I had the distinct pleasure of hosting two Fulbright Association travel groups to Nepal this past month. The first group was a trekking team that climbed the Everest trail to the lookout above Namche Bazaar. The second group was a Cultural Tour Group that explored the Kathmandu Valley. Then, both travel groups overlapped to experience Nepali New Year with a celebration hosted by the Fulbright Commission of Nepal!

In preparation for the reception, we hosted a sari party. Everyone was invited to a local shop to sample chai or ginger/lemon/honey tea while selecting a fabric from an exquisite collection. Once a fabric was selected, measurements were taken. The following morning, custom, hand sewn Sari’s were delivered to our hotel to be worn to the New Year celebration. Our Fulbright team looked glamorous as they arrived at the venue. At the reception, our Fulbright alumni had the opportunity to meet and support our new ETA’s serving in rural villages for the coming year. It was amazing to watch the immediate connections between the international Fulbrighters in the room. I was especially aware of the warmth shared between our newest Fulbrighters and our more experienced alumni. Mentoring seems to happen so naturally for this group. Many continued the celebration at street festivals and rang in the New Year at a dance party in Thamel. The groups shared many cultural exchanges and experiences. Most planned, but also spontaneous times together with so much fun and laughter!

Our Everest team spent 9 days, 24/7 together trekking long hours, and spending evenings in tea houses along the Everest trail sharing stories and bonding. This was incredibly special time for us all. The weather was perfect for climbing, cold at night and perfect sunny days to enjoy stunning, mountain vistas. Crossing Hillary Bridge, the longest suspended bridge on the trail, was a bit nerve wracking, but not nearly as adventurous as being stuck on a suspended bridge while crossing with huge yaks coming from the opposite direction! We even had a mascot, Lucky the horse, that became a part of the team when the climbing got rough. We gathered as a team to enter Namche Bazaar together, and I felt such pride in this special group of people as we reached our destination on the mountain. This team of amazing individuals had weathered each challenge with wicked humor, support for one another, acceptance, and positivity. The team spent time with local families, visited a monastery and soaked in the glory of the Solumbuku valley. Our few days at our highest elevation included gorgeous Everest lookout photo opts, drinks at the highest Irish pub in the world, and high-altitude helicopter flights to take in the majesty of Everest. I would feel remiss if I didn’t mention that the team handled the turbulent flight into the most dangerous airport in the world, Lukla , with the same humor and support that would carry them up the mountain. When the Sherpa guide starts to pray, you take notice.

Our cultural tour group got off to a great start with the sari party and New Year celebration. We had a large group of 21, which made for a lively, fun-filled week together. I often joked that coordinating so many people in so many directions was like trying to herd cats! But we did it! And we had a blast! We rode rickshaws through the streets of Thamel, explored historical squares of Dhubar, Bhaktipur, and Patan, visited museums, shopped the local markets, participated in local traditions, and sampled all the culinary delights possible. Our tour of Dhubar square happened to fall on the day of the Festival of Kumari and we were allowed to participate in the rituals and celebrations! One of the many customized events scheduled was the Momo cooking class. Our group earned their chef hats preparing a dinner of buff and veg momos while enjoying Nepali music and wine on the rooftop of our hotel overlooking the monkey temple. Who knew we had such culinary talent in our ranks!

On our final day together, the scholarship girls from our service partner, Empower Nepali Girls, performed cultural song and dance demonstrations for the group. Seven ethnic cultures were represented by these amazing young women. The final performance provided the opportunity for the Fulbright team to share in the dancing. We have talent! What a delightful way to complete our cultural exchange adventures together!

The trip was a service trip and our Fulbrighters showed up and showed out! Our Fulbright Association conducted a uniform drive donation project prior to the trips and the teams were able to partner with our charity organization, Empower Nepali Girls, to distribute over 300 uniforms to the neediest children at three schools in the Bhaktapur area. The joy of those children and the pride of their parents as they received the uniforms from our volunteers will be memories to last a lifetime. The team members were also active in parent meetings for Empower Nepali Girls Scholarship recipients, distributed teddy bears to the children in Everest region, and participated in distribution of birthing sheets to rural health clinics across Nepal.

When processing these past few weeks, there are so many wonderful experiences that were shared, but the most memorable of these are the connections made between Fulbrighters. The friendships forged and the strengthening of the Fulbright community is the value added to an unforgettable experience in a magical land, Nepal.

Patrice Moulton, Fulbright Association Representative