Heading Home

If there is anything about my travel adventures I don't like, it's the long flights home. Cramped seats on the plane, long layovers, expensive airport food and long lines at customs are simply not much fun. But, it's always nice to get home. 

This has been another great adventure and I'm eager to bring all my wonderful experiences back into my classroom. As always there is a lot I will be taking home with me from this adventure. India and Nepal are both amazing places with beautiful sites and people even more beautiful. Clearly our customs are very different but or humanity is the same. 

The earthquake in April brought great loss to many in this area but, the resiliency of humanity can be seen in the hearts of the Nepalese people. I have been surprised by the lack of regret or self pity I've seen. The Nepalese culture has a very strong connection to nature and I think that helps them accept their place within the natural flow of life.  Yes, the loss of life and destruction of their beautiful monuments was immense but, for the most part they seem to be looking forward. They have great pride in the beauty and long history of their home and culture. 

The people of both India and Nepal are facing the many significant challenges ahead of them with an optimistic heart. Many of their challenges concern issues that rarely touch the lives of most Ameticans. But many of them concern us all; like the global environment and world economy. There is, indeed, much we can do as Americans to address all of these challenges but I believe if our efforts are to bring fruit, we need to see all our brothers and sisters around the world as equals. We must foster mutual respect and resolve to work side-by-side for the sake of humanity and benefit of all.  

Yes, I am proud to be an Amercan and I enjoy sharing my culture with people as I travel around the world but, it is just one world that we all share and it is that revelation that inspires the true traveler. We all agree that "people are people".  We see it in the eyes of a mother tending to her child. We see it in the pride of a craftsman in his work. No matter how different the customs, our hearts pump one beat at a time and the gift of life is given to us all for but a finite moment. This is what the traveler knows. 

As I sat in the hotel waiting for my taxi to the airport, an Asian woman walked down the steps into the lobby.  She could have been Japanese. She could have been Chinese. She could have been Korean. I will never know. As she walked by, our eyes met and she bowed her head as I bowed mine.  The nod of our heads was not in Japanese, Chinese, Korean or even English. It was the connecting eyes of fellow travelers seeing an empathetic heart and knowing "people are people". 

Dealing With the Aftermath

All the people of Kathmandu worked together to quickly clean up the rubble after the earthquake. They have also placed pictures of many of the monuments before the earthquake at the site so you can better realize the distraction. Here is a picture of what remains of the Vatsala Temple. 

Sisterhood of Survivors

The Sisterhood of Survivors is an NGO that supports victims of human trafficking and domestic violence by providing a safe environment and training that prepares women for jobs including paralegal jobs that enable them to help other survivors. It is one of many such organizations supported by the Planeterra Foundation and I could think of no better place to present our Lotus Blossom Blessings.

Earthquake Damage

Damage from the earthquake can be found all over the city but seeing the many historical sites destroyed is very disturbing. 

Kathmandu

After checking into the hotel in Kathmandu, I took a quick walk in the area. 

Tragedy Strikes Pokhara

Pokhara is a fascinating city and like all of Nepal all of the people are gracious and eager to share their beautiful culture. Tragically, as I was watching the sunrise over the mountains, a landslide swept away several homes. The total damage and fatality is not yet known as several people are still missing. 

I have seen how resilient the Nepalese people are following the earthquake just weeks ago.  After watching the sunrise, I saw many rescue workers on their way to the landslide. It is clear that they have a strong sense of community. In their tragedy, they are an example to us all.  Our thoughts and blessing go out to the people Pokhara.