Happy holidays

One of the better aspects of us Nepalese is that we are ready for any fun or celebrations. I deduce to that conclusion simply by looking at the amount of holidays (public) that we have in Nepal as well as comparing my own experience among other nationalities here in United States. 

When I was student, I felt the international students to be in distinct disadvantages compared to the Americans when it came to partying. Most of the internationals endured more economic hardships, the repercussion of law was harsher, it was not our home turf, and we did not have immediate backing of our parents (or benefits of citizenship) either. Those disadvantages ensured that we worked even harder to strive for better, but in the meantime we didn’t let up our culture of fun; we were one of most happening nationalities (given what we had to work with). The Chinese and Indians might have gotten better career opportunities later on, but we Nepalese sure did enjoy every minute of our college days. We now can look back and say “Oh….I did get A in that subject, but after the test we had a blast” instead of “Oh….I did get A in that subject, and after the test I went straight to bed”. I don’t know if the same fun culture is the reason why Nepal is still backward, however I would always prefer “what I did” over “what might have been”.  

Someone told me that all meat shops in DC metro was out of lamb meat during Dashain season, that shows we haven’t forgotten our culture (may have modified slightly based on where we live and our needs). Also, we seem to have picked up the local culture like Christmas and Thanksgiving (as a culture not a religion). Those two are local (public) holidays, so why waste those two days watching movies while the rest of the population are doing something else. So we gear up for stuffed turkey during the thanksgiving family gathering, and sharing of gifts during Christmas dinner; both with an inclusive social theme.


फेसबुकले ब्लगलाई मार्छ कि क्या हो?

पहिला डेरा बाट काम मा पुग्न ५ मिनेट लाग्दथ्यो, आहिले पुरै १ घण्टा लाग्छ । काम र काम को तयारीमा नै मेरो दिन को ११ घण्टा खर्च् हुने रहेछ । पहिलेको काम मा ईन्टरनेट को दर्हो फिल्टर थियो, मनोरन्जन का साइटहरु सबै ब्ल्क गरेको । अहिले को काम मा फिल्टर केही खुकुलो छ । पहिले को काम मा फुर्सद भए वा काम गर्न अल्छि लागे ब्ल्ग लेख्थे, आहिलेको काम मा फेसबुकिङ गरिन्छ । दलदल नै रहेछ फेसबुक, पसे पछी निस्किनइ गार्हो ।

खै, मेरो ब्लग आजकाल लेख भन्दा पनि लेख्न नसकेको बाहानाले नै चलिरहेको छ :(


Towards the future

On the Journey today marked the completion of its second year on worldwide web. While embarking on its third year journey, it still faces few tough challenges like: mood of Prajwol, time of Prajwol, creativity of Prajwol, and encouragement of readers/friends. While the latter two (especially the last one) can’t be doubted at all, On the Journey is still waiting on first two with profound optimism. Those first two are the sole reason for the recent limping of On the Journey, but hopefully the tide will turn soon.


संवाद

प्रश्न: ६०१ जना जम्बो प्रतिनिधि किन निवर्चित गरेर तलब खुवाएर राखेको?
उत्तर : सबै नेपालीको प्रतिनिधित्व हुनलाइ ।
प्रश्न : के का लागि ?
उत्तर : प्रथमत, सबै नेपाली समेट्ने संविधान बनाउन ।
प्रश्न : आहिले ति ६०१ वाला हरु के गर्दै छन त?
उत्तर: कसले कसरी सरकार बनाउने भनेर झगडा गर्दै छन ।
प्रश्न : अनि संविधान कहिले बनाउंछन त ?
उत्तर: पहिला सरकार बनाउन सहमती खोज्ने अनी बल्ल पछी सहमत भएर संविधान बनाउने ।
प्रश्न : अनि संविधान बनांउदा बनाउंदै एउटाले खुट्टा तानेर सरकार ढाल्यो भने नि ?
उत्तर: फेरी अर्को सरकार बनाउने सहमती जुटाउन तर्फ लाग्ने ।
प्रश्न : बनाउंदै गरेको संविधान को के हुन्छ त ?
उत्तर : सरकारमा आएकाले जे भन्छ्न फेरी तेही गर्ने, नमिलेका कुरा झिकेर फाल्ने वा फेरी सुरु देखी फेरी बनाउन थाल्ने ।
प्रश्न : यसो गर्दा समय को नाश भएन र ?
उत्तर: हामीलाई के बितेको छ र, जनताले कर तिरी रहन्छन हाम्रो तलब पाकी हाल्छ ।
प्रश्न : जनताले तिमीहरु संविधान मात्र बनाउ, सरकार चलाऊन नागरिक समाजले प्रतिनिधि छान्दछन भने भनी नि ?
उत्तर: देश चलाऊन सक्ने हामी नेताहरु बाहेक को नै छन र नेपालमा ?
प्रश्न :के नागरिक समाजका दमननाथ ढुंगाना, लक्ष्मन अर्याल, कृष्ण पहाडी, डा. मथुरा श्रेष्ठ, डा. देवेन्द्र राज पाण्डे जस्ता सक्षम छैनन र ?
उत्तर: छन, बिल्कुल छन । तर तिनीहरु पनि सरकार बनाउने भए पछी कसले ठुलो पद पाउने भनेर हामी जस्तै लुछाचुंडी गर्न थाली हाल्छन नि ।
प्रश्न : तिनिहरु मिलेर आएर “तिमिहरु संविधान बनाउन मात्र ध्यान देउ, हामी सरकार चलाइदिन्छौं अनि आम चुनाव गरेर जित्नेलाई सत्ता सुम्पिदिन्छौं” भने भनी नि ?
उत्तर: अं त्यसो पनि हुन्छ र? जनताले हामीलाई पो पत्त्याएर पठाएको तिनीहरुलाई हो त?
प्रश्न : जनता सबै उर्लेर आइ नागरिक समाजलाई देश चलाऊ, तिमीहरु छिटो छरितो रुपामा संविधान बनाउ भन्ने आदेश दिए भने नि ?
उत्तर : त्यो कुरामा ढुक्क हुनुस, जनाताले हामी भन्दा पनि अरु विकल्प छन भनेर बुझ्न सक्ने भए रुष्ट भई भई पनि २० बर्ष देखी हामीलाई नै किन जिताउंछन र । ल अब मलाई ढिलो हुन थाल्यो, एउटा कार्यकरता को छोराको बिहे भोजमा जानु छ । त्यस पछी भोली को सर्वदलिय मिटिङमा कसरी असहमती बढाउने भनेर सहमती निकल्न आ-आफ्नो पार्टिको मिटिङ छ, त्यसै मा जानु छ । जय होस नेपाली जनाता को ।  
 
यही लेख यो साइटमा पनि प्रकासित गरिएको छ ।

A new beginning

Nepal is the latest republic of the world. Absolute monarchy, that too very unpopular and demanding, would never be accepted in any civilized part of the world. Nepal‘s monarch learnt that a hard way couple of days ago.

I hope Nepalese political leaders/parties, for at least two years, work in an unpartisan way without any trivial political bickering. Republic is not a super-bullet; it’s simply a new starting point. The situation, until new constitution and general election, is very sensitive; we need to demonstrate patience, unity, vision, and leadership never before seen in Nepalese history.

And people of Nepal need to show more maturity; stop being whimsical. Getting Republic doesn’t mean that there is lawlessness; the whole point of republic is to state that “no one is above the law”.  We still need to learn more about respect, common sense, and civic sense. Stupidity and rush of blood is not patriotism, I hope the youths of Nepal think thrice before doing anything offensive, especially younger “Maoist Cadres”. I want to reiterate again, getting republic doesn’t mean any party cadres are above the law. We are Nepalese first before Congress, Communist, Democrats, hilly people, Madhese, Hindu, vegetarian, cricket fan, pet lover, singer, and so on. Think of Nepal first, anything after is trifling in comparison.

कागले कान लग्यो भन्दैमा आफ्नो कान नै नछामी कागको पछाडि दौडिनु हुन्न है।

 


Socialism in my aquarium

Have you guy’s seen Sicko by Michael Moore? It shows the hardship of American’s in getting affordable healthcare. I find it very amusing because they can spend trillions in Iraq war but not provide proper healthcare to its citizens. Insurance companies here are like Mafia, they dictate which hospitals, which doctors, and which procedures. Politicians indebted to these special interest groups sway from making any opposition. In Sicko, Moore tries to compare US health care with that of Cuba, UK, Canada, and France. And all of these countries seem (in that movie) to have very good and inexpensive system. Moore advocates on socialism of healthcare in USA (similar to what they already have done to postal and school system). I’m not promoting his idea but I was really curious about its possibilities. Although health care is cheap in Cuba, Canada, France, and UK, do the people pay more taxes? Do they have much longer wait to get medication? His movie says no, but I find that hard to believe, may be its true too. But one thing is for real, despite having health insurance, for some issues it will cost me much less to go to Nepal for the procedure than sort it out here. I guess that might be the reason why Medical Tourism is booming in India, recently one of my colleagues went there for his procedure. I’m not expert to verdict if socialism in healthcare is beneficial to USA, but it does work wonders in my aquarium. :D

Read the rest of this entry »


Beating your kids

When I was a kid, my mum was responsible for spanking me while my dad used to make angry face. I don’t recall my dad beating me but I remember my mum’s famous slippers, gosh that used to hurt. I think my parents must have an understanding among them that only one will act the bully. That’s the way they thought was the best parenting method (perhaps similar to good cop bad cop strategy).

They however made no effort to oversee how I was faring the beating among the teachers. Because, it was understood that teacher have permission to beat me for my wrong doing. I have to confess, I got numerous beatings and my parents were called to school for numerous occasions too. What do my parent say when they were called, they give permission to the teachers to beat me more for my wrong doings. Read the rest of this entry »


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