The People Post

 

The People Post
March 20, 2024

We’ve been home four days now and the readjustment is real. The return went very smoothly, even with one 14-hour leg of the journey. Went well until we missed our connection to Columbus because we had one hour to clear our bags, immigration, customs and TSA. Who thought that was a good idea? But we did make it home, where everyone apparently survived without us.



I told a lot of stories about what we did. But I glossed over the who we did it with. Our amazing experience was mostly amazing because of all the people who made it so. Gopal was a huge part of it, from taking us to lunch with his family our first day, to arranging our day of sightseeing, to taking us on the rocky 4+ hour trip to where the ceremony was held.

He also enlisted an “adopted” son who traveled 17 hours to Kathmandu to be available to help both my brother and me and Gopal. He and his wife Sheila are such genuine people who are a joy to be around.



Then there was Ram Mohan, the translation project leader, who welcomed us to his home for a few days along with his wife Puspa. They drove us back and forth to the village and even came on safari with us. Their home was the most unique I’ve seen, with lots of easter eggs like my closet opening to a bathroom.

And we enjoyed many incredible meals.


Since before we left, we’d been in touch with a lady Heidi who provided much practical information, including for our guesthouse and arrival in Kathmandu. We met her at the celebration and she stayed with us a couple of days through the safari. We greatly enjoyed her company and her insights on living there. 


Our guesthouse also was such a comfortable and welcoming place. They arranged for someone to pick us up in the middle of the night. And they also arranged someone to pick us up when we flew back to Kathmandu and then when we left. The whole trip we never had to worry about how anything was going to happen. And then of course our parents who entrusted us with representing them and their work and made the trip possible.

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