Nepal Archives

September 29, 2011January 16, 2019

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How Nepal Changed Me

Note: This post first appeared in the Elephant Journal. It is a cummulation of my story of how I became the thirdeyemom, why I started this blog, what inspired me to make a difference in my life and others and why I began fundraising for Nepal. The link to the original post is here: Nepal was utterly amazing. How it changed me forever.

I am also going to include a copy of the post here. My trip to Nepal and my recent efforts at fundraising have made a huge impact on my life. It is a way to change the dynamic of being a simple traveler to being a compassionate human being who gives back to the community visited. I strongly believe that travel is a gift. It is important to give in return. Without further delay, here is my story.

How Nepal Changed Me

By thirdeyemom

Nepal was utterly amazing. The trek was arduous, humbling and long. We hiked over 100 miles doing on average 4-8 hours of strenuous hiking a day at altitudes up to almost 18,000 feet. But what amazed me most was the magical culture and people that I found in Nepal.

Photo of my dad and me at 6:30 am summit of the highest point of our Annapurna trek, Thorong-La Pass at 17,769 feet.

“Coffee. Tea” the flight attendant asked wearily. “I’ll take a coffee with sugar, please” I responded half-awake yet with a smile. We were two hours short of our 15-hour non-stop flight from Chicago to Delhi and I could hardly believe we were almost there. I had seen the sun set and rise and set again all within that time and needless to say, my body was confused. I had no idea how I’d manage to go to bed that night. It was 8 PM in India but my body was still on Minneapolis time, a bright and early 8 AM. It was going to be interesting.

As we made our final descent through the thick, dark blanket of pollution that covered Delhi I couldn’t help but think about why I was here and where I was headed: To Nepal to hike the mighty Himalayas with my beloved dad. How on earth did I come so far with such a grandiose plan for a vacation? Even I, a stay-at-home mom of two young children, couldn’t believe it was real.

My father and I have been traveling partners all my life. What started out as numerous family vacations throughout my childhood lead to annual vacations with just my dad to destinations around the world. Over the past ten years, we hiked Machu Picchu in Peru, dived in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, hiked in Patagonia twice, played golf in Ireland, went skiing in Italy and France, and went on a safari in South Africa. My friends thought I was crazy. But I felt invigorated and alive.

Nepal was one of those elusive, mystical places in the back of our minds that we had dreamed of visiting one day. It had everything we wanted in a travel destination: Majestic scenery, world-class hiking, unbelievable mountains, and a diverse and fascinating culture. Yet it was impossibly far away and would require a fair amount of time to see. We also had no idea how safe or doable it was to hike. When thinking about Nepal, my mind easily crept to those crazy, over the top athletes who climb Mount Everest. I thought there was probably more tame hiking adventures but didn’t truly know. Thus as an actual travel destination, Nepal remained a very distant possibility. Perhaps someday we would go there.

Little did I know it would be sooner than I ever imagined. My dad and I had just returned from a spectacular hiking trip in Patagonia, Argentina where we had first caught wind of the real possibility of trekking the Himalayas in Nepal. During our trip to Patagonia, we had met an exciting couple from England who were in their sixties and had just completed the world-famous Annapurna trek the year before. My father and I listened in awe and fascination as they explained their trip and we were instantly hooked. It sounded like the trip of a lifetime that we could easily accomplish physically. Yet we just had to figure out how we could manage such a long trip. My children were only three and five years old and we would need at least two to three weeks. I wasn’t sure my mother or husband would be willing to babysit the children for that long. Thus once again, the thought of going to Nepal was placed on the back burner.

Almost like a sign of fate, my dad happened to see an article in the New York Times on March 10, 2010 called “Hiking the Annapurna Trek Before the Road Takes Over”. Basically what the article said was that this world-renowned hike was going to be ruined within a matter of years by the building of a dirty, dusty road that would tear through idyllic villages and pristine nature and open this once hidden, mystical land to jeep, car, and bus traffic. That was all we needed to hear and it was soon decided that the time to go was now. We gingerly presented our idea to both my husband and mom who surprisingly were in full support of our plan and gave us the green light to start planning. We were thrilled.

Me and my dad at the start of the trail.

A village along the Annapurna Trek in Nepal

The start of the Annapurna trail is gravel now. Yet not for much longer as a road is in the process of being built from the start of the trail all the way to Manang which currently takes eight days to reach by foot.

The New York Times article recommended two trekking companies. We sent query letters and received a reply almost immediately from Earthbound Expeditions, a locally owned and run outfitter in Nepal. We received a custom itinerary that perfectly met our needs and time constraints, and had amazingly prompt replies to all my crazy questions such as the safety records of internal flights in the mountains to the availability of calling home while on the trail. I was amazed and impressed by the high level of personal attention and service given by Earthbound’s owner, Rajan. This kind of service has long disappeared from most American travel companies. We booked the trip for the end of October 2010 for a 17-day journey that inspired and excited me beyond my expectations.

The desire to give something back

Before leaving for Nepal, I made a decision that I no longer wanted to be simply a tourist that visited a country, enriched myself in all its culture and beauty, and left nothing in return, no gift behind. My new way of thinking all began on a recent trip I made which was different from anything else I’d ever done: A volunteer trip to work in Costa Rica. Although I was only there for one week, the impact volunteering made on my life and the people I helped during that short time led me to believe strongly that we must give back. Travel is a gift and it is important to give in return.

I wracked my brain for different ways I could raise money. I knew that I wanted to donate money to a non-profit organization that focuses on education in Nepal. After reading several inspirational books on education in poverty-stricken lands, I knew that this was the area to attack. I searched Lonely Planet who has an excellent listing of non-profit organizations as well as volunteer opportunities, and found just the organization I was looking for: READ Nepal.

READ Nepal is part of READ Global:

“READ Global pioneered the concept of sustainability as an international development organization dedicated to combining education and private enterprise to make rural communities viable places to learn, build, and prosper. READ partners with rural communities to create, sustain and grow projects in a manner that is politically and culturally appropriate. READ has helped establish forty nine Community Library and Resource Centers paired with for-profit enterprises throughout Nepal and India that serve over a half million people annually and has also recently opened up a center in Bhutan”.

Nepalese children dressed proudly in their school uniforms waved as we passed them by.

Finding the right organization was the easy part. The hard part was figuring out how a stay-at-home mom could raise the money. I didn’t want to ask for donations from friends and families. Instead, I wanted to earn the money and somehow involve my children in the process so they could learn the importance of giving back.

That was where creative thinking came into play. It was summer in Minnesota, a time to be outdoors, out of our long winter’s hibernation, and back into the world again enjoying our 10,000+ lakes, beautiful parks and nature. Initially, I set a small goal of raising a couple hundred dollars for my cause. But as time went by, I realized it was possible to do more. I just had to be creative! I set my first goal at $500 and used traditional American-style activities to raise the money. In June, I ran a co-op “babysitting fundraiser” at my house on Friday mornings. Each Friday I babysat up to ten kids in exchange for a small donation. Although it was incredibly exhausting, it was a terrific success. In July, my children and I ran a car wash and lemonade stand to raise money for Read Nepal. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by the generosity of my friends and neighbors who contributed donations. Finally, in early September my family and I held our first annual yard sale in the name of charity. Through these efforts, my initial goal of $500 suddenly amassed to $2,000 and I was ecstatic! The $2,000 raised was matched by my husband’s employer, bringing the total donation to READ Nepal up to $4,000. Just like that a small idea ended up being a big help. The funds were donated a week before I boarded the plane to Kathmandu.

READ Nepal was delighted with the donation and informed me that the money would be more than enough to open up an entire library and reading center in rural Nepal. They were beyond thrilled and continually showered me with compliments and called me “their little Angel”. I was so shocked to receive such immense gratitude for what I thought was a small amount in the grand scheme of things. Yet it made me realize how much ANYTHING can do to help, especially in this economic climate. It just goes to show how far your money can go in a third world country. The gift was given and I realized that it is the things you do for others in life that makes you feel the best.

Photo of three Nepali girls dressed in their finest clothing in honor of the Festival of Lights, one of the biggest holidays in Nepal. The girls went from table to table, singing and dancing and then asking for a small donation to help pay for school.

Why the third-eye?

As a world-traveler I was completely unprepared for what I would see in India. Complete and utter chaos, poverty and pollution beyond anything I’d ever seen before in any of my travels. My heart sank. The cultural shock of India hit me like a punch. I was blown away and honestly, a bit afraid.

View of one of many slums in Delhi.

Many unpaved streets

Women living on the streets outside the US Embassy

We arrived at our hotel, thankfully without hitting someone or something in the chaotic lines that made up the roads and I took a deep breath and sigh of relief. I had heard that India was a little chaotic yet what I had just seen stirred up some serious culture shock in my normally open mind. That was when I met the owner of the hotel and he told me the most important thing I’d ever learned about traveling and culture shock: The importance of having and maintaining the third eye.

In the Hindu and Buddhist religions, the third eye is a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom and is commonly seen in Indian and East Asian countries represented by a dot, eye or mark on the forehead of deities or “enlightened beings”.

I received my third eye in a timely manner. Right after we entered the hotel, we were welcomed with a traditional marigold necklace and the third eye dotted on our foreheads to remind us that we needed to see India with an open mind. This idea stuck with me throughout the trip and was probably the best advice I could have ever received. It was so powerful that I decided that it would become the name for my new blog as it incorporated all my ideas about how I wanted to see the world and how I wanted to communicate my travel experiences with others. For travel is definitely an enormous learning adventure and when visiting other cultures, especially ones that are so incredibly different than your own, you must keep a third eye. Otherwise you would miss out on seeing what travel is really about: seeing and learning how other people around the world live, thinking about what you’ve learned, formatting opinions on it, and most importantly, sharing this knowledge with others. If you don’t have a third eye, what could you possibly learn?

Me after I received my marigold necklace and the third eye.

The trip of a Lifetime

Nepal was utterly amazing. The trek was arduous, humbling and long. We hiked over 100 miles doing on average 4-8 hours of strenuous hiking a day at altitudes up to almost 18,000 feet. But what amazed me most was the magical culture and people that I found in Nepal. It is one of the world’s poorest countries in which over 80% of the population is rural and the majority of people survive on less than $2 a day, not even a cup of coffee in the US. Yet, the rich culture and traditions of the people rose above the impoverished conditions that most villagers live in.

Leaving Kathmandu and heading to the mountains.

The beautiful rice terraces and lush green Kathmandu Valley.

My first sight of a fresh coat of snow over the Annapurnas in Manang took my breath away.

Along the Annapurna trail, you walk through many villages and are greeted by the rural Nepalese, goat herders, chicken sellers, mule trains, and yaks.

The Buddhist influence greets you at each village as you pass by Buddhist prayer flags, temples, prayer wheels and the smell of burning juniper.

The Buddhist influence.

Being blessed by a 94-year-old monk who lives in a cave monastery at 13,000 feet near Manang.

After completing the trek, I realized why it is called one of the best treks in the world because no other trail has such magnificent scenery and fascinating culture. No other trek I’ve done has ever gone directly through villages and has allowed me to walk side by side villages doing their daily business. We passed goat herders, mule trains, men carrying 20 chickens on their backs in a wire cage doing his sales rounds, happy children dressed in their worn school uniforms, Buddhist temples, shrines and prayer wheels and prayer flags. It felt like being on another planet. And that is what brings me back to why Nepal changed my life.

It is possible to make a difference: Little things can have big results

As our jet plane took off for home and climbed five thousand, ten thousand and then eighteen thousand feet, I realized in awe that only a few days ago I had been at almost the same altitude as the plane. It was a wild thought; almost a little frightening.

Our porter Chhring, me, our guide Hari and my dad in Manang, where the road will end. We shared many wonderful days together talking, laughing and sharing our cultures.

Where it all began….

As I looked down, I was finally was able to conceptualize how high 18,000 feet truly is. The buildings became smaller and smaller, the cars like ants lining the roads. The vastness of the green, voluptuous rice fields stacked one on top of the other, bursting in color and life. Then, for the last time, I saw the godlike, mighty Himalayas, strikingly beautiful, like a mirage of flying towers soaring upwards into the heavens of the sky. I found it hard to believe that I was really here and had really been there. It was all like a dream.

Nepal was one of those eye-opening moments in my life in which I realized not only how blessed we are to live in a free, prosperous country (where we have the pleasure of the “western toilet, clean streets without piles of garbage, education, opportunity and space), but how important it is for us as privileged people to give back. Visiting Nepal struck a chord in my heart and made me realize how impoverished these wonderfully, peaceful and loving villagers are. Over 80% of Nepalese live in rural areas that have little or no access to education. I believe strongly that education is the key to a better future and a better life. From that trip on, I was determined to change my life and figure out a way to keep giving back.

This young Nepali girl made me smile.

Almost as if an act of fate, I somehow or another found a way to follow my dreams and continue my work fundraising for education in Nepal. As we were leaving Kathmandu, Rajan, the owner of Earthbound Expeditions, our trekking company, gave me his card and mentioned some of the social work he is involved with in Nepal. On the back of the card was the small, grass-roots NGO called HANDS in Nepal. As soon as I got home, I contacted them. It was the perfect fit and my charity work continued.

Over the last six months, I have raised money to help HANDS in Nepal a small grass-roots organization created by a young American Danny Chaffin. HANDS in Nepal’s mission is to create educational opportunities and community development programs in rural Nepal by building schools, donating educational supplies, teacher’s salaries, and student scholarships. I have done most of my fundraising work through the sale of beautiful, homemade Nepali goods such as pashmina scarves, yak-hair blankets, and purses and bags. Since May, I’ve sold over $4,000 of my Nepali wares and over half of that profit goes back to HANDS in Nepal (after taking in account the cost of the products, shipping and customs). It has been a win-win opportunity as the sale of the products not only benefit HANDS in Nepal but also the rural, poor Nepalese people who are making and supplies these little treasures for me to sell.

I have also used my second annual yard sale as a way to raise money for HANDS in Nepal. After scraping together all my old clothing and miscellaneous items that we no longer need, I was able to raise $540 for HANDS in Nepal.

Perhaps $540 sounds like nothing. Yet, it does make a difference. What does $540 do in Nepal? This money can buy:

A composition notebook and pencil for 540 children.

-or-

Two school workbooks and a composition notebook for 108 children.

-or-

A school uniform and backpack for 54 children.

-or-

Chalkboard and teacher supplies for 10 classrooms.

-or-

A book set for 27 classrooms.

-or-

Bench seating and work tables for 27 classrooms (approximately 40 children per room)

-or-

Almost enough for one teacher’s salary for an entire year.

-or-

A combination of some of the above items.

In a country where 82% live in rural communities and have little or no access to education, and the average daily salary is less than $2 a day, this small amount of money goes a long way in fighting poverty and helping educate Nepal’s future generation. With a literacy rate of barely over 50%, there is a long way to go. However, it is my belief that every effort, no matter how small, can help make the world a better place.

There is something so special and magical about giving back that just makes me feel complete and my hope is that I can eventually reach the $8,000 mark to build a new school in rural Nepal and have a lasting impact on an entire village and generation of people. It will take time of course to raise the money but with the help of my friends, family and children as well I plan to achieve it!

Photo above of Jan and her son Danny along with the children of the new school made possible by HANDS in Nepal.

July 22, 2011

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Update on Hands in Nepal: Building of Second School Completed

As many of you know, I’ve been actively fundraising for a small, grass-roots NGO called Hands in Nepal which focuses on building schools in rural Nepal. Most of my fundraising efforts have been done through the sales of beautiful Nepalese, Tibetan and Indian treasures such as hand-woven pashminas, scarves, yak-hair blankets, bags, purses and even baby clothes.

Since late spring, I’ve been able to fundraise $1,670 to date and now have over four boxes of lovely merchandise to sell at upcoming events. My goal is to raise the $6,000-$8,000 required to build a school in rural Nepal, a place in which 82% of the population live in remote villages and many have little or no access to education. Only about half of the population of Nepal is literate and most people live on less than $2 a day—-less than a cup of coffee!

I became involved with this organization after trekking the mighty Himalayas last November mostly because I fell in love with this country and its people and more importantly, I wanted to help and make a difference in people’s lives.

The founder of Hands in Nepal, Danny, is an impressive young man, still in college and in his early twenties who works together with his fabulous mother Jan, an educator, as well as several local Nepalese contacts. This summer Danny, his girlfriend Bree and his mother journeyed to Nepal to build their second school in the remote village of Phulkarka to help with the completion of their second school.

Here is a video Danny recently posted to YouTube which highlights the remoteness, beauty and poverty of this unknown village in Nepal.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Dchaff

Danny’s mother Jan, is working on setting up a sewing co-op with village women to help them learn to make a living and improve their lives. Together, Danny and Jan make a wonderful team and go to show you “if there is a will, there is a way” to making a difference in people’s lives. Each school will educated over 80 children that had little or no access to education at all. An amazing story and testament to the will and power of people to make a difference!

To read more about Hands in Nepal, Danny’s work, and my personal travels to Nepal, please visit my earlier posts under the topic “Nepal”.

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION Volunteering Abroad

June 3, 2011October 4, 2017

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Update on Hands in Nepal fundraising efforts

Rural village in the Annapurna range taken from my recent trip to Nepal in October-November 2010. (For more photos and stories on my trip to Nepal, please refer to older posts located under “Nepal”).

Hello Readers!

As some of you are aware, I’ve been actively fundraising over the last two months to try to raise money to help a fabulous grass-roots NGO called HANDS IN NEPAL (www.handsinnepal.org) build a new school in rural Nepal. A recent trip to the Annapurnas back in late October/early November struck a cord in my heart and made me realize how impoverished these wonderfully, peaceful and loving villagers are. Over 80% of Nepalis live in rural areas that have little or no access to education. I believe strongly that education is the key to a better future and a better life. Thus, I have worked hard over the last year or so finding NGOs that work in education and help to improve the accessibility of education and learning to the masses, especially in poor, third-world countries.

I’m pleased to say that over the last two months I’ve been able to raise over $1,000 for HANDS IN NEPAL mainly through the sales of hand-made pashmina scarves, yak-hair blankets (made in Tibet) and other local Nepali products. To me, it feels like a win-win situation as I’m able to offer beautiful products to my friends and family that are made directly in Nepal (and Tibet for the blankets) and donate all the funds directly to Hands in Nepal. After two weeks hiking from village to village through the Annapurnas, I saw firsthand how hard these women work to sell their beautiful, handicrafted products. They would be sitting there all day long, some of them not much older than twenty selling their handwoven scarfes, blankets, hats and gloves all for the mere price of two US dollars a piece! For us, it is less than a cup of Starbucks coffee but for them, it is a day’s living (as the average salary in rural Nepal is less than $2/day).

As someone who has been so incredibly fortunate to have traveled to these amazing places, I feel like it is a requirement to give back to the community. Hence, I contacted Hands in Nepal and have worked with them ever since on trying to raise the necessary funds to help build new schools.

Per Hands in Nepal, here are some amazing facts on what our money can help build or buy:

$20 = Cost of Student Annual Supplies

$50 = Chalkboard and Teacher Supplies

$600 = One-year Teacher Salary

$1500 = One year Boarding School Scholarship for one orphan

$6,000 – $8,000 = New construction of a four room schoolhouse

Thus, it is amazing to me what a long way our money can go in such a poor country!

Last night I held my fourth fundraising event, a wine and cheese party at my home where I told the story of HANDS IN NEPAL and offered a select collection of Nepali products for sale, all in the name of charity. It was such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to hit over the $1,000 mark! It felt so good….like nothing I’d ever experienced in corporate America (I was in sales for many years).

To learn more about Hands in Nepal, please visit: www.handsinnepal.org

Some exciting news is that Hands in Nepal’s founder Danny Chaffin’s mother Jan is headed to Nepal this weekend to see if she can start up small sewing co’ops for the women. Many rural Nepali women are forced into prostitution as there is no other way out. Human trafficing is a huge deal in Nepal and Jan is hoping to start up another NGO to help these women and give them more options and hopefully a better life!

Global Issues Nepal Poverty SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL BY REGION Volunteering Abroad

March 8, 2011October 4, 2017

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Final Thoughts: A Trip to Remember

I arrived home in one piece, thankful to be safe and sound and home with my family. After the hugs and kisses from my two young children, my mother and my wonderful husband who allowed me to leave him for 17 long days half way around the world, I unpacked my suitcases and tried to settle back in to life at home. For some reason, I found it hard to readjust. Everything back home seemed so over the top. The house felt too big, my closets of cloths felt too large, the cupboards of food felt too full. The house felt claustrophobically full of too much stuff. Too many things. Guilt and shame spread throughout my body like a chill. How could life here be so incredibly different than in Nepal? How could we have so much, too much, when people in Nepal live happily and peacefully with nothing. It didn’t make sense.

I realized immediately that I was going through a reverse culture shock similar to what I had experienced after returning home after eight months living in France. But this time it was different. This time it motivated me and inspired me to do something about it. I had changed, that is for sure. Now it was time to do something about it.

Over the last few months I’ve been in contact with HANDS IN NEPAL and other non-profit organizations in hope to someday help make a difference. It is hard to say right now exactly what I’ll be able to do and when, but I’ve promised myself that I’ll do something whether it be fundraising for a school in Nepal or even volunteering there in the future.

For now, I try to keep myself abreast of news in Nepal by following the news, keeping in touch with Hari and reading books on Nepal. I recently picked up a book titled “Little Princes” by Conor Grennan, which is a phenomenal, highly inspirational read about a young, American man’s attempt to find the families of trafficked children in Nepal. It is an unbelievable story and beautifully written. Proceeds of the book sales go to the non-profit organization that Conor started called Next Generation Nepal (NGN) (www.nextgenerationnepal.org). I highly recommend reading this book! Here is a link to the review on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Princes-Promise-Bring-Children/dp/0061930059

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Now that I am finished telling my travel stories of Nepal, I am next moving on to the other part of the globe, Central America, to discuss my recent volunteer trip to Costa Rica, another highly inspirational experience that taught me a lot. I hope you enjoyed my Nepal entries and look forward to writing about Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

Global Issues Nepal SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL BY REGION

March 3, 2011October 4, 2017

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Little things can have big results: READ Nepal

As our jet plane took off and climbed five thousand, ten thousand and then eighteen thousand feet, I realized in awe that only a few days ago I had been at almost the same altitude as the plane. It was a wild thought. Almost a little frightening.

As I looked down, out the airplane windows, I finally was able to conceptualize how high 18,000 feet truly is. The buildings became smaller and smaller, the cars like ants lining the roads. The vastness of the green, voluptuous rice fields stacked one on top of the other, bursting in color and life. Then, for the last time, I saw the godlike, mighty Himalayas, strikingly beautiful, like a mirage of flying towers soaring upwards into the heavens of the sky. I had to pinch myself to believe that I was really here and had really been there. It was all like a dream.

Months before I left for Nepal, I made a decision that I no longer wanted to be simply a tourist that visited a country, enriched myself in all its culture and beauty, and left nothing in return, no gift behind. My new way of thinking all began on a recent trip I made which was different from anything else I’d ever done: A volunteer trip to work in Costa Rica. Although I was only there for one week, the impact volunteering made on my life and the people I helped during that short time led me to believe strongly that you must give back. You receive a gift when you travel, and it is important to give one back.

I wracked my brain for different ways I could raise money. I knew that I wanted to donate money to a non-profit organization that focuses on education in Nepal. After reading several inspirational books on education in poverty-stricken lands (Two Cups of Tea, Stones into Schools, Half the Sky), I knew that this was the area to attack. I searched Lonely Planet who has an excellent listing of non-profit organizations as well as volunteer opportunities, and found just the organization I was looking for: READ Nepal.

READ Nepal is part of READ Global (http://www.readglobal.org/). Here is a summary of what they do:

READ Global pioneered the concept of sustainability as an international development organization dedicated to combining education and private enterprise to make rural communities viable places to learn, build, and prosper. READ partners with rural communities to create, sustain and grow projects in a manner that is politically and culturally appropriate. READ has helped establish forty nine Community Library and Resource Centers paired with for-profit enterprises throughout Nepal and India that serve over a half million people annually and has also recently opened up a center in Bhutan.

Finding the right organization was the easy part. The hard part was figuring out how a “thirdeyemom” could raise the money. A mom, who had voluntarily left the workplace to raise her two young children (aka a mom with no income). Of course we could just write a check out of our own money but that didn’t feel right. I wanted to earn the money. Furthermore, I wanted to involve my children in the process so they could learn the importance of giving back.

That was where my creative thinking came into play. It was summer in Minnesota—-a time to be outdoors, out of our long winter’s hibernation, and back into the world again enjoying our 10,000+ lakes, beautiful parks and nature. There was no school for the children. Thus opportunities lurked. Why not host a “babysitting extravaganza” all in the name of charity, at my house? I sent out the email to my group of trusted friends with small children. Parents who knew what I was doing and who also wanted a break. I set up three Friday morning playgroups with ten children each ages 5 and under (yes I’m crazy), with a suggested donation of $10 per child. A pretty good deal when you consider it usually costs at least $10 per hour for a sitter. It worked great (except for the huge mess I had to clean up afterwards). I was able to raise almost $300, which was only $200 shy of my initial goal of raising $500 for READ Nepal. Hurrah!

After the initial joy of raising the money, I realized that I still had to figure out how I would earn the rest. That was when I came up with the idea of having a “lemonade sale” on the corner of our street. This may sound funny to people who don’t live in the United States but it is one of the trademark events of childhood. Every American child at some time in their life have a lemonade stand in which passing people stop to purchase an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. It is a tradition. So why not do one for charity? I made four pitchers of ice cold lemonade, some handmade signs and we set up shop on the corner of our street with hopes of staying until we sold it all. Unfortunately sales were very slow despite the singing, shouting and jumping up and down of my 4 year-old blond-haired daughter. My six-year-old son quickly became bored. After making a disappointing $25 we closed the stand and drank the remainder of the lemonade. Not such a great idea after all.

Summer was quickly ending and my trip to Nepal was rapidly approaching. I was well short of my goal but didn’t give up. My last ditch effort was the all-American yard sale. Again, for those not familiar with the American “Garage Sale” or “yard sale”, let me explain. Basically you go through all your closets, boxes, and drawers and gather up all the stuff you don’t need or use anymore, and place it in a pile. You meticulously go through each item, one by one and put a ridiculously low price on the item. Then you haul all the items outside either to your garage or your yard, place up a few advertisements (aka homemade signs) around town, and wait. Believe it or not, people go absolutely NUTS about garage sales. They are out at the crack of dawn, sneaking around like cats trying to get the best deal they possibly can. Before I had even set up all my tables of stuff, they were knocking on my door trying to get a deal. It was pathetic in a sense. My large sign said “all proceeds are being donated to charity” yet people still tried to weasel down the price. Go figure! After three hours, the sales piled in and my old “junk” was packed away in other people’s cars, to be used or stored in their house. The garage sale wound up being a huge success and brought my total up to $550, well past my goal!

Exhausted, I cleaned up the remaining items and my husband packed everything up to donate to a local charity. I had met my goal and felt proud. But little did I know there were others (friends, family, neighbors, etc) who noticed my effort and contributed to the cause. The money raised eventually made it to $2,000 which was matched by my husband’s employer, bringing the total donation to READ Nepal up to $4,000! Wow, just like that a small idea ended up being a big help. The funds were donated a week before I boarded the plane to Kathmandu. READ Nepal was delighted with the donation and informed me that the money would be more than enough to open up an entire library and reading center in rural Nepal. The gift was given and I realized that it is the things you do for others in life that make you feel the best.

The beautiful smile of a young child in rural Nepal:

Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises Nepal SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL BY REGION

March 2, 2011

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Leaving Nepal

We spent our last night in Nepal attending another Culture night (music, dance and food representing a variety of diverse Nepali Cultures) with Rajan, the President of Earthbound Expeditions. Another couple from Spain joined us for the last hurrah in Nepal. The couple was recently married and spent the last two weeks on their honeymoon in Nepal touring the remote Mustang region, a newly opened trekking area which has very limited facilities (basically camping the entire time) yet is supposedly Tunbelievable.

We had a wonderful time sharing stories of our treks and praising Rajan for his remarkable service and commitment to ensuring every need was met on our trek. Another friendship was made with the “social ambassador” himself (see post dated 2/28/11). Rajan depends a lot on word of mouth for his business so we promised him that we would complete a review of Earthbound and our trek on tripadvisor, which I gladly did immediately upon my return to the states. Earthbound has over 126 reviews on tripadvisor to date and all are 5 stars. To read the reviews, go to: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293890-d1148178-Reviews-Earthbound_Day_Expeditions-Kathmandu.html)

Since this was my last night in Nepal, I had time to discuss with Rajan and also reflect on what the “third eye” had discovered and learned in Nepal. Hari, our cultural, nonstop smiling and laughing guide really taught us a tremendous amount and our experience in Nepal would not have been the same without him. We learned about the importance of religion in Nepal and how Buddhism and Hinduism coexist somehow without problems. We also learned about how the culture is struggling to move ahead into the future. There needs to be some give and take between abandoning some of the old traditions and customs (such as the caste system which is still very prevalent in Nepal) and modernizing to newer, more western traditions. For instance, living together as an unmarried couple is pretty much unheard of in Nepal and is unacceptable. Marriages are not always “arranged” per se, however, the entire courtship process in Nepal is much different than it is in the States. Prospective brides are usually picked out from the village or a neighboring village and are of the same caste. The prospective groom meets with the young woman and talks to see if there is any interest in a union. Love marriages happen but are not that common. Dating before marriage is still something that isn’t really done.

As for the male and female’s role in Nepal, women do not have anywhere near as many freedoms and rights as women do in other countries. Women are expected to work very hard, raising the children, keeping the house, cooking the meals, and working in the fields. It is the male that holds the most esteem, respect and responsibility in the family structure. The oldest son is responsible for caring for his parents as they grow old and often returns to the village to help out with the harvesting, and is involved in important religious ceremonies and holidays. Due to lack of opportunities and poverty, many women end up in prostitution, either by choice or not. It is a sad reality that needs to be addressed.

Hari, as a twentysomething, modern young Nepali man with a bright future, hopes that Nepal can move ahead economically and socially soon. However, change is slow and the government is very corrupt. There is a lot of opportunity in Nepal yet no real infrastructure or jobs. Hari hopes someday Nepal can follow the path of other neighboring stars such as India and South Korea while retaining their rich cultural heritage and importance of family. It is a mixed bag that is for sure. For one thing, the people in Nepal are lovely people and their culture is absolutely amazing. Yet they are much too poor overall and lack education and opportunities (ranked 142 out of 177 countries on the UN Human Development Index; 82% Nepalis live on less than $2 a day; Literacy rate of 48.6%—-facts from Lonely Planet Nepal 8^th edition). It is a tragedy however hopefully bright stars like Hari and Rajan, through their work, will help move Nepal slowly forward, one step at a time.

We left Nepal early the next morning, headed for our final leg of the trip, a few days in India. It was a bittersweet feeling boarding the plane. As we lifted off, we passed above the vibrant green rice terraces, stacked up towards the sky and over and beyond the magnificent snow-capped mighty Himalayas. I felt that I had experienced a lifetime in only two weeks. It was a peculiar feeling. I was very sad to be leaving but I knew deep down in my heart, that I would be back.

Our final night out during the continuation of The Festival of Lights, in Kathmandu Nepal:

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION

March 1, 2011

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The Monkeys at Monkey Temple

It was our last full day in Nepal so I wanted to make the most of it. We had been away from home for two weeks now but it felt like a lifetime. I find that when you travel, the further away from your own life at home you get, the longer it feels like you’ve been gone. That is one of the beauties and pleasures of traveling off the beaten path. You can only find and remember home if you seek it.

For our last day, instead of lounging around our incredibly beautiful, luxurious, living museum hotel, I wanted to get right into the thick of all things cultural and do a tour of all the ancient, magnificent sites of old Kathmandu. With the help of Rajan (Earthbound Expeditions), I hired my own English-speaking guide and driver who took me on a mini-three hour tour of the stunning temples and palaces of Durbar Square, and then a visit to magnificent Swayambhunath, also known as The Monkey Temple.

Located in the heart of the ancient city of Kathmandu, Durbar Square, a World Heritage Site, is a complex of beautiful temples and shrines representing both Buddhist and Hindu culture and architecture. Most of the buildings were built between the 12^th and 18^th centuries, and was the place where the kings lived and were crowned up until the early 20^th century.

Here are some pictures of my favorite sites in the square:

Leaving Thamel:

Shiva-Parbati Temple:

Maju Dega Temple:

Kumari-ghar (Built in 1757 and home of the “Kumari” or living goddess):

Taleju Temple: Built in 1564

Kumari-ghar again: Look at the gorgeous woodwork:

To learn more about Durbar Square or Nepal: Visit www.kathmandu.gov.np

After taking in as much as I could in Durbar Square, my driver took me on another wild and crazy, chaotic drive, up the windy roads filled with trinket shops and monks, to Swayambhunath, or The Monkey Temple.

I thought about how to describe the place and found that there were really no words that I could conjure up better than Lonely Planet. Per the 8^th edition of Lonely Planet Nepal: “A journey up to the Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath is one of the definitive experiences of Kathmandu. Mobbed by monkeys and soaring above the city on a lofty hilltop, ‘The Monkey Temple’ is a fascinating, chaotic jumble of Buddhist and Hindu iconography”. It is something you have to see and experience for yourself to really understand it’s significance and beauty. It is quite a site!

As we entered the grounds, there was this immense expectation and anticipation of seeing monkeys. Where are the monkeys? I wandered, looking around a bit confused. Lone behold, after taking my first steps up to the temple, the place was loaded with monkeys. Monkeys were everywhere….climbing up the steps, eating on the railings, nursing their babies, posing for pictures, chasing tourists, fighting each other, and my most favorite of all, swinging for the colorful prayer flags that lined the trees! In fact, you couldn’t even escape the monkeys even if you tried.

Here are some pictures of the monkeys at the Monkey Temple:

The sights at the temple:

Beautiful!

The stupa:

View on top of temple, overlooking massive Kathmandu:

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION

February 28, 2011April 14, 2018

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The Social Ambassador

The president of Earthbound Expeditions, Rajan Simkhada, is an amazingly talented, impressive and humble man. He has worked in Nepal’s tourism industry for years, was raised in the villages and now resides in Kathmandu where he runs his travel agency.

Earthbound Expeditions was created over 14 years ago, and is a leading adventure tourism agency that leads the traveler “off the beaten path” on trekking trips throughout the Himalayan darlings, Nepal, India, Tibet, and Bhutan. Over the years, as Earthbound gained raving reviews and more and more customers came, the company branched out into philanthropy work focusing on responsible, sustainable (social and environmental) travel. His company promotes rural development by giving back 10% of their profits each year in these areas. Per Earthbound, “responsible travel is a new way of travelling and trekking for those who’ve had enough of mass tourism. It’s about respecting and benefiting local people and the environment-but it’s far more than that”. It involves respect for the local culture, minimal environmental impact and giving back to the community. In an increasingly global world, social responsibility and tourism go hand and hand and it is refreshing to find a company dedicated to working with and for their people.

Besides running the trekking company, Rajan is also very busy in his philanthropic work. He is the founder of Mamata Volunteers a non-profit organization that matches US volunteers with customized volunteer programs within Nepal. Below is information on the scope of Mamata Volunteers, written on their website, www.mamatavolunteers.org:

Mamata Volunteer’s mission is to provide volunteers with a customized program that will enable them to make an important contribution to the people of Nepal, while also gaining an in-depth experience of Nepal’s language and culture that will stay with the volunteers for the rest of their lives. Join us and experience this unique Cultural Immersion and Responsible Travel Program in Nepal one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Mamata Volunteers is a non-profit organization stationed both in Nepal and in the United States. As a part of our Volunteer Program, Mamata first provides instructional training on local language and culture and only then do we place our trained volunteers in schools, hospitals, orphanage and communities across the region. Volunteers will have the chance to teach English, stay with children in local care houses, and help with community based programs like health camps, environment cleaning, empowerment of women and more. Come join us for a truly life changing experience at the Top of the World, Nepal.

Rajan also serves as National Director of HANDS IN NEPAL, a grassroots non-profit organization founded by a young, highly talented American man, Danny Sprague Chaffin, that focuses on building schools in rural Nepal. Their first school (a four-room schoolhouse made of stone and cement with a tin roof) was recently completed for the cost of around $6,000 and provides education to over 80 children in the village of Dharka. To learn and heard more about his story, you can visit the website at: http://www.handsinnepal.blogspot.com/

You can also see an amazing documentary of Danny’s experience on YouTube. Here is the link and it is definitely worth a view and incredibly inspirational:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be-yplXjo1w

Finally, Rajan and Earthbound is the leading patron and sponsor of the Buddhist Bal Griha Orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Orphanage provides a home for over fifty children who come from disadvantaged rural communities. In many cases, the families simply cannot afford to keep their children so they are abandoned.

http://www.buddhistchildhome.org.np/

It is amazing people like Rajan and Danny (and all the others out there in the world) who are making positive change in Nepali people’s lives. Something that should inspire each one of us travelers to follow in their path and make a difference in the world, whether it be a financial donation, volunteer work or simply a smile. I believe that sharing our unique cultures, respecting and learning from other cultures, and helping others, all go hand in hand to make the world a better place!

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To learn more about Earthbound Expeditions and their work please see their website:

Adventure travel and treks:

http://www.enepaltrekking.com

Responsible Travel:

http://www.enepaltrekking.com/responsible_travel.php)

http://www.mamatavolunteers.org

Other awesome non-profits working to help Nepal:

http://www.handsinnepal.blogspot.com/

http://www.buddhistchildhome.org.np/

Nepal SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL BY REGION

February 27, 2011

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A Living Museum

Our hotel in Kathmandua, The Dwarika’s Hotel, is a treasure of a find. It is a World Heritage Hotel (one of only two in Nepal) and is a sort of living museum. The hotel has a unique and fascinating history. It all began in 1952 when the founder of the hotel, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha was on one of his morning jogs around the city and noticed that several ancient, exquisite woodcarvings dating from the 14^th century were being cut down by carpenters to be used as firewood in the face of modernization. Horrified and angry that these ancient cultural jewels were being destroyed, he begged them to stop. Over the years, the saving, restoration and preservation of these woodcarvings became a lifelong passion and resulted in the building of The Dwarika’s Hotel. The hotel was built using these gorgeous woodcarvings and terra cotta artifacts and captures the beauty of Nepal’s ancient cities. It truly is a work of art and is continually being restored and preserved to this day. There is even a school located on the hotel grounds where carpenters are trained in the creation, preservation and restoration of the ancient woodcarvings. It is quite an excellent example of how tourism and cultural preservation can go hand and hand.

For those interested in learning more and seeing more intricate photos of this amazing hotel, please see their website at: http://www.dwarikas.com

Here are some photos of the lovely hotel.

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION

February 26, 2011

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Airport Syringes

We sadly left Pokhara the next morning for our short half-hour flight back to Kathmandu. The plane was bigger and better than the last flight from Jomson but still not a jet. I had mixed feelings about returning. Yes, I was excited to be finished with the trek and shortly returning home to my husband and two young children (4 and 6 years old…still that delightful, imaginative age where they cuddle, laugh and think I’m the best!). Yet, I was very sad because I knew that we would soon be saying goodbye to Hari and Chhring, who we had spent the last two weeks inseparable—- laughing, learning and sharing our different worlds. Our goodbye to Chhring came sooner. He was headed home to his village via an eight hour bus ride, followed by six hours hiking up to his remote village where his young wife and baby awaited his return.

We waited for our flight in the crammed, smoky departure lounge of the small Pokhara airport. I was thirsty and wanted to purchase a Sprite but just couldn’t do it when I learned it cost $4. I had spent too much time in Nepal! But there were some things that I had to remind myself of the importance of using that “third eye”. Like the dirty, fly-infested women’s bathroom inside the Pokhara airport. It wasn’t the hole in the ground that made me cringe. After two weeks with rarely a western toilet in sight, that didn’t bother me anymore. It was the other thing I noticed. The dirty, used syringes lying naked on the floor. I chose to look the other way but it really brought everything I learned and saw in Nepal back to home. Remember the third eye!

The flight was nice and smooth and soon we returned to the same vibrant green rice terraces and the low-lying coating of smog that covers Kathmandu Valley like a blanket. We were welcomed at the airport by Hari’s wife, son, uncle and niece, with a Namaste and of course a marigold necklace. It was such an honor to meet his family. The only regret was that we couldn’t speak the same language. We wanted to tell them how wonderful Hari is and how much we love Nepal. Hopefully our warm, glowing smiles made them understand what words could not say.

The seven of us all piled into Hari’s uncle’s small sedan with four of us smashed in the back and three in the front. This is not something I would do at home but it is quite common in Nepal where cars are expensive and safety standards are much different. It was an uncomfortable ride back in the insane traffic and driving madness of Kathmandu. It was still the festival so more people than ever were out and about, shopping, visiting family and hitting the roads in jam-packed, overflowing buses headed off to the villages. We arrived at Hari’s neighborhood an hour later to see his pride and joy: His cybercafé. Hari had spent three years working in Dubai in order to save enough money to start his business and it was a major accomplishment for a 28-year-old Nepali. Unfortunately he is having a tough go at running the business since the government has daily electricity shutdowns of sometimes up to 6 hours in order to conserve energy. As a developing country, Nepal does not have enough power to keep the country going so they have to turn it off. It doesn’t reflect well on running a business that’s for sure but it sadly is a way of life. Nepal desperately needs better infrastructure so they can move ahead like their neighbors India and South Korea who are booming. But it never seems to happen.

We took our final snapshots of us together at our hotel and said our goodbyes. It was very touching because Hari had secretly bought my children a gift. He gave me one pink and one red handmade Nepali journal made with rice paper and a hand-woven bag for each child. I was very humbled by his gift. He wanted my children to have something special from Nepal. And they did.

Here is a beautiful picture of Hari and his family in Kathmandu:

Inside Hari’s cybercafe, Kathmandu:

The blessing of the cow on the streets of Kathmandu:

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION

February 25, 2011

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Indiana Jones

We woke early to darkness and silence. It was 6 am yet no other guests were up and there were no yaks grunting or bell-jingling of a passing mule train to break the silence. It was time to go to the airport and pray the planes were flying. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Jomson. I was just ready to move ahead to Pokhara…beautiful, dreamlike heaven. I had heard from many that Pokhara is a special place, the Shangri-La of Nepal. Gorgeous mountain views of the Annapurna range in all their glory reflect across the aquamarine Phewa Tal lake. Besides Pokhara’s serene setting and beauty, Pokhara is also known as a more laid-back Thamel (the touristy, shopping district of Kathmandu) and offers the visitor an array of shopping, dining and adventure-seeking sports. I couldn’t wait to get there. Initially we had only planned on flying through Pokhara but due to a few back-to-back days of extra hiking we were able to land an extra day into our tight schedule and looked forward to enjoying it in Pokhara with our friends Hari and Chrring.

The airport experience was frightening. A large group of trekkers were lined outside the gates at ten to seven with weary, tired looks on their face. The machine-gun clod airport security guarded the small airport doors with looks of superiority and boredom. Finally, at seven am the doors opened and the hordes filed inside. There was no rhyme or reason to the ticket lines: Just lots of budding in line, pushing and shoving. Hari, whose miraculous guiding expertise, saved the day once again and got us the last four tickets on the flight.

Next we headed to the “women’s” and “men’s” lines for our pat-downs. Each passenger went through a private room, where their entire body got a check for weapons. It was funny because there was so much fuss back at home in the US about the detested pat-downs and how it invaded privacy and personal rights. Yet pat-downs are just a fact of life traveling in Nepal and India. At any airport, you have at least two of them (in Dehli, even three!). It never bothered me one bit and instead, made me feel much more secure. I found through my travels that security is on an entirely different level. Bags and luggage is hand-checked, smelled and tested. Pat-downs are fierce, and the intimidating guns are there to remind you to stay in line. You can’t even enter the Dehli airport without a printing out boarding pass. The security is so intense that there are dudes with enormous guns waiting outside every single door into the airport. No ticket, no entrance.

We boarded the small, 14-person aircraft with elation and fear. I detest small planes and was nervous about this flight even before I left the States (see earlier post: Is it Safe?). The plane was old and you could barely stand up inside. I held my Buddhist prayer beads tightly and tried to relax. Hari found my nervousness humorous and tried to make me laugh. The engines revved up, my heart fluttered and my palms were soaking wet. Then we started to go, not fast, not slow, down the runway and gently lifted into the sky.

The plane flew at an alarmingly low altitude (Only 10,000 feet!) which felt so strange after hiking ABOVE that altitude for days. You had to crane your neck to see the mighty mountains soaring above you 15,000 feet up into the sky. I tried not to look at how close we were to the rocky sides of the mountains or how the plane barely made it over the trees. I squeezed the beads tightly yet marveled how much the flight reminded me of a scene in an Indiana Jones movie (for those readers who are not as old as me, Indiana Jones is an adventurer whose first big movie was a hit in 1981 called Raiders of the Lost Ark).

Alas, we saw the gorgeous green, terraced rice fields and the outline of a town tucked away at the base of the mountains. It was Pokhara and we landed safe and sound into the hot, bright sun once again. I finally let go of my prayer beads yet did not take them off until I arrived safely at home in Minnesota several days later. I still needed them for surviving the drive of terror in India! That will come later!

For now, here are some lovely shots of the flight and beautiful, serene Pokhara.

The flight:

The runway:

Inside…too close for comfort:

Even a flight attendant!

The views outside the window….

Views outside the window:

Lovely Pokhara…at last!

Nepal TRAVEL BY REGION

February 24, 2011

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A hike with a Monk

The next morning we set off for the last leg of our Annapurna trek: The short, four-hour trek to Jomson, which is the major hub in the region and boasts an airport, hospital and other resources. We had made it over three-fourth of the Annapurna Circuit trek (there were about six more days of walking if you wanted to complete the entire circuit making 19 days total). We were ready to be done, though.

The walk was probably the most uninteresting one of the trek. It was brown, rocky and barren without the unbelievable mountain sites you normally see. We followed a huge river valley, one foot in front of the other, walking at a good speed as we had an extra motivation to arrive quickly to Jomson. Hari, our unbelievably, magical, “can make anything happen”, guide had called ahead to Jomson airport and had confirmed there was one more flight out that morning to Pokhara. Pokhara….just the sound of it brought images of breathtaking mountain views, gourmet food, much wanted shopping and fun! It represented the finish line, the celebration, and heaven.

A funny thing happened along the way. In front of us, we approached a party of three walkers and noticed a monk, dressed in his long, flowing maroon robe. He was doing some sort of a pilgrimage to the next monastery. The sight of him in his magical robe, walking so effortlessly in sandals, made me smile. I waited behind our group and took some photos of him. As I started to pass him along the trail, I noticed he was wearing a white knit hat that said USA on it. I had to laugh. Again, what are the odds? A Buddhist monk walking the Annapurna trail in his American hat!

As we neared Jomson, my nerves were driving me crazy. I wanted to make that plane yet I didn’t. Hari had promised hot, delicious meals (other than our standard Dal Bhat, the national food of Nepal), lots of beer and fun. Wouldn’t that be better than spending yet another night without a western toilet? We walked and walked, as fast as we could, and noticed the wind begin to pick up. Wind is one of the main reasons why flights are unpredictable in mountainous Nepal. They fly small (14-person) planes, relatively low throughout the valleys (10,000 feet!) so it can be quite dangerous. The flight was the one and only thing I had been nervous about my entire time in Nepal (well, besides making it over the pass). I had read in Lonely Planet and researched on the web that airline safety is not Nepal’s forte. I’ve flown a lot in my life but I do not like small planes. So I was very anxious about it.

Four hours later, we arrived in Jomson and literally walked right up to the airport with our packs on. It was a strange feeling, walking right to the airport. But security was still tight. In fact, it was surprisingly tight. There were a few military guys waiting outside holding their big, intimidating guns to make sure no one who wasn’t wanted got through. To our dismay, the last plane just left. The winds were too strong so the airport closed. It was only one o’clock.

We headed back to our “hotel” (it was actually a hotel and not a teahouse…a sign of civilization) which was directly across the street from the airport. The afternoon was spent resting, reading, and an early happy hour of jacks and Tubourg with our friends Hari and Chrring. It was also a special night because it was gratuity night. Guides and Porters are paid a small stipend for their work however the big reward for their services is the tip. We wanted to make sure they were well-paid for their incredible service, loyalty and help. Yet we also didn’t want it to feel awkward given the difference in monetary standards between what is a good tip in America and Nepal. As I mentioned earlier, most Nepali people survive on less than $2/day so we had to be sensitive about this imbalance. Before we left for the trek, we had asked Rajan, the owner of the trekking company, what is standard and opted to give them the standard plus a little more. As a Westerner, you often find yourself in an uncomfortable situation in which you desperately want to give them everything you’ve got, to help them succeed and build their lives, but you know you can’t. You hope that the memories of the time you shared together and your friendship is a better gift than just the money. But you also are well aware that the money helps tremendously to gain a better future for themselves and the next generation.

Here are some shots along the way.

Here it is! The walk with a Monk:

And here is Chrring, 22 years old, strong, happy and smiling still (word has it that he is taking English lessons in Kathmandu and hopefully will be promoted to a guide):