Niece to Nepal

[Shann]

My mother just told me that my 25 year old niece is going to Nepal to study tea farming. I don't know why other than that she has always been into small scale farming and has done everything from managing an organic farm in Vermont to harvesting marijuana in California. She is also going with a friend who I understand it going to study traditional dance.

Is there anything I should tell her? My knowledge of Nepal is solely limited to the great people here and the great Khukris made by HI.

 

[Bawanna]

Yangdu would be the go to person to ask all the what to do and not do questions. Places to avoid, places to not miss.

Howard has been there a few times and could also add some insight.

As I recall his last observations shared with me were primitive and NOT wheelchair friendly.

I only know what I've been told but the people in general seem very friendly.

Should be a good experience for her. I'd definitely have her call or email Yangdu and get some insight. Her father and sister are heading back next month as I recall.

 

[ndoghouse]

Id stay away from that maryjuana if I was you! Dont think its legal over there. Now some rhododendron honey might be in order? ...er... on second thought? Maybe better to stick to tea. Id love to watch some Kamis at work over there. I dont think it is advisable to go to the HI shop. I dont think the moaist take kindly to us western imperialist

 

[cul4u01]

Id stay away from that maryjuana if I was you! Dont think its legal over there. Now some rhododendron honey might be in order? ...er... on second thought? Maybe better to stick to tea. Id love to watch some Kamis at work over there. I dont think it is advisable to go to the HI shop. I dont think the moaist take kindly to us western imperialist

I do know that marijuana grows wild in Nepal, but there is a stigma to smoking it, and that is, locals will see you has low class born, because the upper class doesn't smoke it in public, or be caught smoking it. When I went to Nepal for my friend's wedding, it grew all around the perimeter of his parent's house, but he advised against smoking it, lest we get caught by his parents, and if his bride's family finds out, the wedding would've been a "no go".

 

[ndoghouse]

Yowwwie! Better bring your Ganga Ram

 

[Howard Wallace]

How interesting! If she’s studying tea farming I imagine she will be out of the city a bit. Many great people and lots to learn if she’s open and friendly. A calculator or the calculator function on a phone is good for communicating numbers and bartering. They can punch in a number, you can clear and punch in a counteroffer, etc.

 

[Bawanna]

Come on Howard, give us more. Social etiquette, do's and don'ts etc.
I remember first time I met Yangdu, I was so worried, I didn't want to do anything to offend her and even worse when I met Pala.
Turns out I don't think anything we could do would offend them, no nicer more genial people in the world. Whole family for that matter.

I suspect there's a lot of nice folks over there.

 

[Shann]

Thanks that is interesting. I do believe she will be mostly in the country, but knowing her, she will want to see everything she can so she probably will go to some urban settings. She is very friendly and outgoing, unlike her grumpy old Uncle

 

[Howard Wallace]

Haven’t had a lot of people ask me for advice on social graces. Always wondered why. I think it requires particularly low standards.

Being real and honest and considerate gets you a long way, even if you are not familiar with local customs. When I was in Lumbini I offered my taxi driver who had been driving me around for a couple days a pocket knife. He wouldn’t take it, and then I found out he was of a caste legally prevented from carrying such knives. He was good about clueing me in though. The culture is different enough that westerners won’t run out of surprises for a while. The people are generally friendly though. If a person can walk into a small town in an unfamiliar region of the US and get along, they should do just fine in Nepal.

It does pay to be aware of any local political volatility. There were times the Maoists were chopping up people with khukuris. Rest assured it was nothing personal though. Just politics.