Donna Gurung, Grade 9
Sedgwick Middle School, West Hartford, CT
Nepal! To me, this word is so peaceful and simple. It is a small country that lies between two giant countries, India and China. Nepal may be small but it may also be the most beautiful country in this whole world. My Nepal is rich in both geographical and cultural diversity. Nepal is like the only moon on a night dotted with thousands of stars. Different cultures, traditions, customs and rituals make Nepal unique and different in its own way. The highest mountains, hills, lakes, rivers and beautiful green forests make Nepal heavenly. They say “Heaven is a myth but Nepal is real”. This is true. I grew up in the country where Lord Buddha was born. My Ama always taught me to be brave like our Gorkha ancestors, honest as that Gorkhali khukuri which never betrays its owner, simple and peaceful as Lumbini, hard-working as our active farmers, happy as our smiling hills, and as strong as the high mountains. My Baba always taught me about the history of Nepal, how our strong and brave soldiers died for our motherland, for us! And how the British tried to rule our country but failed because of our brave soldiers and clever rulers! And when it came to protecting their homeland, how the mothers of all the villages threw stones and carried a Khukuri to fight against them! My Baba used to say to me, “Never beg anyone for something. Be the one who can help the needy and gain respect.” He also used to tell me to be like the brave Gorkhas, strong enough to do anything so that the society can stop saying that girls can’t do the same things as boys. My ama and baba always seem happy and proud seeing the way I am growing up. But as I look in their eyes, I notice a fear. They fear that because I am a girl, the society might be unfair to their little princess. Their fear is not uncommon. All parents fear for their growing daughters. Our society discriminates against girls, and does not see girls as equal to boys. However, this fear inspires me to be strong. When I see my parents’ smile at me, I feel like they are saying, “Go chhori go, you can do it, you can prove all wrong,” “You are a god-gifted girl and I am proud that I have a daughter like you.” As I recall stories of the struggle my ama faced when she was having me, and the fight my baba fought against society when the world found out that his second baby was not a boy, I also imagine my mother’s inner voice telling me, “you have to do it my chhori.” This male-dominated society will be difficult to change but it is not impossible. Nepal is not a developed nation but it is developing. And soon, I hope to see a developed Nepal where everyone is equal, and where the rights for everyone is not only enshrined in the constitution but also practiced in real life. I am a small girl with a big dream and hopes to make my parents proud of me. “Visit Nepal 2020”
