Fragments of experiences and thoughts

When simplified, new experiences are things that happen in a way that we are not used to. In a new country, new experiences are things that are usually culturally different - the experience can deepen because our socialization doesn’t work, and we’re very aware of the new situation.

In a Nepali restaurant, you might get a spoon and a fork to eat with, but no knife. And when you look around, you notice that you are supposed to put the fork in your right hand and the spoon in your left one. Or if you visit a Nepali home, you might be expected to use only your hands for eating, which is actually quite a nice experience.

Sometimes I’ve triggered a new experience in the local people. When I hear music, it’s somewhat hard for me to stay still. I just have to dance, at least a bit, by nodding my head, or tapping my fingers or leg. This is funny for the locals; they stare and laugh. I suppose it is because girls are not encouraged to dance and perform, at least not in the public. Spread the joy, I say.

My love for dogs is also bit unfamiliar here. Most people don’t understand why I would want to scratch a fleabag, let alone share my food with them. I’m sure it is hard to understand, as for me it seems odd why a cow is the most sacred animal, and not a goat, for example.

I also usually decline the offered hot water and prefer cold. For Nepalese I probably seem very tough or foolish to be drinking cold during the cold winter months!

Sometimes you are faced with very different ideas than you are used to. For example, people think that you are rich, because of your skin color or the laptop you have. In a way this is true - In Finland, I probably do have more money per month than they do. However, the idea of being rich is almost funny, because as a student I’m part of the poorer population in Finland. And to be honest, I don’t even own my laptop.

Many times some locals seem to think that people in the west are happier because of money and possessions. Poor people have even said to me, that it’s better to be a dog in Finland than a child in Nepal. This kind of ideas lead poor people to give their children to adoption to the west - they hope that they’ll get better opportunities there. The parents here are usually ill- educated, they don’t know the proper channels, and children can end up in black markets.

The difference I’m faced often with is in the relationship between men and women. When I tell, that my parents would encourage me to date and live with someone before I consider marriage - if I even want to marry – Nepalese are amused. I wish I could have been amused, when I heard that a mother convinced her daughter to get married at the age of 16, because she was dating a boy. Huge contrast to the west, though it seems this kind of situations are not as common as before. 

Maybe the biggest difference, that can be seen in this text as well, is the wealth of my country. Other differences are just habitual - differences in practicing religion, forming a family and so on. It makes me wonder, if wealth is the reason why I am here, assisting in development co-operation. Because of history, situations and so many other factors, my home country has been given the chance to develop it’s current political, economical and material situation. Does this make us responsible for others? Without going any deeper into economics, I do believe that we in the west are at least partly responsible for the economical structures that keep poor countries from developing and channels the biggest profits to the west. I do also believe that my ancestors didn’t do all the work and struggling just for me, so I could have education and freedom of choice. I don’t believe that they were so short-sighted that they would only wish people with same gene pool to profit. I think they were working for a better tomorrow for all, and I think we should carry on where they left off.