Onward and Upward

Today my program ended. Just like that. Not with a bang, but with a whimper. Well that is not exactly true... I spent the past week putting together my ISP with the information given to me by 47 different maternal health care personnel. These women and my incredible advisor taught me so much in such a short amount of time (3 weeks) about research, the status of maternal health in Nepal, and about myself. The paper was just a piece of the experience, and the most enjoyable academic assignment I have ever been given to do. I can't really describe the feeling I got when I stood up and presented my research to a conference hall audience and realized that I really knew what I was talking about and was/am truly invested in my findings. A sense of pride, I guess, but more than that. With every statistic or quotation I explained I thought about the woman and women who had offered me chiyaa and biscuits and their homes and families when I asked for an interview. Who gave me a place to sit when their wasn't room (their were 8 other family members sitting on the bed). Who showed me what Nepal is really about: generosity.

So as I sit here in the program house alone trying desperately to hold on to something that I can't put my finger on, but that is quickly slipping away, I am reflecting on that generosity and genuine spirit that I will miss incredibly. Sure I will miss seeing the himals towering over the valley and the stands of fresh fruit, and maybe even the shouts of "namaste" as I pass a group of kids who probably dared each other to yell at the bideshi... but really I will miss the people. I have already said "pheri bhetaula" ("see you later") to many of the other students who have become lifelong friends, and my homestay family.

I am just a ball of emotion. During my second ACTFEL (international language) exam, which involves speaking with an examiner for 30 minutes, I actually ended in tears. Not because it was a bad experience, but because when the woman asked me to ask her a question (in Nepali), I asked if she could give me advice on how to translate this experience for my friends and family to better understand. She gave an answer which really hit me and will stay with me forever. She said that it is important to not keep worlds apart, but to bridge the gap between your experiences by keeping in touch with those in Nepal and those in the US.

As much as this sounds cheezy... this is just the beginning of another chapter. Opportunities abound. I am extremely thankful for this experience and for the next week which I am spending traveling with a few friends. I fly out in a little over a week and return to my family for the holidays, where I will really begin the process of understanding this semester. I look forward to doing that processing with many of you. Thanks for always listening (or rather reading).


Love,
Meghan/ Muna

"the world is not too big to depart forever" - unknown