Drive Must be Intrinsic
What one does in life must be for oneself...not in a selfish way, of course. That is, the justification for and the drive behind one's most important decisions, actions, and values must be intrinsic.
News from Kathmandu: July 12, 1993 Letter to an American Friend
I visited Nepal for the first time in three years the Summer of 1993. During my stay in the country, I wrote to a number of my friends abroad. This is a reproduction of the first snail mail I sent my good and dear friend E in the US. It provides a glimpse into what Kathmandu was like then.
At Ullens School…Starting a Presentation with Some Laughter
Nepali teachers, I have observed, do not use humor much or often. I am not sure why.
This blog contains embeds of two short clips from a presentation to students at a school in Kathmandu in which I use humor.
Why Apply for a UWC Scholarship? For the Potential To Fall in Love with Someone You Never Imagined Falling in Love With
This is an embed of a video of a Zoom session I had with potential United World College scholarships applicants in Nepal. Having had my own experiences at a UWC put me on the path to make me into the person I have become today, I share the details from my life experiences to convince them to apply for a UWC scholarship.
Interaction at DigiSchool: Nepal, Nepalis, Perception, Human Potential, Travel etc.
On November 30, I had an interaction with about thirty 16-19 year-olds. My audience were grades 11 and 12 students at DigiSchool attending extra classes in preparation for aptitude tests needed to gain admission to universities and colleges in the USA, Australia, etc.
The following is an audio recording of the interaction.
“I am a Teacher”: A Study in Contrast
Reproduction of a performance at UWC-USA early this century by a friend and colleague, and I, two teachers at the school. Written by us two, it looks at social realities of the world today through the eyes of two teachers from vastly different cultures. It reflects and exposes the stark inequalities and incredible diversity prevalent in the world today.
Inequitable Nepal: Inequity in Immunization Against COVID-19
Nepal is a highly unjust and inequitable society. The Coronavirus pandemic and the country's response to it has dramatically demonstrated that again for all to see.
One set of data which has done that is the administration of the COVID-19 vaccines by Province.
Province 2 got shafted...for obvious reasons...as far as I am concerned!
The Story of Eklavya and Dronarcharya: More of Caste Supremacy Than Model Discipleship
Studying, living, working abroad, unconstrained by closed and inward-looking Nepali culture, society, and people, I questioned a lot of what I had been taught in Nepal.
One was the Hindu-mythology-based beliefs, practices, and values.
One lesson was taught through the story of Eklavya and Dronarcharya. We were taught that the story was about model discipleship. But after deeper questioning I have come to the conclusion that its more of caste supremacy than model discipleship.
A Job Application in The Times of the Coronavirus Pandemic
During my first professional career as an international teacher, for about two decades I worked in ten countries around the world spread over five continents. Also during that time, I wrote innumerable job applications for positions all over the world from Latin America in the south to Scandinavia in the North; from The United States of America in the West to Japan in the East, and many more positions in countries in between.
What I have reproduced in this blog post, however, is my first international job application during these times of the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, it's a little different from all those that came before.
ONE Reason Nepali Media is So Atrocious Could be This: The Federation of Nepalese Journalists is Of, For, and By Khas-arya Men
Nepali media is atrocious. Far from it being the fourth pillar of democracy, it panders to the those who are responsible for making the country a failed State. And that's only ONE of the many issues with them.
There's a very good reason for that. No different from those that make up the other three pillars of democracy and pretty much every other structure of any import, Nepali media is of, for, and by Khas-arya men. And that conclusion is based on data.