I am in Pokhara, preparing for a trek into the Anna Purna Base Camp! Very excited. It was a long, dusty bus ride from Kathmandu yesterday. I am staying at the Pema Ts'al Sakya Monastic Institute, near Pokhara. It has been wonderful. I serendipitously met the American man who funded its construction at a Deva Premal concert in Seattle, and he said I could stay there.
It is hard to put into words how I feel about everything in Nepal. There are many tourists, and we bring a lot of money into the economy. Other than that, there are not a lot of jobs that Nepali people can get which make a lot of money. But, I was chatting with a Korean girl who said she asked a Nepali store keeper in Kathmandu if he thinks the people are happy in Nepal... he said that yes, he thinks they are, until they learn of the outside world, the developed countries, and then they can become unhappy. I feel a strange mixture of adventure, guilt, excitement, fear, and satisfaction. Well, I knew this would affect me in a big way, and it is. I still don't know the extent of how it will.
Tomorrow I plan to start the Anna Purna Sanctuary Trek. The trails at this time of year are full of tourists, so I am not worried about being alone - I am sure to meet others along the way. I won't be posting for at least ten days, maybe up to 14. But I have to be back in Kathmandu by November 4-5, so I'll post again when I get there.
Much Love!
Melissa
1 comment:
There's an expression in Hebrew that translates to: The more assets, the more worries one has. The assets-less Nepali is happy... Until she learns that her neighbor's grass is greener. That may explain the wave of protests around the world, influenced by the freedom of information about others' lifestyles - the Facebook Revolutions.
I'm sure you're adding to everyone's life around you with your kindness and generous smiles.
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