Culture Shock: It's Heart Healthy

The thing is Nepal isn't really scary anymore. I walk through oncoming traffic to ask a Nepali man if the bus he is on goes to "Bhat Bhateni." And, not only do they mostly recognize me now, (really one bus guy saw me yesterday and just nodded before I even asked) since I really only travel between Baluwater to Ten Cuni, and Ten Cuni to Bhat Bhateni, but I've also mastered the pronunciation to sound Nepali. If you say Bot Bottany, not Bot Ba-teny, they understand you the first time perfectly. Same goes for saying Teen Koonay, instead of Ten Kooni, and definitely don't try to say Kantipur (or you'll end up in Kiritpur). The men that collect money on busses have even stopped ripping me off-- keep in mind I had no idea I was being ripped off for about seven weeks, but all of a sudden I'm getting two rupees back at the end of my bus rides. The cashiers at the grocery store don't even try to bag my items anymore, knowing I'm the white girl that just puts it all into my backpack. The men at the momo stand outside the grocery store know my name, though they call me Prianna like everyone else in Nepal, which I've been told (time and time again) means something like "lovely" in Nepali. I know how to get a taxi and not get ripped off, a skill I must admit I've only acquired in the past week. I know how to get a micro bus to Bishal Nagar from Civil Mall. I know to answer that I'm from "America" and not "the United States," "the States," or "the U.S." - Nepalis will have no clue what you're talking about, to the point that they will think you said "Italy" (which I considered playing up, since sometimes I think it'd be nice not to be from where I am, based on the responses I'm left to deal with). I feel like I know all the secrets.

I get it. Now. But it has been a hell of eight weeks to get to this place. And it is kind of disappointing to have to leave this- everything I've worked for all summer. I finally get it, I can finally do it, and off I go.

But, I need to go, I need to. So from here, all I can hope is that, maybe the growth I've seen in myself here, the boost of confidence all of these baby steps have brought me, will carry over into my future travels and maybe even at home.

New places will always be a little weird and take a little time, but I think if I do it enough, maybe every time will be just a little bit easier. And easier sounds nice.

I counted yesterday, and I have about 123 days in The United States once I get back from Nepal before I leave again. Just enough time for me to re-adjust, and then throw myself into the foreign "deep end" again. I was talking to one of the interns the other day about culture shock. And isn't there something to be said simply  by its existence? I think feeling it and experiencing culture shock can teach a person so much. As painful and terrifying as it can be, I think its healthy. It makes you feel something on the inside, it makes you question all of your ideals and intentions and dreams and goals and you are forced to find something within yourself to adapt to accomplish those dreams. Like running a marathon (not that I've ever come close,) but you set your body in front of this insane challenge that is going to take it so far away from what is normal to you, but in the end you'll be stronger for it. Culture shock: it's heart healthy.

So I'll enjoy my two weeks of Nepali normalcy, then I'll take probably four weeks to go through some serious reverse culture shock thats awaiting me at home in Novi and Athens. Then I'll have just under 100 days to be in my comfort zone at home, and then back to culture shock, and I'm not going to lie, I'm really excited to see what that will be like after what Nepal has put me through.

If I thought I had a travel bug before, I must have a travel dinosaur now, because that little thing inside me pushing me to go and see, it seems to have grown.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/kellie-donnelly/2014/07/the-hardest-part-about-traveling-no-one-talks-about/