The day I landed to Kathmandu

The day I landed to Kathmandu, after completing my Master’s degree from Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland, I could not believe my eyes. The streets were silent, no vehicles could be found running on the streets, there was not even dust in the wind. I asked a old women who was selling, Noodles and cigarettes near the street, “What’s going on?” She said, “Nepal is on strike”. Bingo- I greeted myself, Welcome to Motherland! Now, Instead of bombarding with more questions to an old lady, I just became more selfish on my journey and started to walk about 25 kilometers. Wow, what a heavenly place. No vehicles, no traffic, not even a dust in the wind and after all it all looked like a true green revolution, I thought.

Running down the memory lane, I imagined, Two years ago, the same old lady was selling Noodles and cigarettes in the same place. Oh my lord, what am I doing? I should talk positive stuffs- Our so called “New Nepal” is really new, we have now new Prime Minister- My 79 years old grandmother will remember his name, and why not? The surname is the proud country’s name, isn’t it? (Just checking, hopefully we don’t have another PM before this article is published.) Wonderful, this is positive stuff, Now Soon I started to figure out how much above the poverty level we are among other’s nation. Are we top in poverty? Wow, I am excited to be in the top! The difference was realized when I visited the public bathroom. We really do take care of cleanliness, don’t we?

After couple of days, the time came to meet friends- I discovered they seem to be very happy and satisfied. One of them said, “We don’t care if our government cuts eight hours of electricity time and again, we don’t care if some of the political parties go on strike anytime, just for one simple reason- We love our nation!” Wow, what a statement- A statement many of the political leaders should use in their speech- applause please!

Another friend asked to one of my Doctor friend who just returned with me from foreign land, “Why do you come back to Nepal?” He said, “Work here or work there is the same, everywhere- but I came to help not my country but to help my child who is suffering from Diarrhea and many others child who are suffering too.” Now, it was my turn and I was expecting the same question but one of the friend he asked, “When are you going back?” This surprised me- finally I jokingly said, “I wish I would have never come but I came to see if my friends are not suffering from ‘Kidnapping syndrome’ or ‘Political syndrome’ or ‘ are they drowned because of incessant rainfall?’.”