A not so typical Nepali in USA-Pandey

Isha Pandey/USA
At this moment, I am pretty sure “OHHHH The Mountain Everest” is a line every Nepali have heard at some point in their life. Don’t get me wrong, I am more than proud to claim that I am from the country of Mountain Everest but there are only so much people know about Nepal.

When I tell someone, I am from Nepal I notice sudden change of gesture. More than often, I find warmness in that knowledge. They ask you questions and sympathize that you had to leave your hometown. But how do I forget those faces who repeats “Nepal” like it is not another country but rather another planet. Oh you mean India? No dumbass! Nepal is a different country. We are neighboring countries but NOT THE SAME. “Aren’t you part of India?” No, we are not!

But then their eagerness to learn more about our culture and what is it that makes Nepal different from India makes it all better. As I tell someone a little bit of Nepal, there is certain kind of feeling that I cannot explain. Perhaps, it’s a mixture of pride and a little bit of homesickness.

When I explain them about the street, or the place that I was born in. It gets a little nostalgic, I can almost picture myself back in the street of Kathmandu.

You meet those who have been to Nepal and knows about some places. “Oh yes, I have been to Kathmandu and Pokhara ( in their awkward accents ) . They sometimes tell you about the hospitality they received and the food they got to taste. “I love MoMo” they will tell you. Who wouldn’t ?

If you are a Nepali, and you are in some Nepali Restaurant, there is no way you wouldn’t order mo:mo with extra chatni. That Panipuri and Chatpatey in the evening makes every bad day disappear, the over crowded bus and how that guy keeps telling you there are more seats in the back. The required proper attire when you go to temple, and oh the mean look that old lady gives you if you wear anything that shows off your skin. The rituals we follow are always shocking to other people. They don’t understand why we do what we do and to learn more is always fascinating for them.

Don’t we dare forget the conversation about the spices, and the weather. “Is it always cold due to the mountain?”, “ Is all your food spicy?” “Oh I really love spicy food, how are your spices different from here?” these might be some of the common questions that you have been asked when you tell them you are from Nepal. But embrace yourself with funny questions and queries to come your way.

Personally, I can never forget that one time this weird dude asked me the funniest question ever. So, I was with one of my Daai brother/friend (know this, calling someone Daai is very common in Nepal, So yes .. We tend to call them Daai who are older than us) and we were playing Ping Pong. And this guy asked us where we are from and we said Nepal. Like I expected he said, “Neppppaaaaaall” and then he asked, if it is harder for us to breathe here in US considering we are from Mountains. I told him that I am from the city but he kept repeating the same question. I laughed at him, but I didn’t know how else was I supposed to react. Probably I should have faked a story of how we Nepalese have an inhaler installed inside our body before we leave the country like my friend suggested me to, or I could have kept repeating “I AM FROM THE CITY, I DON’T LIVE IN MOUNTAINS”

“The girl from mountain” was one of the nickname that I have received. And I do take a lot of pride in that. Sometimes, they will feel sorry when they ask you about the earthquake and how we dealt with it. Its always sad to think about it, whether you were there to deal with it first handed or even when you heard about it over the news.

I have been told by many, that we Nepalese have very high tolerance with Alcohol. No disagreement in that. I have always loved telling them about the beer that we have and how good it tastes, or the local alcohol you can find in Nepal. Its always exciting for me to tell more stories of Nepal and what is it like being there. The overcrowded streets of Newroad, and the struggle to stop yourself from having Panipuri again. Nepal, a place where you eat food with your hand while if you do the same here, you might be considered crazy.

I was probably 12 or fourteen when I first tasted Beer (obviously I didn’t buy it), but its crazy when someone hears me say that. “Wait, how old are you now?”. Yes, I didn’t have to be 21 to get a drink in Nepal. But the joy that one has while drinking beer around the Fewa Taal is priceless. Or in Chitwan? Or how do I even forget Nagarkot? You know you can almost recognize a Nepali at a bar. More than often, they cannot drink without any snacks on the side. They have to munch in something as they sip their beer.

The tea in cold morning of winter and the hours we can spend outside in the balcony appreciating the warm sun. Winter here is pretty different. If you stand outside in cold winter afternoon hoping to get some sun, then god save you. The amount of wind that blows, and how your nose gets all red. But excuse the comment, “You must be used to cold with mountains and all” “You guys must never have summer in Nepal” . Reality check, we do have four seasons like you guys. We get spring, with beautiful green trees, or the first warm day of summer, or the heavy rainfall that makes you not want to leave home, those leaves and how they fall, and before you even realize that cold winter day has begun.

I don’t find myself being a typical Nepali most of the time, but when I am angry and frustrated, I don’t say son of a bitch as often as I say “Tesko Bajey”. I love nachos, fries, quesadilla but I would choose mo:mo over them any day. So I guess, even on a not so typical Nepali girl still have a Typical Nepaliness in hers.