Welcome to Nepal - first experience

Packed with four pieces of luggage, I was kindly picked up by a friend and taken to my accommodation by taxi through the chaotic streets of Nepal. Just reversing the taxi after driving once on one of the busiest streets of Kathmandu, Ring Road, made my heart beat faster. I became aware of how much the "traffic rules" differed from those in Germany. According to the motto "that somehow fits, and if not then it will be made to fit".

The Boudhanath Stupa is recommended for newcomers to immerse themselves in the culture of Nepal. For tourists, if you live outside, you can visit them for a small fee. Important to know, you walk around the stupa in a clockwise direction. The stupa is considered a Buddhist, Unesco World Heritage Site and was built in the course of the Tibetan refugee crisis.

Experience: A boy spoke to me during my tour. Deepek was his name and he asked me if I needed anything in particular. He took me to some shops and told me his story. I wanted to give him a little something for his time. However, he didn't want any money from me as his father would only take it to buy alcohol. Rather, he asked me to buy little things for him. We went to the supermarket together and I got him rice, milk, yoghurt and nuts. He gave me his number and thanked me. He also invited me to visit his school. I will definitely contact him during my trip.

With this experience I want to share that there are many poor people especially children in the streets of Nepal. Not everyone can be helped. But if you go through the world with open eyes and take your time, you can do something good with a small gesture. If possible, however, no money should be given and one should also be able to draw boundaries for oneself and communicate them clearly to the person.

The second picture is intended to show how poor and rich coexist. On the left a gate which leads to a wealthy property and on the right the blue gate which houses a corrugated iron shack. Only in Nepal are these two worlds so close together. Another problem seems to be the waste disposal in this country. I was told that there is currently a very good young aspiring politician in this country who, among other things, is committed to sensible waste disposal. The long-established politicians do not want him and are therefore trying to get rid of him. Balen Shahs< /strong> Politics bring them no advantage or gain . Corruption is therefore one of the key problems in Nepal.