Dinner in Nepal

I took out Gopal and a group of his closest friends to dinner this eve. I told them to get whatever they wanted. I thought it was kinda funny because they ordered pretty much what any American student would….wings…pizza….milkshakes. J We are at a great little place next to my hotel which has a giant fireplace in the center. And they make pretty good food…and they have pretty good Nepali beer. Which of course….is the reason I really like it. J

I filmed these students during dinner and we had some interesting conversations. Not completely unlike what I have talked about with young people in Bangaldesh.

Dinner in Pokhara, Nepal (Photo: JLewis)

Kids in these countries still must for the most part marry through arrangements. But things are changing….slowly. For example, the young girls at the table…who I have to say were very well spoken and self confident …both said…if you fell in love with some one…you might be able to convince your parents to let that be “arranged”. So there is more wiggle room than maybe then there used to be. It was also interesting to me that these young women were dressed just like westerners. Which was different than what I encountered in Bangladesh. I never saw a female student there dressed in western clothing. I have still had a very small intro to these two countries, but for women, it might be possible that Nepal is a little bit more progressive. Zero data to back this assumption! More like I am just wondering.

One of the young men at the table also told me….he was adamant about it in fact, that he would marry someone western. Of course this was sort of cute…but…I think it said a lot for changes in what the young people of these countries want for themselves. They are a lot more modern than you would expect. And really not much different from the students I teach in America. I am glad to hear that they have dreams…hopes…for something THEY want. Not what society expects.