Trip to Nepal

By Pam Villamor

A few months before my trip to Nepal, many of my friends and officemates asked me why I wanted to go to there. Some had no idea where Nepal was. The only thing I could tell them was that I was going to a country where you can find Mt Everest. I also asked myself why I would go on this trip. So many reasons came out: I deserved a vacation and I loved sightseeing, I was also looking forward to meeting someone there, and I wanted to validate my recent passion for peace work. Sounds exciting, right?

When I arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 24 February this year my friend fetched me, and after resting for a while we went to The Bhimsen Tower or Dharahara as the locals there call it. It’s a nine-story tower built in AD 1825, named after the first prime minister of Nepal. From the top you can see the whole terrain of Kathmandu Valley and also you can find a statue of Shiva Lingam on the top floor of the tower.

We spent the next day traveling by bus. I found it exciting for the first few hours because of the beautiful mountain scenery. I saw different types of houses that were mostly made of small bricks. Ahhhh! This was the most exciting part, when we had our lunch. I was so shocked with what they served me: one very big plate where there was a big portion of rice, viands, appetizer and soup. I requested just one quarter of their regular serving because that was all I could finish. People were just staring at me looking so confused as if thinking how I could survive eating so little. As expected, the food was spicy but I liked it and it’s healthy.

We arrived in Nepalgunj at around 9pm and spent the night in Siddartha Hotel, a nice and clean place to stay. It’s a newly constructed seven-storey hotel and so far the highest building in Nepalgunj.

We planned a trip to Jumla for the next day but unfortunately the flight was cancelled due to bad weather. So we just went around Nepalgunj, visited a Hindu temple, went to the border between Nepal and India, had some photos taken there, and then visited the construction site of the new office of my friend. Finally, we flew to Jumla District, a mountainous area in western Nepal. The Partnership Aid Center Nepal (PACE-Nepal), a partner NGO of Caritas Nepal, facilitated our Jumla itinerary.

From the time we arrived at Jumla Airport, I felt the glacial wind that seeped into my thick winter jacket, a coldness that I never experienced in my entire life. My hands became numb as we walked towards our destination. That afternoon, riding in a 4-wheel vehicle, we passed between numerous mountains and reached the Karnali Zone. This area was the most affected area during the civil war against the Unified Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist (UCPN-M). Many lives were lost and more than 1000 households were displaced.

After a journey of more than two hours we arrived, but needed to go further by foot to reach the community we were to visit. Unfortunately, I was able to make it only halfway up, as I wasn’t in top physical condition. So I just used my time taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful surroundings while waiting for the others to come down.

Next day we went to a different community, still internally displaced people, traveling on a single motorcycle. This time I reached the top. Around 30 of them, all adults, welcomed us. Then the discussion started with a brief introduction, everybody introducing themselves in their local language, including me! Here’s how I introduced myself:

Ma Pamela Villamor ho (I am Pamela Villamor)

Ma Philippines bata aiko ho (I am from the Philippines)

Ma knushi chu Jumla Ma ayara ani tapai sanga veteran (I am happy meeting you all here in Jumla)

Dhanibat (Thank you)

After that, the forum proper started and several concerns were discussed, such as health and sanitation, the peace and order situation of the community, and the building of a social center cooperative. We talked about how the community might have a self-generating income so that they could return to their hometowns.

I admired the response of the community to the project provided for them. They had the initiative to identify their problems, speak out, and work for possible solutions. They also acknowledged the presence and help of the NGOs. At the same time they help themselves to recover from their current situation. Their only goal is that someday they can return to their own home places and live normally as they had before. It’s good to know that they remain empowered people despite their situation. It makes the work of NGOs easier and meaningful.

What I love most about travelling is when I shop around for pasalubong and souvenirs. Nepal is not a country for shopping but yet I came back to the Philippines with a lot of excess baggage. I have exciting stories to share with my friends, beautiful memories that can put a smile on my face whenever I’m lonely, and a learning experience that will motivate me to become a more responsible and compassionate individual.

I thank God for this privilege to travel and see more of his creation.