It’s been two weeks since I left Nepal. I sat on a plane for 5 hours then hopped back on another plane for another 14 hour flight, which was sort of awful because the guy next to me kept cuddling on my shoulder like we were friends…. But I made it through.
As soon as I got home from the airport my mom took me out to eat with the rest of my family. We went to this new restaurant which they’ve already eaten at 10-15 times during my 4 months of adventure… Having the menu organized and I was just trying to keep my eyes open at the table.
My family talked and talked while I stared at a glass of water with ice in it. That was the first time I had actual cold water with ice since I left the states, and it was all I wanted. But since it had been so long it was way too cold for me to even drink, in fact ,y first reaction was to slurp it like hot tea as I would have every morning of everyday well basically every ten minutes of everyday. Then after I realized what I was doing I was weirded out, feeling uncomfortable and out of place… Where were the beggars who came in and asked me for money, no stray dogs wondering in the restaurant and no motorcycles honking in the background, this is when I realized that I was actually gone from Nepal and I believe my first slight feeling of culture shock.
Since then I readjusted to my native culture still getting excited to text my homestay mother back in Nepal and my students I had at the nunnery. But continuing to talk with my new friends from Nepal wasn’t enough. So I decided to contact this organization in Chicago where they will let me be a tutor to the Tibetan refugee children, which I hope they will understand my Tibetan.
I can’t wait for my next adventure and to see how I can help the community not just in Nepal and India but near my home as well.
