Yesterday, I had three different meals at three different homes. When I went to bed last night, I thought about saying goodbye to these people, and this place where I could never go hungry, and never feel lonely. So much of Nepal is hell-- 10-year-olds snorting glue, porters passed out in the middle of the street, trash, pollution, desperate poverty. So much of Nepal is heaven-- community, laughter, thirst for knowledge. Friendships seem sweeter here, laughter seems louder, love seems more pure and I can feel it encompass everything. A glass of tea is not a glass of tea; it is someone telling me they love me and I am welcome to be who I am around them... at least that's what it feels like.
I hate it when people ask me why I love it here... because I could never explain the feelings I have towards this place. All I know is that I love it and I want everyone to feel it.
February 17
"Kelsey, can I please have a Fanta?"
"Well, I guess... but, only because you changed my life."
I don't think this girl will ever know how important she is to me. I don't think she realizes every moment that I am with her is a moment I would never, ever trade. She made me promise to her that I would come back to Nepal and see her- and her and her country continue to hold onto my heart. She has changed so much in the last 2 years, and I have changed also... but I still love holding her hand more than anything, and she still makes me feel how noone else has ever made me feel. Our friendship is one of constant bickering, and we rarely can get along anymore, but it is real, and we really, really love each other.
I will never be able to thank her for the things she has taught me, but I don't think she minds. We are just friends, that live halfway across the world from each other, and when we can, we like to hang out, eat and laugh together.
"Well, I guess... but, only because you changed my life."
I don't think this girl will ever know how important she is to me. I don't think she realizes every moment that I am with her is a moment I would never, ever trade. She made me promise to her that I would come back to Nepal and see her- and her and her country continue to hold onto my heart. She has changed so much in the last 2 years, and I have changed also... but I still love holding her hand more than anything, and she still makes me feel how noone else has ever made me feel. Our friendship is one of constant bickering, and we rarely can get along anymore, but it is real, and we really, really love each other.
I will never be able to thank her for the things she has taught me, but I don't think she minds. We are just friends, that live halfway across the world from each other, and when we can, we like to hang out, eat and laugh together.
February 14
Oh, Kate... this is for you:
Kelsey: BIHM! How are you?
Bihm: Business is bad, country problems bad, water problems bad. I don't like Nepal.
K: Maybe you should go to India?
B: I don't like India.
K: How far away is your village?
B: I don't like my villiage. I heard about your president. That is a lucky black man. Most black people, I don't like. They don't look nice. They look dangerous.
K: Is there many black people in Nepal?
B: No. they are not allowed.
K: Bye Bihm.
Kelsey: BIHM! How are you?
Bihm: Business is bad, country problems bad, water problems bad. I don't like Nepal.
K: Maybe you should go to India?
B: I don't like India.
K: How far away is your village?
B: I don't like my villiage. I heard about your president. That is a lucky black man. Most black people, I don't like. They don't look nice. They look dangerous.
K: Is there many black people in Nepal?
B: No. they are not allowed.
K: Bye Bihm.
February 08
When heaven meets the earth, may our heavy hearts untie;
may our bodies be light.
may our bodies be light.
Heaven met earth in Nepal on February 7th.
I saw them. It was at the very moment that they were running at me screaming my name, that I knew how much I needed them. It was the walk home when I realized I never want to live my life away from them. I walked with thier hands in mine, and became myself. I did not need anyone or anything to measure my worth... I just know who I am when I am around them. I know what love is, and I know what it feels like.
I saw them. It was at the very moment that they were running at me screaming my name, that I knew how much I needed them. It was the walk home when I realized I never want to live my life away from them. I walked with thier hands in mine, and became myself. I did not need anyone or anything to measure my worth... I just know who I am when I am around them. I know what love is, and I know what it feels like.
February 07
I have been in Nepal for one week.
I feel like I left Minneapolis 7 years ago. Everything is so new, my life changed so drastically in the span of 20 hours. Talk about overwhelming.
My thoughts on Nepal, on my friends, on the things I am doing, seeing, hearing and smelling are too much to say right now.
So, I will say this:
As I was standing in the airplane that landed in Thailand, I looked around and thought so much about the hugeness of our world. Everyone looks so different; there is a monk sitting next to a Thai buisness man, who is sitting next to me. I thought about all of the thoughts I have, all my opinions, all my dreams. To learn those the dreams of those who come from such a different place than me... people that hold such different perspectives, is what I want to spend my life doing. Everyone has 2 eyes... think of all the different ways of seeing! Think of all the different ways of being. And, it's all at the same time. As I stood there, I almost could not breathe when I pictured the vastness. I could see it. I could see people thinking, and I had NO idea what was on thier mind. What a beautiful world.
I feel like I left Minneapolis 7 years ago. Everything is so new, my life changed so drastically in the span of 20 hours. Talk about overwhelming.
My thoughts on Nepal, on my friends, on the things I am doing, seeing, hearing and smelling are too much to say right now.
So, I will say this:
As I was standing in the airplane that landed in Thailand, I looked around and thought so much about the hugeness of our world. Everyone looks so different; there is a monk sitting next to a Thai buisness man, who is sitting next to me. I thought about all of the thoughts I have, all my opinions, all my dreams. To learn those the dreams of those who come from such a different place than me... people that hold such different perspectives, is what I want to spend my life doing. Everyone has 2 eyes... think of all the different ways of seeing! Think of all the different ways of being. And, it's all at the same time. As I stood there, I almost could not breathe when I pictured the vastness. I could see it. I could see people thinking, and I had NO idea what was on thier mind. What a beautiful world.
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