Tourist vs. Local

I would love nothing more than to feel like a local in Nepal. Unfortunately for me, that means knowing another language, putting down my camera, and not scrunching my nose at the smell of incense. On the other hand, I approach this upcoming semester with an open heart and an open mind. It's with this attitude that I'm hoping I can be less of an American tourist and more of a Nepalese local.

Patan Temples (Patan, Nepal)

The past 2 days Mom and I got around with the help of a tour guide and driver, navigating the valley in search of all that Nepal has to offer. Yesterday we visited various Buddhist and Hindu temples around the city, like the one on the right- I definitely felt like a tourist. However, today, we drove up into the mountains to get a gorgeous view of the Himalayas and then walked on foot through a farming town and I felt a little more like a local. Here are some interesting highlights:


Random Facts about Nepal 


#1 Terracotta architecture originated in Nepal (not in China like many of us are told)



#2 Hindus cremate their loved ones on an open fire and send the ashes down the river
 

View of the Himalayas (Nagarkot, Nepal)

#3 Rhesus monkeys in Nepal are like squirrels in the U.S.- ubiquitous, harmless, and fun to watch (I'll post a good picture at a later date)





#4 Mt. Everest does not have a pointy peak! (it's the flat top with a white tip on the far right)

Girl in Farming Village (Bhaktapur, Nepal)

Hindu Shrine (Bhaktapur, Nepal)

#5 Children often have black mustard seed oil around their eyes for protection from the sun (like the little girl on the left)




#6 Megan is a Nepali name too- Meg means lightning bolt!



#7 Nepal has one day of the weekend: Saturday



#8 The best quality Pashmina comes from the chin of a baby goat where the hair is softest



#9  The concept of a two lane road is just that: a concept. Cars, scooters, and bicycles don't care who's coming as long as they can maneuver where they're going.


 #10 Often people turn to pottery as a profession when they do not own land or have the means to farm

Making Piggy Banks (Bhaktapur, Nepal)

Ganga and Siddi (Nagarkot, Nepal)

Our guide Ganga is an absolute sweetheart and treated me like one of his daughters. He walked around the valley and knew everyone we saw. Siddi, our driver, is one patient man. I felt safe and it looked like he had fun driving us (I would too if avoiding pedestrians and oncoming cars was like a video game). I kept Ganga's business card and promised to contact him at the end of the semester to share my research with him. He also said to call if I ever needed anything, which was super sweet of him.


Looking forward to another 2.5 days with Mom in Nepal. School schmool.