Kathmandu Teen

Graduation Ceremony. All the happy tears, all the hugs, all the congratulations, all the promises about keeping in touch, all the plans to meet once every year or two. All those dreams. All those pure feelings unscathed. " For the past 10 years, a Nepalese organization has been conducting a week-long program at the end of each year which includes a graduation ceremony for the Nepalese university graduates. The real objective of such program is to conserve and promote the Nepalese culture, music, tradition, art, et cetera. And as mentioned by the host of the program, " नेपालीहरु गाजा , भाङ , ढुतौरो खाएर सडकमा पल्तेका मात्र छैनन् , University का ढोका हरु नि ढकढकाई रहेका छन्। "  And today, on 31st of December, the graduation ceremony was held at The Polytechnic University in Hong Kong. Many graduates along with teachers from various universities and schools filled the program hall. Like many other programs, speech was given by the Guest of Honor an...

Ho-Ho-Ho. Knock Knock?! We all know that Christmas is around the corner.... wait, am I wrong? It's not around the corner, it just came to the front and knocked on the door, right? Anyhow, Christmas is all about Santa and milk-and-cookies. And restaurants. It's that time of the year where you have to reserve the seats four weeks earlier if you want to sit for a satisfying meal in a posh restaurant. Yep, one month earlier, you read that right. I guess I don't have to tell anything more, 'cause you are familiar with it. As I was saying, the restaurants will be busy all day and night. The dish has to be served perfectly because that's what the customers expect after investing their time and money in a posh restaurant. Now, just for a second, imagine the kitchen of a restaurant you are going to visit. Slippery and wet floor, unwashed dish in a corner awaiting its dishwasher, staffs drenched in sweat and apron covered in grease, frying pan burning ato...

L et's talk about a very simple topic today. "Language". Yes, language; an asset for every person. Able to understand many different language is directly proportional to the diverse development of your brain. The more language you know, the more people you meet, communicate and you understand their culture which ultimately leads to the diverse development of your brain. We know for simple that English is the world's No. 1 and most powerful language. And after that comes Chinese, French, Spanish and the list goes on. So, first priority is given to English and Chinese and so on. This is the reason why people are learning languages, based on priority and power. So, it's not uncommon to see people speaking English fluently like a native speaker. Or Chinese. This is the most common thing we encounter in our day-to-day life.  Now, let's look back to the 2nd para and whip your brain to work. 'Cause your brain has become too stale. Thin...

Dusk falls upon the city of ever busy people. While the 'busy people' move along the street on a symmetric beat with the rhythm of their feet in sync, time doesn't seem to bother the elderly people even a bit.   I watched the evening sky as the sun went down on the horizon. It seemed like it went under the water and into the ocean as I watched the sky change its color. I could see the people, some were returning from their work and some had come for a walk. There is a large open area for the people to come and relax, and exercise or jogging. There, I could see elderly people, some walking and some running. Yes, they were running. For a person of that age, it was quite an unusual view. I say, they have got quite the stamina and strength. Seriously, they run like a horse. Age didn't matter here. What matter was motivation and willpower. I was so pumped up by seeing that view. The next day, I decided to go for a run. Well guess what, I tired out at  the 1s...

One very fine early morning, I woke up really early. Honestly speaking, waking up early is not what I do best. But still, that particular morning, it was different. Here, let's take a stroll along the story. You see, there is a park right across the road and I can clearly see the park from my window. Occasionally, when I would wake up half-asleep to go to the bathroom, I saw people at the park early in the morning. The first day, I slept it off. The next time, I became more conscious. And right at that moment, something bumped on me. Literally speaking, I had a lump on my forehead for days. I bumped into my window sill half-asleep, thinking... more like dreaming in my half-asleep state that I was conscious. Wataa.! Anyway, that steered up little bit of my interest because I could see the same people every morning, at the same time. You see, there is a temple in the park and it becomes filled with people so early in the morning; elderly people. They gather there so e...

Get up early. And I mean, really early. You feel cold? Go and take a shower. Not hot, but cold shower. [You can't? Why can't you? A simple lad can get up early and attend his part-time job, so why can't you?] Stretch your body. And stretch like it's gonna tear up. 'Cause you've got a long day. No, don't make breakfast. Dress up. And change your hairstyle into more of an exotic. Carry a bag with all the supplies you need. Carry your camera. Put on an extra jacket if it gets a little too cold. Put on your boot and get out into the streets. Get yourself some milk and sandwich on the way.(Make that two sandwich and milk) Talk with the lad who sells you milk and sandwich early in the morning. Know his story. Take his picture, smile and thank him. Get on a bus and eat on the way. Talk with strangers on the bus. Interact. Capture their stories and photos. Get out of the valley and into the wild. Though not faraway deep in the wild, go into the wild.[You...

The day started just like any other for me: rise and shine. I didn't draw the curtains full back at first. There looked to be too much sun for me to face before a shower. I thought it had no business by being too bright at this time of year. I grabbed a strong coffee with the few dollars I had saved and I was surprised that my name was spelled correctly this time. I could sense a great day ahead, and now even the sun looked bright enough to lighten up the day. As usual I went to The Boogey-Woogey Library and Cafe four blocks away from the coffee shop and like any other day, I browsed through the Fiction Section and grabbed a book. I like to bring my own caffeine from the coffee shop four blocks away rather than have it from the cafe. Like always, I stayed at the table at the corner of the room with the windows just beside me so that I can take a change of scenario between the cafe and the rhythmic beating of students, businessmen, woman outside the window. I took ...

Nepal has suffered greater loss and are still at times of difficulty. The unexpected sudden trembling of the ground during a normal Saturday morning has deep rooted fear among Nepalese people. Even after the days passed and life ran normally, people were still fear-stricken. Yes, I believe you and I are on the same boat. I'm talking about the same devastating and life-taking 2015 Nepal's earthquake. And to add up more oil on a fire, India has cut off all transports of oil, petroleum, cooking gas, merchandise, and even foods. Everything  has halted to a stop, unless you make a buy in 'black'. Yes, people buy and sell in a black market. I think it's not their fault, I mean they have to make a living somehow. Not long after walking the path of recovery, Nepal is hence again struggling through a tough time.  You may think why I am writing all these at a time like this, but I want to share my share of experience and insight.  Yes, through all these difficult...

The lights were turned on by him. A soft music was playing in the background. What better way to start a day with some music. He sat down comfortably in front of his computer table with a cup of coffee. He took a sip; it was mesmerizing. It took him months to perfect the technique of making a soul-warming coffee, at least that was how he felt at that time. “I’ll make you fall down on your knees with my cup of coffee. So be ready for that.” She said flirtingly. “Try me.” He said with the same tone. A moment passed. She looked him in the eye as she handed him the coffee. He was very much overwhelmed by its aroma. He locked eyes with hers and took a sip. He froze on the outside, but on the inside, war was waging due to its aroma and taste. “So?” “It’s ok.” She glared him and punched him on his chest when he was off-guard. And then she turned away and took her sip. A slight smile could be seen from her blind-spot. That was it; that was the tr...

He stayed up late that night. It was 11:00. He was in his study-room as usual. These 9 days, he had barely stepped out of the room. His room all dirty, cropped notes, books, bed’s sheet, blanket unfold, books and more books over his precious and most cherished guitar, his room stinking with sweats, cans of energy drink piling up at a corner, his room filled with chart papers and some kind of- chemical reactions and symbols written all over it. He used to sit in his study table with shorts and topless and a head band which was so tight that his brain could pop out any minute.. There wasn’t any light to be seen but his. He lost his appetite but gained concentration. It was a matter of life and death; that period of time which could pave a path to his long-wished future. Dont know what to do., whole brain is crying.! But that 9 th day, or more specifically, ‘night’, he stayed late. It was the same time, 11:00. He stayed up in his stinking room filled with trash, as he sees it ...