This trip to Nepal was filled with unique experiences. Starting from the capital, Kathmandu, to the resort in the mountains, although the distance is only more than 20 kilometers, it takes about an hour to drive due to the rugged mountain roads. Upon arrival, what comes into view is a hotel resort built on the mountain. The environment is very beautiful. You can see the Himalayas from the balcony of the room. The hotel also has a heated swimming pool, sauna and children's play area. All facilities are available. everything.
Here, I met the warm and honest Nepalese people. For example, when I went to get a haircut, it originally cost 300 rupees (approximately $2.50). Because it was a temporary haircut, the barber actually confiscated the money and later returned to give the money. The food is also unique. Local meals include Indian thali-like set meals, such as chicken curry, bean paste curry, vegetables, greens, etc. There is also a way of eating melted butter poured on rice. The cooking style is somewhere between Chinese and Indian. And the small bowl that holds the food is a heavy copper bowl, which can help keep the food warm after preheating, which is very suitable for the low-temperature environment of the Himalayas.
It was very cold at night in the mountains, so people put on their coats and sat around the fire drinking tea to keep warm. Here you can also enjoy beautiful terraced fields, peaceful mountain scenery, and exercise. There is a pleasant and unique healing atmosphere here.
The communication with Nepali college students gave us a better understanding of their campus life. Most of their classes start at 6:30 in the morning and end around 10:20, and then they have free time. Many students from rural areas choose to study in cities for better facilities and more opportunities.
From the perspective of major choice, engineering science is more popular among students. After graduation, many students studying these majors choose to work in other countries, such as India and Australia. Most of them come from middle-class families. Although they had dreams of going abroad, it was difficult to realize them due to financial constraints. Therefore, they are working hard to realize their dreams, hoping to make their parents proud in the future, such as making money to build their own houses. At the same time, social media advertising has also had a certain impact on them. Concepts such as luxury cars and big houses influence their views on success, but they also understand that chasing these material dreams may not necessarily bring true happiness.
A retired American teacher I met shared his profound insights. A former history teacher in Chicago, he retired and began traveling the world. He mentioned that although the U.S. economy has been developing, the living conditions of many people are not ideal, such as the families of students in his school. Students lack good values. The topics discussed in the evening are often related to unhealthy content such as violence. This has something to do with school. The surrounding environment also matters.
Then he thinks about what are the indicators of a good society, a truly developed society. He believes that it should not be measured purely by economic development or technological development, but by whether everyone in this society can pursue their own goals on earth. What this means is whether such opportunities are available is a key measure of people's happiness.
He also pointed out that every society has its good and bad sides. Despite the socioeconomic development of the West, many individuals are not beneficiaries. He also stressed the importance of different perspectives. Society needs checks and balances. No perspective is perfect. Society cannot run solely on capital, because capital does not allow children from different family backgrounds to have equal educational opportunities. He also mentioned that countries should not lose their original culture in the process of modernization. There is great value in Thailand and Nepal retaining their cultural diversity. Wealth and technology are only part of the measure of social value. If we can benefit from capital and retain our unique culture while retaining technology, it will be a good integration direction.
In short, during these four days at the Nepalese villa, I met all kinds of people, heard all kinds of life stories, and felt people’s lives, dreams and profound thoughts on society from different cultural backgrounds. All these made the trip a wonderful experience. It adds rich and profound connotations that are worthy of each of us to savor and resonate with. I hope you can share these stories together, and you are welcome to express your opinions in the comment area.
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