A Resident in a Familiar Land

Have you ever had moments where changes that were so gradual all of a sudden became crystal clear? You can suddenly see how different you are now than you once were? I had that experience when my dad came to spend a few weeks with me. All of a sudden, I could see the changes in myself that I hadn’t noticed before. I was just very comfortable with everything from the language to cultural nuances. I’d taken it for granted, but seeing how unfamiliar everything was for my father, I was able to really appreciate how much Nepal has become my second home.

We started our tour in Kathmandu, or as many people call it “Dust-man-du.” If you are outside for any period of time at all, you will feel grimy, a mixture of the humidity, garbage, and pollution. I did try to choose sight-seeing things that were in quiet, less polluted areas of the city. We went to the “monkey temple” at the top of a hill, giving 360* views, along with a great show of baby monkeys. We saw the actual palace, that has been turned into a museum after the civil war ten years ago. We watched Buddhist monks praying over junk food complete with long horns and drums at the largest Stupa in Asia.

Kathmandu

After a few days in Kathmandu, we endured the long jeep ride to Mustang, a province in western Nepal known for it’s incredible mountain views. Along the ride, we passed through the deepest valley in the world, because it is the valley of two Himalayan mountains. I tried to warn my dad how rough Nepali roads are. Almost without fail, they are formed simply by scraping away at the hill/mountain, just barely enough for a bus to get through. They often include crossing river beds, folding in mirrors and perching precariously when another vehicle comes by, and just a very miserable experience. I don’t think someone who hasn’t been to Nepal can truly comprehend how awful the roads are.

The drive took us 10 hours (to go 40 miles), but it could’ve been a 15 minute flight. I almost insisted on buying tickets, but my dad really was opposed to it. Nepali airlines aren’t known to have the same safety standards as international ones, coupled with some of the most dangerous airports in the world, his hesitancy was understandable. But that didn’t make the journey back down the mountain any more enjoyable. I also feel that perhaps the poor condition of the roads makes some of the safety concerns a bit of a wash.

Once we were up in the Himalayas, we went to one of the holiest points for Hindus, the Muktinath temple, with 108 water taps and an eternal flame. We really enjoyed seeing the massive Buddha carved into black stone as well. And the view of the Himalayas from there was truly incredible.

Once we made it back down (it really wasn’t as bad the second time), we spent a few days enjoying the beautiful town of Pokhara and the surrounding hills. We did some day hikes on the Annapurna Circuit, and while the Himalayas were unfortunately covered in clouds, we did enjoy sweeping views of the Annapurna foothills. The hikes were challenging, around 16km each day, with alternating steep uphills and downhills. Nepal isn’t a place to go if you like flat land! On the uphill climbs, there were literally vultures circling overhead. We always celebrated at the end of a hike with a glass of beer and some good Western food at the touristy shops.

Then we headed to my village. I was actually a bit nervous about this part, as I love my village and I wanted my dad to be as impressed with the combination of breath-taking beauty and local generosity as I am. After hype from everyone in the village for weeks (I thought people might’ve been working on an ice sculpture at one point), everyone basically ignored us, keeping their distance. My host father, who had texted and called me to make sure my father wasn’t bailing, spent only a minute or two even in the same room as us. My host mom was interested in his photos, though. I also introduced my dad to a couple of my 5th and 6th grade students who were playing on a bamboo swing, but they were also unusually reserved.

After I returned to the village from one last trip to Kathmandu when my dad was flying out, of course, everyone wanted to talk about him. I still hear my host father bragging to others about how my dad came to visit. For a few days, it was all anyone could talk about around me.

Returning back to my village was very difficult. Not only had I really enjoyed the hot showers and eating things other than rice and lentils, it was really hard to say goodbye to my dad and to acknowledge I still have many months left here. I know I’m missing a lot at home, everything from just hugging my mom to attending the massive biennial family Christmas party. But, I just have to remind myself that all those things are things I’ll look forward to when I’m done living the dream over on the top of a hill in rural Nepal.

Thanks for coming to visit me, dad.