One year in Kathmandu

Inés and Nyima with several Komang students in Kathmandu

Life in Komang is not like in most of the world. This small village is located at a high altitude (4,500m) in the Dolpo region of western Nepal and bordering Tibet to the north, now in China. To reach Komang from Kathmandu it takes about 15 days where bus, plane and a hard trekking of almost 10 days are combined. Secondary education is not provided in Komang. When the boys and girls reach a certain age, they leave their families to go to Kathmandu to continue their studies.

This is the story of Pema* what to At the age of 12, he came to Kathmandu to study thanks to a local NGO that helps young people from isolated Tibetan villages to access a better future.

First week in Kathmandu

“I have just arrived in Kathmandu, I am very excited. Being here is like a dream… there are huge eagles that make a lot of noise! Miss has said that people go inside and that they use them to travel but I don't quite understand how that can be… And people get on some very cool things that smoke when they move but there are no yaks or horses anywhere. Also, there are…so many people! And we don't have to go get the water from the lake and carry it every morning, it comes directly home! We don't even need firewood to cook! Next week I start school, I'm so excited!

Fourth week in Kathmandu

Going to school is horrible. I don't understand anything… I'm going to be the failure of my family. I think the other kids are laughing at me, but I can't even understand them because nobody here speaks Tibetan. Everyone avoids sitting next to me. I feel very lonely. When I talk to my brothers from Komang I can't stop crying… I feel so sad! It's worse than when dad would go away for the 6 winter months with the yaks and we never knew if he was going to come back. Also, today on the way home I have seen many dead animals inside a house. I think they kill them to be able to eat them… In our town we would never do that! The life of animals is as valuable as ours, in order to eat them we must wait for their natural death.

Group of Komang students in Kathmandu with Inés

Two months in Kathmandu

Today I dreamed of mom, she was working in the fields. He collected the potatoes. Then she would cook while singing and smiling. My sister also appeared in the dream, she was taking care of the thirteen goats, twelve sheep and two cows that we have... Then my brother appeared who came home to visit us. That day we ate sheep cheese, I miss it so much! In the dream it was August and the date was approaching when we could exchange our products with China and at lunch dad was talking about how this year we have enough cheese and butter to be able to exchange for a good assortment of rice and warm clothes for the children. winter months.

Five months in Kathmandu

I feel better, but I wish I hadn't woken up today. I have dreamed of the festival. In the horse competition, a very handsome boy won and the team my brother was on won in the game of strength with the rope. I danced with my sister and I couldn't stop laughing...

Seven months in Kathmandu

I'm glad to be here, even though I still miss my family. I wish I could send you more letters! But the only way they get there is through Rinpoche once a year. Even so now I know that I have a great opportunity and I must take advantage of it. However, today I had a nightmare, I received a letter from my sister, she explained that mom had died, that she had become very ill from the cold, it was very hot and the medicinal plants could not lower their fire. According to Tibetan astrology, mom belonged to the god of birds, so the bits of her body have nourished the eagles and now her soul has returned to the birds. The dream was so real… I'm afraid it's true.

One year in Kathmandu

Today one of my brothers from Komang has arrived, he fell from a roof and hurt his arm, no one knew how to cure him and during the 15 days of traveling to Kathmandu he came back with a rotten arm. It had to be amputated. Today I have decided that I want to be a nurse, I want to know how to cure people in Komang. And now, I have the opportunity to be.

act!

If Tibetan culture attracts your attention and you want to help boys and girls like Pema* to continue studying,come on a solidarity trip! Not only will you help them improve with their studies, but you will give them positive reinforcement and help them integrate into the big city. Inés is still there and has prepared this article to bring us closer to the reality of the children of the project. If you want to collaborate, we are waiting for you!

*Pema is not a real girl. This story is made with the experiences of several boys and girls from the project to preserve the identity of minors.

A post by Inés Guardia Pena (volunteer from April to June 2017) and Nyima (Kathmandu volunteer coordinator).