbasi." " To the shanty town?" " Yes." "Do you know where Kushila Tamang's family is?" "Her mother is over there, washing." "Thanks so much." "She says Kushila is not here and she says us to go away." "But, where is she?" "Is she..." "Is she OK?" "Someone has given her a." "She says since you are in they raised the fee." " They raised the fee?" " Yes." "No, look, we want to help Kushila wants to be a teacher." "Didi!" "Laia, they must have sent into the carpet factory" " or maybe at the sandpit." " The sandpit?" " Yes." " They send the children to" "Kushila?" "Ganesh Thamel Bar." "We are looking for a girl called Kushila." "Kushila." "They told us Ganesh gave her a job." "Quiero hablar con Ganesh." "She is working in India, in a factory." "Where, where in India?" "Go, go!" "No, no, no, please!" "We all know each other in Thamel." "That guy is not a good person." "If he has taken her by now she'll working in bar, like so many other girls." "And their parents know?" "They don't know." "Somebody comes, promises a job, they say that they're going to earn money in some factory..." "But they don't know what's behind it." "They're just girls!" "How they let them go?" " Have you ever been hungry?" " Yes, yes." "I had any money in my house, and the little we had, my father drank." "I've been working since I was nine year, ok?" "So I know how is like not to have anything." "These people have less than nothing." "Many of their children dies before 2 or 3 years old." "Mr. Pemba," "I'm not here to make you rich." "Miss Laia." "Please, sit." "Mr. Pemba, no." "I wanted to talk to you." "The police already have the girl's details and are looking for her." "Don't worry, they will find her very soon." "Well, In the NGO, they told me that it would take time." "That is, if they find her." "An NGO?" "Which NGO?" "Mr. Pemba," "Kushila's mother told me that you've been charging more money since I started working here." "And I want to know if this is true." "Miss Laia, that doesn't concern you." "It's part of the operation of this school." "What operation!" "What operation?" "To pack the kids together, mistreat them, and fleece the families?" "That's the operation of this school?" " You are in shock, Miss Laia." " No, I am not in shock." "We can talk about this some other time." "We don't have nothing to talk about..." "It is like entering another world." "What's that?" "Something my grandfather said:" ""My fist full of land, my mirror in the sky."" "My mirror in the sky?" "Where's yours?" "Mine?" "Where's your place?" "I don't know." "I don't know if I have." "We've decided to create a school." "I know it might sound crazy." "And I don't know exactly how, but I want to teach those children in the sucumbasi." "What about the children in the school?" "Are you going to leave them?" "Well, the poorest can come." "The others..." "I don't know." "It is going to be very hard." "And you will need money..." "My sister can help me from Barcelona." "I have a car I am going to sell, I have some savings..." "Why are you doing this for?" "For religion?" "Politics?" "No." "No." "Then, why?" "My grandmother gave me this for you." "Tsering, can you help me?" "Sure." "She says this is your home and we should take care of each other." "Are you all brothers?" "Yes." "Sister, how many children do you have?" "Why do you want to know?" "Because we are going to open a school for them." " What?" " She says, nobody opens here a school." "Well, we do." "Downstairs." "Six hours wasted, every day, for nothing!" "It's driving me nuts!" "I told you." "It's not the way." "And I told you I'm not gonna bribe any official with money I can use for the kids." "Listen, let's go together, and I will talk." "I don't want to!" "I don't want to." "Laia, you can teach!" " Where are the others?" " They are in the river." "What the hell is this?" "Sharmila, come!" "Listen!" "Children should be in the school!" "We are waiting for them in the school." "What?" "If they don't send the children to work, nobody is going to help them." "Look, look." "Tell them, if they don't go to school..." "OK, wait, wait, please." "Tell them, if they don't go to school, they will never be able to do anything else but carry sand." "What is she saying?" "What is she saying?" "They say that they don't have money to feed the children, so they have to work like this." "Laia, this is like a dog that bites its tail." "What did you say?" "I told them that the child who comes to school tomorrow will get a plate of food." "What?" "Silence, please!" "Hello, Nani." "What is your name?" "Sorry?" "Jaram." ""Kiti", girl?" "Sharmila, can you come please?" "I don't understand what she is saying." "Can you ask her name?" "She is the one who carries Jaram." "At the birth of her brother, she lost her name and now she is called "The one who carries Jaram."" "But she couldn't have forgotten her name." "As she says so." "She lost her name." "OK, thank you, Sharmila." "Ok, look." " That is you." " That is you." "No, no." "I am Laia, that is you." "I am Laia, that is you." " Eye." " Eye." "Eye." " Mouth." " Mouth." " Nose." " Nose." "Very good." "Now you." "No?" "No." "You like it?" "Yes." "Good!" "You can come anytime you want to look at yourself." " Yes?" " Yes." "I taught my grandmother to read with this." "Not many women went to school in her time." "Her dream was to read novels." "I think" "I can adapt it to the Nepalese alphabet." "What is this?" "First we have to eat, crazy woman." "Let's eat, ugly man." "Let's eat, ugly man." "Yeah." "Let's go to eat, handsome man." "You're such an ugly woman." "Thank you my love, thanks." "All of us can change things." "We can change ourselves." "We can change our environment." "We can change the community in which we live." "Ok, and how can we do that?" "Well, first, I think we have to imagine it." "I want you to breathe calmly and think about yourselves." "What would you like to change of yourselves?" "How would you like to be different?" "You can try to be more attentive." "You can be..." "You could be... kinder." "You could be..." "less messy..." "You can be less noisy." "Niraj, would you like to be less messy?" "Niraj, close your eyes." "Imagine yourself talking quietly." "Being in silence..." "Because silence is so important, you know, when we are in silence we can think." "We can listen..." "Are you imagining yourself?" "Great." "And now, I want you to think about something that is very noisy." "What's very noisy?" "A cow." "A plane." "A pig." "A bell." "Very good, very good." "That's very good, bell..." "Now, I am gonna draw a bell." "You see." "Niraj?" "So, then, each time that you manage to low your voice, to be in silence..." "You gonna stick one of these on the bell." "By the time you have finished the whole bell..." "You will have fulfilled your goal." "You want to?" "Ok, great." "Now all of you, everybody, close your eyes." "And think about something you want to change about yourselves." "Go inside and keep the shoes on the shelves, ok?" "Come on, let's go." "Is that you?" "That's very good, very good." "Great work." "Look..." "This box is for you, ok?" "It's your box." "And all the beautiful things, all the things are you going to do, you gonna put them inside, ok?" "Bimala." "Bimala?" "What's Bimala?" "It's your name?" "Bimala is your name?" "Bimala..." "Very good." "Beautiful name." "Laia, Laia, I have to go." "Mother's furious." "Don't touch a thing!" "We've been told!" "How can you be with untouchables bringing shame to this house?" "Don't call them that, they are poor people who need help." "Nobody goes over there but you have to go!" "You don't give a damn for your home or your husband!" "All the neighbours are gossiping!" "You are bringing bad luck to this house!" "Don't touch anything!" "What are you looking at?" "Put gold in the water and purify everything she's touched!" "There's no more rice or dal." "There's nothing left?" "Yes, only enough for tomorrow." "You cannot feed kids every day!" "Yes, but if they don't eat, they don't come and they don't pay attention, Tsering." "Even though there is many of them that don't come." "If the mothers had a decent job..." "You want to give work to the mothers?" "If they could learn some sort of trade." " You know?" " Laia, you cannot do everything." "Tsering," "I cannot set-up a school apart from their realities." "It doesn't make sense." " Are you leaving?" " Yes." "I have to go, Laia." "My father is worse." "OK." "How long will you be gone?" "I don't know." "I will be back as soon as I can." "Morning assembly, morning assembly!" "Morning assembly, come on." "C'mon, ok." "Stand up!" "Stand up!" "No, I just want to talk to Sharmila." "Talk to Sharmila?" "Is possible?" "No, wait, wait!" "Sharmila, Sharmila houk?" "Ok, stop it!" "What's wrong?" "But what's wrong, Sharmila?" "Are you sick?" "Are you ok?" "Shit!" "I cannot hear you." "Yeah, where?" "Of course, ok, I'll be there." "Bye." "She even threatened me to search for another wife for my husband." "For another wife?" "But why?" "They think I have being bringing them bad luck, shame, and all misfortune in the house." "And besides that, I haven't given him a son..." " And what does your husband says?" " He has always supported me, Laia." "He's always want me to work, but the outside pressure is too much, is too much." "Even in the same house" "I feel like I'm an outsider." "My God!" "What can we do?" "Look, Laia." "I've been thinking." "I have an idea." "But before telling that..." " I want you to meet someone first." " Okay." "I told him that we are starting a very important project," " so, how it is going to be?" " Project?" "Which project?" "Wait." "Your hand..." "You have a power, which in Sanskrit is called "the third eye"." "You have come to Nepal with an objective, and you won't go back until you fulfill it." "All your dreams and wishes will be respected and success is guaranteed." "What's this all about, Sharmila?" "Listen, Laia." "I know we can change many things, but we need more help, Laia." "You have got the gift of teaching, and I really want to help you, but I can't continue this way." "We need more teachers, and more resources and I assure you I'll help you in the management part of all that." "But with which money, Sharmila?" "I can't ask my sister for more help." "That's why, Laia." "I told you we should seek help from institutions." "No any institution is going to help for these people here in Nepal..." "Yeah so, you have to go back in Spain, and raise funds." " Go back... to Spain?" " Yes!" "Because as he told, your success is guaranteed." "But this is... this is nonsense." "Laia, it makes sense." "I can feel it." "Thanks." "I'll have a boy within this year." "Why don't you come with me?" "Why don't you come with me?" "We go together, and the you can get to know Barcelona, and my sister... and the sea..." "I can't leave my family now." "Don't know how long my father will last." "I can't go." "And I don't want you to go." "Please, Tsering." "This is not easy for me," " but I cannot see another way." " Listen, Laia, I want to help you." "But... is the school the only thing you care about?" "Do you want a life of your own?" "What happen about our life?" "But this is our life, no?" "This is what I want to do, and..." "Do you want a family?" "But I do." "I want a home, a place where my friends can come." "My brothers, my mother..." "So, you don't want a family?" "Tsering, it is so beautiful." "Tsering..." "I really need to do this." "I've never done anything as significant as this in my life." "You understand?" "And if I get the funds," "I'll have more help, including a salary." "And then we can look for a house for two." "For you and me." "I promise." "I promise." "Crazy woman, you're so ugly." "I am gonna miss you... so much." "Dear Tsering:" "I'm standing in front of the sea..." "CATALAN COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY" "I wish you could be here with me." "The sea gives me energy, it gives me peace as your mountains give to you." "The school project is going slowly." "I'm struggling to make the officials understand that we want to create quality schools, not quantity;" "But they say that with the money I'm asking for they can teach 800 children in Peru." "But with what kind of teachers, what kind of education?" "It seems that the poor, for being poor, deserve no more than a poor education." "Today we went to UNESCO and they're willing to help, but they told us that we have to create an NGO." "Neither my sister and I have any idea how to do it." "And they told us it could take months." "I don't know if I can stand so much time without seeing you!" ""Dear Sharmila:" "You don' know how much I miss you, the children and all the mothers." "After so much work I can finally give you some good news." "Since I told a newspaper about my arranged marriage, it has been non-stop!" "We are getting lots of sponsors..."" "A TEACHER IN KATHMANDU" "It's strange to be back here with my friends, with my sister... with my family." "I love them, but..." "I feel that this isn't my place, Tsering." "Now I can tell you:" "My mirror in the sky is in Nepal." "With the children, with Sharmila... and with you." "Love, Laia." "My kids!" "You're all here!" "Well, finally... you are pregnant!" "OUR NEW SCHOOL" "Let's clap for Binam, for Sonam, and for Bimala and for Dipesh." "Dipesh, how do you feel?" "How do you feel doing the video?" "I feel very good, I like so much." "You like so much?" "And, what is the part that you most like?" "The mothers work is very good." " Okay." "And what have you learned?" " I have learned enjoy with group." "That is important." "Sharmila, hi." "What did they say?" "Are they sure that Kushila is one of them?" "No, they are not sure, Laia." "They told me that the police raided brothels in Bombay and they founded a large group of Nepalese girls." "So, Kushila could be among them?" "Maybe Laia, they are not sure." "Kushila..." "Kushila." "Kushila." "Kushila!" "Kushila!" "Kushila, it is finished." "Kushila, it is finished." "It is me, it's Laia." "Look!" "Kushila, it is done." "You are here." "Kushila..." "Kushila, it is Laia!" "They've spent days on the bus." "Most of them come back with sexually transmitted diseases." "So we have to see how they are." "If her mother doesn't come for her, can I take her with me?" "Usually nobody claims them." "So, just give us some time and probably you can." "And this is going to be your room, okay?" "You share with other girls." "And this is your bed." "And here are your clothes, Kushila." "Everything is fine." "You're in the 16th week." "Weight, height, head..." "Everything normal." " Is that the heart?" " Yes." "Thank you, Laia." "I wait for you outside, okay?" "You're going to have a very healthy girl." "What did you say?" "It can't be." "I know it's a boy." "No doubt, it's a girl." "It can't be!" "Get dressed, you can go." "It can't be!" "Come on, get dressed." "You have to leave." "I can't have a girl." "Hey, what is wrong?" " What is wrong, Sharmila?" " I can't have this girl, Laia." " I can't have this baby." " You gonna have a girl?" "Now I'll be in real problems, Laia." " I can't have this girl." " But why not?" " Your sisters in-law have girls." " Exactly!" "This is more misfortune." "Now they're going to blame me for this, make my life a misery." "I must have a boy, Laia." "Sharmila, Sharmila, you're four months pregnant." "It is dangerous and you are young." "Come on, the boy will come later." "I can't make him wait anymore, Laia." "My husband has supported me so much." "Now they won't leave me in peace, I don't want to have this girl." "Sharmila, come to my house to live," " you can have your baby girl there!" " No Laia!" "I can't leave my family," "I'll lose the place there." "But how can you call family to people who treat you like this!" "Please!" "Come!" "Come with me, I can help you, both of you." "I can't." "I can't do this way." "I'm left with nothing." "If I leave my community everything closes, Laia." " No!" "You've got me!" " For how long, Laia?" "Will you stay there for me forever?" "You have your family there." "You can always go back to your country." " What if you decide to go back?" " No, I won't." " I am left to beg." " I won't go back, Sharmila." "Sharmila, I am your friend." "I can't break with everything." "Laia, I just want to get rid of this girl." "I just want to get rid of this girl, Laia." "Please help me." "Please help me." "Please help me, Laia." "Please help me." "Good night, Kushila." "Laia, I'm leaving." "For how long?" "I don't know." "I don't know if I'm coming back." "No." "No, please." "Please." "No." " No." " I have to go." "I want my place, and my family." "I think you've chosen yours." "No, no." "If you want, you can come with me." "Please, I'm asking you." "Tsering, please." "Don't go, please." "Please my love, please." "Please I beg you, please." "No." "You know something?" "Sharmila is not gonna come today and she always reads a story to the little ones after breakfast." "Would you like to do it?" "Sharmila, let's get out of here." " No, Laia." " Please." " Please." " No." "Nani, Laia:" "I am Sharmila's mother." "Sharmila." "Sweetheart." "Can you hear me?" "Please don't go." "You can't leave me alone, please." "Stay Sharmila, please." "Hang on, please." "Please, don't leave me." "Don't leave me alone." "Please..." "Laia, a woman came and gave this for you." "Where, where is she?" "She is gone." "FOR LAIA" "Dear sister, it seems that the astrologer was wrong about me, but not about you." "One day, you told me teaching was simply to hand over keys." "To let children unlock themselves from poverty and ignorance." "And it's true, there are keys to get out, but there are also keys to get in." "I pray I will be at your side helping for many years." "But in this life, you never know." "I feel as if I have returned to the dark room, or maybe I never really left." "Although you may not believe it, you are out Laia, in the light," "and you have that key." "I beg you to keep going, and don't give up." "Laia, you can help many children out of the dark." "Love, your sister always," "Sharmila."