As flight 1502 pulled into Nepal on June 3rd the team was filled with an array of emotions, each derived from their unique, cumulative life experiences that all lead up to this amazing opportunity. Like the flights that connected from New York to Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu, the group was connected by their shared sense of excitement, reverence and uncertainty. But in the next few days those emotions grew into something beyond words as their exploration of Kathmandu left an everlasting impression. Here the team tries to describe the ineffable…
Rebekka: I didn't really know what to expect. I knew it was going to be hot, chaotic, and colorful… but there’s so much more to this city. We started our exploration by taking a walk through Thamel - the tourist district. There are so many shops and temples and people, but its not as overwhelming as I imagined. I actually feel right at home, partially because our host family is so welcoming and kind, and partially because Kathmandu definitely reminds me of Taipei. It’s nice to be back in Asia. The food is amazing! I could eat momos (dumplings) everyday. And I think the monkeys are adorable, even though they have some anger management issues… Anyway it’s wonderful so far and I can’t wait to begin our journey to Daldale tomorrow! We’ll start working with the kids on Monday and I hope they enjoy our lessons and activities.
Taylor: You would think after spending a month in India I would be prepared for Nepal. The two countries share a border, religions, and a lot of vocabulary so how different can they really be? It turns out, as one might guess, they’re incredibly different despite their similarities. I happen to adore the greenery of Nepal after 30 days in the Thar desert. I love the friendly attitudes of the locals. As a Florida girl I love the mountains (or as the Nepali call them, “hills”).
I have been hit with a wave of kindness and nature and I never want to leave. We left Kathmandu today for a beautiful 8 hour car ride through the mountains and are spending the night in Meghauli before heading to Daldale tomorrow afternoon. Monday are introductions with the kids and lessons begin on Tuesday! I can’t wait.
I have been hit with a wave of kindness and nature and I never want to leave. We left Kathmandu today for a beautiful 8 hour car ride through the mountains and are spending the night in Meghauli before heading to Daldale tomorrow afternoon. Monday are introductions with the kids and lessons begin on Tuesday! I can’t wait.
Sophee: The contrast between our upgraded first class seats and the Tribhuvan Airport could not be more stark. Yet, I could not feel more at home upon finding my familiar Nepali friends' faces among the sea of strangers, also searching for their loved ones in the faces of others. At the arrival area of the airport, a face means nothing until you feel it belong to you; it just becomes another obstacle until you can be reunited with your friend.
Because this was my second time visiting Kathmandu, I was not surprised by any aspects of the city. As the volunteers arrived in Kathmandu, one of my missions became showing them the beauty of what the city had hidden down its narrow alleyways. The gastronomic genius of the food was readily apparent, as well as the spirit of the Nepali people that welcomed us with no reservations. By touring the city while we waited for our supplies to be located, I hoped to acclimate the volunteers to another culture far removed from their own.
In retrospect, we were not well-suited for Etihad's first class. We took many shameless selfies drinking and eating complimentary items. We were always meant for more than any luxury could offer us. And Meghauli and Daldale will give us more than any material convenience ever has.
Because this was my second time visiting Kathmandu, I was not surprised by any aspects of the city. As the volunteers arrived in Kathmandu, one of my missions became showing them the beauty of what the city had hidden down its narrow alleyways. The gastronomic genius of the food was readily apparent, as well as the spirit of the Nepali people that welcomed us with no reservations. By touring the city while we waited for our supplies to be located, I hoped to acclimate the volunteers to another culture far removed from their own.
In retrospect, we were not well-suited for Etihad's first class. We took many shameless selfies drinking and eating complimentary items. We were always meant for more than any luxury could offer us. And Meghauli and Daldale will give us more than any material convenience ever has.
Cathy: I had little idea what to expect coming to Kathmandu. I pictured everyone dressing in traditional clothing and a lot of busy roads. I quickly learned that in this city you will see a mix of people from the traditionally clad women carrying their young children to school, to hip youth riding in groups on scooters, to men casually sitting in their shops having a good time waiting for customers. And although cars drive all over the road, the drivers are the calmest people you will ever meet! As you ride or walk around you have no idea how people find their way around in such an expansive city with no road signs or specified layout. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Kathmandu is a place that fosters the betterment of society through social change. As we walked around I saw multiple signs about preserving the environment for a better tomorrow or why participating in a certain strike would create a better society for everyone. My favorite part about the city was the various Hindu and Buddhist temples that are very will preserved, and of course the monkeys that hang around some of them. It is a great place!
Corey: After reading all about the Kathmandu Valley's rich cultural and religious history I guess I expected a much more grandiose, and mystical city. For some reason I had it in my head that the city would be one ancient temple after the other; laden with architecture that echoed the valley's rich cultural traditions. The chaotic, dusty metropolis that I was thrown into was far different from the mythological city I had in my head. The sprawling streets and haphazardly stacked buildings were at certain times overwhelming, and definitely a far cry from the order we enjoy in the states. However, the complex reality of Kathmandu is far richer than the ideal I envisioned. The city of 5 million is full of people whose lives greatly differed from my own, and whose lives were not so different, all living in the same seemingly tumultuous environment. From men driving carts led by buffalo along the main roads, to college students hitting the bars in the rowdy back alleyways, to meditating monks in Hindu temples, Kathmandu seemed to exist in several different time periods. The temples, the intricacies of the ancient architecture, and the vistas atop the city are breathtaking. Yet, there are reminders all around of the very real economic hardships the city faces; whether it be children begging on the street, or the fact that you cannot view the entire valley from the city's peak due to pollution. Altogether the true merit of the city shined through in the friendly countenance of all of the people whom we encountered, who were quick to ask us about ourselves and were happy to share their great city with us.
Krizia: When I took my first steps off of the Etihad airplane I was instantly reminded of the smoky charcoal aroma that filled the air during my visits to Bolivia. Although it only added to the pollution that proliferates amidst Nepal’s capital city, the sprightly blue face masks denoted the first sign of vibrancy that encompass the effervescent hues of Kathmandu. From the blood red tika speckled across the foreheads of religious Sadhus to the polychromatic houses and shops, the city does not take for granted the power of aestheticism. Intricate crown moldings line even the humblest of houses and the Hindu stupas are always graced with fresh flowers and gifts. The Nepalese people seem to take great pride in their country as indicated by the countless natives wearing t-shirts exclaiming ‘I Love Nepal’. In the United States, ‘I Love NY’ or ‘I Love Miami’ shirts are only seen on tourists or otherwise viewed as tacky.
Travelling east to the corner of Kathmandu Valley lies the historic city of Bhaktapur. It has been so well well-maintained I can only imagine it serves as an inspiration for the rest of Nepal’s impressively upheld architecture and preserved culture. Whenever a piece of the ancient relic falls off, they carefully reconnect the vestige onto its original piece instead of creating a replica. The town is still home to many of the trades and crafts that existed centuries ago like pottery, carpentry and welding. During the group’s short day in Bhaktapur I had the honor of buying hand painted lanterns from this elderly man along with one of the only hand painted calendars that recognized the arbitrary year of 2015. The Nepalsese are currently in the year 2071. Although they seemingly exist during an advanced measure of time, the underdeveloped state of many aspects of their lives are seen at every turn. After we awed over the lavish building where a king resided (complete with a magnificent pool surrounded but statuesque snakes that ejected water) we were stricken by a bombardment of poverty. A group of small children literally moaned to be fed or given rupees. Without a doubt, they would’ve preferred the latter. I gladly gave them the granola bars I had packed for myself, opening them before I handed them over. A common incident, practiced by many of the jaded adults, is to ‘adopt’ homeless children and send them to the streets to beg for money or food. If the food is unopened they will sell it back to vendors at a fraction of the price, which is still an accomplishment in their drug addled minds. When I gave one boy a granola bar he ran off for a second and brought back his group of friends. I urged them to share and they listened. Then, I gave one of the girls another opened granola bar. She instantly pocketed it and ran off. It saddened me to try and understand the motivations that led her to choose a measly snack over loyalty to her friends. The other children didn’t seem to mind, as they were still young and easily distracted by life’s little joys like running up and down some stairs or laughing at the foreign gibberish that spewed out of our mouths.
Continuing our journey, we took a bus to Pashupatinath, the land where life preludes and escapes the masses. In one of the temples, people go to pray for the unborn. They hope that their effort and wishes will bring fertility to those who lack it. Representative of mandalas, which symbolize the radial balance of life as we go full circle from the physical realm to the spiritual realm, the area also hosts several funeral services every day. The dead are placed on the banks by the Bagmati River and cremated. The shelters where the fallen are burned vary in appearance based on the caste in which they were born. Once the bodies are fully cremated, they are sent off into the river. I like this procession a lot more than the practice Westerners employ. Sending the bodies off suggests the idea of letting go more so than tombstones or urns, which remain stagnant and draw people back to toil on death. Overall, the Nepalese people seem to live in the present way more than the people who reside in my little end of the world. Hopefully, as I continue onward, I can manifest their approach to living in the here and now.
Travelling east to the corner of Kathmandu Valley lies the historic city of Bhaktapur. It has been so well well-maintained I can only imagine it serves as an inspiration for the rest of Nepal’s impressively upheld architecture and preserved culture. Whenever a piece of the ancient relic falls off, they carefully reconnect the vestige onto its original piece instead of creating a replica. The town is still home to many of the trades and crafts that existed centuries ago like pottery, carpentry and welding. During the group’s short day in Bhaktapur I had the honor of buying hand painted lanterns from this elderly man along with one of the only hand painted calendars that recognized the arbitrary year of 2015. The Nepalsese are currently in the year 2071. Although they seemingly exist during an advanced measure of time, the underdeveloped state of many aspects of their lives are seen at every turn. After we awed over the lavish building where a king resided (complete with a magnificent pool surrounded but statuesque snakes that ejected water) we were stricken by a bombardment of poverty. A group of small children literally moaned to be fed or given rupees. Without a doubt, they would’ve preferred the latter. I gladly gave them the granola bars I had packed for myself, opening them before I handed them over. A common incident, practiced by many of the jaded adults, is to ‘adopt’ homeless children and send them to the streets to beg for money or food. If the food is unopened they will sell it back to vendors at a fraction of the price, which is still an accomplishment in their drug addled minds. When I gave one boy a granola bar he ran off for a second and brought back his group of friends. I urged them to share and they listened. Then, I gave one of the girls another opened granola bar. She instantly pocketed it and ran off. It saddened me to try and understand the motivations that led her to choose a measly snack over loyalty to her friends. The other children didn’t seem to mind, as they were still young and easily distracted by life’s little joys like running up and down some stairs or laughing at the foreign gibberish that spewed out of our mouths.
Continuing our journey, we took a bus to Pashupatinath, the land where life preludes and escapes the masses. In one of the temples, people go to pray for the unborn. They hope that their effort and wishes will bring fertility to those who lack it. Representative of mandalas, which symbolize the radial balance of life as we go full circle from the physical realm to the spiritual realm, the area also hosts several funeral services every day. The dead are placed on the banks by the Bagmati River and cremated. The shelters where the fallen are burned vary in appearance based on the caste in which they were born. Once the bodies are fully cremated, they are sent off into the river. I like this procession a lot more than the practice Westerners employ. Sending the bodies off suggests the idea of letting go more so than tombstones or urns, which remain stagnant and draw people back to toil on death. Overall, the Nepalese people seem to live in the present way more than the people who reside in my little end of the world. Hopefully, as I continue onward, I can manifest their approach to living in the here and now.