Nepal Nostalgia

Perhaps some of you have realized this, but being away from Nepal has been hard for me. I never get homesick, but now Im home-away-from-home-sick. Its actually resulted in some tough moments for me. I think of my family in Nepal every day, and I am still stuck with old habits like accepting things with my right hand. I miss squat toilets. I still get Nepali words confused with Spanish words, especially when I speak quickly. Dont get me wrong, I am enjoying my time here and Im glad to experience a new place, but I miss Nepal. A sudden gust of Asian influence came in last week when Shannon (Dragons' Himalayas course director) came to visit. She has been living in Nepal for just over 10 years. She wore a kurta surwal and a scarf (I have one just like it!) that was undeniably Nepali. When we went on a hike, she wore a lunghi (skirt), and I couldnt help but be reminded of Cora and I's trek to Annapurna. It was nice to have someone to talk with about Kathmandu traffic and eating Dal Baht. She was able to justify some of my previously unbeleived statements about Nepal (i.e. "I've never been on a bus in Nepal without at least one person getting motion sick" or "Nepali people are friendlier than people here"). She was even familiar with the Bal Mandir Orphanage! In addition to here Nepali vibe, Shannon brought us some actual Nepali things: spicy candies, which we finished in a day; binidis, which I convenced everyone to wear on our last day of Spanish class; and Tibetan prayer flags, which are now hanging in the Dragons' house, right above a wall of Andean chakanahs. I see the prayer flags everytime I walk into the Dragons' house, but the reminder actually doesnt make me miss Nepal more. Instead, seeing them hanging there with the chakanahs every day has helped me realize that I can take part of my Nepal with me where ever I go. Okay, its cheesey, I know...but it helps. And its true.