Destination Nepal
Big Time; Big Travel; Big Mountain; Big Moment; Big Work!!!!
It may not sound too easy to travel for a 4 days 3 nights trips to Las Vegas or quick Cancun trip for many but thinking about traveling for almost three months may freak one out. Lets do it! That was our theme a year ago and it is happening end of this December till late March. Kim (my wife) an Alumni of UWGB has never been to Nepal. She has never met my family. This is the biggest travel we will be making in the history of our time.
End of 2007, we and I are planning our trip via Germany to Nepal. This also will be our visit to Germany as well. The reason to visit Germany? While we were discussing about planning a trip to Nepal. Our friend Stefan Zindal a German exchange student, who also went to UWGB with me between 2001 & 2002. Stefan asked me if we could stop by on the way to Nepal. First I thought wow, I cannot say no to this Stefan, he is a good friend. After discussing with my wife, we said Yes to Stefan. Now, the work of policy that I have to go through. I have to have a visa to Germany. I had to go to Chicago to apply for visa, which I did. It almost felt like too much work but worth it. For that Stefan had to do some work as well from Germany.
Now, let me introduce Stefen, Stefan was a Foreign Exchange student from Germany, from where UWGB receives many students perhaps every year. We lived together in campus housing apartment # 104. Living on campus brought this unique experience for us. We became like brothers. He went to school for physical education and currently he is physical education teacher in Germany. He is married and blessed by a beautiful daughter. Therefore, when Stefan brought up the idea of visiting Germany, we really couldn’t pass. More on Stefan’s life will be when we get to Germany. We will be celebrating our New Year with Stefan and his family. Indeed, this is a journey of a life time.
Why are we going there for that long? Well, this came out to be the perfect time for both of us. As season winding down, our shop will be closed for the season. I travel to Nepal for many reasons. I buy my inventory in Nepal and meeting and working with the locals takes time. Also, I have been doing some educational work in Nepal as my help to Nepal and village children where I am from, which is two days away from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. In addition to that, my brother, who has been suffering from Kidney failure, will be in Nepal. He just received a Kidney transplant in 31st of October and slowing in the path of healing. I have not seen him in two years. This will first time we will be seeing my brother after his surgery. You can also check his site @ http://help4karma.terapad.com
I spent most of my childhood in the mountain. I went to school walking two hours down and more than two hours up hill. Seeing this struggle, my father through the help of Action Aid Nepal, a British non profit Organization, and help of villagers, was able to build a school in the village, where walking distance would be maximum 30 minutes for surrounding village children rather than two hours.
However, back in 1990s, I left for more education in the city. During this period, I invited my family to the city for my siblings to get better education because even though village school provides basic education it still is not enough. Therefore, for my siblings, I requested my family to come to the city. First five year of our time in the city became even harder than the village life. We knew very few people so the life became very strange for our family. We struggled to survive in the capital city. Because both of my parents not having been to school, it was even harder for them than we children.
Having said that, life continued for us in the city. It gave us life learning experiences. The city life nurtured us to be where we are right now. The struggle in the city to survive and get by day to day life was very difficult for my father and my mother. Their intension to move to the city was to have a better life, which one cannot imagine being in the village.
Looking back again, my father had a vision in his mind but without enough resources or without enough courage he could not continue with his effort in village. But now, his children are grown and finding the path he created to be followed, which is to continue educating village children because without education the light of truth cannot be truly felt or comprehended. I have been working with the villagers and teachers in the village how to brighten our village? I myself with the help of some of my friends in Japan, was able to bring some school supplies in the past.
Now having graduated from University of Wisconsin Green Bay. We found the path, that we want to be in. I graduated from Environmental degree and my wife Human Development. Our path became clear that our degree is a channel to help others. Therefore, Kim & I have decided to at least help the school that my father built by bringing school supplies for the children and teach some basic courses for few weeks in in the village. Kim & I have collected so much school supplies that it is almost very difficult for us to ship it to Nepal.
Having to graduate from University of Wisconsin Green Bay, was truly an experience. To be honest, if I would not have come to GB, neither I would not have met any of my friends, teachers, faculty members nor my wife. I feel I am truly blessed.
We believe, that a drop may sound small in a huge ocean, still it makes a difference. This is truly charitable work we like to contribute to Nepal. If you would like to help in our cause to educate these mountain children, you can do so @ my site http://premlama.terapad.com. Also, we will be updating this blog, while we are in Nepal. So, don’t forget to bookmark or save the link.
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