Nepal’s Biggest Problems Harming Society

I struggled to come up with a title for this blog। What I view as a problem isn’t necessarily what others view as a problem. And the same, what I think is harming society, may simply be just an annoyance to me. So even though I titled this as I did, know that it’s my own opinion of what is hindering Nepal from becoming a better country.

1) Trash

a. Trash is gathered along the roads wherever people feel like throwing it. “Littering” isn’t even known here because it is completely acceptable to just throw your trash wherever you feel. People come through with shovels scooping it up into trucks. This is after the poor go through every single piece taking what they want.

b. Why is it a problem? Trash…

i. Causes sickness epidemics when it’s laid around too long.

ii. Causes traffic jams because it’s piled too far into the streets.

iii. Is very unsanitary when it just sits where we walk.

iv. Dirties the water.

v. Smells horrible. Really horrible.

vi. Is grinded into the road when it becomes soggy from the rain।

2) Water

a. Despite being in the Himalayas, water is scarce, particularly during the dry season (Sept-May). Water is needed in many areas of basic living. So when it is limited, life becomes a bit more difficult.

b. Why is it a problem? Water…

i. Is needed to move sewage. Most urine and feces just sit in squatters/toilets because it takes to much water to wash it down.

ii. Is needed to clean ourselves, kill germs, and live sanitarily.

iii. Is needed to wash clothes.

iv. Is needed to stay hydrated.

v. Is needed for electricity।

3) Electricity

a. During monsoon season when it rains all the time, there is about 2 hours of no electricity every day. During dry season when it doesn’t rain for 6 months, there is about 14 hours of no electricity every day. It may be up to 22 hours of no electricity at the peak of the dry season. Water is needed to power the electricity, and since water is scarce here, so is electricity.

b. Why is it a problem? Electricity…

i. Has become a necessity for modern society to function.

ii. Is needed to print important documents, use powerpoints/overheads, and sound systems in big companies, organizations, schools, and churches.

iii. Is needed to charge electric items, such as an inverter for lights!

iv. Is needed to see well to do homework and lesson planning.

v. Is needed to do research on internet for school/teacher projects.

vi. Is needed to keep refrigerated food cold.

vii. Controls when to eat and what is cooked.

viii. Controls amount of communication with those far from you (like all of you!).

c. There is a positive to the limited electricity though। It encourages people to find fun outside of electronics that we’ve become dependent on. I’ve had a lot fun playing in-the-dark games with my host siblings, reading books by candlelight, and being creative in how to spend time without electricity. It stirs creativity in people when we no longer can rely on electrical entertainment.

4) Government

a. About 10 years ago, the king of Nepal was massacred which soon brought on a new government. At the same time, the Maoists entered Nepal and started ruling over many people, schools, national parks, government officials, etc. The government is now still developing and figuring out how to work together.

b. Why is it a problem? The government…

i. Allows development. When there is no gvt, everything is at a halt.

ii. Favors the rich and their kin, and therefore are unfair to all others in the country.

iii. Took way too long to decide on a leader. Just recently, after 7 months of many elections, they finally were able to agree on a prime minister.

iv. Uses lots of bribery. The corrupt officials demand money for themselves and will only let you out of trouble (whether it is your fault or not) if you pay them a ridiculous amount of money.

v. Don’t get paid enough. I once heard the police get paid 400 rs/month. That’s about $5 for one entire month. Maybe this is one of the reasons they use bribery…

vi. Lacks organization and proper care. There are terrible landslides and flooding in many villages that are left to fend for themselves.

vii. Rarely enforces laws। This results in kidnappings, ransoms, murders, and road accidents.

5) Money

a. The country is primarily Hindu, which emphasizes the caste system, which places a high importance on money. People’s lives are then ruled by making as much money as they can and forget about caring for the people around them and simple kindness to strangers. All of a sudden, life is about how much I can get from others.

b. Why is it a problem? When money…

i. Becomes the focus of a person’s life, friendships are built on money and people are used for their money.

ii. Rules the caste system, a person is stuck in whatever caste they were born into. No matter how intelligent they are, it is so difficult for them to get certain jobs because of their last name. Instead they are stuck selling apples, driving a rickshaw, or begging on the streets for the rest of their life.

iii. Is needed, a person may kidnap someone for a ransom.

iv. Is borrowed and not paid back in a friendship, one friend may end up killing the other.

v. Becomes the focus of a marriage, the partners are dishonest to one another. They will lie about how much money they have so they can go spend it on things they want.

vi. Is the reason a couple is married (caste system and arranged marriages), the partners are unfaithful and disloyal to the other, often resulting in affairs with someone who they “love”.

vii. Is brought in, families will spend it on food and luxuries (short-term) rather than saving any of it (long-term).

viii. Is important, simple kindness and helpfulness is forgotten। As a foreigner, I often feel like people look at me like a dollar sign $. If someone offers to point me in the right direction, they often want paid for the help.

6) Infrastructure

a. When a country is getting started, they don’t think about the best route and width of roads. As it develops, the roads just become a confused mess.

b. Why is it a problem? Bad infrastructure…

i. Creates a lot of traffic jams. The roads were not initially made to hold lots of vehicles, so they are too narrow and structured badly for the new generation’s interest in vehicles.

ii. Makes it hard to travel. Whether traveling for tourism or to deliver potatoes, the roads through the mountains are just horrible. Granted, it is difficult to build good roads in a 3^rd world mountainous country. Because of this though, there are so many bus and motorbike accidents.

iii. Lacks rules, regulations, directions, and traffic lights। Sometimes traffic is directed by policeman, but often it is a free-for-all, even in the country’s capital city. Needless to say, my once confident bike-riding has been challenged here.

So here are my thoughts on the biggest negative issues in Nepal. Although this may seem pessimistic, I have actually come to really enjoy this country. Maybe it’s because I know after a year I won’t have to tolerate many of these things? Or maybe it’s because despite the negative things, there are plenty of positive things to make up for it. All countries have developed differently and are at different stages. Nepal may be quite low compared to others, but that is simply one area of the culture. I still find it to be a beautiful country in many ways.

My life is going very well. I’m truly enjoying my time here right now, and I’m so grateful to say that. I thank all of you for your support and prayers. I look forward to seeing you in 6 months!

Refugee Stories

Here are pieces that some of my Somalian refugee students wrote about their life as a refugee. As they escaped from Somalia’s war zone, they were deceived and lied to and settled in Nepal rather than a developed European country where they would’ve had many more opportunities. Here you will hear them talk about how they are feeling after their previous 4 years in Nepal.

Nepali Life

Living in Nepal is the hardest life I have ever faced. It’s like a jail without doors and I mean by that I am one of the people who has been stuck here for almost four years. In these four years I try to run away from here but I could not so I think about how to survive here if I can’t run. So I tried to start to understand their culture and to understand what is allowed and what is not allowed. So when I start to do that I start to feel 20% that I can live here. Then I start to have friends from this country so I thought that I can live 40% in this place. Then I start to learn their language and start to learn any language that I can communicate with their people here. So I learn Nepali mixed with Hindi language and English. So I think now I can live here for 60% and I think that enough to survive and live in a place you never hear about.

True Story

Love is a word with four letters. We heard it from kids, adult, older people, and also in stories, magazines, newspapers. There are different types of love: loving a mother, loving a teacher, loving a friend, etc. But today I will talk about a different type of love. The kind of love we shortly see because we believe that love is in our heart since we were born. We didn’t need words or action to express. It is a love for a place or for a land you grew up in. I think you know what I’m talking about. It’s the most purse love for our country.
In May 1991 I was born in east Africa in a country called Somalia. Growing up in the most dangerous neighborhood in the world. Since I was born I saw that country in a war for so many reasons and we have see so many presidents for the country but in each and every president we see the country destroyed and in a mess. But the best part is that people were keeping hope and keep living with faith. In December 2006 my mother felt that place is not safe anymore. So she told us to start packing. To leave home was weird. We never think about leaving a place where we have friends, family, and childhood memories. But my mother was searching for a fresh start and a better place, but ended up being refugees. People keep asking us about our country and when they know that we are from the most dangerous country in the world they are surprised and automatically ask other questions that come to their mind, “are you glad you left the country?” Our answer is always no. People look at our faces. They think we are joking but the truth is yes, there is a war. There are people dying everyday, and there are no rules over there, but no matter what happened, one day i will because no one can replace a country or a family. Great moments come from great opportunities. So we have the great moments and we are looking forward for the great opportunity. No matter how bad my country deceived me, I will back for her.

Family

My family contains nine members and they are my lovely mother and my great father, five brothers, and one sister.
Living with my family was everything to me. I count my blessings every day. The most important thing I learned in my family was to help each other all the time. My mother always taught us to care for everyone’s feelings so te others will care for us also. What I leared was how to love yourself is the way you will learn to love the people around you. On the otherhand, my father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me. In my free time I was playing with my brothers especially my young brother, so we were always having quarrel and peace in the same time. My sister is my biggest inspiration in my life. She took care of me and my young brother, even if she went out shopping she brought me a gift every time she got time. She liked to make me the happiest one in the home.
But sometimes if you got angry you thought you hated your family and you don’t want to live with them. But as you leave home and see the need to stay connected you realize you would do anything to return to your family. The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing there is beauty all around you, when you are with your parents.
When i came to Nepal I missed everything, especially my sister’s advice. I call her everyday just to hear her voice and my mother’s voice- I also miss my young brothers’ quarrel. In my conclusion is that family means putting your arms around each other and being with your parents.
One day I hope I will spend more time with my family, talk to them, listen to them, and giving 100% of my time to them, weeping with them, and telling more people to do it.