- \n
- to being incarcerated<\/a>\u00a0following an adult pressing felony charges against me based on the words of one such student–his twelve-year old son–and having even the bottom pulled from under me<\/a>, and then<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- to friends around the world running a massive international campaign and getting me freed within just twelve days, instead of remaining in limbo<\/a> as some of the other Nepalese appeared to be or serving out a seven-year jail term, and then<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- to returning to Nepal to work in the small and remote village of Thangpalkot, just 80 km from the capital, with some of the poorest people and children<\/a>\u00a0in the country, finally\u00a0doing something I had wanted to do<\/a>\u00a0for most of my forty-plus years of life, and then<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- to being back in the US, for the first time in over a decade,\u00a0to speak about everything that’s happened<\/a>\u00a0over the past year and to receive\u00a0an honorary degree<\/a>\u00a0for what I have done so far.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
I left Kathmandu the afternoon of April 15 for the US. Though it took a mere forty hours — door-to-door — arriving in the US, I found myself in a world that might as well have been on a different planet…especially after the last eleven months in Nepal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found myself back in a world where, for instance, time is fixed<\/a>. In a world where appointments or events take place at the appointed time. In a world where when you show up on time, you are not made to wait…for as long as two and a half hours some times, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a world where everyone values their time equally, everyone from a janitor to a CEO. Where the importance and value of time does not change with your professional position or social status<\/a> or perceived self-importance…with some exceptions, of course!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a world that is considerably more egalitarian than most other countries I lived, worked and traveled in (and loving it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Returning to Nepal less than a year ago after being educated in four other countries and spending pretty much all my adult life–most of the last 26 years–abroad, I have discovered i have developed a handicap! I don’t know how to kiss ass, which I am discovering, is an essential skill in Nepal. I wish that the rules of the game in Nepal were the same as those of Golf. Then my handicap would have really come handy!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a world where, even in the small community of Montezuma, New Mexico, some of the most basic utilities — such as water, electricity, internet service, mobile phone service — are reliable, making life just that much more comfortable, and easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a world where everything pretty much works and runs well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- to friends around the world running a massive international campaign and getting me freed within just twelve days, instead of remaining in limbo<\/a> as some of the other Nepalese appeared to be or serving out a seven-year jail term, and then<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>![\"Chips](\"https:\/\/dorjegurung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/nachos-salsa-2-ABQ-resized-300x224.jpeg\")
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<\/a>![\"steak](\"https:\/\/dorjegurung.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/steak-at-Rubes-Steakhouse-resized.jpeg\")
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