Back in Nepal

My whirlwind month trip back to Nepal was indescribably amazing. Without sufficient vocabulary to express my gratitude and good fortune, I resort here to pictures.

In Phalewas:

Rural students my friends and I are sponsoring for their science education for the next 2 years. Thanks Will, Jamie, Patrice, and Winnie!

My FM radio interview broadcasted across several communities. We didn't have enough material, so I sang the US national anthem!

In Nurbuling school:

The students I taught 8 months ago! During the morning assembly they gave me a warm welcome 🙂

Village hospitality. Nima on the left welcomed me to her home and 7 more over the course of a day! What a wonderful way to get to know the Hyolmo culture. I can't thank them enough. Thanks for 5 types of local wine and endless tea!

Love the village life

Oh and I carried this 3 week old bugger up and down many hills to his new home. You don't want to know what happened to my tshirt.

In Tinpiple:

The only dump site that collects the trash from Kathmandu and neighboring cities. Many families live and work here to earn about $1-2 a day. It was absolutely humbling to experience a few hours with them.

On a dump truck back to town. Here is one of the single mothers that works at the site. She was so gracious and friendly! I met her children who were thankfully taken away from working at the site and are now receiving good education and housing, thanks to a great organization that I'll describe later. Again, a humbling experience.

So much more! But alas, photos don’t even do it justice.

Thank you, Nepal! Coming twice this year wasn’t enough. You’ve been a great teacher to me, and I’ll come back to learn and contribute as best I can.

Yoga retreat

Act I
As we patrolled the yoga building at night, I gazed across the incredible cityscape. In the distance the sparkling specks of planes accelerated out of and decelerated into the Tribhuvan airport. My juvenile mind drifted to Space Invaders. I wished I could gracefully exit the march and just behold the vista. Inexperienced in walking meditation, and with the added difficulty of navigating through the darkness, I steadied both my gait and resolve and focused on maintaining 5 paces behind the instructor. Did I have it in me to make it through the week?

Act II
緣 – yuan – a bond formed with a bit of luck and a bit of destiny. Natsumi, the only other student there, had initiated her meditation practice with Mindfulness in Plain Japanese, and I with its English counterpart. I don’t think I’ll get very many other chances to chat so candidly about meditation, yoga, and spirituality. No, this was not a hippie retreat!

Meeting perfect strangers doesn’t happen often, and she provided that rare window in which I could gush about my awesome girlfriend –  something that guys like me feel too prideful and awkward to share even with close friends. Measured in her approach, thoughtful, present, and alive, bless her for having the patience to listen to me babble on about coffee, graduate school, and my travel experiences so far. It most definitely would have been lonelier and quieter without her company.

Act III
“You never listen! If you listened you would be an expert already!” Our harsh instructor laid down the law… on handstands. Disciplined, opinionated, devout, and close-minded, Amrit’s approach to yoga and life had a degree of militarism to it. He began his practice years back “by the grace of God” and narrowly defines a proper life of yoga and meditation; there is a “right” way and many wrong ones.

“It is difficult for you, no?” he remarked as I struggled to reach my toes. I wasn’t given a chance from the start. I shouldn’t be the one to complain as Natsumi had it much worse. She already excelled at many poses and the instructor demanded perfection. Her mental fortitude through it all is worth emulating.

Act IV
“Bend over to the front and touch your toes!” I was jubilant. My lyrical interpretation was far from Lil Jon’s original intention, but who cares? I went from 5 inches off the ground to all 10 fingers on it! 2 hours daily practice goes a long way.

The week at the yoga center gave me many tools to move forward independently in my practice. Aside from the discomfort from a less than compassionate instructor, I basked in the clean air, majestic mountains, and soothing harmony of the surrounding forest. What a retreat it was!

My Kathmandu host family portrait

I can’t remember the last time I witnessed better family dynamics than at my Kathmandu host family. The relationships between the parents and three kids are relaxed and playful, and everyone picks up the slack; no lip. To me they are immensely caring and helpful. I completely owe it to Winnie for our immediate immersion into local Nepal, as she stayed with this family last year while volunteering at an orphanage.
Shanti makes everything work. She is the strong housewife that sacrificed opportunities and talents in her youth to support a family. She carries herself with pride and dignity. Her cooking is other worldly, too! Raam is the reserved, beaten down yet persevering husband, who spent a number of years doing manual labor in western Europe to save and provide a better family life. In the midst of a disappointing restaurant venture, he’s looking toward greener pastures. The eldest son Rosan is quiet and responsible, seeking opportunities in Malaysia and beyond in hospitality.

Rohit, the second son, is an athletic cowboy, imaginative and handy. I anticipate him becoming a buccaneering jack of all trades.

Rojina, the youngest, is soft spoken, dutiful and thoughtful, enduring of constant teasing by her brothers. The whole gang is close-knit, yet allowing of proper space.

We made momo’s one night – a dish that originated from Chinese dumplings, with a masala twist. What a great family activity! Everyone poked fun at each other’s failed momo making techniques, and hearty laughter permeated throughout the building. Such warmth in this family!
The family has enjoyed hosting volunteers who have come to help at the orphanage. However, they became disillusioned by the “orphanage business.” The whole family has come together to put together their next family venture, an organization that supports the disadvantaged elderly – those with no children, no spouse, or disability. I hope they find their niche here.